Tandem by Anna Jarzab

Tandem (Many-Worlds Trilogy, #1)

by Anna Jarzab

Read the book that Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of the LEGEND trilogy called, "A fascinating world of parallel universes, sexy doppelgangers, and breathtaking action. Such a fun and addictive read!"

 A captivating tale of rebellion and romance that spans parallel worlds.

Everything repeats.
You. Your best friend. Every person you know.
Many worlds, many lives—infinite possibilities.
Welcome to the multiverse.


Sixteen-year-old Sasha Lawson has only ever known one small, ordinary life. When she was young, she loved her grandfather's stories of parallel worlds, inhabited by girls who looked like her but led totally different lives. Sasha never believed such worlds were real—until now, when she finds herself thrust into one against her will.

To prevent imminent war, Sasha must slip into the life of an alternate version of herself, a princess who has vanished on the eve of her arranged marriage. If Sasha succeeds in fooling everyone, she will be returned home; if she fails, she'll be trapped in another girl's life forever. As time runs out, Sasha finds herself torn between two worlds, two lives, and two young men vying for her love—one who knows her secret, and one who believes she's someone she's not.  

"Clever and exhilarating—each page is a pleasure."—Ally Condie, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Matched

Reviewed by abigailjohnson on

3 of 5 stars

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Don't let the sci-fi elements scare you away from TANDEM, as the book feels more like a fantasy than anything else. The story is basically a version of THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK except with a female protagonist and a sci-fi twist involving parallel universes. It starts in our modern day world, but most of the book takes place in an alternate version North America that has a monarchy ruling it. There is a lot of political unrest and warring factions seeking to overthrow the government. So when the princess goes missing, they abduct her double (or analog) from our world.

As a premise, it's fun. As a twist on the classic THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK, again it's fun. I even liked the sprinkling of theoretical physics that explain the multiverse and how people can move between worlds. The characters are what fell a little flat for me, and by extension, the romance. Sasha and Thomas were just a tad on the dull side. I never got really swept up in what was happening to them because of their portrayal. They both felt very standard.

That being said, the plot was inventive and offered up several fun and unexpected turns. I'm probably going to check out the sequel, TETHER, because I am curious to see how it all turns out. Hopefully the characters will be more engaging next time. As far as comparisons go in terms of story lines, TANDEM should appeal to fans of Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 14 January, 2014: Finished reading
  • 14 January, 2014: Reviewed