Andromache Between Worlds (Gabriel Bergmoser, HarperCollins)

Andromache Between Worlds is the middle-grade fiction debut from prolific adult and young adult writer Gabriel Bergmoser. Andromache is the 14-year-old daughter of two celebrity adventurer journalists whose escapades have become world-renowned and the subject of many movies. Andromache’s father was tragically lost in a lab accident when Andromache was still a baby. What she doesn’t know is that her father never really died—he has been trapped in an alternate universe for over a decade. Andromache Between Worlds is an epic adventure through the multiverse (a city in the sky, a world where Ancient Egypt never fell, and a timeframe where both humans and dinosaurs exist), in which Andromache not only seeks her father but also learns the truth of her family’s story—and the extent of the experimentation in the lab. The varied vocabulary and complex exploration of morality and history create a refreshing read for an upper middle-grade audience aged 11+, for readers looking for something similar to The Grandest Bookshop in the World, Kate Temple’s Trilby Moffat series, and Nicki Greenberg’s Detective’s Guide series. This is a nuanced story that broadly considers oppression, power, and historical narratives with compassion, while also prompting the reader to question who is right and who is really the antagonist. Andromache is a brave, rebellious and thoughtful character with enough heart to fill every universe.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Clare Millar is a writer, editor and children's bookseller. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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