Author: Claudia Gray
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Published on: November 3, 2015 by Harper Teen
Ten thousand worlds. Ten thousand enemies. One love.
Marguerite Caine has done the impossible, traveling to alternate dimensions with the Firebird—the brilliant invention of her parents, her boyfriend, Paul, and their friend Theo. But she has also caught the attention of enemies willing to kidnap, blackmail, and even kill to use the Firebird for themselves.
When Paul’s soul is splintered into four pieces—pieces that are trapped within Pauls in other dimensions—Marguerite will do anything, and travel anywhere, to save him. But the price of his safe return is steep. If she doesn’t sabotage her parents in multiple universes, Paul will be lost forever.
Unwilling to sacrifice her family, Marguerite enlists the brilliant Theo to help. The two forge a plan to save Paul and the Firebird, but succeeding means outsmarting a genius and risking not only their lives but also the lives of their counterparts in every other dimension.
Their mission takes them to the most dangerous universes yet: a war-torn San Francisco, the criminal underworld of New York City, and a glittering Paris where another Marguerite hides a shocking secret. Each leap brings Marguerite closer to saving Paul—but her journey reveals dark truths that lead her to doubt the one constant she’s found between worlds: their love for each other.
The Firebird trilogy continues with this second installment. Ten Thousand Skies Above You picks up almost right where the first book left off. It also drops protagonist Marguerite Caine straight into action. She’s the teen daughter of two renowned physicists, Dr. Henry Caine and Dr. Lera Kovalenka. They created the Firebird, a wearable device used to move through parallel realities. In the first book, Marguerite was able to clear her friend Paul Markov's name. She also discovered that her father was still alive. Triad, the corporation that funded Firebird research, had been holding him hostage.
The Caines explain the truth: multiversal travel is not only possible. Triad wants to be the sole entity with that power. Their leader, tech CEO Wyatt Conley, used a spy to keep an eye on the Caines. He also turned Marguerite into a “perfect traveler”. If you remember, the Firebird transfers the user’s mind, not their body. The latter apparently vanishes into some quantum state. Regular travelers can’t stay too long in a parallel reality, or their doppelgänger regains control. As a perfect traveler, Marguerite stays in control no matter how much time she spends in a given parallel universe.
For scientific reasons explained in the book, there can't be many perfect travelers. It’s a major limitation that’s both good and bad for the Caines. To get around the limit, Triad created a dangerous drug. Their spy, Theo (another friend of Marguerite’s and assistant to the Caines) made liberal use of the drug. The prolonged exposure caused severe damage to Theo’s body. He needs a cure, which only exists in the Triadverse. Unfortunately, Conley forbids the Caines from traveling there.
Theo’s dire need for the cure is what kickstarts the events of this book. Paul bravely travels to the Triadverse, hoping to stay undetected. Conley catches him, of course, and proceeds to splinter Paul’s mind. The four pieces are scattered across random universes. When Paul fails to return, Marguerite and Theo don’t think twice about rescuing him. When Marguerite runs into Conley later, he makes a deal. The pieces of Paul’s mind ended up in universes that happen to be conducting some...special research. Conley wants Marguerite to sabotage their work.
Once again Marguerite goes on a journey through the multiverse. The worlds she visits this time are different from those in the previous book. They’re just as intriguing and unique. One old favorite makes a comeback: the Russiaverse. Theo (the real one now) tags along, helping Marguerite wherever he can. You get to know them better too. Marguerite is proving to be ready to move mountains for Paul. Does this include carrying out Conley’s wicked demands? You’ll have to read Ten Thousand Skies Above You to find out. This was a stunning second entry in the Firebird trilogy. I highly recommend it.
My rating: ★★★★ 1/2
4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
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