The Brightness Between Us

September 1, 2024
Grades 9-12 In one era, the children of the final two clones come of age on a deserted planet; in another, the two boys who were cloned face a world in crisis instead of embarking on the space rescue they prepared for. This unexpected sequel to The Darkness outside Us (2021) follows in its footsteps with a deceivingly straightforward start, as Owl, the daughter of book 1's protagonists, Ambrose and Kodiak, treks farther into the wilds of their unsettled planet than she ever has before. Just as a mild sense of unease settles in, the narrative shifts to the original Ambrose on twenty-fifth-century Earth. Kodiak also features in the POV rotation, as does Owl's brother, Yarrow. Readers who trust the book's process will be rewarded with cliff-hangers and revelations at every turn. Despite a convoluted plot, the writing itself is clear and compulsively readable, with thought-provoking themes. Truly, Schrefer has produced an updated, inclusive exploration of human connection in a style that is rarely seen outside the context of classic sf.

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September 1, 2024
After establishing a struggling colony on a new planet, Ambrose's and Kodiak's clones must survive new threats in this sequel toThe Darkness Outside Us (2021). Only two children have survived attempts to bring viable embryos to the new world: Owl, who yearns to explore much like her aunt Minerva, from whom she was cloned, and sensitive, steady Yarrow, who has "no blood relations." Upon turning 16, Yarrow starts acting oddly, but the threat of a comet strike takes priority, and he hides what's happening to him. The narrative following their problems in the year 32,481 alternates with a past timeline in which the original Ambrose and Kodiak learn the truth of their mission. Not only do they have their own heartache and grief, but after being brought together in an attempt to destabilize Earth's two remaining governments, they're left to deal with the fact that the fates of all of humanity lie in their hands. Though the storylines eventually wind together, their initial disjointedness delays the book's full emotional impact. But when it finally lands, it packs the full punch of humanity's potential ills balanced with hope of the good we might achieve. The realism of the struggles the characters face keeps the story engaging, and returning fans will appreciate the time spent with the original Ambrose and Kodiak. Ambrose and Owl are brown-skinned, and Kodiak and Yarrow are coded white. Complex and brimming with pathos.(Science fiction. 14-18)

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