Jonathan K (Max Outlier)’s Reviews > The Other Valley > Status Update

I'll be honest saying as debut novels go this is disappointing. Characters are flat and predictable and the story lacks an immersive quality. And while somewhat unique, the pace is sluggish. Short 2 star review tomorrow

Probably a mistake to read a debut novel and another written by a Pulitzer winner. No offense but this author could learn a lot about storytelling if he read Stegner

One of the more lackluster books I've read, it's sloggy pacing and repetitive dialog failing to keep interest

I find it a bit odd how the author takes Odile, the main character who is a teen in the first part then in the second jumps 20 years forward in time. While there is mention of how she drops out of the program due to the death of a friend, it's strange

A doctorate in philosophy and post doctorate from Harvard aren't what we typically see with fiction authors though his work is emotional memory and literature adds up

I find a slight similarity between this and The Giver due to the mystery of what lies outside the valley the story takes place though it's clear the time frames are different

Overall I'd say it's mediocre since characters lack engagement and plot is a bit predictable. But debut novels are always welcome

Definitely fantasy..three valleys in an unknown French area; one is the present, one the past and the other the future..the girl applies for a counseil position and if accepted evaluates requests for those seeking to move to one of the other valleys..its a bit slow. Also noticing many of the newer authors/publishers eliminate dialog punctuation..

Another debut novel from an author with strong educational credentials, though the skill to engage readers isn't related to coursework..so far so good