Caught Between Worlds

Caught Between Worlds is a coming of age story that explores how this transition is made much more complex by identity, cultural conflict, socio-economic status, and family/community relationships. It is set in rural Alaska, which is an interesting setting to delve into these questions and struggles. While these are universal experiences, they are positioned in a place that is very far removed from anything within my own experiences.

The book follows three young characters. Two are about to graduate high school and must consider their options after graduation, and the third is a younger boy who has left his village and family behind to continue his education after the village school is closed. All three characters are dealing with similar problems as they straddle different cultures and try to figure out exactly what their own identities are. With pressures from their family and community this process is made much more complicated.

The idea behind this novel is intriguing, however it felt very dry to read. The book rarely provoked any emotional reactions for me, and it felt difficult to connect to the characters. This is mostly due to the third person narration that never really goes beyond exposition. I felt like I was waiting the whole book for the book to really get started.

What kept me reading though, were the beautiful (and what seemed authentic) depictions of life in this remote region. The simple prose captured how living in this area is sometimes brutal, and sometimes inspiring. This book is an interesting read and I would recommend it to anyone interested in this region of Alaska or who enjoys reading a narrative that is more of a character study.

I received a free copy from NetGalley. Growing up on an very small Alaskan island a 7th grader is forced to move to a small town for school. Then two from the high school talk about growing up in the small town as well and dreams of "outside" in larger Alaskan cities. A story of the struggle to grow up but also the struggle of culture and lifestyle choices as the "old" ways no longer support life and the internal conflict this creates. Kind of a slow story for teens, I think it will actually be appreciated more by adults.