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pallavi_sharma87's review against another edition
4.0
Its the story of a woman and her life.
It is this portrayal of intelligent woman that highlights the story. Meridian Wallace is a bit of a snob who thinks, she is different than other girls and is very much interested in science. And rejects her own age boys for a older professor, Alden Whetstone whom she feels is equal to her intellectual ability. Meridian's ambitions are put on hold when she marries Alden and decides to go to live with him where he is on a "top-secret-mission-on-war". She herself decides to postpone her studies each year to find bliss in her marriage and end up doing nothing and trying different things to satisfy herself. The frustration of not pursuing her career shows up in her marriage in different ways at different times. This lack of interest/romance attracts her to a younger man, Clay. Clay is a man of new ideas and supports Meridian immensely.
The main characters come from different age groups and Church has successfully shown that age specific traits in their behavior. Meridian, who sacrifices her career for her husband's career (Isn't the world full of such woman), Alden, busy with his aspirations knows that he is the reason for his wife's abrupt stop of higher studies tries to fill in her with love, but he is completely unaware of how to move forward romantically. And last, Clay, young, energetic but too good to be believed. Personally, I can relate to Meri and Alden, but there are no Clay's I have met or heard.
I loved Meri's childhood, the dad and birds. The enthusiasm of the child to learn is the best part. The only point which made me NOT give 5 stars is, I felt that some passages where a bit draggy and too descriptive.
Total 4 stars!
It is this portrayal of intelligent woman that highlights the story. Meridian Wallace is a bit of a snob who thinks, she is different than other girls and is very much interested in science. And rejects her own age boys for a older professor, Alden Whetstone whom she feels is equal to her intellectual ability. Meridian's ambitions are put on hold when she marries Alden and decides to go to live with him where he is on a "top-secret-mission-on-war". She herself decides to postpone her studies each year to find bliss in her marriage and end up doing nothing and trying different things to satisfy herself. The frustration of not pursuing her career shows up in her marriage in different ways at different times. This lack of interest/romance attracts her to a younger man, Clay. Clay is a man of new ideas and supports Meridian immensely.
The main characters come from different age groups and Church has successfully shown that age specific traits in their behavior. Meridian, who sacrifices her career for her husband's career (Isn't the world full of such woman), Alden, busy with his aspirations knows that he is the reason for his wife's abrupt stop of higher studies tries to fill in her with love, but he is completely unaware of how to move forward romantically. And last, Clay, young, energetic but too good to be believed. Personally, I can relate to Meri and Alden, but there are no Clay's I have met or heard.
I loved Meri's childhood, the dad and birds. The enthusiasm of the child to learn is the best part. The only point which made me NOT give 5 stars is, I felt that some passages where a bit draggy and too descriptive.
Total 4 stars!
in_and_out_of_the_stash's review against another edition
3.0
Not bad enough for 2*. Author loved the word omnipresent. Also narrator's hair was mentioned on 3 consecutive pages. Author seemed to have an obsession with looks and weight. Huge anachronism with Scottish pound coin. And really none of the characters were likeable.
toniclark's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this thoroughly captivating book. Could not put it down. I’m astounded that this is a debut novel by someone who has spent her career as a lawyer. No point in rehashing the story, but must say I adored the main character, felt her emotional dilemmas, sympathized with her challenges, agonized over her sacrifices, and greatly appreciated her intelligence and perseverance. And I loved all the details of the natural settings and reflections on bird behavior — mainly crows.
In an otherwise very well-written book, a couple of little grammar tics irked me. The author consistently uses “off of” when “off” is sufficient. What is it with “off of”? It’s like chalk on a blackboard. It’s off the table, off my back, off the record, off the charts — not off of. Oh well, a small matter, but fairly distracting for me.
Great read!
In an otherwise very well-written book, a couple of little grammar tics irked me. The author consistently uses “off of” when “off” is sufficient. What is it with “off of”? It’s like chalk on a blackboard. It’s off the table, off my back, off the record, off the charts — not off of. Oh well, a small matter, but fairly distracting for me.
Great read!
hatrireads's review against another edition
3.0
My favorite bookseller and owner of Blues Point Book Shop in Sydney recommended this first novel by an American writer. Very enjoyable - lovely story.
bmg20's review against another edition
4.0
“We have to take flight. It’s not given to us, served up on a pretty, parsley-bordered platter. We have to take wing. Was I brave enough to do that? Or would I be content to remain earthbound?”
[b:The Atomic Weight of Love|25810606|The Atomic Weight of Love|Elizabeth J. Church|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459102377s/25810606.jpg|45666596] spans the time during World War II and the years during the Vietnam War. In the 1940s, Meridian Wallace was a young woman ahead of her time who chose to study biology in hopes of one day becoming an ornithologist at the University of Chicago. She meets a brilliant physics professor, Alden Whetstone, who is twenty years older than her but challenges her intellectually. They fall in love, they get married, and she gives up her dreams (temporarily at first) to move to a community in Los Alamos, New Mexico to become an unhappy housewife where Alden is assisting with the Manhattan Project. As the years pass by, Meridian is forced to evaluate the decisions she’s made in life and her personal evolution.
“I would not open the door to hope, no matter how exquisite her feathers, how promising and sweet her song. I was done with hope.”
Atomic is a most poignant story with an appropriate narrative voice for the time period. The writing manages to be consistently crisp and never tedious despite the entire lifetime that is told within these pages. Meri’s continued sacrifices that she makes throughout her life are disheartening to see but her insistence on continuing to study the local crows is the focal point of this tale. The community that Meri and Alden reside in is a study in women during the wartime where they range between happy housewives to the women looking to break the mold and help out right alongside the men. Meri’s two loves, Alden and a younger man she meets late in life, are portrayed through a critical lens and while never overly romantic, the passion is still evident. Alden himself was written rather one-dimensionally and comes off as a despot, but I felt that this was once again a sign of the times and the expectations of a woman’s role comes into play and Meri’s inability to ever fit into that role.
Meridian had an ample and fulfilling life, finally finding the purpose she had always sought. It was a satisfying story of accomplishment and fruition but at the conclusion, I couldn’t help wishing for more for Meridian.
I received this book for free from Library Thing, Library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
[b:The Atomic Weight of Love|25810606|The Atomic Weight of Love|Elizabeth J. Church|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459102377s/25810606.jpg|45666596] spans the time during World War II and the years during the Vietnam War. In the 1940s, Meridian Wallace was a young woman ahead of her time who chose to study biology in hopes of one day becoming an ornithologist at the University of Chicago. She meets a brilliant physics professor, Alden Whetstone, who is twenty years older than her but challenges her intellectually. They fall in love, they get married, and she gives up her dreams (temporarily at first) to move to a community in Los Alamos, New Mexico to become an unhappy housewife where Alden is assisting with the Manhattan Project. As the years pass by, Meridian is forced to evaluate the decisions she’s made in life and her personal evolution.
“I would not open the door to hope, no matter how exquisite her feathers, how promising and sweet her song. I was done with hope.”
Atomic is a most poignant story with an appropriate narrative voice for the time period. The writing manages to be consistently crisp and never tedious despite the entire lifetime that is told within these pages. Meri’s continued sacrifices that she makes throughout her life are disheartening to see but her insistence on continuing to study the local crows is the focal point of this tale. The community that Meri and Alden reside in is a study in women during the wartime where they range between happy housewives to the women looking to break the mold and help out right alongside the men. Meri’s two loves, Alden and a younger man she meets late in life, are portrayed through a critical lens and while never overly romantic, the passion is still evident. Alden himself was written rather one-dimensionally and comes off as a despot, but I felt that this was once again a sign of the times and the expectations of a woman’s role comes into play and Meri’s inability to ever fit into that role.
Meridian had an ample and fulfilling life, finally finding the purpose she had always sought. It was a satisfying story of accomplishment and fruition but at the conclusion, I couldn’t help wishing for more for Meridian.
I received this book for free from Library Thing, Library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
tishicat16's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
machadofam8's review against another edition
3.0
This was quite enjoyable - I thought the characters were very relatable. All the information about the crows was fascinating.
lizaroo71's review against another edition
3.0
Meridian is a woman of her time. She attends Princeton University and becomes an orthnithologist. The problem is her soon to be husband, Alden, is recruited to work on a secret project in Los Alamos, NM (I think you know the project). Meridian is almost twenty years his junior, so while he respects her intelligence, there are social norms that must be adhered.
The author does a good job in showing how Meridian is stifled by her decision to "delay" her graduate studies. She makes an effort to fit in with the other wives in the community, but they naturally shun her since she has been off getting her degree instead of supporting her husband during the first few years of their marriage.
Meridian does her best to make a happy home, but there is something missing. She studies the crows in the area on her own taking copious notes. It is in this quiet time that she comes across a geologist (a man close to twenty years younger than her). He may be the answer to that hole she is trying to fill in her empty marriage.
It's an interesting choice to make the husband so many years older. I wonder why this is the case. I'm not sure that would have been the norm at the time. Meridian is a well developed character with complex emotions that Church honors in Meridian's actions. You will definitely not like Alden. He is a man of his time (or is he a stereotype of a man of his time?).
All and all, I wanted more about the birds (that's honestly the reason I put it on my TBR), but I liked the glimpse into a woman's life as she grows in her own time and not because society expects it of her.
The author does a good job in showing how Meridian is stifled by her decision to "delay" her graduate studies. She makes an effort to fit in with the other wives in the community, but they naturally shun her since she has been off getting her degree instead of supporting her husband during the first few years of their marriage.
Meridian does her best to make a happy home, but there is something missing. She studies the crows in the area on her own taking copious notes. It is in this quiet time that she comes across a geologist (a man close to twenty years younger than her). He may be the answer to that hole she is trying to fill in her empty marriage.
It's an interesting choice to make the husband so many years older. I wonder why this is the case. I'm not sure that would have been the norm at the time. Meridian is a well developed character with complex emotions that Church honors in Meridian's actions. You will definitely not like Alden. He is a man of his time (or is he a stereotype of a man of his time?).
All and all, I wanted more about the birds (that's honestly the reason I put it on my TBR), but I liked the glimpse into a woman's life as she grows in her own time and not because society expects it of her.