This is a beautifully written novel that combines all the best parts of literary and speculative fiction. It's a fascinating premise that somehow feels completely plausible and unsurprising. This author is now definitely on my watch list and I can't wait to see what he gives us next!

This book had good press, but I apparently missed what the hype was about. I had problems with various aspects of the story....like how one valley can support an entire population without trade, movement, etc. How do they produce all their own stuff that they can sustain themselves? I know that wasn't the point of the book, but it niggled in the back of my mind the whole time. I did like the concept of moving to the next valley takes you into a different time of the same place, but I couldn't get into it enough to suspend my disbelief to really get into the story.

4.5
this was so good why are we not talking about how good this is
The Other Valley is a quiet dystopian—I think the comparisons to Kazuo Ishiguro are SPOT ON... although I actually liked this more than Never Let Me Go.
Scott Alexander Howard wrote such compelling characters and (despite his lack of quotation marks) has such a good grasp on dialogue. Every conversation felt so true to life, and I loved the relationships he built.
Considering this involves time travel, I'm impressed by how well he wrapped things up and how he (mostly) avoided any plot holes. Of course you could pick this apart until you have a migraine, but I would rather just enjoy it immensely.
The writing was incredible, I can't wait to see what he does next.

So weird, so cool! I love new stories that don't feel played out or like repeats of things I have already read. This was so unique and thought provoking!

Howard’s debut novel is giving Ishiguro (NEVER LET ME GO, KLARA AND THE SUN); it’s giving Emily St. John Mandel (THE GLASS HOTEL, STATION ELEVEN); it’s giving Ian McEwan (ATONEMENT, MACHINES LIKE US). This is speculative fiction written with such grace and beauty it feels like a classic. 16-year-old Odile lives in a heavily secured valley community; beyond a guarded border to the east is the same town 20 years in the future and to the west, the town 20 years in the past. No one is allowed to cross over except for a chosen few who apply for “mourning trips,” opportunities to relieve grief provoked by personal loss. Odile, a quiet loner, applies for an apprenticeship at the Conseil, the governing body that decides who gets to time travel into the past or future. When Odile glimpses then recognizes two visitors from another valley, she begins to suspect a terrible event will soon occur in her life and must decide how much to tell, how much to hide, and how much to feel. This is a thriller, a love story, a deeply moving coming-of-age tale, a dazzling evocation of a strange, heartbreaking world, a philosophical time travel narrative and ultimately, a novel that deftly crosses genres to reveal the dangers of our impulse to control, even ignore, the complexities of our emotional lives.

I struggled with this one. I wish I knew that there were zero dialogue tags, which made it difficult if not impossible to differentiate from inner monologue and actual dialogue. I completed it anyway, though it put me in a bit of a reading slump. My best friend loved this book and rated it highly based on the science fiction elements alone, so take my words with a grain of salt. The concept is wonderful—it's a bit like The Giver and The Matrix and all the other books that involve isolated communities surrounded by mysterious worlds. The past-present-future elements are well done and well plotted, but the ending felt very rushed to me. I would read this author again, though preferably with quotation marks and dialogue tags.

I did very much enjoy this book but it didn't quite make it to 5 star territory. This managed to be both genre and literary, which is usually my sweet spot, but I found this to be a tad bit loquacious. This is surely a preference thing, as I have never been someone who loves those long meandering descriptions of things. Hemingway is the one classics author I could never get on board with for ecactly this reason.

There were a lot of really interesting ideas here, and this is what caused me to give this 4 stars. The writing was above average and a pleasure to read and another thing that kept me reading, but there were times that I found myself bored and wanting to put the book down. Overall this was quality and interesting and deserves at least a 4 star from me.

I recently had the opportunity to read an advanced copy of “The Other Valley” by Scott Alexander Howard. While I found the book to be quite creative and engaging, there were a few elements that I struggled with, similar to many other reviewers.

One significant challenge was the absence of quotation marks. This stylistic choice made reading a bit tedious at times, as it required extra effort to follow the dialogue and differentiate it from the narrative. Despite this, the unique and unexpected plot kept me invested in the story.

The narrative itself is both imaginative and heartbreaking. The creativity in the storytelling was impressive, and the ending was a complete surprise, which I greatly appreciated. Overall, “The Other Valley” is a thought-provoking read that, despite its stylistic quirks, delivers a compelling and memorable story.

This thoughtful and thought-provoking speculative novel takes its time. It, in fact, plays with time, putting a fresh twist on time travel.
Sixteen-year-old Odile lives in an unnamed town in an unnamed valley. This valley is flanked by valleys, which in turn are surrounded by valleys. To the east, the same town in the same valley is 20 years ahead in time. To the west, that same town is 20 years behind. Like a hall of mirrors, the valleys repeat in infinite sequence. Odile is in training to be a Conseil, a job that entails deciding whether a petitioning bereaved resident may visit a neighboring valley in the past or future on a mourning tour. One day, loner Odile believes she recognizes two visitors to her valley. This sets the trajectory of Odile's life and that of the novel, which reads like a verrry slow-boil thriller.
Beautifully written and intriguingly complex, the novel delivers a richly atmospheric setting, as well as a trove of ideas, considering notions of fate, destiny, free will, memory. One of my favorite images is from when Odile has unearthed the long-buried violin belonging to the boy she once loved. She describes the decomposition, including a "rust-spotted tuning fork that I tapped against my knee. Its hum faded into the forest. Sliding brown roots crept through the bottom of the debris like hairless tails. It was much more decomposed than I'd imagined. If memories were objects, I thought, this was how they would look." The debut is well worth the time, and I look forward to future works by Scott Alexander Howard.

[Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.]

The plot of this novel was so fascinating! I enjoy creative, weird (in a good way) plots.

I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review.

I loved this debut novel!!

What I loved:
1. The unique premise - so good!!
2. Great world building by the author - you could see each valley so clearly!
3. Prose was beautiful!
4. The ability to explore morality in the sweetness of youth and your older self was amazing!!

I have recommended this book to so many people and know I will continue to do so as it lingers with you long after you have read!


Thank you to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This story reminded me a lot of Raybearer, in the sense of young adults are being groomed/chosen for their roles to support their realm from the "other" territories.

The world building was on-point, the storytelling was engaging, and I really enjoyed reading this book!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book provides a creative take on time travel. In this world, there are three towns separated by mountains. As the story opens sixteen-year-old Odile, the protagonist and narrator, is living in the central town. Traveling east would bring her twenty years into the future. Traveling west would bring her twenty years into the past. The borders are fenced and guarded. A governing body called the Conseil has the authority to approve visits between towns. Odile is vying for a seat on the Conseil, which involves attending a series of educational sessions where applicants are asked to read requests to visit, determine whether or not to approve them, and articulate the reasons for their decisions. Complications arise when Odile recognizes two visitors from the future and realizes that their visit means one of her friends will die (the primary reason visits are approved).

This is primarily a character-driven novel. It is nicely written and explores the philosophical question of whether to try to change the past to create a different future. It is divided into two parts. Part One is a coming-of-age story, and for me, this is the most interesting and compelling part. In Part Two, we learn what happens to Odile twenty years later. Odile is the only character developed in any depth, which is not surprising since the story is told from her first-person perspective. I occasionally found myself wondering about the inner workings of this world, but it worked better for me if I just accepted the premise and did not try to analyze it too closely. It contains some of the circular logic that is often encountered in time travel types of narratives. I found it an enjoyable book with an interesting premise. It will appeal to those who appreciate speculative fiction and do not require lots of “action.”

THE OTHER VALLEY is a well-written story that plays with time in a fascinating and thought-provoking way. I was very engaged in the story and how the blending of time would be handled, but around the 50% mark the story lost a lot of momentum. While I was still enjoying the writing style, the narrative drive was no longer pulling me in. Readers who enjoy a slower paced story may find THE OTHER VALLEY better suited for them.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There were sections of the book that really dragged for me and I found it hard to get into a rhythm while reading it, but overall there were more positives than negatives. The whole time travel/space-time continuum concept can be a bit confusing if you think too hard about it, but I found it to be thoughtfully executed. I enjoyed Odile as a character and I liked how it ended. The world-building was intriguing and I enjoyed it, even with some questions about the feminist aspects.

Such high hopes from the synopsis but the execution was…meh. This one is about a dystopian village — very “The Giver”-esque — where to the east is a valley 20 years in the past and to the east, one that’s 20 years in the future.

• The beginning started off fine, but the middle was a snoozefest. The best part was the ending, but I wouldn’t say the journey was worth it getting there.
• The writing is so choppy and impersonal. The lack of quotation marks for dialogue BUGGED. Authors, please don’t do this.
• I do love the philosophical questions this brought up, given the time travel angle, so it could make for an interesting book club pick for that reason. It was just so-so for me.

Highly recommend this one!! This is my first time reading one of their books but it won't be the last! This book sucks you in from the get-go and you will find yourself thinking about the characters long after you finish it. Do yourself a favor and get this book!!

I knew going in there was a romantic subplot but I struggle when that’s a heavy part of the narrative. This is a me thing.

I could not finish the book. The writing felt too blocky and unfinished. I feel like the writing reminds me of Frederik Backman. It was difficult to follow along.

This book has one of the more unique premises for a sci-fi/speculative fiction novel that I've come across in a while, but it's Howard's writing that stands out the most. The Other Valley is a wistful novel of quiet devastation and philosophical uncertainties. The pacing is slow, but thoughtfully so, giving us time to experience Odile's journey moment to moment.