The Space Between Worlds

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel blends the high-stakes action of a science fiction thriller with sharp social commentary. Which of these elements did you find more compelling, and why?

2. What did you think of the multiverse concept as the foundation for the story? Compare the premise of the novel to similar “many-worlds” narratives in other books or media, such as the film Everything Everywhere All at Once. What makes The Space Between Worlds’s use of parallel universes and doppelgängers unique?

3. How did you feel about the novel’s ending? Was Cara’s personal victory and quiet life in Ashtown a satisfying conclusion, or were you hoping for a more revolutionary outcome for the world at large?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. The search for home is a central theme, with Cara feeling like an imposter in both Wiley City and Ashtown. What does “home” mean to you, and how has that definition changed over the course of your life?

2. Cara’s identity is presented as extremely fluid because it is shaped by her environment and the role she needs to play. Have you ever felt that different circumstances or environments brought out fundamentally different versions of yourself? How did you reconcile these contradictions?

3. Nelline’s betrayal of Cara is framed as a logical choice in a system that forces the disenfranchised to compete for survival. Can you think of a time when you understood why someone made a difficult or hurtful choice, even if you didn’t agree with it?

4. Did you relate to Cara’s constant need to code-switch, changing her language and behavior to fit in with the expectations of Wiley City versus Ashtown?

5. The story opens with the idea that something “worthless” can become valuable when it is rare, which is the basis for Cara’s entire career. How does this cynical logic reflect or challenge your own views on how people assign value to companions, skills, or objects?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How does the stark division between the wealthy, protected Wiley City and the impoverished, polluted Ashtown reflect modern social or political issues?

2. What real-world parallels exist between the Eldridge Institute’s traverser program and historical or modern examples in which marginalized communities have been exploited for dangerous labor or scientific advancement?

3. As a work of Afrofuturism, how does the novel use its science fiction premise to examine contemporary issues of race, class, and systemic power? In what ways does envisioning a future world act to critique the present?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Names and renaming are a central motif in the book, with characters like Cara, Mel, and Nik Nik having multiple parallel selves across worlds. Given their similar traits and hidden desires, how does this motif develop the theme of identity as both a fluid and a static construction?

2. What purposes do the starkly different versions of Nik Nik serve in the story?

3. How does the physical toll of traversing operate as a symbol throughout the book?

4. Johnson uses a nonlinear narrative structure to insert key exposition via flashbacks and references to Caramenta’s journal entries. How did this method of storytelling shape the novel’s treatment of Cara’s traumatic past? Would the story have been as effective if told in chronological order? Why or why not?

5. Dystopian novels often feature a stark class divide. How does this book’s portrayal of Wiley City and Ashtown compare to other divided societies in works such as Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games?

6. Instead of a grand revolution that overthrows the system, Cara’s victory is personal and localized. What does this choice says about the nature of resistance against overwhelming systemic power?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. As a traverser, Cara collects souvenirs from the worlds she visits. If you were a traverser, what objects would you collect to remember a specific Earth, and what would they symbolize for you?

2. Imagine a world in which Adam Bosch never existed and his brother, Nik Nik, was raised as the sole, favored heir. How might the politics and technology of that world have developed differently under his rule?

3. If you could traverse to alternate Earths and access data about your own doppelgängers, what question you would want to ask about your other lives? What would you be most afraid to discover?