Arc Review: The Otherworld By Abbie Emmons - My Honest Opinions And True Disappointment - SPOILER️

Very interesting review, well done 👏

I don’t think AE would be too upset by this. Your differences were based a lot on what you consider good and right and I just want to say, in the American west, they despise the idea that people aren’t developed until 25, so everything over here is more risqué

This book sounds eerily similar to Emmons’ previous two books; guy appears in an isolated girl’s life and is full of such wonder and intrigue he becomes her first love and then the girl forgives her toxic parent even though she clearly shouldn’t, all coupled with a very mixed message.

Seems like a strange pattern

The background music is very distracting. It doesn’t match with the content and pacing of your video or your delivery.

Ever since I saw the blurb and trailer I've been so excited about Abbie's new book. As a new writer myself, I have learned so much from her writing advice videos spanning a variety of topics and I quite enjoyed 100 Days of Sunlight (though at 28 I felt slightly out of touch with the characters, I am used to more mature heroes and heroines). That being said, this made me feel a little sad, I had such great hopes for this book and what I'm hearing here (and having read a portion of not-so-positive feedback on Goodreads) is quite disheartening but I am still fully willing to give "The Otherworld" a go. Being a "Tangled" fan, I am looking forward to your next video comparing the movie and Abbie's book. Thanks for making this video and sharing your thoughts!

I havent read the book, but this was a really nice review. You are really well-spoken :)

Nice review but what do you think was the theme of the book.

I watched a few of Abbie's videos. They had me googling the definition of pretentious to make sure I properly understood it. I did.

We don't need thah irritating music in the background, truly.

There are a couple of points that come to my mind right now (without having read the book). I am 23 and married to a man 10 years older than me. I understand the point you're making about the age gaps, and people continuing to develop and change until 25. What I will say is I was 4 days into being 20 when I met my now husband, and I would have married him after the first 3 weeks of getting to know him (I didn't only due to other life complications), but I knew he was the love of my life by then and that it was just a matter of time. That was the case for both him and me. It sounds like a fast-developing romance, and maybe that doesn't translate well to believability on paper, but it does sound like your experiences and preformed opinions on how old/mature people should theoretically be before making big life choices has impacted your opinion on that aspect of this story. I will read it myself soon and see if I come to share your views. :)

does not all those things make him a better character? i mean, you are free to not like it, but to me it sounds more interesting the way he is. a great story should not be politically correct or perfect, it just is what it is, and if it is interesting, it is.

I proposed to my hubby after eleven days, I was 22 he was 22. We've been married since December 1980. My parents got engaged in two weeks, she was 18 he was 22. They were married for 56 years before my Mum died. Nothing is impossible, sometimes improbably, but never impossible. Try and see things from a POV that isn't woke 2023, wrong is never right, but POV's change. I dont' like your review. Prissy.

your voice is so soothing, i could listen for ages and never get tired of it

Perfect review

This video is like 2010 YT

Some people in this comment secrions have problems, and a lot of points in this review just felt rude

Whether you liked it or not, It seems like you really got into the book which makes from a good review and video. ❤ You have to give the author credit of giving the character that much depth.

I’m going to pass on this book it also sounds like Abbie is subconsciously into purity culture and has issue with women who don’t want to step into ‘traditional’ society roles. Her books scream of some kind of weird conservatism.

My main problem with this book is a lot of the advice Abbie gives in her videos doesn't translate to her books. Saying the main character is "not like other girls," not having enough character development or unique characters (to me all the POVs sounded the same).

btw, Rapunzel in the Disney version didn't married Eugene right after returning home, she actually refused his proposal and they went on an adventure to save the world and i believe it was 2 years after when they finally got married, but i understand that we are mostly referencing the og fairytale here so yea, just wanted to put this out there.
also Eugene is actually a prince so he can be considered a Disney Prince,

Seems to me this would work better as a fantasy, explicitly supernatural? It's clearly based on Rapunzel, Moana, etc - it seems if there was magic and curses involved it would all make more sense. Right now it sounds like straightforward Joseph Fritzl child abuse in a romantic setting.

im really sad that abbies writing has turned out to be this way. i don't know if it is something she is into as a person but the unconsential kissing seems to be a recurring thing in her writing and I don't get how she didn't learn the first time that this is not ok in writing. i lost faith in her after her first book, which was just disability inspiration p*rn for able bodied people IMO as a disabled person and left a very very bad taste in my mouth with the ableist tropes she was pushing in it, and I'm sad to see that it seems her writing has not become any less problematic. thank you for your review, it was both honest but still respectful

AAAAHH!! This is so true. I love 100 days of sunlight so so much and honestly it was such a shame how much of a disappointment was for me. I had the same experience as you. The first bit of the book was super enjoyable, but after that, it just wasn't very good anymore. I also got annoyed at how they said they both liked her since she's "not like other girls" but as a girl, WHAT? What's wrong with being like other girls? That kind of felt like a prejudice to me, even if it wasn't intentional. Abbie Emmons is amazing, and I'm really sad that The Otherworld wasn't. It could have been, but I didn't feel as connected to the characters as I did with Tessa and Weston (I'm also a teen though, that could be it). The relationship DOES feel forced, and Jack sort of feels like a bit of a plot device, mainly there for the conflict. Obviously I'm still going to read all the other books she publishes, but if I'm being honest, this book was a letdown. That being said, I did like some parts, like Adam's journal entries! Same for me though, probably wouldn't recommend.

(Minor Spoilers)
While some points might be valid, I disagree with a lot of the assumptions made in this critique. Adam and Orca have both lived decades of loneliness and know that they don't want to be alone anymore. 28 year old men don't have a problem dating or even marrying 18-21 year old women as long as they show a certain level of maturity and want a family as their primary goal in life. Adam's suppression and denial of his relationship with Orca is sadly very common in men who think a relationship will not work and they are trying to avoid further pain in both parties. Allowing Jack to "shoot his shot" at Orca was his way of seeing if Orca was actually "like other girls" or not. If she fell for Jack it would confirm Adam's reservations. Only once Orca convinces him that she has seen the world and all she cares about is having a family, that's when he feels he doesn't need to deny her any more.

Since your critique is mostly based on not finding the psychology of the characters believable, I think Emmons is a lot closer to reality than your perspective.
The one part I found to be unbelievable is Jack just making up with everybody and being super cool moving on with things. In reality he would probably be emotionally scarred for life after what all these people he trusted did to him. He will likely never be able to trust a woman again and deal with crippling insecurity.