Book Review: A Thousand Pieces of You

A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird #1)

By: Claudia Gray

Published By: HarperTeen

Publication Date: November 4, 2014

Page Count: 368

Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound

Source: ARC Kindly Provided by Publisher via Edelweiss

Audience: Young Adult - Fantasy, Science Fiction

Wow. I was blown away by this one. It's not often that Science Fiction can keep me riveted, but Claudia Gray managed that easily with A Thousand Pieces of You. I was wrapped up in these characters to the point that I didn't want to go to work; I wanted to stay immersed in this world. This novel served as a reminder that the little, mundane moments need to be savored as much as the large, extravagant moments.

I've enjoyed Gray's past works, but this one outshines the rest. In my opinion, A Thousand Pieces of You, is Gray's strongest novel. I have read other novels about parallel universes, but the background behind all of the universe jumping in this one was fascinating. Furthermore, I loved these characters. Marguerite, Theo, and Paul all captured my interest from the opening chapter and still haven't let me go. I also fell in love with Gray's writing in this one: it's inventive and filled with vibrant, lush descriptions. My Kindle highlighter certainly got its work out while I was reading this novel. I have no idea how I am supposed to be okay with the lengthy wait for the next novel. 

Aside from the characters, I also found the dimensions to be a strength of this novel. I loved that while Marguerite might be traveling to a dimension that was "right next door", things could be completely different from what she was used to in her reality. In her first jump, she lands in a futuristic London with technology that is far beyond anything that exists in 2014. I loved her time in Russia and her underwater home in some of her subsequent jumps. The description of these dimensions was superb and allowed me to experience them along with the characters.

Another element I loved about this was the notion of what drives our existence: science or fate. If I lived in another universe, would I still have the same personality traits and desires? Would I still find some way to find my husband even if I wasn't the me I am now? Does the heart know what it wants in any time or place or are we slaves to the rules of science and mathematics? I like to think that fate would intervene on my behalf to help me find my soulmate no matter what time or place I lived in. 

A Thousand Pieces of You was one of those novels that I loved losing myself in. When the stress of real life encroaches, hiding in fiction has always been my favorite means of escape. This story provides the right blend of romance, adventure, and conflict to make it one of my 2014 favorites. Absolutely beautiful.

One Last Gripe: I was a bit worried about the whole love triangle thing, but I think Gray does a nice job with handling the characters' feelings and motivations.

Favorite Thing About This Book: I loved the time in Russia.

First Sentence: My hand shakes as I brace myself against the brick wall.

Favorite Character: Paul

Least Favorite Character: The Tsar 

Summary:

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.