Tandem

August 19, 2013
Past the offhand references to theoretical physics, the first installment of Jarzab’s Many-Worlds trilogy features a standard romantic suspense plot and dated gender roles. Sasha Lawson, 16, has been dreaming she is a princess her whole life—Princess Juliana, to be exact, from a world subtly different from our own. Little does she suspect that this twin, or “analog,” and world actually exist, in a parallel universe. Thomas Mayhew is the royal agent who travels from Aurora to Earth to kidnap Sasha, because Princess Juliana has gone missing before her imminent wedding; the political ramifications, should she fail to reappear, have driven the regime to desperate measures. Thomas is the analog of Sasha’s longtime crush, Grant, so it’s a simple matter to steal her back to Aurora by taking his place and asking her to prom. Sasha has the stereotypical princess skills down—she screams, cries, begs, runs away, faints, and crumbles in the face of bullying. The novel’s romantic elements may keep some readers invested, but Sasha’s situation is, in her words, “very telenovela.” Ages 12–up. Agent: Joanna MacKenzie, Browne & Miller Literary Associates.

A girl is forced to take the place of a parallel universe's version of herself. Ordinary girl Sasha Lawson has dreamt that she is another person, Princess Juliana, since she was a little girl. After an amazing prom night with a handsome classmate, Sasha is torn from her world and sent to the parallel world of Aurora. There, she learns that her date is really Thomas Mayhew, Aurora's analog (a counterpart but not necessarily an exact double) of her classmate. He is a member of the King's Elite Service of the United Commonwealth of Columbia. (In Aurora, the first attempt at revolution in the American colonies failed, and the successful one yielded monarchy.) His mission was to abduct Sasha, as she is an analog to the UCC's Princess Juliana, who has disappeared shortly before a peace treaty with nearby Farnham is to be sealed through Juliana's arranged marriage. The UCC will send Sasha home if she successfully impersonates Juliana and thereby prevents war with Farnham. Unsurprisingly for genre readers, Sasha falls for Thomas despite trust issues while also connecting with Juliana's fiance, charming Prince Callum. The worldbuilding is sometimes clunky but always interesting; the villain's lack of trustworthiness is obvious enough to undermine intrigue, but the deeper into the book, the more entertaining it gets. Although the exposition and story take a while to sync up, Jarzab succeeds with a parallel-world concept that is also an entertaining read. (Science fiction. 12 & up) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2013

Gr 7 Up-Sasha Lawson, 16, is pleasantly surprised to be asked to the prom by her longtime crush, Grant Davis. Things aren't always what they seem, though, as it turns out that Grant is actually Thomas Mayhew, a soldier from a parallel universe. He has taken Sasha to his world, Aurora, so that she can prevent war and bring peace to their people. Sasha is an "analog," or physical double, for Princess Juliana, who disappeared just before her impending nuptial to Prince Callum. The marriage will bring peace to the rival nations. Sasha is told that as long as she goes along with the engagement and acts like Juliana, she will eventually return to her own universe. Even though Thomas essentially kidnapped Sasha, she begins to develop strong feelings for him. Sasha is not as independent as some female protagonists in comparable titles but she is no codependent drama queen either. This is a quick, fun read. The characters are well developed and multilayered. The main villain is obvious and the "bad" guys are not as fleshed out but that will not deter readers. The main story is Sasha's but the slight peppering of other perspectives are fascinating and will pull readers in and have them eagerly awaiting the sequel.-Kristyn Dorfman, The Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn, NY

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2013
Grades 8-12 Sixteen-year-old Sasha Lawson can't believe her good fortune: berpopular Grant Davis has asked her to the prom. But her ecstasy is short-lived when she finds herself transported to Aurora, Earth's parallel universe, by Grant's analog Thomas to impersonate Princess Juliana. Although Juliana is betrothed to Prince Callum in order to ensure a peaceful union between warring countries Aurora and Farnham, she has disappeared, leaving the treaty in jeopardy. Sasha, Juliana's analog, must convince the country and her betrothed that she is the real princessor risk her own safe return to Earth. The first title in the Many Worlds trilogy is a fascinating premise made more so by Jarzab's use of parallel universe theories of physics. Sasha is spirited into Aurora through the tandem, a force field that moves one analog into another universe. Strange but plausible science weds old-fashioned legends of princesses trapped in towers, along with contemporary teen concerns. It's a great mix, and fortunately, Jarzab leaves readers with the enticing and reassuring promise, Not the end; only the beginning. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2014
Sixteen-year-old Sasha finds herself in a universe parallel to Earth, having to impersonate her "analog," Princess Juliana, in order to keep the alternate nation's peace and get herself home to her own world. To complicate matters, and adding to the fun, Sasha also finds herself torn between two loves. A promising start to the romantic sci-fi series.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

September 1, 2013
A girl is forced to take the place of a parallel universe's version of herself. Ordinary girl Sasha Lawson has dreamt that she is another person, Princess Juliana, since she was a little girl. After an amazing prom night with a handsome classmate, Sasha is torn from her world and sent to the parallel world of Aurora. There, she learns that her date is really Thomas Mayhew, Aurora's analog (a counterpart but not necessarily an exact double) of her classmate. He is a member of the King's Elite Service of the United Commonwealth of Columbia. (In Aurora, the first attempt at revolution in the American colonies failed, and the successful one yielded monarchy.) His mission was to abduct Sasha, as she is an analog to the UCC's Princess Juliana, who has disappeared shortly before a peace treaty with nearby Farnham is to be sealed through Juliana's arranged marriage. The UCC will send Sasha home if she successfully impersonates Juliana and thereby prevents war with Farnham. Unsurprisingly for genre readers, Sasha falls for Thomas despite trust issues while also connecting with Juliana's fiance, charming Prince Callum. The worldbuilding is sometimes clunky but always interesting; the villain's lack of trustworthiness is obvious enough to undermine intrigue, but the deeper into the book, the more entertaining it gets. Although the exposition and story take a while to sync up, Jarzab succeeds with a parallel-world concept that is also an entertaining read. (Science fiction. 12 & up)

COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.