Sabine's Jourey

            SPOILER ALERT! There may be a few spoilers in this blog post.

            Katharine Rothchild’s 2021 debut novel Wider Than The Sky follows Sabine Braxton, her identical twin sister Blythe, and their mother, Maryanne, as they settle into a new life in Thronewood, California after the death of Sabine and Blythe’s father, Mick. Told in the first person from Sabine’s perspective, Wider Then The Sky takes the reader on Sabine’s journey to reconciliation with who her father was to her, and what she didn’t know about him. As she navigates her relationships at school and home along with trying to solve the mystery of how her father died and the ensuing changes in her life, Rothschild presents a page-turning story of how love and forgiveness can change a life.

From the start of the book, Sabine’s life is turned upside down after her father’s unexpected death and an abrupt move to a new town. Throughout the book, Sabine attempts to learn more about the father she never knew, of who Sabine is quite curious. After some research, Sabine learns that her father died of HIV/AIDS, and that Charlie, the man who Sabine’s family had been living with in Thornewood since her father’s death, was her father’s partner. At her new school, Sabine promised her best friend that she wouldn’t date their other friend who they both had a crush on, which soon drives them apart when Sabine starts dating.

            Aside from being the most central character to the story, I think Sabine is also the most interesting character. Sabine is a unique character, but it is not the fact of her having stumbling blocks that makes her unique, but how she reacts to them. I think of Sabine as a kind and forgiving character, but as one who initially reacts somewhat negatively to being thrown into unexpected situations. Instead of throwing herself a pity party after her father’s death, she decides to solve the mystery of her father and tries to understand why she is in the situation she’s in. Though it’s not easy finding answers that don’t want to be found or trying to win back friends who were accidentally pushed away, Sabine musters all her courage and does it all. In the end, Sabine brings her family and friends back together.

Though I would have liked to know what was going through the minds of other characters throughout the book, Sabine’s perspective is enough for me. Hearing Sabine’s internal monologue helped me to understand her rationale behind her decisions, and made me feel like I really knew her. I like that Sabine is a character who goes around the stumbling blocks that may have been placed on her path, and finds a way to remove those that she placed there herself. Artfully creating a compelling story about love, life, and relationships, Rothschild puts forward a well-written, interesting narrative that brings Sabine into the hearts and minds of the readers.

Roxxy,