THE SPACE BETWEEN DARK AND LIGHT

In this SF sequel, a man in the present must cope with his twin’s supernatural disappearance while, 100 years in the future, a boy struggles for survival in a world devastated by climate change.

A century from now, in a world where civilization has broken down and people kill for water, 7-year-old George is separated from his mother (murdered) and his sister, Margaret (raped, missing). He is taken in by the head of the local militia but then used to lure water hoarders and so made complicit in their deaths. George escapes and finds refuge with a self-sufficient household of adults and children. Unfortunately, his search for Margaret brings disaster upon his found family. Meanwhile, in the present day, reconciled twin brothers Joe and Jared Geist are on a camping trip when the latter vanishes during a meteor shower (“They watched two golden spheres fall out of the sky”). The only people who believe Joe’s account are a local homeless man and freelance journalist Anne Miller. The police treat Jared’s disappearance as suspicious and make Joe their prime suspect. Then Jared turns up, speaking of having lived another life in the future. Can Joe accept his brother’s story and Anne’s interest in it? Together, can they bring about change to prevent George’s world from coming to pass? Greene’s prose is straightforward and effective, but the present-tense constructions can be jarring when juxtaposed with past-tense reminiscences and a closing section told in future tense. Of the two storylines, George’s is by far the more compelling. The societal landscape post–climate breakdown is grim, feeling even more brutal when viewed through a child’s eyes. The people George encounters represent the best and worst of humanity and come across as very real. Joe’s tale, on the other hand, provides little to draw readers in. While those familiar with events from the author’s debut novel, I Call Myself Earth Girl (2013), may find themselves more invested, Joe’s character in isolation mostly offers stock male overreaction and impatience. The supernatural/pre-incarnation aspect may also prove divisive, but there is no doubting the power of the message conveyed. Ultimately, George’s sobering, harrowing future influences Joe’s present to deliver an uplifting call to action.

A potent, chastening reminder of how action (or inaction) today brings about climate consequences tomorrow.