The Space Between Worlds

Micaiah Johnson’s The Space Between Worlds explores the concept of a fixed self, presenting identity as a mixture of both fixed and fluid traits—some of which are innate, while others can be drastically reshaped by environmental and social factors. Using the premise that reality itself is an infinite multiverse, the novel often suggests that who a person becomes depends greatly upon their circumstances. As Caralee travels between the different versions of Earth, her own psychological quirks contrast sharply with those of her doppelgängers, and even her current life on “Earth Zero” is only as real as her performance of the late Caramenta, whose place she has secretly taken. However, although her encounters with the various versions of her family and coworkers in other worlds suggest that each person is the product of a lifetime of unique choices and privileges, this pattern is also obliquely challenged by the presence of key traits and weaknesses that manifest in different versions of the same individual across multiple worlds. In this way, the novel gives rise to a deeper exploration of whether there is such a thing as a core, essential self.

No matter which world she inhabits, the protagonist’s life is a constant act of performance, and her every move reflects her belief that identity is a role one plays rather than an inherent quality.