The Space Between

The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff
Release Date: November 15, 2011
Penguin ~ Razorbill
ISBN13: 9781595143396

4/5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis:
Everything is made of steel, even the flowers. How can you love anything in a place like this?
Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life for her is an endless expanse of time, until her brother Obie is kidnapped - and Daphne realizes she may be partially responsible. Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to the vast streets of Earth, where everything is colder and more terrifying. With the help of the human boy she believes was the last person to see her brother alive, Daphne glimpses into his dreams, discovering clues to Obie's whereabouts. As she delves deeper into her demonic powers, she must navigate the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in her way. But she also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human in a world where human is the hardest thing to be.
This second novel by rising star Brenna Yovanoff is a story of identity, discovery, and a troubled love between two people struggling to find their place both in our world and theirs.

What do you do when you don't fit in at all? When you can't be the person you're expected to be?

I had no idea what to expect from this book, in regards to its subject matter, plot, and even writing style. But sometimes those are the best books to read - ones that surprise you!

1. Hell and demons like you've never seen them before:
   Daphne is a demoness, and an utterly fascinating one at that. She is nothing like she's supposed to be, or like you'd expect. Methodical, reserved, and deserpately lonely. But she just doesn't fit in her home of Pandemonium. She is too good, too thoughtful, and too much of a disappointment to her mother, Lilith. But there is such a quiet yet solid strength in her that makes her this pure, ideal sort of heroine. And all of the demons and fallen angels in Pandemonium aren't quite like what you'd expect from them; this isn't a story about black and white, but all the gray in between.
2. Unpredictable twists:
   If you're like me, you probably read enough to find the majority of books somewhat predictable. And that isn't always a bad thing, even if it is a little repetative at times. But I honestly had no idea how this book was going to turn out, and how the characters would react to their circumstances. And Truman- he was NOTHING, nothing like who I thought he'd be at the beginning. And he is so different and realistic from those other YA boys out there (not that I don't love them, but sometimes you just need something new).
3. Brenna Yovanoff's writing:
   Guys, you need to read it just for her writing and ability to immerse you in a story using written words. This was my first time reading one of her books (I have a copy of The Replacement, just haven't read it yet!) and I was so impressed with her. It's like she puts you in a trance and injects you directly into her world.

I'm not sure if it's weird to say this book about demons and hell left me enchanted, but it did. I hightly recommend this to people looking for something unique in the YA world.

The mythology this is based on is impressive as well, and I could honestly just read a book on the legends and world Brenna based her book on. There is SO MUCH there, and I would have loved further explanations of Pandemonium and the history of these angels and demons.

One thing I found odd (and this might just be me) was how it was written from two POVs; Daphne's and Truman's. But what was different about it was that Daphne spoke in the first person while Truman's POV was told in third person. It can be kind of a jarring switch, but as I recently read another book which used this method, I wonder if there was a reasonf or it that I'm simply missing.

Plus, all of us Brennas need to stick together.

ARC received from Penguin Canada in exchange for my honest review; no other compensation was received.