I really liked this book, it was subdued speculative sci-fi. Written in an interesting way as first person POV that kept me glued to the page. A refreshing time travel, butterfly effect type of story where the characters know the consequences of changing events in the other valleys. It was smart and had me super intrigued what would happen.

The world building was fantastic, the book had like a dystopian military community atmosphere that really worked for me. I liked all the French names and phrases, it seemed foreign but also very human that it could be just about anywhere in the world. There is no explanation why the three valleys exist, it’s more factual that this is the reality. The characters grapple with grief, acceptance, and their place in society. The focus on apprenticeships and gendarmes (the military defense) sets the tone very nicely, it’s like cogs in a machine and everything runs as it should.

The mechanics of visitation between the valleys was a big subplot, people must submit requests and be approved by both valleys in order to see the loved one they’re grieving. East is 20 years in future and West is 20 years in past. There is emphasis on deviation and changing timelines if something goes wrong or a person escapes. It can change the present and make it the reality with everyone unaware.

Odile was a great character, I connected with her in such a way that I could see myself taking the same choices. It was a neat effect. We first follow Odile when she’s sixteen and then twenty years later, it’s important to remember because the transition is very quiet. It had a slow build but I very much appreciated the outcome and I’m curious to see it on screen when they finish the adaptation!

Title: The Other Valley
Author: Scott Alexander Howard
Genre: Literary Sci-fi, Time Travel
Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️