A Crack in the Line

Aldous Lexicon #1

by Michael Lawrence

What if someone else was living your life?

You are sixteen. You live with your father in a big Victorian house on the outskirts of London. Your mother is dead, killed in a train crash two years ago. It is snowing. The snow is falling on the house and the wide yard and the gnarled old tree that everyone calls the Family Tree. It makes you restless. You reach out your hands toward an object you've known all your life, and suddenly the walls melt away. When you open your eyes, you are still in your living room. "Who are you?" asks a girl who looks just like you but is not you. "And what are you doing in my house?"

You have stumbled into another version of your life. This girl is sixteen. She lives with your father (her father) in a big Victorian house on the outskirts of London. Your mother (her mother) is not dead. She had a close call in a train crash two years ago. Listen: your mother is calling you (her) now.

Michael Lawrence's gripping thriller about a boy and a girl who are the same person but not quite will have you turning the pages late into the night...and talking and thinking and wondering about the shifting nature of identity, time, space, and the cracks that can appear in a train rail, a lifeline, and a family tree.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, Paranormal, Mystery, Teen

323 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Jaroda · Rating 3 out of 5]

What if someone else was living your life?

When Alaric and Naia, two teens who are essentially the same person living the same life in alternate realities, stumble across each other one day, neither can believe the truth before them. How is it possible, and why all of a sudden can they now enter each other's realities? Their search for answers sets off a chain of events, causing the lines between their worlds to blur, something that threatens to rearrange – and even erase – their very existence.

I first read this book back in middle school. Though I was super intrigued by the book, I never got around to finishing the series. (I was such a fickle reader back then.) I always vowed to return to it one day. Pleased to say that upon rereading it's still as intriguing as I remember, however it doesn't feel like a book that can effectively stand on it's own. Part of a book instead of a whole. Also the ending for me, despite being a major shift for Alaric and Naia, felt a bit rushed and slightly underwhelming. Luckily it's only the first of three volumes. Having so many more questions than answers at this point, I'm definitely curious to see how this story plays out.

*3.5

NOTE: This series is currently out of print. You can still purchase an ebook version of A CRACK IN THE LINE as well as the other two volumes in this series under "The Aldous Lexicon" through Amazon Kindle.

[Emma]

Alaric and Naia Underwood both live in an old Victorian house in a small village. They both have dark hair and the same nose and the same parents. They even have the same bedroom. But Alaric and Naia have never met; they don’t even live in the same world. Things have been difficult for Alaric since his mother died in a train accident two years ago, after being given a fifty/fifty chance of survival. When Alaric travels to an alternate timeline, he meets Naia, who is the female version of himself. But the bigger difference between Naia’s world and his own is that Naia’s mother lived and his didn’t. Naia has been living the perfect life that Alaric could only dream of until he saw it for himself. Together, Alaric and Naia try to understand how they could both exist and meet one another. But things become even more complicated when Alaric discovers that there are other alternate realities.

The first book in the Aldous Lexico trilogy follows two different versions of the same person, one female and one male. This book provides an in depth look into how one variable can alter so much and how one decision can change your life. This isn’t the first story I’ve read or watched that deals with alternate realities, but it’s how the author handles it that makes this book so special. Everything was thought out perfectly and the idea that started the story is expanded on throughout the novel. There is a reasonable (although complicated) reason for Alaric and Naia being able to visit the alternate worlds, which some stories with similar plots lack. I was a bit worried about reading a book where the two main characters are practically the same person, but there are so many differences between Naia and Alaric, not only from their different sexes but also from Alaric losing his mother while Naia did not. For this reason, Naia is much more well adjusted and happier, and also had more time and energy to put into her schoolwork, making her smarter than Alaric. The one flaw that comes to mind is that at times the story was slow moving, but the twist ending made me want to pick up the sequel right away. If you live outside of the U.K this book might be difficult to find, but I ordered mine from The Book Depository, where there’s no charge for shipping worldwide. A Crack in the Line was an intelligent and unique story that took a great concept and expanded on it enough to make something amazing.

4.5/5

[Particle_Person · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alaric lives with his father in their old Victorian by the river Ouse in England. His mother was injured in a train accident and was given a 50/50 chance of surviving. In Alaric's reality, she did not. One day Alaric touches a piece of artwork made by his mother, a tiny oak model of his house, and finds himself looking at a girl so much like him that she could have been his sister. It becomes clear pretty quickly that the girl, Naia, is *him* (if he'd been born female), that the house is not quite *his* house, and that Naia's mother is very much alive.

This book was superb. The alternate reality thing could have been a gimmick, but here it's more of a punch in the gut, especially for poor Alaric. Is it good or bad to know that your dead mother is alive somewhere else, in some other reality, and that your whole life could have gone a lot better (or a lot WORSE) than it did? This book is part of a trilogy, and I haven't read the other two books, so I'm not sure how it will all end. If I had a complaint about this one, it's that so far we haven't seen the effects of Alaric's choices on the timelines. They only seem to split in response to chance, which makes it seem like there's no free will in this universe. However, that might be an artifact of having read just the first third of the larger story.

[Adam Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if the moments that defined your life never happened? What if you could step into a world where fate took another path? What if you met someone who has the life you never had? What if that person was you?

A tragic railway disaster ruined Alaric's life. One small crack in the line robbed him of his mother and snuffed all the light out of his life. Two years later, on the anniversary of his mother's death, Alaric finds himself pining for the life that was stolen from him. A sudden pain and he finds himself standing in a house just like his, but with two key differences. There is a girl standing there claiming this house is her own, and his mother is still alive. The barriers between worlds have been breached and now Alaric and Naia are forced to see how life might have taken a different path.

This is a fantastic series. Each with excellent points that mark it as one of the best parallel universe stories I have ever read. A phenomenal series that winds through the many paths of what if and explores a new aspect of reality with each book.

A Crack in the Line: alternate universe
Small Eternities: time bubbles
The Underwood See: the multiverse

An excellent scifi trilogy that should appeal to anyone with an interest in parallel universes and the nature of reality.

***Reading Challenge 2015: A trilogy***

[Woodbury Public Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aggregate review from young adult book discussion:

Interesting but confusing!

It was very hard to keep track of what was going on and which "world" everyone was in. Sometimes the descriptions of the houses and their furnishings was a little boring - who cares about wallpaper?! - but overall the story moves pretty quickly.

The ending definitely leaves the reader knowing there is more to the story. Not sure if we would recommend to others.

We really wish this book was combined into one with the other two parts of the trilogy.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

A crack in the line is a story about to children- Alaric and Naia who are similar in every way. Their houses are identical, their rooms face the same direction, and they even live on the same road- yet they've never met. All is fine until they finally do meet- and when they do, they learn something that has a catastrophic affect on them.
A crack in the line was a book that had eluded me time and time again. The start is extremely slow, and quite frankly boring. I find the plot to be quite dull, and often times it seems like Michael Lawrence will drag on for pages about a simple concept.

[Bradie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dang i wish this book would continue it leaves you wanting more even though nothing more can be said. It deals with alternate realitys and what happens if things happend the other way instead of how things are now. Like a fifty fifty on life basicly i dont know i guse you will have to read it to get it.

[Brittanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book to be really hard to follow and rather boring. No matter how many times I tried to sit and read it, it never caught my attention.

[Adriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alternative realities are the best way to get unique and amazing twists. It's proven through this book. I haven't read this since high school so as I read I remembered about the 50/50 stuff but I did not remember that twist ending. I do remember the sequel's which was messed up... More people need to read this story, it's amazing.

[Ellie Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enticing concept, vividly written. Lawrence has a fluid and vivid writing style and creates believable protagonists in Alaric and Naia.

[Hafsah Faizal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alaric and Naia are closer than siblings - even closer than twins. They are two versions of the same person, living in two, alternate dimensions, and when their lives are suddenly and inexplicably brought together by a carved model known as Lexie's Folly, they are forced to rethink everything they know about the universe, their families, and themselves.

Alaric's mother, Alex Underwood, was involved in a terrible train crash when he was fourteen. She had a fifty-fifty chance of dying. She died. Naia's mother, Alex Underwood, was also involved in a train crash when she was fourteen. This Alex also had a fifty-fifty chance of dying. She lived.

Because of this difference, Alaric and Naia's lives are completely different. Naia is carefree and lively, a lot like her mother, while Alaric is sullen and withdrawn, living an almost speechless life with his father in their old, Victorian house in the outskirts of London. His only source of happiness is his Aunt Liney, who acts as a sort of babysitter while Alaric's father is away, but Alaric rejects her as well, still bitter over his mother's death.

A Crack in the Line by Michael Lawrence is incomplete on its own - it needs to be read with its sequel - Small Eternities (which also leaves you dangling). But I've heard The Underwood See (I still haven't read it, but I'd like to) will tie all the loose ends together beautifully. One thing's for sure - these three books form a thought-provoking, intriguing trilogy that you just can't miss!

[cat.r.piller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neither sixteen-year-old Alaric nor Naia knows the other exists, even though they have the "same" parents and live in the "same" house. A folly brings them together — Lexie's Folly, a Victorian shade (a scene under a glass dome) that their mother had refurbished with a detailed model of their home, an atmospheric old house called Withern Rise. Alaric is grieving the death of his mother two years before, while Naia relishes the warmth of a strong mother-daughter relationship. When Alaric accidentally bumps the dust-covered Folly, he remembers when his mother put it together. He places his hands on the dome; suddenly his hands begin to tingle, and after a short burst of excruciating pain he finds himself in an altered version of his home, with a girl who looks like his female twin. But she isn't. She is his counterpart in a parallel reality, a reality in which a girl was born instead of a boy and her mother did not die. Naia has the life Alaric craves. He repeatedly journeys to her reality, eventually coming face-to-face with the Folly and journeys to Alaric's reality to see the rundown, unhappy home he lives in with his father. One last simultaneous attempt to visit each other's world seems to destroy Naia and Alaric's connection. Fighting for their separateness as their identities try to merge into one, they pull apart and the Folly shatters. Alaric and Naia are thrown back into their bedrooms — but are they in their own realities or each other's?

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yup, needed the first book to understand the second one and the second one was good enough to get the first and third books. Unfortunately, when I called my local B&N to see if they had it, I was told that "It was published in 2005, it's out of print." Thank goodness for eReaders. I was actually able to get the trilogy in one entire download, so I did that, rather than get the eBooks of 1 and 3 and have the actual book for number 2. Saves on space on my shelves at least. :)

So far the book is very good. I haven't been reading it as much as I would like, as I tend to be a bit ADD when reading on my Kindle (so many different books to read, so little time. Sigh), but what I have read I have enjoyed. It's imaginative and well written and I honestly can't wait to see how everything ties together. I've always enjoyed the idea of parallel universes and I like how Mr. Lawrence has expressed them in his books thus far. I've been in a book slump recently and I think this trilogy may bring me out of it. :)
Not bad first installment.

[Tess Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, intriguing and very philosophical. It makes you ponder realities and situations you may never have if not provoked. And though I enjoyed it, I feel it could have been a little more satisfying as to the background of these remarkable occurrences. This may just be my never faltering curiosity and sense of closure, but more of a description as to the origin and fate of "Aldous Underwood" would have been greatly appreciated. It may have not had an outstandingly original moral (but then-again what moral is unique these days?), it is a good, wholesome read that is thoroughly relatable and has something to offer for everyone.

[S.R. Weems · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things happen that no one's prepared for when there's a 50/50 chance...

[Jessica Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating. The second one gets better.

[Peter McGinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a hardcover copy of this book that had been released from a library and then sold. So I had no idea it was the first book in a trilogy when I bought it.

I liked the book just fine at first and was zooming along. But I began to realize I didn't like the character Alaric very much. I guess it was because he was so negative about people. I thought Liney was a great character, the best in the book, and perhaps the main reason I stuck with it to the end. But Alaric thinks mean thoughts about her right up to within 50 pages of the end, when he seems to start to appreciate her more. And he is negative about other people and things also. I get it that his mother died and he has teenaged angst about it. My father died when I was young and I missed him of course, but I can't say it made me morose or cynical in the least, so perhaps I don't understand his reactions. He grows a bit more mature about things by the end, but I would have liked to see more character development.

One of the reasons I reads YA novels is because I write them and I like to compare ones that seem to use wit and humor as mine do. But again, the humor seemed somewhat negative in this book - mental insults and complaints - so I nearly gave up on it. But I picked it up after a bit of a break and slogged through to the end. Plus I thought the subplots such as the Underwood connection complicated things unnecessarily, but now I see in these reviews that they will play more into the trilogy as a whole. But it makes this initial book less coherent in itself, I think,

The ending was interesting and I won't go into it and give stuff away, though I must say it didn't quite make sense to me. I mean it did on one level, but as a reader involved in the fate of the characters it felt inconclusive like - I needed to decide how it ended?. And how it seems to turn out is rather a sad ending for the two main characters, in a way. Well, it is hard to explain without ruining plot twists for people who will read it, so I will stop trying to explain it. After all, it is part of a trilogy, so perhaps all will be made clear and whole in the end. Unfortunately, however, even though I don't regret reading this book, it didn't grab me quite enough to want to read the entire trilogy.

The writing is good, though, so I would encourage you to give it a go and decide for yourself if I have been a bit hard on Alaric and the subplots.

[Chance Hansen · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a whole this book is a little rough edged. BUT there is one aspect to this book I give complete respect for and that is for his effort. When writing about realities it can easily get confusing if you don't paint everything properly and I like to think I was able to follow it pretty well. I really didn't get confused with the locations or the jumps.

Cover
I'm personally not too crazy about the cover. It works well enough but I think I would have gone a slightly different direction. (I love the back cover though, great way to introduce the concept.)
Opinion (Maybe have the folly with a Alaric and Naia on each side and cracks in the dome.)

Story
I'm not the type to re-read a book but if I were I would create a timeline to follow along with the dates in this book. I feel like this book was designed to be seen deeper than just face value. I did have a goal to do the nothing overlooks style but it became I find that I just didn't feel it reading this book.
My biggest complaint has to be the naughty moments. One of the first things we really learn about Alaric is he watches "films" (An image I don't want to picture.) followed by other moments that really don't fit into the story.
Opinion (If you need to add sex, porn, or thoughts, I think you need to figure your characters out a little more.)
Another issue this book has it suffers from too much detail. As I mentioned before kudos for not over looking anything but I noticed even in my own work that it bogs down the story and it suffers from it.
You can almost see this book as a surfers beach where the story waits for the next big wave to come in and these big waves are exciting and you can really get caught up in the excitement.
I really hope some of these details and realities are tied into the next book because they were really useless in this one and really sat out of place in the book. (I even stopped and asked how is this advancing the story a couple times? While writing this I'm still shrugging and guessing book two.)


SPOILERS! You have been warned.
I get why there are two endings but I just didn't find it necessary and since we all know this is only one of possibly infinite parallel realities the one really doesn't add anything to it. This finale is a real wave and is an interesting twist.

[Eden Hardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read, absolutely fascinating story. Love the little glimpses of history throughout the 19th century told throughout this story.

Alaric is an ordinary teen with unfortunate circumstances. Two years ago his mother dies in hospital after a terrifying train accident. With his father away and his aunt Liney to supervise him, he soon discovers he can transport into an alternative version of his life. In this new reality where his mother has survived the crash he learns that his life has been replaced by that of another.

Naia is shocked to find a stranger in her house claiming that she is the intruder. When learning that the intruder is actually a male version of herself from a different reality, she must decide whether to continue her life or be tempted to have a sneak peek into what her life would have been had her mother not survived the accident.

Content Advisory: A few swear words, ongoing theme of death/grievance

Would recommend to young teens+. A really captivating easy read, enjoyable for all ages. I look forward to reading the next segment of this story.

[Corby Nisly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alaric and Naia both live in an old house. They look very similar. They live in the same room but have never met. They live in different worlds and just share a house. They both have separate lives. Both have their ups and downs. The two discover each other and try to understand how they both could exist. This is just the start of their crazy story once they find each other

"Everything has a crack in it, that's how the light gets in."

This book was an alright read. I like that it was switching back and forth between two stories but at times it is hard to find the transitions and can get confusing. Once the two find out about each other its an easier read. Overall I would rate this a 7.5 out of 10.

I would recommend this book to teenage guys or girls. This is a good read and explains the possibility of the world well.

[Madison Norton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author: Michael Lawrence Publisher Greenwillow Books Genre: Mystery ISBN 0-06-072478-1 Price $23.89

I enjoyed this book. because I really like mystery books, they are my favorite genre. I don’t read that much so I haven’t read many books but the book kept me wondering what was going to happen next. I would recommend this book to people that enjoy mystery books because it is a mystery book.. I would also recommend this book to people that like reading books with suspense. This book also had two different realities. If you could pay attention through books you could also read this book. If you liked this book you may also like mystery books, books with different realities and fiction.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very interesting. I really liked reading it and it opened my eyes when it talked about how a situation involving a big decision or even a 50/50 chance at life can split your world into two. For example, a situation of 50/50 chance at life. One alternate reality has the person alive, and the other is where the person died. I liked how the author developed the friendship of the characters and the author also had an ending that made me feel many emotions at once. There were a couple of confusing parts in the story for me but other than that the book is one I would definitely recommend! (My dad read it after me and also really enjoyed the book)

[Jacob Saltzman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was mostly good. The concept of this fantasy book was very clever. The way the main character is living the same life as someone else in a parallel universe is a cool concept. The book was confusing in some parts, it was hard to wrap my head around some chapters. I really love the twist at the end when the characters switch universes. Fantasy books have always intrigued me. I love reading books about things that would never happen in real life. These types of books are always so descriptive and interesting to read. The way people make up these worlds and events are amazing to me.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this book as part of one of my masters courses. I would say that overall this was a quick read with some interesting plot points. I enjoyed the sci-fi concept of alternate realities, but for some YA this could be a lot to keep track of. It was a light-hearted and fun read. Even though this story took place over 7 days, I will say that it lacked character development. Not in a way that detracted from the book but it is something that I’m looking for when reading.

[Carissa Merchant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Crack in the Line by Micheal Lawrence is a science fiction novel that includes the idea of alternate universes. As Alaric Underwood in reminiscing in the memory of his late mother he stumbles upon an old carved structure. Suddenly he finds himself in a different version of his home and meets a girl named Naia. Together they work to figure why this is happening and what it means.

[Jayson Stanly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not the best I have read but it was pretty good. the way the author wrote was ok but she used very good vocabulary. At a point in the book, it starts to get a little confusing. The author writes two different stories at the same time until the stories came together. If you like supernatural things the this book is for you .

[Emily Hanula · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story much more than I thought I would! It was an easy read, but it still kept me on the edge of my seat. There were quite a few events that I couldn't predict coming which I really enjoyed. The points of view that this story were written in were slightly confusing at times, especially with such a heavy topic. I would give it closer to 3.5 stars!

[Stacey Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the concept of this book where two realities exist side by side. Teenagers from two different times find out they have been living exactly the same lives....almost. A few exceptions, one being the outcome of an accident where there was a 50/50 chance of survival. In one reality life, in the other death. Very interesting concept. A what if scenario.

[Madison Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was required for a grad course. When I first began reading it, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. After Day Four in the book, the crossing over of multiple realities was far too confusing to keep straight. Left with many questions that I’m sure the sequel would answer, but not ready to tackle that.

[Anne Bennett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the plot was very interesting and different and got pretty excited about it and had high hopes for the series. But then the second book went missing from the library and I found my memory of it fading.

(Catching up on reviews for books read before blogging/Goodreads days, made from notes made at the time the book was read. Written on 7/27/21.)