I believe in books.: Deidra Reviews The Theory of Everything

Author: Kari Luna
Publisher: Philomel
Release Date: 11 July 2013
Source: NetGalley
Pages: 320

Summary: Sophie Sophia is obsessed with music from the late eighties. She also has an eccentric physicist father who sometimes vanishes for days and sees things other people don’t see. But when he disappears for good and Sophie’s mom moves them from Brooklyn, New York, to Havencrest, Illinois, for a fresh start, things take a turn for the weird. Sophie starts seeing things, like marching band pandas, just like her dad.

Guided by Walt, her shaman panda, and her new (human) friend named Finny, Sophie is determined to find her father and figure out her visions, once and for all. So she travels back to where it began—New York City and NYU’s physics department. As she discovers more about her dad’s research on M-theory and her father himself, Sophie opens her eyes to the world’s infinite possibilities—and her heart to love.

My Favorite Lines:

"'I'm the guy who picks up the pieces, keeps you going and inspires you. Because you inspire me," Finny said, grabbing my hand. "Look, I'm not worried about you liking anyone more than me because we're friends. Best friends. And you will always like me as much as you like yourself.' Friendship summed up in a monologue."

Why I Loved It: I'm not quite sure I've ever read anything quite like The Theory of Everything. I was going through my summer galleys that I had not gotten to due to my summer of crazy gypsying, and this one jumped out at me. I mean for one the combo of pink and a huge panda on the cover just screams read me please. This is one of those books I MUST PUT ON THE SHELVES!

In this book, I met a girl named Sophie Sophia who has just moved to yet another town. This new girl to town has a secret though. A pretty big one actually. She sees things that no one else sees. Like pandas in marching bands and cafeterias turning into one big music video and the sky raining baby bears. Yep. It's crazy, but it also makes this book incredibly fun and quirky. This book accomplishes the whole "this could never happen but let's have fun with it, shall we?" philosophy quite well.

Sophie's dad was a famous physicist, and he also saw things that weren't there. Sophie, with the help of her super awesome best friend and physics nerd Finny, is trying to figure out what in the world is going on with her, how to fix it, and how to reconnect with her dad. Of course such a mission does land her in New York City (of course), and it seems like this adventure is going to twist and turn the whole way. The book has some interesting quirk around every corner that makes reading the book a super fun ride.

The book also has some amazing things like a focus on mixtapes, 80's music mixed with some new, awesome fashion, and the physics in the book takes on a artsy kind of feel that only comes from exploring what it means to love. The Theory of Everything has everything my heart desires from parallel universes, appeasement for my inner nerd, and some amazing music selections. While the book doesn't claim mental illness, it tackles that topic along with other more difficult ones with tact and with powerfully positive messages presented.

High Points:

Finny was the perfect best friend.
The romance in the story was totally not a main part of the storyline, and it was full of a sweetness that is not always found in YA novels.
It had a hipster vibe that I was loving.

Who Should Read It: If you are a fan of the following things you should pick this story up: