Lovin' los libros

A book blog dedicated to young adult and new adult novels

ARC Review: Relativity by Cristin Bishara

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Relativity
   by: Cristin Bishara

Publication Date: Sept. 10, 2013
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Genre: Science Fiction/Time Travel
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 288 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3/5 stars


If Ruby Wright could have her way, her dad would never have met and married her stepmother Willow, her best friend George would be more than a friend, and her mom would still be alive. Ruby knows wishes can't come true; some things just can't be undone. Then she discovers a tree in the middle of an Ohio cornfield with a wormhole to nine alternative realities.

Suddenly, Ruby can access completely different realities, each containing variations of her life—if things had gone differently at key moments. The windshield wiper missing her mother’s throat…her big brother surviving his ill-fated birth…her father never having met Willow. Her ideal world—one with everything and everyone she wants most—could be within reach. But is there such a thing as a perfect world? What is Ruby willing to give up to find out?
 

I really love reading books about parallel universes. It's fascinating to think that there is another version of you out there living life- yet that life could be completely different than the one you are currently living. Our main character Ruby gets to test out this theory firsthand in Relativity. While a lot of the scientific jargon went way over my head, I was still able to enjoy the story and not overanalyze how it could all happen.

Ruby is a likeable character, though I have to say: my heart broke for the girl. She has just moved from California to Ohio with her dad, as he has remarried to a woman named Willow, who lives in Ennis, Ohio with her daughter Kandy. Moving across country is never easy, and leaving behind your best friend and the life you've always known is very difficult. Her father is a work-a-holic, her step mom is not someone she's bonded with, and her step-sister is HORRIBLE. It's no wonder Ruby is drawn to this old tree in the middle of a cornfield. I would be looking for an escape of some sort also, if I were in her position.

After accidentally finding herself in a different universe, Ruby is definitely scared and confused. People that shouldn't be alive are, and Ruby really struggles with this information- it doesn't seem fair that in a parallel universe her mom is still alive and she has a great big brother. Seeing this reality sends Ruby on a hunt for the perfect parallel universe- one where her parents are happy and together, she has a big brother, and her best friend George reciprocates her feelings. Watching Ruby land in the different universes was exciting and heartbreaking at the same time. I was excited to see what each place would be like for her and who she would find there, but I was heartbroken for her at the same time because no matter what- none of these were her universes. Not to mention, there always seemed to be something missing.

I was really torn up over the scenes with Ruby's mom. In her universe, her mom was killed in a car accident when she was younger. However, her mom lives in some of the other parallel universes, and watching Ruby try to let go of her mother was really hard to read. In my opinion, her parallel universe mom plays the most important role in this book. She offers Ruby wisdom and insight that Ruby is too blind to see on her own. Ruby realizes that she must make the best of what her own life has to offer and that even though things are difficult now, seeing these parallel universes provides her with hope.

There is not a whole lot of romance in this book. Ruby is in love with her best friend George, who she left behind in California. She wishes she could tell him how she feels, yet she doesn't. We get to see George in some of the parallel universes, where they are together. He is quirky and a bit nerdy just like her, so watching them interact was really sweet. She really feels hopeful for her and George's relationship- that somehow the universe will bring them back together, as it did in some of those parallel universes.

I wasn't crazy about the ending though. It's not that it left off in a bad place or anything, but I just felt a bit unfulfilled. It offers the promise of hope and acceptance for Ruby's life, but I guess I just wanted something more.

While I enjoyed reading this, I would have to say this book was still just an okay read for me. I would recommend it to big fans of time travel and science fiction, however.

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10 comments

  1. As amazing as this books sounds, it seems like a confusing read too! I all for parallel universes though so I might be checking this one out :) Great review, hon

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    1. Thanks Tonya! I love parallel universes! It was a bit confusing at times because I don't like scientific jargon.

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  2. Ugh unfulfilling endings are the worst! Can completely ruin a book for me! I do love the cover on this bad boy though so I may still check it out. Alternate universes are pretty coool. Great review!

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    1. I love the cover too! It was what drew me in of course. And yeah, I don't know what I was wanting exactly, but I guess I just wanted more? It's so hard to explain! LOL.

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  3. Shame the ending wasn't fulfilling but this does sound intriguing. The mom parts do sound heartbreaking! I do love Parallel universes and time travel so think I'll give this one a go! Great review hon!

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    1. Oh, they were SO heartbreaking! But they really made the story for me. Definitely let me know your thoughts when you get to it!

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  4. This one definitely sounds like it was emotional! I do like the idea of different universes, but it's hard to write a really captivating book that deals with that topic. Glad you enjoyed this one!

    Great review!! :)

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    1. Thanks Magen! You are right- not everyone can pull off the alternate universes. Cristin did a pretty good job though- she really made it work by incorporating her mom!

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  5. This sounds interesting. I do like the parallel universe thing too and it sounds like it would be very emotional watching her interact with her mother. It's too bad the ending left you unfulfilled. I hate when that happens. Great review!

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    1. Yes! It was so emotional! My heart was being squeezed! I kept thinking, "It's not fair! It's not fair!"

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