Draft:The Space Between Here&Now

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The Space Between Here & Now

By Sarah Suk

The Space Between Here & Now by Sarah Suk, first published in 2023 by Harpercollins, is a contemporary young adult fiction novel with aspects of magical realism, that explores a rare mysterious condition called STWS. This book discusses themes such as memory and the past, family and abandonment, closure, and letting go. The book follows 17-year-old Aimee Roh, who lives with her father, Hyunwoo, in Vancouver, Canada. Her parents are originally from Korea. Aimee suffers from a fictional condition called Sensory Time Warp Syndrome (STWS), which she describes as: "A rare condition that causes you to physically travel back in time to specific memories when triggered by a certain sensory connection to those moments." Aimee’s particular trigger is scent: whenever she smells something associated with a memory, she is transported back to that moment. However, she cannot interact with the memory, instead she appears as a ghost observing, stuck watching the scene play out until she returns, which she cannot control. In her disappearances, Aimee often sees her mom in those memories. Aimee lives with her father because her mother, Youngmi, left them when she was a child. Her father refuses to talk about her mother or explain why she left, avoiding Aimee’s questions. Due to the rarity of STWS, doctors have recommended specialized therapy, but her father, who was raised in Korea, has reservations. He believes that the doctors may try to convince her that something is wrong with her, based on cultural views about mental health. One day, during one of Aimee's episodes, she sees a mysterious woman in white who appears to be able to hear her. Believing this woman might be her mother, Aimee becomes determined to find her. She decides to travel to Korea to stay with her aunt, Gomo, without telling her father that she plans to search for her mother. Aimee hopes that by finding her mother, who she suspects also has STWS, she can finally get closure and stop the syndrome’s disturbing episodes. In Korea, Aimee learns that her grandparents own a flower shop. She goes there but finds it closed. Feeling frustrated, she attends a local STWS support group, where she meets others who have different sensory triggers, some have triggers related to sound or taste. The group discusses "time loops," in which someone becomes trapped, unable to escape a particular memory. They even mention the "Hapjeong Station Ghost," a man stuck in a memory loop for years. After the meeting, Aimee finds herself at Hapjeong Station. Without thinking, she exits the train and faces the ghost, Jeogiyo Ajusshi. She tells him about her own STWS condition, and as their eyes meet, she realizes he has been trapped in his memory for many years. She tries to help him, but she’s unsure how to free him from his loop. Meanwhile, Aimee’s best friend Nikita, who is back in Vancouver, finds her grandparents’ updated flower shop address online and sends it to her. Aimee also reconnects with her father’s old friend Kim and his son Junho, who are visiting Korea. Junho starts following Aimee, unaware that she’s looking for her mother. To cover her tracks, Aimee tells him she’s working on a photography project about memories. On this trip Aimee falls in love with Juhno. Eventually, Aimee travels to the city where her grandparents live. She confronts them, hoping for answers. Her grandmother, Halmeoni, tries to explain, but her grandfather, Harabeoji, cuts her off. Later, Halmeoni calls Aimee privately to the flower shop and reveals that her mother is living in another city with a new husband and children. She explains that when Aimee’s parents were young, they got pregnant accidentally. Youngmi, who had just started university, wasn’t ready to be a mother. At the time, abortion was illegal in South Korea, and Youngmi’s own parents (Aimee's grandparents) pressured her into staying with Hyunwoo, though she no longer loved him. The shame of being a single mother would have ruined her future. Shocked by this information, Aimee confronts her father. The argument escalates, and her father angrily announces that he is returning to Vancouver. That same night, Aimee experiences another time warp but this time gets trapped in a repeating loop of a memory, unable to escape. As the memory repeats over and over, her father suddenly appears in her vision, physically holding her. In that moment, Aimee tells him how much she has waited for him to listen to her, not just recently, but ever since her mother left. Her father, finally understanding her pain, apologizes and admits he only wanted to protect her. Aimee realizes that people become trapped in time loops because they revisit certain memories too often, unable to let go. She comes to understand that closure can only be found in the present, not by focusing in the past. Before leaving Korea, Aimee writes a letter to Jeogiyo Ajusshi, the Hapjeong Station ghost, explaining how she broke free from her own loop, by focusing on the present and the unresolved feelings she still needed to confront. She tells him that returning to certain memories is a sign that there is something unfinished in them, but it’s important to live in the present to find peace. Back in Vancouver, Aimee’s father agrees to take her to a new therapist who specializes in rare conditions like STWS. Aimee finally feels like she is on the path to healing.

Themes The Space Between Here & Now follows Aimee as she struggles to connect her past with her present. The author uses the idea that certain scents can trigger strong memories, allowing Aimee to physically and emotionally revisit her past. This journey reflects her feelings of being stuck between two worlds. One of the themes in this book is family and abandonment. When Aimee’s mother, Youngmi, left her and her father when she was a child, it left Aimee feeling abandoned and confused. Her father, Hyunwoo, refuses to talk about why her mother left, which only makes Aimee feel more alone. This silence creates a gap between Aimee and her father, making their relationship distant and difficult. Aimee struggles with the feeling that she has been left behind, both by her mother and in some ways by her father too. Aimee’s decision to go to Korea to find her mother is her way of trying to understand what happened. She hopes that by learning why her mother left, she can finally make sense of her feelings of rejection and hurt. Aimee also learns that her mother had her own difficult choices to make, and the social pressure in Korea played a big part in her leaving. In the end, the story shows how abandonment can leave deep emotional wounds, especially for children. Aimee’s journey helps her and her father start to repair their relationship, showing that talking openly and understanding each other is key to healing and moving forward. Another important theme in this book is closure and letting go. This plays an important role in Aimee’s journey. Every time she’s triggered by a certain scent, she is pulled back into her memories, unable to control when she returns to the present. This symbolizes how unresolved issues from her past, particularly her mother’s abandonment, keep her from fully living in the moment. Aimee’s search for her mother is driven by her hope that finding answers will bring her closure and end her time travel episodes. She believes that understanding why her mother left will help her move on and possibly stop the episodes from happening. However, as the story progresses, Aimee realizes that true closure isn’t about getting answers from the past, but about accepting what happened and focusing on the present. When Aimee gets trapped in a time loop, she learns that revisiting the same memory over and over doesn’t bring peace. It’s only when she faces her feelings and opens up to her father that she can let go and begin to heal. The story shows that closure comes from within and that letting go of the past is key to finding peace. The third theme that stands out in this book is memory and the past is central to Aimee’s story, as her condition, Sensory Time Warp Syndrome (STWS), forces her to relive moments from her past whenever she’s triggered by certain smells. These episodes take her back to specific memories, where she becomes an invisible observer, unable to interact or change anything. This reflects how powerful and sometimes painful memories can be, especially when they’re unresolved. For Aimee, her memories are more than just thoughts, they pull her away from the present and trap her in the past, making it hard for her to move forward with her life. Her time-traveling episodes represent how she is stuck emotionally, still trying to make sense of her mother’s abandonment and the unresolved feelings it caused. Each memory she revisits keeps her tied to the emotions of those moments, whether it’s confusion, sadness, or loss. As the story progresses, Aimee begins to understand that living in the past prevents her from finding peace in the present. She learns that while memories are important, they shouldn’t control her life. This theme highlights the importance of acknowledging the past, but not letting it define or limit the future.

Genre: The book is a mix of contemporary young adult fiction and magical realism. It takes place in the modern world and focuses on real life issues, like family, mental health, and identity, but also includes a magical element with Aimee’s condition, Sensory Time Warp Syndrome (STWS). This adds a bit of fantasy to the story, though the characters treat it as part of everyday life. The book can also be considered a coming-of-age tale because it shows Aimee’s journey of growing up, learning about her past, and finding out more about herself.

Style: The style of the book is emotional and personal, focusing on Aimee’s feelings and experiences. It’s written in a way that likely makes readers feel connected to Aimee’s thoughts as she struggles with her condition and her search for her mother. The book moves between the present and the past, reflecting how Aimee’s memories affect her life. The descriptions are rich in detail, especially when Aimee travels back in time through her senses, making the reader feel like they’re experiencing the memory with her. The language is simple and relatable, fitting for young readers, but it deals with important themes like family, loss, and finding peace.

Development history

Why It Was Written: The idea for the book came to the author during college when she learned how scents are tied to memories. Later, as she faced her own mental health challenges, she wanted to explore the feeling of being caught between past experiences and the present. This personal journey helped shape Aimee´s emotional story.

The Space Between Here and Now fits the theme of Sarah Suk’s other books, which also focus on emotional growth and identity. It shows her interest in exploring complex themes about feelings and self discovery.

Publication history: Published 10/31/23 (Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins)

Critical reception (excerpts from reviews)

" This is a quietly moving story that explores family secrets, shifting memories, and finding one’s home, with a​ gentle romance and a time-traveling mystery to further propel readers."

“Haunting, poignant, and achingly beautiful, The Space between Here & Now is a tale about family, grief, and love. It's an absolute must read.” —June Hur, bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author of The Red Palace

"The Space between Here & Now is an intriguing mix of fantasy and realism that lures readers in with the promise of magic and keeps them engaged with emotionally resonant themes"

“Filled with humor and heart, The Space between Here & Now is the perfect love letter to Korea, to memories, and to families lost and found. This is the book I needed as a teen.” —Axie Oh, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea and XOXO

“A beautifully moving portrayal of memory, family, and the courage to find ourselves, The Space between Here & Now will captivate readers. Suk weaves vivid descriptions and rich details throughout, creating a transportive, immersive read that kept me turning pages late into the night.” —Rachel Griffin, New York Times bestselling author of Bring Me Your Midnight

External links: https://www.sarahsuk.com/ https://www.cbc.ca/books/the-space-between-here-now-by-sarah-suk-1.6895720