Some stand-out moments in this unique but flawed story of time travel that deals with themes of loss, obedience, conformity, consequences and missed opportunities.

3.5 stars rounded down. I don’t usually award half stars, but I’m so conflicted about how to rate this book that I don’t feel like I have any other option.

A brief summary from the blurb:

> **West is twenty years in the past.**
>
> **East is twenty years in the future.**
>
> **Would you travel through time to save the one you love?**
>
> Sixteen-year-old Odile Ozanne finds herself drawn into a devastating lifelong dilemma – to preserve the town’s carefully protected timeline, or to risk everything and try to rescue her one chance at happiness.

The time travel set-up interesting, and unique in my experience: the story is set in a valley bounded by mountains to the east and west. Beyond the mountains lie the same valley, but 20 years in the past to the west, and 20 years in the future to the east. This is an imaginative set-up for time travel. For me, though, it left significant questions unanswered that I found an ongoing distraction (more on that later).

**A feeling of disconnection**

First, let’s deal with the elephant in the room: there are no quotation marks. Direct speech is indicated by a paragraph break (although not always) along with the reader’s intuition that someone is now speaking due to the change in flow and tone. The story is told in the first person and there were quite a few times when I was genuinely confused about whether a sentence like “I didn’t know” was part of the first person narrative, or was being spoken by the narrator, or was being spoken by one of the other characters. I think I mostly got it right from context, but why is the author making me work so hard?

I have no problem with an author playing with convention and form for stylistic reasons or provide a particular feel - but I simply didn’t see the point of the lack of quotation marks. Worse than that, not only did it get in the way of the reading experience, but it also got in the way of my engagement with the story and the characters. For me, the lack of quotation marks added distance - as if all of the speech was either badly remembered, or was being reported third-hand. It had the disconnected feel of a badly dubbed foreign film.

This brings me to characterisation. I’m not sure whether the main character, Odile, was supposed to be somewhat neurodivergent - with sentences like “startled, I forgot to smile back” seeming to indicate the processing of emotions being a deliberate activity - or perhaps she was just supposed to be shy. Either way, she is written with an emotional detachment, and seems to be on the sidelines for many of her experiences and relationships with other people. Unfortunately for me, this also meant that I had no sense of the depth of her emotion for her best friend, Edme, whose fate is pivotal for much of the plot. I did wonder whether this was just my own disconnection with the author - that perhaps the author wasn’t going to be able to make me feel anything for any of the characters - but this wasn’t the case: I found one of the scenes where Odile escorts an old man into an adjacent valley very moving.

**The Time Travel Mechanism**

I had so many problems with the time travel mechanism, where valleys to the east and west are 20 years removed…

Firstly, the entire world in which the story unfolds is only a few kilometres wide, but the society is advanced enough to have buses and cars. This means that there needs to be a certain amount of heavy industry: mining, steel works, petrochemicals, manufacturing, etc. This is briefly alluded to at one point (“The pavement ended and the streetlights tapered off at the gloomy remains of the brickyard and some factories. There was no more need for them to operate, the Conseil said“), but a few factories isn’t enough. Worse than this, the valley is also bounded to the north and south - the valley is the entire world. It’s not like there is an “industrial zone” elsewhere that would explain this. Of course, none of this is important to the plot, but I found it very distracting.

Secondly, the “single timeline” rules of time travel in this book would result in an incredibly delicate hold on a stable reality. Changes in the past (the west) will impact the future (the east). In fact, this is poetically described at one point: “A person goes west, he interferes, and then new time rolls over him like a wave, leaving nothing behind. It’s as simple and ruthless as that.” This set of timeline rules is fine in principle, and is well established in speculative fiction in general. However, when this is combined with the “walk west and you end up 20 years in the past” mechanism in this book, then the entire world becomes very fragile. The purpose of the “Conseil” in the book is to police movement between valleys, due to the consequences to the timeline of uncontrolled attempts to interfere with the past. However, we’re supposed to believe that the valleys go east and west without end - that they are effectively infinite. This means that the Conseil has to have a perfect record in every one of the infinite valleys to the west in order to prevent waves of updated time continuously crashing eastwards through the valleys. This seems unlikely. And what about a bird (because there are birds) flying west and, for example, causing a car accident? This delicacy of the timeline is essential to the plot, and yet is inherently infeasible.

**The Good Stuff: Plot and Character**

One final negative word before the good stuff: the pace is incredibly slow, and the balance of story establishment vs payoff is too skewed towards story establishment for my liking. For me, the payoff of all of the world building and character development kicked in at 80-90% of the way through, which represents quite a lot of slogging through world building up to that point.

However, the payoff was very satisfying. For all that I’ve criticised the distracting elements of style and world building, I found the progression of the plot (who ends up where, and for what reasons) to be surprising and enjoyable - there were points where the plot took a sharp turn in a way that I wasn’t expecting, and I really appreciated that.

The blurb would have us believe that the book is about lost love and redemption - the chance to bring back something that’s been lost. And while it is about that, the “something that’s been lost” runs so much deeper than a relationship with a childhood friend. Compliance to authority for the greater good in the face of personal loss is a theme that runs throughout the story. Coming to terms with regret and lost opportunity is also a persistent thread - and a thread that is made poignant by the tantalising prospect of being able to travel back in time and interfere, in an attempt to change outcomes. And it’s in the main character’s self-absorbed, introspective contemplation on the direction that her life has taken in the face of all of this that the author’s characterisation really shines. Odile’s combination of regret, resignation, and conflict later in the story ultimately gave her the sense of depth and reality that I was hoping for - and that’s what will stay with me from this book.

I am a big fan of time travel tales so the set up for this story really appealed to me in its different approach.
A valley and its population are duplicated to the east and west in ripples with each valley forty years ahead or behind depending on which direction you travel.
There is a tightly controlled boundary between each to prevent interference with timelines and changing the course of people’s lives but you can submit a formal plea to cross over and observe loved ones who have died in a strictly controlled visit.
Odile wants to become a judge on these submissions and the case studies at college are interesting dilemmas in time travel and dealing with grief. When she recognises the parents of one of her best friends visiting from the valley ahead, there is also the dilemma of knowing something that is going to happen and whether to do anything about it.
The choices Odile makes eventually drives her to make drastic decisions that puts her in danger.
I really enjoyed the narrative and found it fresh and unpredictable. The descriptive language and scene setting was rich and vivid. If you enjoy Christopher Priest, then this will be in your zone.

Description:
Odile lives in a valley surrounded by other, identical valleys: one side is twenty years in the past, the other twenty years in the future. There are strict rules on travel between the valleys to prevent changing the past and/or future, but in special, mostly tragic, circumstances, some visits are permitted. When Odile sees a school friend's parents visiting from the future, she knows something bad is going to happen.

Liked:
The plotting is superb - well-paced and intriguing throughout, with a flow that drags you along. The protagonist is a slightly strange one; I was sympathetic without necessarily liking her very much. The surrounding characters, by contrast, often shone: Alain and Edme are adorable at times, and Jo and Justine feel like very realistic teenage girls. The prose of this one isn't eye-catching, it mostly gets out of the way, which suits the story well, although there were a few phrases I thought were particularly eloquent.

Disliked:
It's hard to find things I didn't like about this one. I think the only thing I can say is that I was so worried about the ending managing to be satisfying, that even though it WAS, it lost some of the emotion it might have had.

Would absolutely recommend. One of my favourites of the year so far.

Anything Else:
It’s weird: I’ve read two books about girls growing up in secluded valleys with strange rules in past 3 weeks or so - this and Elsewhere. Both very good and both quite different!

A slow but wistful novel exploring the ramifications of time travel. Our protagonist Odile explores her own feelings of love and loss throughout. The reader explores their feelings of whether we should be able to influence our past and our future. An interesting concept.

The concept of this novel is intriguing enough on its own. There’s a town nestled in a valley. To the west is the same town but twenty years in the past; to the east twenty years in the future, presumably continuing into infinity. The town’s government allows rare visits to the east or west, to see a deceased relative or a future descendant. Every request goes through intense scrutiny and the few visits that are granted are carried out with utmost secrecy.
Our protagonist is Odile Ozanne, a quiet 16 year old outcast. One day she sees two visitors from the eastern valley outside her school and recognises them as the parents of her classmate. Odile is also in vetting to become a conseiller, one of the people in charge of approving or disapproving visits to other valleys. She quickly finds herself caught between her future ambitions and a budding romance with her doomed classmate.
The first half of this felt very reminiscent of Never Let Me Go, which is a compliment. Even though Howard’s novel has such a science fiction concept, the story itself is more concerned about the characters and their lives, and I found it to be a genuinely moving coming of age story with likeable characters and really believable interactions. The latter half has quite a different tone— it’s more detached and quite miserable and claustrophobic in places, but it’s worth it for the phenomenal pay-off of the ending.
If you’re looking for an action-packed science fiction time travel adventure this might not be the one for you. The reader knows as much about the valleys as Odile does, and nothing more. This was something I really loved but can imagine being divisive, as that initial concept is just so rich!
The Other Valley is a great speculative fiction story about memory, the past, and what (if any) power we have to change our own lives. Reflective and superbly written.

A super interesting premise and really well executed! While I personally can't get away with the lack of speech marks (I am far too easily confused), I thought this was great, and can definitely see people really getting behind it. It had just the right amount of encroaching, unsettling, disturbing mixed with a premise that really makes you think. Great work!

Odile lives in an unnamed valley close to a lake. East of the valley is the exact same valley, just 20 years in the future. West of the lake is 20 years in the past. Citizens can petition to visit the valley to the East or West under special circumstances and after consideration and under strict security conditions by the Conceil.
Odile notices such visitors one day after school and identifies who they are, and by that that her friend from school will die.

Speculative Fiction about time's progress and whether we should or even can interfere with it.

What made me put this down over and over again was that there are no punctuation marks or indentations that indicate dialogue. I know this is a current trend, but it's annoying when you have to track back half a paragraph because you did not notice there was dialogue until the end of it.

I do like a good time travel story, even thought you can end up tying yourself in knots trying to work out the mechanics of it. It’s even better when it’s a new concept-here people live in identical valleys, each set twenty years apart in time. Travel between the valleys is strictly controlled, in order to protect the timeline, but under very special circumstances people can petition to visit the east or west ( offset by 20 years future or past).
Don’t expect a how, or even a why, this exists. It’s not that kind of sci Fi. Indeed the level of technology is mid twentieth century.
Told as a first person narrative by Odile, it’s more about the moral and philosophical implications of being able to move about in time- and the temptation to try and change the past/future.
It’s a story in two halves- young Odile, on the brink of adulthood, witnesses an event which greatly affects her. In the second half, Odile is twenty years older. Will she travel to the other valley and change things? Should she?
I liked this book a lot, good characterisation, thoughtful writing.
Being someone who likes the technicalities of sci Fi explained, I did get a bit sidetracked by things like where they grew tobacco, for example, or what there was to the north or south of ‘the Valley’. But that’s just me.
I also dislike writing with no speech punctuation. Never sure what the author is trying to achieve, but if it’s irritation then they succeed with me. Re-reading passages to try and work out who said what makes the story hiccup rather than flow.
But a captivating story, nonetheless.

'The Other Valley' is a brilliant and original idea that is well executed - so rarely do the two things come together it's always a joy to find. It's set in a world where a series of identical towns exist across a mountain range. Each town is the same, but 20 years ahead of its neighbour to the west. So it is possible to travel 20 years into your past or future just by taking a hike across a mountain pass.

Given the chaos that unrestricted time travelling would cause, the towns are all bounded by high fences guarded by brutal gendarmes and various anti-escape/incursion measures. A small number of visits to either the past or future are permitted in very specific circumstances, usually to view a deceased loved one or sometimes an ancestor the viewer won't live to meet. These visits are assessed and approved (or declined) by the town's ruling conseil (the town appears to be French speaking, with the names and naming conventions French although the novel is in English throughout).

The narrator is Odile, aged sixteen at the start of the book and at a turning point in her life. Shortly she will leave school, along with all her classmates, and enter into an apprenticeship. Her ambitious mother wants her to try for the highly competitive process to become a conseil member. At the same time, she has found a small group of friends for the first time since early childhood, including a boy who seems to like her. But things take a turn for the worse when she witnesses some visitors from the future who seem to be watching her friend - which can only mean one thing. He will die in the near future. Years later, the adult Odile has a chance to go against every social creed and attempt to change the past - but changing the past wipes out the present, including the person who makes the change.

Odile is a likeable character it's a very readable book that immediately draws you in. It's one of those stories where you aren't sure what is going to happen (even with the time travelling element!) so keeps you guessing - and reading late into the night. It doesn't pay to think too much about the concept, as even without the time-travel element (something that is always mind boggling), there are plenty of things that don't add up if you think too hard about it. Like where were they getting the petrol for their cars from? But most readers hopefully don't have a mind like mine that insists on throwing up these annoying things and let's them get on with enjoying the book.

The story is moving and has a clever ending - one of those books I wished could have gone on longer, but was probably better for stopping when it did all the same. It would make a good book group choice as there's lots of scope for conversations about whether you would choose to go back or forwards if such a thing existed, and the wisdom of doing so. For anyone who enjoys fantasy or science fiction, or original and unconventional stories in general, this is a must-read. It's one of the most original and well crafted time stories I've read this year and I'll certainly be keen to read any further novels by the author.

This book has an incredible concept, and thankfully it’s very well executed too.
I was really impressed by how Howard’s writing feels so delicate and quietly profound, but he manages to balance that softness with a gripping and well paced plot. A really great speculative novel.

The thought behind "The Other Valley" is high-concept, yet so brilliantly simple that it's astonishing no one has explored it in literature until now. In a valley, there exists a unique community flanked by duplicate valleys—one set two decades in the past and the other two decades in the future. Movement between these valleys is arduous and tightly controlled, subject to approval or denial by a special council known as the Conseil (which, more often than not, denies requests).

Our protagonist and narrator, Odile Ozanne, a 16-year-old schoolgirl aspiring to join the Conseil, inadvertently witnesses a visit from residents of the future valley while participating in the competitive vetting process for an apprenticeship. Recognizing them as the parents of her classmate Edme, Odile grasps the implication: Edme will meet an untimely death in the near future. As Odile befriends Edme, their connection deepens, and she finds herself falling in love. The second half of the narrative explores Odile as an adult, revealing the impact of her youthful experiences on her life.

The book is beautifully written, and one of its remarkable aspects is the clear distinction between its two parts. The first half captures the valley's wistful, nostalgic, and magical ambiance, with elegant prose and evocative settings. The sense of potential surrounding Odile's future career and her budding relationship with Edme creates a familiar yet otherworldly atmosphere. In the second half, this idyllic facade is stripped away, exposing the grim reality that sustains the fortunate few in this world. It's a compelling way to illustrate different facets of a fictional world.

Despite initial concerns about the story revolving around a brief youthful infatuation dominating someone's entire life—a common and disliked plot point—the author, Howard, skillfully navigates this potential cliche. The narrative strikes a good balance between the fantastical world (where time travel and regret correction are possible) and Odile's acknowledgment that she barely knew Edme. It's a refreshingly unsentimental take on the trope, allowing for pathos and emotional depth.

"The Other Valley" stands out as a favorite kind of speculative fiction, seamlessly blending a compelling genre hook with stunning writing. Its intriguing concept, accomplished execution, and intelligent ideas make it a debut that doesn't immediately strike you as such. If I could, I'd eagerly explore all the author's other books.

Thank you for my e-arc.

I really enjoyed this novel, particularly the first part which tells the story of Odile's bid to be a member of the conseil. The conseil have the power to grant petitioners permission to cross the border into a parallel valley with a different timezone, (future is west, past is east, in 10 year leaps). They want to become a time tourist, to visit a family member in the past who has died, or to see how someone has fared in the future. although they can only view and not interact with them. There are many ethical considerations the conseil have to consider before granting these passes. There are also people who try to cross illegally, so there are border guards to prevent this. The guards also escort the tourists. I admit to being a little confused by the details of this interesting world, and would have liked more explanation about how it came about, how the rules work, etc. The second part concerns Odile's fate after a tragedy happens. This is a truly original concept and one which could spark a number of spin-off stories. I was engrossed by it and felt that the characters were well-rounded and the story well-written. This was a truly unique experience to read.

In a valley bordered by identical valleys, populated by the same people but at 20-year intervals, there are few more influential positions than that of Conseil, The Conseil get to decide who can travel between valleys to their past or future.

Sixteen-year-old Odile Ozanne, shy and dutiful to her mother's ambition. applies for this coveted position. But when she witnesses a mourning tour from the future come to view her friend Edme, a boy for whom she is developing stronger feelings, she is devastated to realise he will soon die.

This striking philosophical debut explores regret, memory, love and ethics.

While often bleak, it is beautifully written and well worth seeing through to the end.

My thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the ARC.