Vera has lived her entire life in her small mountain community. Sequestered within the clouds, the village is close knit and adheres closely to long-held cultural traditions, namely surrounding their affliction. This affliction that sets them apart is the reason that with no warning, some mothers in the community vanish, disappearing into the clouds. They are not scared of their affliction, rather it's what sets them apart- a necessity that comes with their isolated way of life.

Vera has personally come into contact with the affliction, as it took her mother when she was young. Elsewhere follows Vera through her life and her experiences as an adolescent and then a new wife and mother in the village. As her own daughter grows, Vera thinks more and more about what she would do to stay with her child, or if she will follow her own mother's journey into the clouds.

Elsewhere really surprised me in that the writing was so thought provoking, seeming almost as if it is from another time. The audio narration by Ell Potter was sublime and comforting as well, which added a really nice background to subject matter that was emotional for me as a mother myself. There are many questions left unanswered, but in that there is so much room for personal interpretation. I think this would make a perfect book club book for that reason. It's warm like a cup of tea but makes for such interesting conversation as well. I could easily recommend Elsewhere to almost anyone, especially readers who love speculative fic as much as I do.

Thanks so much to Celadon books as well as NetGalley for an ALC of Elsewhere in exchange for my honest thoughts.