Relativity by Cristin Bishara

Relativity by Cristin Bishara 3.5 STARS

Synopsis- If Ruby Wright could have her way, her dad would never have met and married her stepmother Willow, her best friend George would be more than a friend, and her mom would still be alive. Ruby knows wishes can't come true; some things just can't be undone. Then she discovers a tree in the middle of an Ohio cornfield with a wormhole to nine alternative realities. 
Suddenly, Ruby can access completely different realities, each containing variations of her life—if things had gone differently at key moments. The windshield wiper missing her mother’s throat…her big brother surviving his ill-fated birth…her father never having met Willow. Her ideal world—one with everything and everyone she wants most—could be within reach. But is there such a thing as a perfect world? What is Ruby willing to give up to find out?

* Received ARC for honest review via netgalley.

Cover- Interesting...
Rating: PG
Characters: Ruby, George, Kandy, Mom, Patrick 
Page Turner: Sometimes
Series Cont.? No
Book Boyfriend: None...
Genre: Young Adult  Sci-fy
Sex Scenes: Nope
Setting- Ohio
Recommend if you liked - The Unraveling, When the World Was Flat, Unremembered, Conjured

Overall- I liked this book, it was an enjoyable read and I would certainly recommend it to anyone thats interested in the butterfly effect, or multiple/parallel universes. The premise of this book was truly interesting. While the idea of mutliple universes has been a popular theme lately in young adult books, I felt that this author provided a new and different twist.  I liked the plot a lot and felt that the pace moved very well, and helped the character development of Ruby, as she learned who she is, and what life is really all about.




Plot- This plot was truly interesting. I have always wondered, if I went left instead of right at that fork in the road called life, what would be different.  Of course, if that was the case then there would be thousands of different worlds, every time a decision was different, in this book, there arent that many however, its never mentioned whether this number is the exact number of universes or the only ones she can visit.  I really liked the different scenarios that the author put Ruby in, and the different interesting facts about her family and friends that she picked up along her journey. Although I do wish the author had taken the novel a little further, specifically, showing the effects of her being in the universe had on the life of those that belonged there, or what had happened while she was gone from hers. There was plenty of mystery, suspense, drama, and action which kept me interested, and by the end, I had to know what was going to happen next. There wasnt a whole lot to figure out at the end, other than will she live or will she get home, so I felt that the mystery stayed with the character throughout the book.

Characters--
Ruby--Ruby is sweet and geeky, shy, but kind and always interested in learning something new. Shes not open to change, as most teenagers are not, but I found her change to be interesting because it didnt occur all at once, or out of nowhere but instead the author did an excellent job of transitioning the thoughts and feelings of Ruby through every universe and experience, driving Ruby to really do some thinking about what she really wants in life. The point of this novel is quite intense, and the authors message really got through. Ruby's thought process also felt so natural and normal, as if reading a semi journal, and I didnt think it was too juvenile, it was exactly what I expect a 15 year science geek to be like! She was funny and quirky and unsure of herself, but willing to take a risk to find a better place. She's definitely a fighter and a dreamer which is a great combination!

George, Erik Knudsen

Patrick, Dad, George, Willow-- I lumped these people together because theres just not enough on them to do individually. Personally, I loved Patrick! I think he was way over protective, and wish we could have learned why, but I enjoyed seeing the dynamic with Ruby and him. I also enjoyed George, though on some level I was quite confused as to how he could possibly end up in Ohio, but agree that fate is the answer. Dad/Willow- I dont know much about these characters, and could have benefitted from having more of them in the book, Ruby described her dad as not all there now that he has Willow, but he did seem to care about her well being, perhaps it was her perception of a new situation...regardless there wasnt enough of them in the book, at all.

Patrick is Robbie Amell

Mom- This one was most interesting and I think most well place character in the book. Without giving too much away, I felt that this character was what pushed Ruby to delve into her pysche to figure out what she needs and wants in the life she has versus what she thought she was missing. I liked that she pushed the limits.

Kandy--Wow What a vicious girl! I dont really like Kandy, and I know Im not supposed to, but quite frankly I thought her behavior was absolutely ridiculous and they idea that she would injure Ruby so badly seemed completely bizarre to me. I didnt like this characters behavior, and could have done without.

What I didnt like- slight spoilers maybe...
The author never reveal where displaced Ruby goes.
Ruby is very selfish
The butterfly effect is discussed, but it doesn't seem as though the reader ever sees the results.
I felt like there werent enough differences between some of the universes she went to.
I also didnt care for the ending, I felt that there was not enough information at the end, of what happened while she was "gone"
And I REALLY didnt like the therapist. It felt off putting considering the rest of the book.
I was also disappointed that after everything Ruby learned, she didnt use it when she got back to get answers, or that she never learned again, what happened while she was gone.
There was no love story involved.
I didnt like that she had injured her leg so badly, I felt it detracted from the plot.
I didnt like Kandy, having this character would have been fine, even a mean step sister is fine, but cruel and violet and vicious, not so much.
Ultimately, the above reasons are why I gave the book a 3.5.