The Light Between Worlds – Laura Weymouth

Five years ago, Evelyn and Philippa Hapwell cowered from air strikes in a London bomb shelter. But that night took a turn when the sisters were transported to another realm called the Woodlands. In a forest kingdom populated by creatures out of myth and legend, they found temporary refuge.

When they finally returned to London, nothing had changed at all—nothing, except themselves.

Now, Ev spends her days sneaking into the woods outside her boarding school, wishing for the Woodlands. Overcome with longing, she is desperate to return no matter what it takes.

Philippa, on the other hand, is determined to find a place in this world. She shields herself behind a flawless exterior and countless friends, and moves to America to escape the memory of what was.

But when Evelyn goes missing, Philippa must confront the depth of her sister’s despair and the painful truths they’ve been running from. As the weeks unfold, Philippa wonders if Ev truly did find a way home, or if the weight of their worlds pulled her under.

Review:

The Light Between Worlds is a bittersweet and very human tale of what happens after a magical experience like visiting another realm. Realistically, what would happen if three kids are sent back from a Narnia-like place after having spent five years there? And what if they returned to the exact same time and place they left from all those years ago? Laura Weymouth did a fantastic job painting a vivid and realistic answer to these questions.
 

The book is split in two parts, the first told by Evelyn, the younger sister, and the second part by Philippa, the older sister. The writing style might be a bit problematic for some people as it skips around a lot. We get chapters describing their time in the Woodlands in italics scattered among the present-day chapters. They give a very brief insight in what the Woodlands was like, told from a biased point of view of the characters. It’s not immensely detailed and in all fairness, is almost an exact copy of Narnia. Although these chapters were necessary to give the present-day story some more background, I could have done without them.
 

The real winner for me were the present-day chapters and the mental battles both the point-of-view characters were struggling with. Evelyn is suffering from severe depression after her return from the Woodlands. If it had been up to her, she would have stayed in the Woodlands. There she felt loved and needed and she had found a perfect place where she fit in. Although times in the Woodlands weren’t always bliss, she couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. Philippa is different. Her time in the Woodlands wasn’t a very happy one. She made decisions that still haunt her and going back home was a chance for her to start over. Either way, the Woodlands left a lasting impression on both of them.
 

It’s hard at first to get a feeling for what kind of person Philippa is. In the first part of the book, Evelyn’s part, Philippa has left to go to college in America. Evelyn and Philippa parted on bad terms and they haven’t been talking since. It’s heartbreaking to read how much Evelyn needs Philippa to survive in this world and it makes you wonder why she left. When Philippa’s part comes along though, it’s clear that she’s on the run from her own decisions and the sadness and hurt in her sister.
 

There’s two other characters that deserve a mention. Evelyn and Philippa have a brother, Jamie, who went with them to the Woodlands all those years ago. He plays a minor role however, struggling to be there for Evelyn, but not knowing what to do and also desperate to forget. Then there’s Tom Harper, a friend of Jamie’s. Jamie has asked Tom to keep Evelyn company on the train if they happen to see each other. Evelyn and Tom develop a sweet relationship that seems to brighten Evelyn’s world. But is it enough?

I really enjoyed reading The Light Between Worlds. I can see where the criticism in other reviews comes from, but if you’re able to look past that, it’s a heartbreaking book about mental illness and coping with loss.
 

Release Date: November 1st, 2018
Publisher: Chicken House Books
Age Group: (Young) Adult
Pages: 416
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought