Monday, November 10, 2014

Review: A Thousand Pieces of You

A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU
Firebird #1
Claudia Gray
Young Adult/Sci-Fi/Time Travel
368 pages
HarperTeen
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure.


MY THOUGHTS
A Thousand Pieces of You returns the concept of the multiverse to the YA forefront, illuminating the possibility of infinite alternate realities and making a solid case for the idea of fate as Marguerite finds her life populated by the same people again and again. More often than not, stories involving parallel universes are scientifically complex enough to give us a bit of a headache (even though we recognize the need for something as complicated as the multiverse to appear completely plausible), but Ms. Gray gives us in Marguerite someone who lacks the mathematical and scientific aptitude of those closest to her. Our understanding of this world is then filtered through her, allowing us to grasp enough so as to believe in thousands upon thousands of alternate realities without being weighed down by the physics of traveling between them.

There are certain books where our initial meeting with a character inspires an instant connection, something about them drawing us in and earning our loyalty before hardly any time has passed. Marguerite is not that type of character due to the fact that pages after meeting her, we’re transported to a futuristic London where we find ourselves tangled up in all the differences between that reality and ours. It’s not until Marguerite finds herself in Russia in the time of the Romanovs (and a member of the royal family no less) that we’re really able to settle in with her, the chaos of her real life and her life in London slowing down enough that we get the chance to peel back her layers.

What we find is a series of beautifully intriguing relationships, both between her and the Marguerite whose life she’s currently borrowing as well as with the two versions of possible love interest Paul. We’re treated to the tentative and delicate love that exists between Romanov Marguerite and her personal guard, and then our Marguerite’s developing feelings for the same man. Questions are raised and loyalties are challenged, making us wonder whether loving multiple versions of the same man is in fact loving different men, or merely loving the same soul in a different incarnation.

There is a love triangle setup as Marguerite’s friend Theo makes her question her feelings a time or two, but thankfully once Marguerite falls for Paul in Russia, she holds firm in her choice and doesn’t allow herself to be swayed in any way. We’re left at a logical stopping point, no dramatic cliffhanger waiting to age us prematurely on the final page, but a number of things are left open enough to give the sequels several legs to stand on. Overall, A Thousand Pieces of You is a thought-provoking first installment in terms of fate, love, and parallel dimensions, and I simply cannot wait to see how things for Marguerite and her family unfold moving forward.

Rating: 4/5
 

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review
I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

27 comments:

  1. I LOVE the cover art of this book! Seriously, if nothing else I will just read it for its looks :P I have heard good and bad things about this book, particularly about the love triangle. I don't know how I feel about a 20+ trying to hit on a 16 year-old, but I guess the multiverse/alternative realities aspect will make up for that. Thanks for the review Jenny, you always write your reviews with such a meticulously crafted prose!! And I'm so excited that you are reviewing Stitching Snow next, can't wait to hear your thoughts on that one.

    Angel @ Spare Reads

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  2. I haven't had fallen in love with Gray's novels in the past, but I'm willing to give her another chance with this one, Jenny. I like the questions that this one raises, the fact that the idea of parallel universes isn't hard to grasp, and that there's no cliffhanger.

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  3. I'm so glad you liked this, Jenny. I got it last week and keep getting more and more excited for it. It'll be my first Gray book, and I can't wait!

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  4. hey happy to hear you liked it, many have said its not that great of a book so i took it out from my TBR list but recently i read some good reviews ... sound like i'm going to re mark it as TBR :) lovely review :D

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  5. I like parallel universes :D It's interesting

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  6. I'm so happy you enjoyed this one! I'm reading it now and I'm very happy to hear the love triangle doesn't develop significantly and that there's no premature aging due to a cliffie :D Lovely review!

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  7. the topic is really interesting. I confess that I haven't read a book by the author but I really should try because I keep hearing great things about this one. Great review!

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  8. Would a love triangle + parallel universes make it into a love rectangle or... something more?

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  9. Awesome review, Jenny! I just finished this book last week and enjoyed it as well. I liked the whole idea of different dimensions and I thought the character of Marguerite was fun, even though it did take some time to get to know her. I wasn't the biggest fan of the romance, but I'm glad this book wasn't too love-triangle heavy. I'm looking forward to book two as well!

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  10. I have a case of cover lust and very intrigued about the parallel universes, so I've been thinking about checking out this book but have heard many mixed reviews for it so far.
    Very glad to hear that although Marguerite is not easy to connect with at first, you got to feel for her as the book progressed!
    And even more glad to hear about the NO cliffhanger, my poor heart can't take many more!

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  11. I've been intrigued by this for ages, or so it seems. The only multiverse story I really truly liked was Unraveling and I feel it's time for me to find another. I see how connecting with Marguerite would be hard at first, but it's good to know that it does get better and that there are so many wonderful relationships to look forward to.

    Gorgeous review as always, my friend.

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  12. I didn't read this one because Gabrielle did (and reviewed it), but everyone is so excited about it that I need to get to my own copy ASAP. Lovely review, Jenny!

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  13. I feel bad for not enjoying it, but this just wasn't my genre unfortunately. I have struggled a lot with parallel universes in the past. It's a topic that bothers me for some reason. As you know, I wasn't too keen on the romance in this book either. There were too many ethical issues and wanted these issues to be addressed. Still, I'm glad that so many people are having such luck with this read.
    Lovely review, Jenny!

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  14. I'm so glad you enjoyed this Jenny! Parallel dimensions, and multi-verses are someof my favorite reads, and this sounds like it's easy to understand in normal human 'lingo' Lol. I'm glad the romance takes a definite shape as well. Lovely review :)

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  15. I'm serouisly gaga over the cover for this one and I love all the things you've had to say about it too! I have to get my hands on this one ASAP because I feel like it would be such a good book for love! Love your review! I love stories with parallel dimensions and all that stuff so this is going to be a great read for my Jenny! Awesome review

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  16. Yes! You said this all beautifully Jenny! It really is our time in Russia with her that she really starts to shine (and for Paul as well!). I just loved this and how dumbed down all the scientific jargon was for us, it made it so easy to understand and most of all believe.

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  17. I haven't had much like with Gray's other novels, but I'm willing to take a chance on this one, Jenny. The plot sounds unique and I like the sound of the characters.

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  18. I still haven't plunged into one of these multi universe books, quantum phsyics books, yes but not these. I really need to try one. This one is getting solid reviews, I think I might give it a go even if there is a love triangle.

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  19. I've seen some mixed reviews on this one but your review has me anxious to read this one anyway. I think I need to give it a try myself.

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  20. I've been wanting to read this one and then you mention the Romanovs? Oh curious! and I'm so happy about ... "no dramatic cliffhanger..."! WOO! All you need is to give me a good book and a few open threads for me to want the next! :)

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  21. I'm all for books that deal with parallel universes, although it has been a while since I've thoroughly enjoyed one, I have a feeling that A Thousand Pieces of You maybe the next one. Also I'm glad that the love triangle issues was resolved quickly! Books that do this are always winners in my mind! Wonderful review once again Jenny!

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  22. I hate to say it but I really just didn't like this story. It did not pull me in. I fear I'm actively prejudiced against parallel worlds such as this, though I really don't know why (terrible!). And it's sad because I loved the cover!

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  23. I love books about multiple universes. I have heard quite some good things about this book and I can't wait to read it!

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  24. Been reading lots of mixed reviews on this one. Still going to read it for myself. Thanks for sharing Jenny.

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  25. I am very happy to see you enjoyed this so much! The cover is GORGEOUS and the different settings sound fascinating, especially the Romanov one you describe. I've been so wary to about whether to star this however, because of the triangle (Though I'm glad to see you think it disappears). But I'm also nervous about how I'll take multiple versions of the same person, and whether they're different or the same. This quote, is what I'm not sure about: "Questions are raised and loyalties are challenged, making us wonder whether loving multiple versions of the same man is in fact loving different men, or merely loving the same soul in a different incarnation." But it is a thoughtful question, and I liked TRIAL BY FIRE, which had some similar themes. I think I might wait for future books to decide whether to invest, but I'm still so torn.

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  26. I have read and reviewed this book on my blog as well, and I absolutely loved reading it. The characters were people I really enjoyed learning about and seeing things from, and the plot had a big enough twist in it and kept me hooked. As well as that, just look at the beautiful cover!

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  27. There is a wonderful balance between the romance and the focus on the larger story, and the protagonist's problems are never petty, even when they are the everyday concerns of a teenage girl. Claudia Gray takes YA to a level of true art, and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next.

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