The Otherworld - Abbie Emmons

I love reading books and understanding a little bit about other people's worldviews. This book was no different. I know Abbie through her YouTube channel, which has always provided me with valuable writing tips. I was so honored when she was chosen me to read the ARC of The Otherworld, and I can say that it was a completely different experience from her debut novel.

The book tells the story of Orca, an innocent girl who knows nothing about the world as we know it. Orca lives on a small island with his father, the lighthouse keeper. On the journey to protect her daughter by preventing her from leaving the refuge they created, Orca feels she is missing something, and she dreams of knowing what the world has to offer. Her story changes when a part of this other world ends up invading the bubble she lives in.

This book has a touch of drama, romance, intrigue, and a few twists. The reading experience was lovely, even if it wasn't my favorite book. It is clear the growth in Abbie's writing. The story was well-written, and the plot was well-developed. Abbie has an incredible power to make us see images as we read. I could practically see a movie in my head. I loved the simplicity of Orca, although, for me, it wasn't something constant from the middle to the end. Jack was the most rational of all the characters and the most confident in times of crisis, even if a little immature. I identified myself more with Adam and his morally correct spirit.

Although it was a pleasant read, it was not fully satisfying. I was particularly bothered by some of Orca's decisions, the harmful behavior of the parent figures, the slowness of the most relevant events, and a journey of shallow self-knowledge. These points made it difficult for me to keep reading.

I recommend the book, as long as it's an unpretentious read. I recommend it for lovers of cute and heart-warming novels, without intending to read something deep and extremely moving. Abbie has a lot of skill with words, and I think she has a lot of space to be amazing. My favorite is still 100 Days of Sunlight, but The Otherworld needs a chance to be read and enjoyed.