My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Stories about multiverses and post-apocalyptic societies are staples of science fiction and fantasy, even if multiverses are only just entering the cultural zeitgeist thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But this is the first novel that I have read that has tried to combine both a multiverse and a post-apocalyptic story into one. And while it takes some time for Ms. Johnson to decide which lane to stick to, once she does the bang up is extraordinary.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world where the privileged live in pristine Wiley City and the poor live short, violent lives in shanty towns around it, a scientist and businessman discovers how to send travelers to other worlds in the multiverse. The only catch is that travelers cannot go to a world where their doppelgänger is still alive. Thus, the only people who can travel to these worlds are the less privileged as they tend to have shorter, more violent lives. Our protagonist Cara is an excellent candidate to travel between worlds because she has died in nearly every other world. But she also harbors a secret and when she miraculously survives traveling to another world where her doppelgänger wasn’t quite dead yet, it sets of a chain of events that will consequences on her world and others.
This book has a very fascinating premise with its in-your-face metaphor about gross inequality and its attempt to combine both a multiverse and a post-apocalyptic story into one. But Ms. Johnson’s attempts at this synthesis does not always gel very well, especially at the beginning. At times I found myself confused at who was who and the inner workings of this society, especially since the differences between the worlds are sometimes very subtle and not very easy to identify. Indeed, the background doppelgängers are so close to each other that it becomes difficult to figure out who is who and what is going on.
That said, once this book enters the third act, Ms. Johnson begins to find her footing and the narrative starts to come together. Cara’s discovery of key figure’s past lives and future plans collide into a wonderful climax. By the end, I found myself very invested in Cara and those she was closest to.
Overall, this book has a wonderful premise, but it takes the author a little while to find her narrative footing. Once she does though, it turns into a spectacular novel. I would recommend this book to fans of both the Mad Max movies and alternate dimension novels.
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