Title: A Thousand Pieces of You
Author: Claudia Gray
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pub Date: October 7, 2014
Format: Paperback
Pages: 360
Source: Purchased
Genre(s): YA, Science Fiction, Romance
Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads || Buy on Amazon

---

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their groundbreaking achievements. Their most astonishing invention, called the Firebird, allows users to jump into multiple universes—and promises to revolutionize science forever. But then Marguerite’s father is murdered, and the killer—her parent’s handsome, enigmatic assistant Paul— escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite refuses to let the man who destroyed her family go free. So she races after Paul through different universes, always leaping into another version of herself. But she also meets alternate versions of the people she knows—including Paul, whose life entangles with hers in increasingly familiar ways. Before long she begins to question Paul’s guilt—as well as her own heart. And soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is far more sinister than she expected.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores an amazingly intricate multi-universe where fate is unavoidable, the truth elusive, and love the greatest mystery of all.

---

My review:

“I would love you in any shape, in any world, with any past. Never doubt that.”

Above all else, this book is a romance novel. Sure, there is some talk about physics and murder and leaping through dimensions, but all of those things are just fodder to feed the romance. I just think it’s important for you to know that.

In every dimension, in every “neighbouring” world, there is a Marguerite, and a Paul, and a Theo. Sometimes, in these alternate dimensions, all of Marguerite’s family is still there (or a few members of them, at least). Sometimes they’re all dead except for Marguerite. Somehow, someway, the people who are meant to know each other, will know each other, regardless of the dimension they’re in. Really, all the physics is just some extra cheese on this cheesy love story. Did I mention there’s a love triangle? Yeah, there’s a love triangle. But some other guy wants Marguerite too (…for scientific reasons?) so I suppose this could be considered a love square. Ew.

In any case, the premise was very promising. It’s a cool idea. Considering the fact that this book is supposed to be Sci-Fi, the actual science part was lacking a bit, but there’s always room for improvement. I have a feeling (or maybe I’m just strongly hoping) that the sequel will be more action-packed and focused on the Firebird device + evil tech geniuses and scientists. Hopefully the heavy romance in this first instalment was just part of setting the foundation of the series–and to reinforce this idea of “fate” or “destiny” or meeting the people we are meant to meet at different times (or dimensions) in our lives. Did that make sense?

Overall Impression: The romance should have bothered me but it wasn’t terrible. The “science” (as dumbed down as it was) should have bored me, but it was interesting. In fact, it shouldn’t have been dumbed down at all. Bring on the science! The characters, in theory, are all likable people, but I just did not connect to any of them. I liked the leaping from dimension to dimension. Waiting to see what each new dimension would be like (and what kind of person Marguerite would be) was very exciting. Figuring out why and how her father was killed is actually quite interesting–but of course this all seemed like some thrown in afterthought to some epic love story. In conclusion, all of these feelings led me to give this book 4 stars. I will be reading the next book.