I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Upper World by Femi Fadugba Series: The Upper World #1
Published by HarperTeen on 12/7/21
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 352
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Today
During arguably the worst week of Esso’s life, an accident knocks him into an incredible world—a place beyond space or time, where he can see glimpses of the past and future. But if what he sees there is true, he might not have much longer to live, unless he can use his new gift to change the course of history.
Tomorrow
Rhia’s past is filled with questions, none of which she expects a new physics tutor to answer. But Dr. Esso’s not here to help Rhia. He’s here because he needs her help—to unravel a tragedy that happened fifteen years ago. One that holds the key not only to Rhia’s past, but to a future worth fighting for.
Short and Sweet Review
Past: Esso is having the worst week of his life, and after an accident he’s knocked into a different world where he can see glimpses of the past and the future. After seeing what the future has in store Esso realizes he needs to use what he learned to change the future.
Future: Rhia is a foster kid and she has a lot of questions about her birth parents. When Rhia’s new tutor comes around it doesn’t seem like he can give her the answers she wants, but he holds most of the answers to her questions. Dr. Esso needs Rhia’s help to fix what went wrong 15 years ago.
The Upper World has both the POV of Esso and Rhia. Esso is in high school and unfortunately his week has been awful. He’s been caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and now some people are after him. Esso’s father isn’t in his life but his mother gives him a journal that belonged to his father which is how Esso learns of the upper world. When Esso somehow gets into the upper world he see’s visuals of the past and the present and know’s that he doesn’t have much time to change the future. Rhia on the other hand is 15 years in the future and she wants answers about her past. When she meets her physics teacher she doesn’t know what to expect, but Esso has information about her birth mother and Rhia wants it. Rhia and Esso end up working together using physics and math to try and figure out how to go back in time to make things right.
This book was so slow and it didn’t help that I just didn’t connect with either character. I feel like if Esso would have just explained himself that things wouldn’t have escalated the way they did. Rhia on the other hand was rash her emotions were all over the place and it just made me not like her. There’s a lot of talk of physics in this book and not a lot of time traveling per se. The upper world is strange and not really something that could be considered time traveling it just showed the characters what would happen. The ending was okay but I just had so many problems with the execution to get there. This is going to have a sequel and I’m not sure what it has in store because I thought everything was wrapped up in the end.
