From the Publisher
"Aimee and Junho’s quippy banter, interspersed with heavier conversations about their families, culminates in a natural romance that’s easy to root for, though Aimee’s richly wrought character arc remains the focus of this unique take on travel, grief, and connection." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"An intriguing mix of fantasy and realism that lures readers in with the promise of magic and keeps them engaged with emotionally resonant themes." — BookPage (starred review)
“The perfect love letter to Korea, to memories, and to families lost and found. This is the book I needed as a teen.” — Axie Oh, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea and XOXO
“Haunting, poignant, and achingly beautiful, The Space Between Here & Now is a tale about family, grief, and love. It's an absolute must read.” — June Hur, bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author of The Red Palace
"A beautifully moving portrayal of memory, family, and the courage to find ourselves. Suk weaves vivid descriptions and rich details throughout, creating a transportive, immersive read that kept me turning pages late into the night." — Rachel Griffin, New York Times bestselling author of Bring Me Your Midnight
"Evocative and original." — Kirkus Reviews
"Compelling and realistic." — Booklist
Kirkus Reviews
2023-08-11
A Korean Canadian teen with Sensory Time Warp Syndrome looks for answers.
Seventeen-year-old Aimee Roh has a rare condition that causes her to spontaneously travel back in time to specific memories when she’s exposed to relevant sensory triggers. Since her mother left when Aimee was a child, it’s just her and Appa now, and he refuses to acknowledge that Aimee, whose uncontrollable disappearances are becoming more frequent, might need help. After an especially long disappearance into a revealing memory about her mother, Aimee starts to wonder if there was more to her mother’s departure than Appa let on. With the encouragement of her best friend, Nikita Lai-Sanders, she seizes the opportunity to go to Korea to search for her mother and find a way forward with her STWS. This is a quietly moving story that explores family secrets, shifting memories, and finding one’s home, with a gentle romance and a time-traveling mystery to further propel readers. The narrative is interspersed with supporting artifacts—notes from the school counselor’s file on Aimee, snippets of conversations from online STWS forums, entries from Aimee’s journal—that extend the worldbuilding. First-person narrator Aimee is a well-developed lead. While a few of the secondary characters are somewhat lacking in depth, Suk deftly handles the time-travel premise, and the story’s emotional core resonates. Most primary characters are Korean Canadian or Korean.
Evocative and original. (Fiction. 12-18)
