The Space Between
“Despite being aimed at teenagers, The Space Between takes the road less traveled, resulting in a more refined story that can appeal to adults as well. Even the rendering of the growing feelings between Truman and Daphne is achieved with incredible delicacy and plausible aplomb that far exceeds the usual coming-of-age formula and provides even further credibility to an already outstanding writer.”
Daphne is one of six daughters of Lilith and the Devil. All of the girls are gifted with some kind of sight, and all of them are succubi. Daphne lives in Pandemonium (an area of Hell), where she keeps to herself, surrounded by the earthly gifts her brother Obie brings her, and vowing never to be like her sisters.
Despite being quite powerful, there are two things Daphne fears: love and Earth. Although demons are allowed on Earth, the angel Azrael and his vicious female humanoid-killing machine, Dark Dreadful, eviscerate demons that stay too long or cause trouble.
Daphne’s half-brother Obie, who is the son of Adam and was conceived in the Garden of Eden, works on Earth. When it becomes clear that Obie is not suited to the more evil ways of life, the Devil makes him the sole employee of the Department of Good Works, where he’s assigned to help the half-human children of fallen angels who always seem to be in the process of self-destruction.
Obie is Daphne’s best friend and confidant, and when he confides in her that he has fallen in love and will be going back to Earth forever, she is heartbroken and terrified that he will die at the hands of Azrael.
When Daphne learns that Obie is missing, she rushes to Earth to find him. Recruiting the help of a boy named Truman—whom Obie was helping—the duo navigate Earth and the spaces in between to find her brother.
Daphne’s journey on Earth is not an easy one. As she struggles to control the demon within and fight for her brother’s life as well as her own, she realizes that there is one thing that can’t be controlled and may be worth dying for: love.
Brenna Yovanoff (The Replacement) takes the theme of good versus evil and turns it on its head. In a sort of ironic clash between Heaven and Hell, she introduces an interesting dynamic where children of fallen angels focus on the common good while soldiers of Heaven wreak havoc—essentially blurring the line between right and wrong as it is usually defined.
Ms. Yovanoff is a master at twisting the macabre into something tender and emotional with a penchant for creating provocative tales that sweep the reader into unknown worlds that can’t possibly exist—yet are so solid and tangible that we feel as if they actually do.
By showing the same respect for her characters, the author dives deep into their hearts and psyches, giving them a pulse-emitting presence and dimension that inspires sympathy and support for whatever situation they have managed to get themselves into.
However, nothing is perfect and neither is The Space Between. There are elements that might require giving the author a bit of leeway, but they are not so severe as to sully the overall impact of the story.
Despite being aimed at teenagers, The Space Between takes the road less traveled, resulting in a more refined story that can appeal to adults as well. Even the rendering of the growing feelings between Truman and Daphne is achieved with incredible delicacy and plausible aplomb that far exceeds the usual coming-of-age formula and provides even further credibility to an already outstanding writer.