Impossible - Sarah Lotz (HarperCollins 2022)

It's difficult to review Impossible without giving away elements of the plot. But very few novels actually leave me sobbing at the end so I'm going to give it a go. 

Since I knew, before requesting this from the local library, that the two main characters were in alternatives of our world (in 1970's science fiction parlance 'different timelines', in 2020's blockbuster-movie parlance 'different versions of the multiverse') I'll assume that you've read the reviews and already know that. In as much as it's a familiar "boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl" story you could say it's not that original. What gives it the zest is the unique context of the story and the unexpected plot lines that ensue from the initial exposure. 

Part 1, the initial "Nick meets Bee"  is handled entirely by text messaging. Here we see a relationship developing - free from any physical interaction or attraction - in a genuinely convincing way. (In many ways the reverse of the nonsense of Channel 4's "Naked Attraction" show!) In fact I found Lotz's characters to be both interesting and engaging in a way I rarely do. But her story-telling is no less adept. You slowly pick up clues that Nick's world is a bit different but it isn't till mid-book that you get to see quite how different ...then other little clues pop up too. 

This is a long book, but while the middle sections may not have a lot of pace they are key to understanding the final part and well worth the investment. There are side-plots that turn out not to be, friendships that become pivotal, questions of how much you would do for someone you care about and how far you would go to be with someone you love. 

I recommend this 100% and will be seeking out more of Lotz's work.