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clair_82's review against another edition
5.0
Ethan is a very special young boy,he is different from the other boys at school and is picked on but he is absolutely passionate about physics. For as long as he can remember, it has always been just Ethan and his mum, Claire, however as he gets older he is becoming more intrigued as to the reason behind his father's absence.
Mark lives the other side of Australia but heads back to Sydney when he finds out that his father is gravely ill - this brings back lots of emotions and initiates Mark trying to get in touch with Claire however what he wasn't expecting was his letter being intercepted by Ethan.
There are lots of physics references in Relativity both in the chapter names as well as the discussions that Ethan holds with others - I really enjoyed these parts and science is not really my thing! They gave this book a different voice and made me think about the discussion that the characters are having about the universe, the cosmos and relativity.
This book pulls you in right from the start, at its base is a tough subject matter however this is sensitively handled by Hayes and will, indirectly raise awareness (you'll have to read the book to understand what I'm going on about!!). Relativity is a beautifully written novel, heartfelt and full of emotion - it has a well-thought out plot with complex characters. Ethan and Alison are fantastic and, despite their young ages they are full of wisdom, their interactions throughout are both funny and heartwarming. I didn't warm particularly well to Claire but I think this is representative of the walls she has built in order to deal with the past and protect Ethan (and herself) from anymore pain.
Relativity will stay with me for some time, I didn't want it to be over and it has left me with a 'book hangover'! Just stunning.
Mark lives the other side of Australia but heads back to Sydney when he finds out that his father is gravely ill - this brings back lots of emotions and initiates Mark trying to get in touch with Claire however what he wasn't expecting was his letter being intercepted by Ethan.
There are lots of physics references in Relativity both in the chapter names as well as the discussions that Ethan holds with others - I really enjoyed these parts and science is not really my thing! They gave this book a different voice and made me think about the discussion that the characters are having about the universe, the cosmos and relativity.
This book pulls you in right from the start, at its base is a tough subject matter however this is sensitively handled by Hayes and will, indirectly raise awareness (you'll have to read the book to understand what I'm going on about!!). Relativity is a beautifully written novel, heartfelt and full of emotion - it has a well-thought out plot with complex characters. Ethan and Alison are fantastic and, despite their young ages they are full of wisdom, their interactions throughout are both funny and heartwarming. I didn't warm particularly well to Claire but I think this is representative of the walls she has built in order to deal with the past and protect Ethan (and herself) from anymore pain.
Relativity will stay with me for some time, I didn't want it to be over and it has left me with a 'book hangover'! Just stunning.
dani_reviews's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
I don't often read "adult" contemporary fiction. Not many catch my eye, and they don't hold the same grip on me as young adult or new adult fiction, which I find more relatable. That being said, even before I was asked to participate in this blog tour, I'd had my eye on Relativity.
I picked the book up at the right time. I've been going through a science kick this past week or so. For a start, a friend has got me into watching The Flash, and I've binged my way through the first season because YES PLEASE AMAZING. I've also recently finished listening to The Martian by Andy Weir, which I rated 5 stars over on Books Are My Fandom. Instead of getting tired of all the science, the combination has actually worked really well together. The way the science was worked into the story was ace. How do I know that? Because I felt like I learned while reading.
Relativity was, in some ways, difficult to read because it contained a lot of guilt and grief and blame amongst the adults, and guilt and confusion in Ethan. The story unfolded in the present with flashbacks to the past, which, coupled with multiple perspectives (Claire, Mark and Ethan's), gave us the whole story little by little. In fact, the multiple perspectives added something extra to the story: they showed how everyone's personalities and limited knowledge coloured how they saw an event. For example, Mark and Claire each saw parenthood and each other in different lights, both thinking the other didn't appreciate the work they put in. I was very frustrated with both of them, but it was very relatable.
I loved Ethan. I loved how he saw the world, and how he was so fascinated with space and science. Despite the distance between him and his father, they were both scientists to the core, and geek me very much approved. I think the one thing that got to me a little was that I felt like Ethan's voice was truly that of a 12-year-old. At times, he was too adult, and then it was like we had to be reminded he was quite young. I almost feel like his voice would have been better suited to that of a 16-year-old at times.
All in all, this was an emotional read that made me think about family and the small moments in life that can change everything.
I don't often read "adult" contemporary fiction. Not many catch my eye, and they don't hold the same grip on me as young adult or new adult fiction, which I find more relatable. That being said, even before I was asked to participate in this blog tour, I'd had my eye on Relativity.
I picked the book up at the right time. I've been going through a science kick this past week or so. For a start, a friend has got me into watching The Flash, and I've binged my way through the first season because YES PLEASE AMAZING. I've also recently finished listening to The Martian by Andy Weir, which I rated 5 stars over on Books Are My Fandom. Instead of getting tired of all the science, the combination has actually worked really well together. The way the science was worked into the story was ace. How do I know that? Because I felt like I learned while reading.
Relativity was, in some ways, difficult to read because it contained a lot of guilt and grief and blame amongst the adults, and guilt and confusion in Ethan. The story unfolded in the present with flashbacks to the past, which, coupled with multiple perspectives (Claire, Mark and Ethan's), gave us the whole story little by little. In fact, the multiple perspectives added something extra to the story: they showed how everyone's personalities and limited knowledge coloured how they saw an event. For example, Mark and Claire each saw parenthood and each other in different lights, both thinking the other didn't appreciate the work they put in. I was very frustrated with both of them, but it was very relatable.
I loved Ethan. I loved how he saw the world, and how he was so fascinated with space and science. Despite the distance between him and his father, they were both scientists to the core, and geek me very much approved. I think the one thing that got to me a little was that I felt like Ethan's voice was truly that of a 12-year-old. At times, he was too adult, and then it was like we had to be reminded he was quite young. I almost feel like his voice would have been better suited to that of a 16-year-old at times.
All in all, this was an emotional read that made me think about family and the small moments in life that can change everything.
masonlou8's review against another edition
3.0
When I was asked to join the blog tour for Relativity I jumped at the chance. The blurb really intrigued me and also there is stunning praise on the front cover from three authors that I have read before: Graeme Simsion, S J Watson and Christos Tsiolkas. With such high praise from these authors I knew I had to read it.
Relativity follows Ethan Forsythe, twelve years old and a very clever young man who has a particular obsession with physics and astronomy. Ethan lives with his single mother Claire in Sydney, as he is getting older he is asking more and more questions about his fathers whereabouts which Claire is particularly hesitant about answering and very mysterious much to Ethans annoyance.
When Ethan gets taken ill, secrets start to unfold and the reasons for his current illness are revealed and how it's connected to his past and father.
I had never heard of Relativity until I was asked to do this Blog Tour, I like to go into books knowing as little as possible so I can form my own opinions and not waiting for twists and turns. Relativity took me by surprise,this is what you would classify as family drama/literary fiction and I devoured this book, needing to know what happened, why Ethan was ill? Why his father wasn't around?
I thought the writing style and prose of this book are beautifully written. I also liked the science parts even sometimes when I couldn't get my head around (I am not great at science). You don't have to be great at physics to follow this book but I think Antonia Hayes must have put a lot of research into the topics that were explored within.
The story is told from third person past tense narrative from the perspectives of Ethan, Claire and Mark. The characters are well-developed,complex and three dimensional. Ethan's character was written really well and believable for a twelve-year-old boy, he would say some profound things and had me laughing out loud.
Mum,want to know something crazy? Statistically, the probability that I exist is basically zero. Did you know you were born with two million eggs?
I could really empathise with Claire, being a parent myself you will do anything to protect your child and what you feel is best for them. Her anxiety that she was experiencing was palpable, what with introducing Mark back into Ethan's life but there were points where I felt she made some bad decisions and should have discussed it more with Ethan.
I liked reading from Marks perspective, especially towards the end when you get more of a back story, though there is parts sprinkled throughout the book about their relationship and extended family.
Relativity is beautiful, realistic and a well researched novel and definitely recommend picking it up. This is a great debut novel and I am excited to see what Hayes does next.
Relativity follows Ethan Forsythe, twelve years old and a very clever young man who has a particular obsession with physics and astronomy. Ethan lives with his single mother Claire in Sydney, as he is getting older he is asking more and more questions about his fathers whereabouts which Claire is particularly hesitant about answering and very mysterious much to Ethans annoyance.
When Ethan gets taken ill, secrets start to unfold and the reasons for his current illness are revealed and how it's connected to his past and father.
I had never heard of Relativity until I was asked to do this Blog Tour, I like to go into books knowing as little as possible so I can form my own opinions and not waiting for twists and turns. Relativity took me by surprise,this is what you would classify as family drama/literary fiction and I devoured this book, needing to know what happened, why Ethan was ill? Why his father wasn't around?
I thought the writing style and prose of this book are beautifully written. I also liked the science parts even sometimes when I couldn't get my head around (I am not great at science). You don't have to be great at physics to follow this book but I think Antonia Hayes must have put a lot of research into the topics that were explored within.
The story is told from third person past tense narrative from the perspectives of Ethan, Claire and Mark. The characters are well-developed,complex and three dimensional. Ethan's character was written really well and believable for a twelve-year-old boy, he would say some profound things and had me laughing out loud.
Mum,want to know something crazy? Statistically, the probability that I exist is basically zero. Did you know you were born with two million eggs?
I could really empathise with Claire, being a parent myself you will do anything to protect your child and what you feel is best for them. Her anxiety that she was experiencing was palpable, what with introducing Mark back into Ethan's life but there were points where I felt she made some bad decisions and should have discussed it more with Ethan.
I liked reading from Marks perspective, especially towards the end when you get more of a back story, though there is parts sprinkled throughout the book about their relationship and extended family.
Relativity is beautiful, realistic and a well researched novel and definitely recommend picking it up. This is a great debut novel and I am excited to see what Hayes does next.
afoolsingenuity's review
4.0
3.5 stars. Or 4 depending on my mood
This book was completely out of my comfort zone. It was so different to my usual books yet exactly the kind of book I enjoy reading. Nothing is as you expect in it and it raises so many questions.
This book taught me a few things about myself. That may sound strange but the story between Claire and Ethan and why Claire split with Mark, Ethan's father, is a complex one. It deals with a serious subject and so many secrets are kept until the end of the book that there is continually doubt the best what happened. As such, I realised I am an optimist who wants to believe the best in people. I wanted to believe the best in Mark and I didn't realise I was such an optimist.
I felt like I was getting a physics lesson throughout this book. So much of the science engineering over my head it was unbelievable. Physics was definitely my weakest science subject at school, I could never fully grasp it even with my good maths understanding. So reading the science in this book was difficult. The times Ethan goes off about one science concept or another had my brain switching off a little bit. Some may say that means I didn't enjoy the book but in fact the skillful writing meant that even if I had to skim read a science-y bit I was fully engrossed for the story itself.
The thing with this book is you get both Mark, Claire, and Ethan's POV and it is difficult to dislike any of them so when you're dealing with the difficult subject matter of this book it's hard. I want to believe the best and say Claire is at fault yet at the same time I hate Mark and all he has done as well. I can understand why he did and I understand why he acted as he did and yet I hate him. I also hate Claire and all the secrets she has kept for so long. She is also in the wrong. The only character I like regardless is Ethan because he is stuck in the middle.
In the end, I enjoyed this book even with my mixed feelings. It seems like a book which sticks with you for a while. It's not one I'll easily forgot.
Also, did I mention it was set in Australia? Love a book which isn't in the US or the UK.
This book was completely out of my comfort zone. It was so different to my usual books yet exactly the kind of book I enjoy reading. Nothing is as you expect in it and it raises so many questions.
This book taught me a few things about myself. That may sound strange but the story between Claire and Ethan and why Claire split with Mark, Ethan's father, is a complex one. It deals with a serious subject and so many secrets are kept until the end of the book that there is continually doubt the best what happened. As such, I realised I am an optimist who wants to believe the best in people. I wanted to believe the best in Mark and I didn't realise I was such an optimist.
I felt like I was getting a physics lesson throughout this book. So much of the science engineering over my head it was unbelievable. Physics was definitely my weakest science subject at school, I could never fully grasp it even with my good maths understanding. So reading the science in this book was difficult. The times Ethan goes off about one science concept or another had my brain switching off a little bit. Some may say that means I didn't enjoy the book but in fact the skillful writing meant that even if I had to skim read a science-y bit I was fully engrossed for the story itself.
The thing with this book is you get both Mark, Claire, and Ethan's POV and it is difficult to dislike any of them so when you're dealing with the difficult subject matter of this book it's hard. I want to believe the best and say Claire is at fault yet at the same time I hate Mark and all he has done as well. I can understand why he did and I understand why he acted as he did and yet I hate him. I also hate Claire and all the secrets she has kept for so long. She is also in the wrong. The only character I like regardless is Ethan because he is stuck in the middle.
In the end, I enjoyed this book even with my mixed feelings. It seems like a book which sticks with you for a while. It's not one I'll easily forgot.
Also, did I mention it was set in Australia? Love a book which isn't in the US or the UK.
karlou's review against another edition
5.0
When Janne Vuori receives an anonymous tip off suggesting a nickel mine in northern Finland is engaged in hazardous activities he can't help to be interested. As an ambitious journalist he realises this could be an important story. He persuades his boss to allow him to conduct an investigation but as he delves further into the corrupt mining company's actions both he and his family - his wife Pauliina and two year old daughter Ella - are under threat. Slowly his personal life falls apart. He and Pauliina have stopped communicating, both angry with each other. She resents his preoccupation with his job but he is consumed with a need to write and to know the truth. Meanwhile the father he hasn't seen for thirty years comes back into his life and he isn't sure what relationship, if any, he wants with this man.
The Mine is a conspiracy thriller but it's also three stories in one, stories that are inextricably linked to each other. The first is Janne's investigation, gradually the truth is revealed and I have to say I really appreciated the pace of this book. This is not a story that races to an explosive finish, it's mostly written in the first person from Janne's viewpoint and as such we experience the frustrations he feels as he is faced with false leads and uncertainties. Tuomainen has a wonderful writing style, he doesn't use words unnecessarily yet his descriptions are vivid and he creates an atmospheric and tense story that draws the reader in. The second story within the book is that of Janne's personal life, the sense of regret and bitterness is palpable. Sometimes in thrillers I feel the protagonist's messy home life feels one dimensional, this is definitely not the case here. The characters' anger, disappointment and need for acceptance if not forgiveness are believable and ultimately quite touching. The third story within the story is told in the third person and is less about Janne than about a hitman, ruthless, experienced and seemingly cold but is slowly revealed to be more than a heartless killer and whose actions are directly linked both to Janne and his investigation. The three parts of the story combine to form a book that is taut, compelling and drew me in from start to finish. This is the second book I've read for Orenda Books blog tour, The Finnish Invasion and I feel I can't finish without praising the work of David Hackston who has translated both books so they flow seamlessly. Orenda is a small publisher whose output continues to impress me, they have become my go to for innovative fiction I know I will enjoy. Many thanks for my copy of The Mine received in return for my review.
laurapatriciarose's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted on:> http://lauraslittlebookblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/blog-tour-relativity-by-antonia-hayes.html#more
When I read the synopsis for Relativity, I knew this was a book that I just had to read.
There was something beautiful about the way that Relativity was written. I just loved the theme of physics running throughout the novel, I never thought you would be able to incorporate elements of physics and it’s theories and use them to explain human emotions and make it work, but Antonia has managed to mix them so well and make it an enlightening and heartfelt experience. I was expecting the science elements to throw me a bit, but this wasn’t the case at all. If anything this story would not have been the wonderful story that it was without it.
Although this book was incredible in the way that it was written, it had a melancholy undertone. Ethan suffered brain damage as a baby due to shaken baby syndrome, which at now 12 years old he sees the world a little differently to the rest of us. But despite this, Ethan is extraordinary and has a super keen interest in physics and you can’t help but fall in love with his worldview. He can actually see the waves that sound make, but he doesn’t know that he is the only one that can see them. Although this story is told in three different narratives, Ethan, his Mum Claire and Mark, Ethan is what makes the story. He is the gravitational pull and there is an equation in the novel that so cleverly and so stunningly sums this up.
This book really does make you think how one decision in one small moment of time can change so much and how our futures can be shaped so much by it. Antonia has put so much thought into writing this original and cleverly thought out plot and I have found this review so hard to write as I know I will never do it justice.
A very original, clever story that is simply beautiful.
When I read the synopsis for Relativity, I knew this was a book that I just had to read.
There was something beautiful about the way that Relativity was written. I just loved the theme of physics running throughout the novel, I never thought you would be able to incorporate elements of physics and it’s theories and use them to explain human emotions and make it work, but Antonia has managed to mix them so well and make it an enlightening and heartfelt experience. I was expecting the science elements to throw me a bit, but this wasn’t the case at all. If anything this story would not have been the wonderful story that it was without it.
Although this book was incredible in the way that it was written, it had a melancholy undertone. Ethan suffered brain damage as a baby due to shaken baby syndrome, which at now 12 years old he sees the world a little differently to the rest of us. But despite this, Ethan is extraordinary and has a super keen interest in physics and you can’t help but fall in love with his worldview. He can actually see the waves that sound make, but he doesn’t know that he is the only one that can see them. Although this story is told in three different narratives, Ethan, his Mum Claire and Mark, Ethan is what makes the story. He is the gravitational pull and there is an equation in the novel that so cleverly and so stunningly sums this up.
This book really does make you think how one decision in one small moment of time can change so much and how our futures can be shaped so much by it. Antonia has put so much thought into writing this original and cleverly thought out plot and I have found this review so hard to write as I know I will never do it justice.
A very original, clever story that is simply beautiful.
wendyb80's review
3.0
It took me entirely too long to finish this book. It wasn't that it wasn't good, but more that I kept getting sidetracked by other books I thought I needed to read first. At times I felt like the story moved at a snail's pace and while I cared a great deal about Ethan, the 12-year-old who is the center of the story, sometimes I didn't care at all for or about his parents. He is exceptionally smart and probably more wise at times than either of his parents. The story wraps up predictably, but that's okay, because it's fulfilling and very sweet.
I received this book as an ARC from Simon & Schuster and NetGalley.
I received this book as an ARC from Simon & Schuster and NetGalley.
lauredhel's review against another edition
4.0
3.5,maybe? Some people will fall in major love and call this their best book of the year. And there were a lot of good things about this book: well-drawn, sympathetic characters, great plotting and pacing, an intriguing premise.
Ethan, a preteen growing up in Sydney with a single mother, can see physics. Sound waves, torque, momentum, and electromagnetism sparkle in the air around him. He is adored by his mother but he is bullied by his peers, until one day he snaps, resulting a hospital admission. A neurologist takes an interest in his brain, and he starts to learn the secrets of his past, and why his father was absent from it.
This book is about how a moment can ruin your life, about how family violence is sometimes vertically transmitted, it's about forgiveness, motherly love, growing up with a disability and a history which your parent hasn't disclosed to you, discovering family secrets, and more.
I did have issues with the book, though, that - well, they didn't spoil the reading process, but they made it not as great as it could have been. Firstly, I usually treasure science-y stuff in books. However I felt that a lighter hand on the physics metaphors would have greatly enhanced this book. They were ever-present to the point that, for me, they started to intrude on the story.
My second issue was that the climactic scene (not the flashback, the one before that) was simply not credible. A child of that age with that sort of knowledge of physics simply would not take the actions that he took - suddenly he felt like an eight year old with only a very little scientific knowledge. Since this was a really pivotal part of the climax, it brought me out of the book and into "no, this is not a thing I can believe" territory.
I will also disclose straight up that child abuse forgiveness narratives are simply a squick for me.
Content notes: [pretty big spoilers, child abuse & medical related]severe (although momentary) physical child abuse of a man very badly shaking a baby, including being there at the scene in the abuser's head. Abuser later contacting child and arranging to meet with him in secret. Main character sleeping with abuser (who is her ex husband). Medical stuff including seizures, critical care treatment of a baby, older child being locked into an MRI machine.
Ethan, a preteen growing up in Sydney with a single mother, can see physics. Sound waves, torque, momentum, and electromagnetism sparkle in the air around him. He is adored by his mother but he is bullied by his peers, until one day he snaps, resulting a hospital admission. A neurologist takes an interest in his brain, and he starts to learn the secrets of his past, and why his father was absent from it.
This book is about how a moment can ruin your life, about how family violence is sometimes vertically transmitted, it's about forgiveness, motherly love, growing up with a disability and a history which your parent hasn't disclosed to you, discovering family secrets, and more.
I did have issues with the book, though, that - well, they didn't spoil the reading process, but they made it not as great as it could have been. Firstly, I usually treasure science-y stuff in books. However I felt that a lighter hand on the physics metaphors would have greatly enhanced this book. They were ever-present to the point that, for me, they started to intrude on the story.
My second issue was that the climactic scene (not the flashback, the one before that) was simply not credible. A child of that age with that sort of knowledge of physics simply would not take the actions that he took - suddenly he felt like an eight year old with only a very little scientific knowledge. Since this was a really pivotal part of the climax, it brought me out of the book and into "no, this is not a thing I can believe" territory.
I will also disclose straight up that child abuse forgiveness narratives are simply a squick for me.
Content notes: [pretty big spoilers, child abuse & medical related]
wtb_michael's review against another edition
3.0
Smartly plotted, with three well-developed characters, this suffered a bit from an over-emphasis on the physics metaphors and some slightly overwrought writing. Also: I can't be the only person getting a bit tired of the Aspergers-y kid characters can I?
saccalai's review against another edition
4.0
Quite a slow book to start and it's only gradually you see how many secrets there are to discover. But the last few chapters where you find out what really happened all that time ago, that's when it gets really gripping and I couldn't put the book down. I went outside to read when it was still daylight and before I knew it, it was dark and I was lighting candles to see.