If you love the idea of being able to tell the future – and the cost – then you have to add The Other Side of Infinity to your TBR. And that ending?? Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
It was supposed to be an ordinary day at the pool, but when lifeguard Nick hesitates during a save, seventeen-year-old December uses her gift of foreknowledge to rescue the drowning man instead. The action comes at a cost. Not only will Nick and December fall in love, but also, she envisions that his own life is now at risk. The other problem? They’re basically strangers.
December embarks on a mission to save Nick’s life, and to experience what it feels like to fall in love―something she’d formerly known she’d never do. Nick, battling the shame of screwing up the rescue when he’s heralded as a community hero, resolves to make up for his inaction by doing December a major solid and searching for her mother, who went missing nine years ago.
As they grow closer, December’s gift starts playing tricks, and Nick’s family gets closer to an ugly truth about him. They both must learn what it really means to be a hero before time runs out.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
The Other Side of Infinity takes the idea of being able to know the future and asks us what is the meaning of fate and free will. For December, she’s always known how the future would unfold – with a few caveats – but when she manages to alter a piece of the future, what could this mean? The ripples and consequences of her actions cross across multiple character’s lives and could just change her own abilities. Beginning with fast and immediate action, The Other Side of Infinity balances these themes with character.
Being dual perspective allows us to not only know what it would like to feel this weight, but also what it’s like to see how those actions impact other lives. I appreciated the ways December and Nick’s characters develop and evolve as their relationship changes and their past actions come to haunt them. For Nick, what does it mean for him to take credit for December’s save? For December, where is her mother and why can’t she see her future?
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Throughout The Other Side of Infinity, I enjoyed the dyslexia representation in Nick’s character, December’s relationship with her uncle, and Nick’s best friend. While I wish some elements had a bit more closure by the end – especially with the long lead up – this was a quick paced read about the impact we make in other’s lives. The efforts we can have to protect someone, while also balancing letting them fail and grow. Find The Other Side of Infinity on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.