I love sci-fi, but after reading so much I find they’re often very similar plot-wise. But this was great and different from others I’ve read. Even just the writing style, it was unique in a way that I can’t quite describe.

I also liked how it had a realistic portrayal of London & easy to understand/true scientific theories which helped ground the story and make it so you could still easily imagine it all. I even found it slightly educational.

It’s told in dual perspectives and the main characters are Esso, a teenage boy struggling with street rivalries, and Rhia, a teenage girl trying to learn about her parents after growing up in foster care. They were both easy to connect to and I found myself getting emotional at quite a few different moments.

Overall a great book & I’ll definitely be buying my own copy of this.

IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO CHANGE YOUR FUTURE

WOULD YOU TAKE IT?

Esso is running out of time and into trouble. After he is accidentally caught up in a gang war, he is haunted by a vision of a bullet fired in an alleyway with devastating consequences.

A generation later, fifteen-year-old football prodigy Rhia is desperately searching for answers – and a catastrophic moment from the past holds the key to understanding the parents she never got to meet.

Whether on the roads of South London or in the mysterious Upper World, Esso and Rhia”s fates must collide.

And when they do, a race against the clock will become a race against time itself. . .

The Eloquent Page is back after a short self-imposed break, and this week I’ve been taking a look at the time travel science fiction novel The Upper World by Femi Fadugba.

Esso is a typical teen. He just wants to spend his days hanging out with friends or daydreaming about a certain girl at school. Unfortunately, the threat of gang violence is always present, and Esso has an uncanny knack for ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Rhia is haunted by the ghosts of the parents she never knew. Until she can reconcile their passing, she cannot hope to move forward with her life. Rhia meets a strange man who may offer the very opportunity she is looking for.

Though they are separated by nearly two decades Esso and Rhia are part of the same story. Events that play out in one time period have direct consequences in the other. As an observer looking on, it is fascinating to see how this all plays out.

The author has a keen eye when it comes to fleshing out the humanity in Esso and Rhia. They are both traversing that difficult patch of life between childhood and the adults they are destined to become. Being a teenager is like walking a minefield in a blindfold, and there is a refreshing honesty to Fadugba’s interpretation of his characters. No matter their failing or flaws when it comes to the pivotal moments in each of their respective journeys, you are left in no doubt they will do whatever it takes to move forward. I like that feeling of grim determination.

Chapters alternate between teenage Esso in present-day London and Rhia fifteen years in the future. I was impressed by the way the two seemingly disparate threads of narrative begin to weave together. You can see Esso and Rhia are hurtling towards a single life-altering moment. How they get there is executed flawlessly.

I’ll be honest, time travel always messes with my brain whenever it pops up in any novel. I worry it will be too complicated for me to understand the technicalities of it all. No need to fear in this case, however. If anyone can explain the intricacies of time and space, even to an idiot like me, it is going to be an author with a masters degree from Oxford who has studied quantum physics. There are some handy diagrams in the back of the book which also helped a lot.

When it comes to the novel’s setting the near-future chapters are particularly well done. There is nothing outlandish and unbelievable. I liked the idea for example that patterns for 3D printed items have become Christmas gifts. Its small touches to the world-building like that really elevate a story.

Normally at this point in the review of a book I’ve really enjoyed, I would be talking about my hopes that it would make the jump from page to screen. No need in this particular instance. A rummage around the internet reveals Netflix has already acquired the rights to The Upper World, and Daniel Kaluuya is attached to star. Presumably, he’ll play grown-up Esso. Sounds like ideal casting to me.

In conclusion, Femi Fadugba’s confident debut is well worth checking out. The science fiction blends effortlessly with the tense inner-city drama. Turns out the complexities of time travel mixed with the complexities of being a teen make for an enthralling drama. All of us have been in the situation at one point or another in our lives where we wish we could have a do-over. What if the possibility were real? The chance to revisit and potentially change your future. Nothing would stop you would it? Even if you had to wait years. The Upper World gives explores how we view our lives, how we understand the nature time and how it shapes who we are. If you are looking for thoughtful, reflective science fiction this is the book for you.

The Upper World is published by Penguin and is available now. Highly recommended.

My musical recommendation to accompany this novel is going old school. The soundtrack to Kidulthood* by The Angel is a perfect fit. It has just the right vibe that captures the tone of the story perfectly.

*I can’t believe this album is fifteen years old. For me, 2006 feels like last week. I think I might now be classed as ancient. The sooner I discover the key to time travel the better.

The Upper World is top tier mind-bending sci-fi! The dual narrative begins with Esso, who passes out in a car accident and witnesses a series of violent events involving local rival gangs that will take place later that day. Fifteen years into the future, Rhia is a rising football star in foster care who meets an unusual physics tutor determined to teach her the logistics of time travel. As a physics professor himself, Fadugba incorporates physics theory in an exciting, accessible, and realistic way. Furthermore, the story brims with tension and emotion thanks to the authentic, lovable characters.

I can't pretend to have ever understood physics. So a lot of the science in this brilliant book, did sail way over my head despite my best efforts to try to understand. My confusion aside, this was a really interesting book with engaging characters and a plot that kept my interest right to the end. Aimed at young adults, I wonder whether opinion is divided on the use of street slang. Is it authentic enough? I'm not in a position to judge that but would be curious to know what younger readers think.

Chapters alternate between Esso and Rhia who is 15 years ahead in time. They are destined to meet and try to help Esso change history. By time travelling.

Engaging, moving and making important observations on society and gang culture, it was an interesting and enjoyable read.

This book was quite unlike anything else I've read recently.

The characters were individual and well drawn, and I found myself compelled to keep reading even though I struggled with some of the scenes depicted. I'm glad I did, as the pay off was thought-provoking and relatively unexpected.

A complicated world of theories and science.

I was often left confused while reading this book - not because it isn't well written, but due to the complex theories that form the books foundations. The scientific theories were complex and intense and took a lot of time and discussion with friends to really understand. I found myself unpacking the theories and wanting to know more about whether this form of time travel is real. The changing time frames and character perspectives kept the book fresh and I was on the edge of my seat as the tension built. I was invested in the lives of the characters and wanted to see their stories resolved.

I would have loved this book more I think if I understood the science that is at its core, as it stands I was left a little confused.

A terrific book! I requested The Upper World on a whim because it had been a very long time since I read any fiction aimed at a younger audience, my offspring being adults now...

What a pleasant surprise to find a book with a science-fiction theme that isn't pretentious or over-simplified. It revealed the human story alongside the mathematics so beautifully and kept the suspense right up to the final page. Fadugba's vision of the city of the future is credible and makes The Upper World relatable to an audience of any age.

I loved how the importance of education was woven into the story; education not simply to find a job and earn a living, but for personal development and the understanding of the world around us.

Recommended read...and I want to read more about Esso and Rhia. Next book soon please Femi!

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random house for allowing me to review this book.

I’m not a big reader of science fiction but I did love this book and the split time lines and the characters kept me hooked.

**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

There is no one more disappointed than I am that I didn’t enjoy this book more than I did. It is ideally a story that examines time travel and has by far one of the most interesting conceptualisations of it that I have ever read – I mean there is actual physics involved!!! There was something missing in the overall execution for me though.
The Upper World follows two teenagers during two differing timelines, fifteen years apart who are somehow linked by a hypothetical realm that exists out of time.

The protagonists themselves were pretty cool – I loved Rhia’s chapters especially, my girls a football star and as a football fan myself I absolutely loved all the football references - and I thought how her and Esso’s lives entwined and the whole “time travel” part of the story worked really well.

I love me a sci-fi when actual science is incorporated into the story and I absolutely loved that this book teaches you a little bit of physics with the characters along the way – truly appreciate the effort of the author making the examples easy to get your mind around too! I also love me a book set in London and the portrayal of South London (even though some of the slang did throw me off a little) was great!

The main thing I had an issue with though was the pacing – it was all a little too slow going for me and it took quite some time for the sci-fi side of the story to become apparent. I didn’t get bored exactly as I was reading, I just think there was something missing. Plus I finished the book a month ago now and I honestly can’t remember much about how it ended, just that it seemed to fizzle out?

I’m still curious about the film adaptation though and I’d be interested in future novel from Fadugba (especially if they involve Physics) because I quite enjoyed his writing!
Final Rating – 3. 5/5 Stars

So many aspects of this book are moving and thought provoking, I found myself shaking my head in sadness at the struggles and obstacles that are very much a part of life growing up in inner cities. A wonderful job was done to highlight real references mixed into the fiction of the story. The crescendo pacing was exactly what was needed and boy did it all lead up to a dramatic yet heart wrenching finish.

A thrilling sci-fi/fantasy-esque adventure with the element of time travel from this new author will be a sure fire hit with readers evetywhere

Two teenageers are separated in time by 15 years. Esso discovers he can travel in time and is desperate to prevent a tragedy. To do that he travels to the future and 'tutors' 15 year old Rhia explaining time travel in great detail. Even before I had researched the author, I thought that Fadugba must be a science teacher as time travel is explained in a very believable way. The science is intriguing as the relationship between Esso and Rhia.

The story is set in South London, with lots of street language - even that has a time travel element with Rhia finding Esso's language outdated. That said, the street language may put some people off if it is not in their regular experience.

However, I'm sure this will appeal to teens in my locale and will be adding it to our library shopping list.

This was a four star most of the way but then the ending was a massive let down. It was doing a good job of explaining intense physics but then felt like it abandoned it all?

Such an interesting novel! I live in Peckham and it was a real treat to read something that focused so squarely on its streets and people. YA is rarely this descriptive, particularly sci-fi YA, but the story of Esso kept me captivated and I read the book all in one go. Would recommend and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

Thought this was so unique and well done and I really loved the realism of the London setting. Found myself preferring the chapters from Esso's perspective more than Rhia's but overall a brilliant and gripping YA read

I read somewhere that Femi Fadugba wanted to create a story for the nerds and the mandem, and thus, The Upper World was born. And I personally think he very much succeeded!

I sort of went into this novel a bit blind. I saw it was about time travel and set in Peckham and decided to try it out. It only hit me after I was approved that this novel would probably have in-depth explanations about physic terms...

Femi Fadugba took two teens and somehow managed to draw on some difficult conversations within the Physics world to do with energy and light. He took one of the most confusing equations and made it easy to understand. Not only that, he drew on themes of racism, love, fear, betrayal and gang culture to do so!

We have to talk about the use of Black British slang. I personally really liked it because it made the book ten times more relatable to me. It’s fast paced and hard hitting. There’s diagrams and very simple explanations of physics terms I could never get my head around. Honestly, I needed Mr Fadugba as my Physics teacher at school because he taught me more about physics than my secondary school teacher ever could.

The reader is taken on such a journey with both characters into this discussion of time! Both Esso and Rhia were phenomenal characters and I enjoyed both their narratives equally.

Overall, I felt this was astounding debut novel by Femi Fadugba and I CANNOT WAIT to see the movie adaption with the phenomenal, Daniel Kaluuya! I can’t wait to see what he writes next!

Thank you so much to @netgalleyUK and Penguin Random House for the e-Arc!

The Upper World by Femi Fadugba is about teenager Esso living in Peckham who after an accident finds that he sees time differently than he used to. The story is also about Rhia, who's life is affected by the acts of Esso. I enjoyed this book more than I expected. I loved the way that physics was explained in a way that was easy to understand and I found that I was more invested in the characters that I thought. The story gave a really good depiction of what life can be like for young men caught in a downward spiral of violence and the repercussions it can have on society. A really good, modern story with difficult topics explored. I look forward to what comes next from this author.

Loved this book can't wait for the sequel next year. I originally got a early copy of the book on netgalley but with it taking me longer to read (work long nights) I ended up buying a copy from my local waterstones so that I can re read it whenever I want (more than likely just before the sequel next year)

I found this such a good book, so very different and very clever. It didn’t take me very long to read this one and having read the other reviews we all seem to be in agreement that it was a rollercoaster ride of a read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

(Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for an eARC in exchange for an honest review)

I don't read a lot of science fiction so i went into this book not really knowing what to expect but i ended up really enjoying it! I loved the main characters Esso and Rhia, they where both so well written. The relationship between Rhia and Olivia (her foster sister) was one of my favourites in the book. They had a really nice sisterly bond and i especially liked the little signals they had invented to talk to each other behind their foster parents backs. It was just a fun thing that i thought showed the bond they had.

This book is told between the two POVs of Esso and Rhia with a 15 year difference between the two which i thought would be confusing with the constant time jumps but it wasn't in the slightest. I also had a love/hate relationship with how each chapter ends on a cliffhanger as you have to wait until that characters next POV to find out what happens. However, this does mean that it was a fast paced read and had me hooked the entire time as well as there never being a dull moment.

As i mentioned, this is a sci-fi and there is definitely a big focus on math and physics. I've never been very good at these subjects so whilst i didn't understand all of the time/space science-y stuff, it was explained in ways so that i could still follow along with the book and understand what was happening and why.

My only fault with this book was that the conclusion of the story confused me slightly and felt a little rushed. Also I would have loved the last chapter to be a little longer and explain things a bit more but there is going to be a book 2 so I reckon any questions I have will be cleared up at the start of that.

Overall, The Upper World is a really good sci-fi novel with fantastic characters that will have you hooked the entire time. This book left me questioning everything i know about time and space and i can definitely see why it's becoming a movie.