The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard

THE OTHER VALLEY by Scott Alexander Howard is a well-written, but sad and melancholy book. It has been very positively reviewed, receiving starred reviews from Booklist (“A thought-provoking exploration”), Kirkus (“perfect for fans of Ishiguro and McEwan”), and Library Journal (“wonderful book club discussions”). In addition, this speculative fiction work is a March 2024 Indie Next Pick and featured in an author interview here. Goodreads labeled it as one of the Most Anticipated Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror Books of 2024. The main character, Odile, is a young girl who struggles … and struggles again … with life choices. Due to an important time travel element, readers will come to know this character in middle age and as an older woman, also. There are numerous questions of ethics, identity, parent-child relationships, and societal expectations. Apt descriptors, though, are eerie, ominous, secretive, and complex. I initially mentioned all of those accolades because although this book was too dark for me personally, it will have definite appeal for certain readers.