Jessica Shirvington’s Between the Lives is a highly compelling one-of-a-kind exploration of identity and love – of all kinds.
In one she has a boyfriend who loves her, gets straight A’s, but deals with overprotective parents and brothers who simply put up with her. In the other, she is a delinquent, has work-a-holic parents – but she has a little sister and a best friend whom she adores.
What she has in one, she lacks in the other – but Sabine is tired of lying to everything, and splitting her time and herself. But when she has finally made up her mind about the kind of life she wants to have, she meets Ethan, and suddenly things are even more complicated
’Between the Lives’ review
Jessica Shirvington’s first standalone novel is a brilliant look at the concept of self and identity. The dual lives setup works both as a neat framework, and an excellent plot device. Within this framework, Shirvington is a master wielder of Chekhov’s Gun, so be on the lookout.
The split-style story allows her to explore two halves of a single character, but she doesn’t use it as an excuse for 2-dimensional characters. If anything, the supporting characters are more rounded than we often see in a single first person narrative. There is the sense that not a single corner has been cut in this story.
As a plot device, it is a truly unique work. Shirvington deals frankly with a whole range of issues, from mental health to suicide and domestic violence. Given that she is essentially telling two complete (and relatively separate) stories within a single book, it is actually astonishing how well these issues are addressed. Amongst the plethora of YA novels that deal with these complex problems on an offensively basic level, Between the Lives stands out as an example of how to do it.
Sabine is the kind of character that Young Adult readers need more of. She is smart and witty, and highly flawed. Her emotions are heightened by Ethan, but he also acts simply as a catalyst for a question that she would have addressed regardless. She can be unlikeable, but never unsympathetic – and if you stick through the first few chapters, you will be rewarded.
Shirvington never uses the split-lives as a crutch for weak writing. She also, thankfully, refrains from pulling a Hunger Games-style cliffhanger on every other page, when Sabine “Shifts.” But when the cliffhangers come – and they will – you will be biting your nails to stop yourself from racing ahead.
And she unafraid of breaking hearts, so don’t be surprised if you are reaching for the tissues at several points in the novel. She will hit you where it hurts.
Jessica Shirvington is the best-selling author of the Embrace series. Between the Lives was published on 1 May 2013. You can purchase it through HarperCollins, on Amazon (Kindle version), or from other assorted retailers.