The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything

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Maybe I shouldn't write a review straight after finishing a book, as a couple of glistening tears are still drying under my eyes. But I didn't expect to be as moved as I was when I begun this. I thought I was getting more of a Rosie Project comedy. When Mimi decides she needs more from life than dutifully tending to her brilliant brother, she asks for his help to find love. Art agrees, but on one condition: that she find her soulmate using a strict mathematical principle. Things seem promising, until Mimi meets Frank: a romantic, spontaneous stargazer who’s also a mathematician. Despite Mimi’s obvious affection for the quirky Frank, Art is wary of him from their very first encounter. During the day: If you have a flexible schedule, you may find it helpful to take breaks during the day to read a book. A beautiful, warm-hearted and poignant story about two siblings, Art and Mimi, who, bound by their parents’ tragic deaths, find themselves living together with their outlook aligned on not quite everything. How do you think Mimi and Frank’s story might have unfolded if Mimi hadn’t given him a fake name to start? Is Mimi right when she says their relationship is founded on a lie?

I didn’t mean what I said, she telegraphs, trying to reach her brother from the car. I didn’t mean it. She me His is a world of rarefied mathematical theorising, a place where logic rules and there is nothing that can’t be solved with calm, deductive reasoning, an approach to life that surely can’t be applied to something as wildly impulsive and chemistry-driven as falling in love. As Art's mistrust of Frank grows, so do Mimi's feelings, and the siblings' relationship is brought to a breaking point. Something about Frank doesn't quite add up, and only Art can see it . . . What qualities make Mimi so well-suited to being a foley artist? What does her success in that field reveal about her as a character?Is he dead?” she hears herself say. “My brother. He’s dead, right?” The room dissolves into strips that are floating away, nothing has substance, light swallows matter. A delightfully clever tale of first love, loss and an unforgettable sibling relationship.” — Marianne Cronin, author of The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot After a nasty spat between the siblings that involves a pepper grinder and a broken wrist, Mimi goes away to break the tension. It’s during Mimi’s short absence that Art is hit by Frank’s car and ends up in an induced coma, with a severe brain injury. Frank swears it was an accident. Can Mimi believe him? Will she lose her brother? And if he survives, will Art lose his maths? Art believes that people - including his sister - are incapable of making sensible decisions when it comes to love. That’s what algorithms are for. Art applies maths to the problem and (of course) has a theory for finding the right partner for his sister: having estimated how long she is prepared to search for the ideal partner, he informs her that “after thirty-seven percent, you settle on the very next man who is better than the ones who have gone before. That is the moment you can stop wondering if there is someone better out there. In all likelihood, there is not.”

Art and Mimi have a sibling bond that screams loyalty. Bound together through a tragedy you see their faults and the strength they give each other. Anyone who has a sibling will understand how complex those familial relations can be. It was interesting to see them develop together and separately. In your mind, how and why did Mimi allow her life to become so subjugated to Art’s? Was it in her nature, or the nature of their relationship, or did events conspire to limit her? It’s a lot to take in,’ says Ernest, looking at his watch. ‘phew, it’s past nine. Supper will be here soon.’ Silence settles between them. Art never understood how boring his math could be for everyone else. “It’s not magic, you know,” said Mimi. “It’s just math.” It is a very touching read too. It is a well-observed, beautifully and intelligently written novel, and everything is handled with great sensitivity. It is set within the context of a complex family situation, and it looks deeply into sibling relationships and family dynamics, as well as exploring themes of love, grief and loss. There are some dark points in the story and some readers may need to take care for triggers including suicide, death, brain injury and sexually predatorial behaviour, but, the overall effect is positive with its message that you have to come to terms with the past before you can move forward, and it is ultimately and overwhelmingly an uplifting and positive read.Please, she prays, to a higher power that she doesn’t believe in . Let him be okay and I promise I won’t go. Mimi has always taken care of her brother Art, without often thinking about herself. Art reminded me of Sheldon Cooper in a sense. He is fiercely loyal to those he loves, but does not always see the full picture when he doesn't have all the facts.

The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything by Kara Gnodde is a tender, intelligent and uplifting novel about brothers and sisters, If you are looking for a quirky read then look no further. From Art’s obsession with maths and logic to Mimi’s need to find her own life, this book has a refreshing take on a well-told trope. Whilst a lot of the mathematics did go over my head I enjoyed the different equations that Art came up with. His way of navigating life was unusual but gave this story a different edge. A delightfully clever tale of first love, loss and an unforgettable sibling relationship'– Marianne Cronin, author of The One Hundred Years of Lenni and MargotDebut author Kara Gnodde delivers an emotional, quirky and creative plot with “ The Rosie Project” and “ The Maid” vibes, with characters that are just as likable and honest.

I don’t want to provide any spoilers, but two things to bear in mind, none of the characters are superfluous, they are all there for a reason. The other thing was a particular thought that kept coming to mind - just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you. This thought was resolved in my reading of the story, but I won’t tell you how because that would be spoiling the ending.If this novel about mathematicians were a math problem, and Kara Gnodde set out to prove that love is varied, unpredictable, and infinite in its capacity to expand, then she’s done it. I adored this quirky, big-hearted book.” — Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes I enjoyed this book. It was an interesting study in familial relationships, lasting trauma and how we are all hostage to our own perceptions, thoughts and preconceived ideas. No one has a monopoly on ‘the truth’ and we can all draw incorrect conclusions for the right reasons and conversely, correct conclusions for the wrong reasons. Artie,” she says. She wills his body for a sign. But his arms lie flaccid; no hand signals, no blinks. He isn’t going to flash his eyes open or tap out a hello with his index finger.