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The Theory of Everything
Just because everyone else thinks you should be over it doesn't mean you are.
Last year, Sarah's best friend Jamie died in a freak accident. Back then, everyone was sad; now they're just ready for Sarah to get over it and move on.
But Sarah's not ready to move on. She can't stop reliving what happened, struggling with guilt, questioning the meaning of life, and missing her best friend. Her grades are plummeting, her relationships are falling apart, and her normal voice seems to have been replaced with a snark box. Life just seems random: no pattern, no meaning, no rules - and no reason to bother.
In a last-ditch effort to pull it together, Sarah befriends Jamie's twin brother Emmett, who may be the only other person who understands what she's lost. And when she gets a job working for the local eccentric who owns a Christmas tree farm, she finally begins to understand the threads that connect us all, the benefit of giving people a chance, and the power of love.
Source: http://www.jjjohnsonauthor.com
Last year, Sarah's best friend Jamie died in a freak accident. Back then, everyone was sad; now they're just ready for Sarah to get over it and move on.
But Sarah's not ready to move on. She can't stop reliving what happened, struggling with guilt, questioning the meaning of life, and missing her best friend. Her grades are plummeting, her relationships are falling apart, and her normal voice seems to have been replaced with a snark box. Life just seems random: no pattern, no meaning, no rules - and no reason to bother.
In a last-ditch effort to pull it together, Sarah befriends Jamie's twin brother Emmett, who may be the only other person who understands what she's lost. And when she gets a job working for the local eccentric who owns a Christmas tree farm, she finally begins to understand the threads that connect us all, the benefit of giving people a chance, and the power of love.
Source: http://www.jjjohnsonauthor.com
334 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2012
43 people are currently reading
1709 people want to read
About the author
J.J. Johnson
3 books202 followersJ.J. Johnson is an educator and author. She grew up in a small town in central New York and attended Binghamton University, where she studied History and began her ongoing solidarity and social-justice activism.
After working with teens in service-learning projects, J.J. continued her education, earning a Master of Education from Harvard University, concentrating on adolescent risk and prevention, with a focus on systems of oppression, harm repair, and social justice.
She is the author of THIS GIRL IS DIFFERENT, THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING, and BELIEVAREXIC (all from Peachtree Publishers). Her books have won numerous awards and have been translated into six languages. She also writes on Substack -- Notes from an Unruly Quaker.
J.J. loves to meander, read, hike, dance, laugh, and eat. She provides academic support coaching at a micro high school and is dedicated to radical compassion, nonviolence, and restorative justice. She lives with her husband, son, and rescued dog in North Carolina; her mother lives next door. There are lots of flowers and a Little Free Library in their front yard.
After working with teens in service-learning projects, J.J. continued her education, earning a Master of Education from Harvard University, concentrating on adolescent risk and prevention, with a focus on systems of oppression, harm repair, and social justice.
She is the author of THIS GIRL IS DIFFERENT, THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING, and BELIEVAREXIC (all from Peachtree Publishers). Her books have won numerous awards and have been translated into six languages. She also writes on Substack -- Notes from an Unruly Quaker.
J.J. loves to meander, read, hike, dance, laugh, and eat. She provides academic support coaching at a micro high school and is dedicated to radical compassion, nonviolence, and restorative justice. She lives with her husband, son, and rescued dog in North Carolina; her mother lives next door. There are lots of flowers and a Little Free Library in their front yard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 248 reviews
April 19, 2016
Es, probablemente, el mejor libro que leí en este 2015. Lo amo con el alma y las estrellas no son suficientes para calificarlo.
Necesitamos más historias escritas así. Sólo espero que haya almas receptivas para saber apreciarlo en su totalidad.
Único e inigualable. ¡Gracias por Sarah, por Jamie, por Roy, por Emmett y sobre todo, por Ruby y por la importancia que ella merece!
Hace mucho que no leía un libro tan conmovedor y tan real como éste.
Las lágrimas de emoción de vez en cuando vienen bien...
PD: El que se mete con este libro, se mete conmigo. #Beware
Reseña completa en Real or not real Books
Necesitamos más historias escritas así. Sólo espero que haya almas receptivas para saber apreciarlo en su totalidad.
Único e inigualable. ¡Gracias por Sarah, por Jamie, por Roy, por Emmett y sobre todo, por Ruby y por la importancia que ella merece!
Hace mucho que no leía un libro tan conmovedor y tan real como éste.
Las lágrimas de emoción de vez en cuando vienen bien...
PD: El que se mete con este libro, se mete conmigo. #Beware
Reseña completa en Real or not real Books
January 28, 2013
This was quite a pleasant surprise.Sarah has been having a very difficult time. Her best friend Jamie died in a terrible accident and school, and she blames herself for what happened Between the guilt and the feelings of loss, she has pretty much shut down socially, using "snarkiness" to push people away. That includes her parents, her brother, her former friends, and even her boyfriend Stenn. The one exception is her cuddly little dog.
Things start to change when another accident occurs in the school gym, where Jamie died. A deer breaks through a large glass window while she is in the room. The deer dies from its injuries. It is the start of her pathway back as she starts to process what happens, slowly revealing the details to the reader in the process, and also starting to open herself up to new friends and a recovery from her deep depression.
Sarah's voice ring so true. She is clearly hurting and wanting to get better, but she also can't help herself. The harsh realities of the shortness and unfairness of life are evident to her, and she is not sure how to handle them. Her parents who care and are worried, are trying to walk the fine line between tenderly caring and supporting her and trying to punish her when she does wrong, such as skipping school.
I found the book to be incredibly moving. Beside the touching moments, humor is also sprinkled throughout. Sarah is a sci-fi fan, who is particularly into Star Wars. There are lots of references and quotes taken from well-known sci-fi franchises. The humor and lighter moments nicely balance the sad moments that are the core of the story, which carefully navigates what could really happen in this situation.
My only complaint about the book is that it was not carefully edited for errors. There are typos throughout. For example, Sarah lives in Norwich, New York, but there are times that it is presented as Norswich. And I can't help but wonder if we (as a culture) have decided to stop placing commas in compound sentences. I see it happening more and more often in books, and it is clearly the norm in this title.
Things start to change when another accident occurs in the school gym, where Jamie died. A deer breaks through a large glass window while she is in the room. The deer dies from its injuries. It is the start of her pathway back as she starts to process what happens, slowly revealing the details to the reader in the process, and also starting to open herself up to new friends and a recovery from her deep depression.
Sarah's voice ring so true. She is clearly hurting and wanting to get better, but she also can't help herself. The harsh realities of the shortness and unfairness of life are evident to her, and she is not sure how to handle them. Her parents who care and are worried, are trying to walk the fine line between tenderly caring and supporting her and trying to punish her when she does wrong, such as skipping school.
I found the book to be incredibly moving. Beside the touching moments, humor is also sprinkled throughout. Sarah is a sci-fi fan, who is particularly into Star Wars. There are lots of references and quotes taken from well-known sci-fi franchises. The humor and lighter moments nicely balance the sad moments that are the core of the story, which carefully navigates what could really happen in this situation.
My only complaint about the book is that it was not carefully edited for errors. There are typos throughout. For example, Sarah lives in Norwich, New York, but there are times that it is presented as Norswich. And I can't help but wonder if we (as a culture) have decided to stop placing commas in compound sentences. I see it happening more and more often in books, and it is clearly the norm in this title.
October 9, 2013
Ha sido una lectura realmente preciosa, intensa y emocional. Es una novela que esconde mucho y que aunque se centra en una pérdida, esto se puede descontextualizar y usarlo en tu vida. Ha sido una gran sorpresa, me ha gustado más de lo que pensaba. Es una novela que engancha y absorbe pero que te permite ver y vivir los sucesos que contiene desde fuera, desde otra perspectiva. Los personajes me han encantado, desde nuestra protagonista, Sarah, a pesar de que no siempre he compartido su actitud, a Emmett, realmente adorable, Stenn que también me gusta, Roy, que es para mí uno de los mejores personajes e incluso Rosemary a pesar de no estar totalmente explotada.
La única pega que le pongo a la novela es que el final es muy abrupto y abierto, en especial con un par de tramas, y me ha dado la sensación de que no está totalmente acabado.
La única pega que le pongo a la novela es que el final es muy abrupto y abierto, en especial con un par de tramas, y me ha dado la sensación de que no está totalmente acabado.
December 24, 2017
Este es un libro de reflexionar, pero contado de una manera muy amena y bastante simpática.
Pasamos por todas las emociones y sentimientos de Sarah para poder sobrellevar la muerte de su mejor amiga (unos años atras) y de como es su vida desde entonces, en casa, en el instituto, con su entorno.
Es un libro sobre la superacion, el perdón, la depresión, de como levantarse cuando tocas fondo y sobre la familia, la amistad, la empatía hacia quien menos te esperas.
"Siempre hay gente en el camino que aunque tu no los veas ellos a ti si"
Pasamos por todas las emociones y sentimientos de Sarah para poder sobrellevar la muerte de su mejor amiga (unos años atras) y de como es su vida desde entonces, en casa, en el instituto, con su entorno.
Es un libro sobre la superacion, el perdón, la depresión, de como levantarse cuando tocas fondo y sobre la familia, la amistad, la empatía hacia quien menos te esperas.
"Siempre hay gente en el camino que aunque tu no los veas ellos a ti si"
December 30, 2012
When I stumbled across this book a few days ago at the library, brand new and never before checked out, I wasn't really sure what to think of it. The blurb on the inside flap sounded like it could hold promise, but then you never know with YA books that hold death as a central theme. In the end it was the pie chart on the back cover claiming that the book contained 20% snark (and 5% possum/7% manual labor at a Christmas tree farm) that convinced me to give it a shot.
Reading the first few chapters I was starting to feel unsure again, like maybe this wasn't the book for me after all. Although right away there is a freak accident involving a deer jumping through a window of a high school gym (thus reminding our protagonist of the tragic death of her best friend in the same spot) those short chapters in the beginning felt like they were dragging as I waited for things to start getting interesting. Boy am I glad that I decided to keep reading!
The first thing that I want to say in praise of this book is that it's funny. I can't remember the last time I read a novel where the main character had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. Sarah is intelligent, witty, and sarcastic which is just my kind of humor. Maybe it takes a sarcastic person to appreciate another sarcastic person, but I was actually able to identify with Sarah through a lot of the story. Being able to connect with a book on some level always makes it better in my opinion. Sarah wasn't the only one with some amusing; almost all of the secondary characters make entertaining comments at least once. The humor of the book kept it from ever feeling too sad or serious, which I thought was the right approach for this particular stories.
I liked all of the characters to some extent. There were plenty of times that I wanted to slap Sarah and yell at her to get herself together, and there were times when Stenn was particularly frustrating and I just wanted them to break up. I won't say that he is the best character, but Roy, aka Captain Possum, was sure the most interesting of the bunch. I mean how can a man that keeps a possum for a pet not be interesting? I love the friendship that he and Sarah developed and how it ultimately started her along the healing process of dealing with her friend's death. The most heart touching moment of the whole book was towards the end when Sarah, Roy, and Emmett all mourn their losses together as they finally realize that they aren't alone in their grief.
There are a few things about the novel that were disappointing. Where Sarah and Stenn stand with each other, for instance. The last time we see Stenn he is calling to try to talk to Sarah but essentially she blows him off because of Emmett's surprise. We never do find out what Stenn was calling to say; did he want to reconcile or was he ready to officially call it quits? My other issue is Emmett. Judging from the blurb of the book I'd thought he would have been a more prevalent part of the book. In the end he played an important role but it would have been nice to see more of his relationship with Sarah.
So despite my slight disappoint in some aspects, The Theory of Everything is a straight up four star book for me. It had its ups and downs with the plot, but the persistent witty remarks and random and strange occurrences had me enjoying it greatly. If you're looking for a quick read that has both life lessons and comedy, then it might be worth it to you to check this one out.
Reading the first few chapters I was starting to feel unsure again, like maybe this wasn't the book for me after all. Although right away there is a freak accident involving a deer jumping through a window of a high school gym (thus reminding our protagonist of the tragic death of her best friend in the same spot) those short chapters in the beginning felt like they were dragging as I waited for things to start getting interesting. Boy am I glad that I decided to keep reading!
The first thing that I want to say in praise of this book is that it's funny. I can't remember the last time I read a novel where the main character had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. Sarah is intelligent, witty, and sarcastic which is just my kind of humor. Maybe it takes a sarcastic person to appreciate another sarcastic person, but I was actually able to identify with Sarah through a lot of the story. Being able to connect with a book on some level always makes it better in my opinion. Sarah wasn't the only one with some amusing; almost all of the secondary characters make entertaining comments at least once. The humor of the book kept it from ever feeling too sad or serious, which I thought was the right approach for this particular stories.
I liked all of the characters to some extent. There were plenty of times that I wanted to slap Sarah and yell at her to get herself together, and there were times when Stenn was particularly frustrating and I just wanted them to break up. I won't say that he is the best character, but Roy, aka Captain Possum, was sure the most interesting of the bunch. I mean how can a man that keeps a possum for a pet not be interesting? I love the friendship that he and Sarah developed and how it ultimately started her along the healing process of dealing with her friend's death. The most heart touching moment of the whole book was towards the end when Sarah, Roy, and Emmett all mourn their losses together as they finally realize that they aren't alone in their grief.
There are a few things about the novel that were disappointing. Where Sarah and Stenn stand with each other, for instance. The last time we see Stenn he is calling to try to talk to Sarah but essentially she blows him off because of Emmett's surprise. We never do find out what Stenn was calling to say; did he want to reconcile or was he ready to officially call it quits? My other issue is Emmett. Judging from the blurb of the book I'd thought he would have been a more prevalent part of the book. In the end he played an important role but it would have been nice to see more of his relationship with Sarah.
So despite my slight disappoint in some aspects, The Theory of Everything is a straight up four star book for me. It had its ups and downs with the plot, but the persistent witty remarks and random and strange occurrences had me enjoying it greatly. If you're looking for a quick read that has both life lessons and comedy, then it might be worth it to you to check this one out.
August 4, 2015
Life doesn't always make sense, and high school student Sarah Jones struggles to make sense of the freak accident that took the life of her best friend Jamie. Even though eight months have passed since Jamie's death, Sarah feels angry, guilty, confused, and unsure about why bad things happen. When a deer crashes through the gym window and dies in the same place where Jamie died, Sarah wonders about the significance of its death. As she tries to piece her life back together, she alineates almost everyone around her, including her stalwart boyfriend Stenn. Her dog Ruby is the only creature who can comfort her. Unexpectedly, she finds comfort in spending time with Jamie's twin brother Emmett and another female classmate. While building her physical strength working on a Christmas tree farm with Roy, a man with his own tragic past, Sarah continues to recover from her loss. Filled with understanding about the depth of sorrow as well as moments of humor, his book should appeal to anyone dealing with loss. It's funny how someone with whom Sarah seems to have so little in common is actually the conduit to her own recovery.
December 12, 2012
I have a love/hate relationship with this book. But I think love will win in the end. I am not kidding you when I say that you will LOVE the main character of this book from page one. Sarah is snarky, sassy, lovable, confused, Star Wars loving and grief stricken all rolled up in a 15 year old body. I adored Sarah even while I was frustrated with her lack of communication. I get it though, she loses her best friend in a freak, and I mean freak accident, and is still mourning.
The tone and voice of this book is really incredibly unique. I loved the artwork and the involved parents and the supportive boyfriend. Ahh, and there is the hate in this book. SPOILER ALERT: Why is there no resolution with Stenn??? I'm not liking this Sarah and Emmett boyfriend/girlfriend vibe. I know this is shallow considering this book deals with loss and grief but hey, I adored Stenn. I am just going to convince myself they worked everything out.
Okay, back to the love, will someone read this book and then call me! It is a great read, deals with some adult stuff (there's my warning)and is fantastic. Read it in one day. Great.
The tone and voice of this book is really incredibly unique. I loved the artwork and the involved parents and the supportive boyfriend. Ahh, and there is the hate in this book. SPOILER ALERT: Why is there no resolution with Stenn??? I'm not liking this Sarah and Emmett boyfriend/girlfriend vibe. I know this is shallow considering this book deals with loss and grief but hey, I adored Stenn. I am just going to convince myself they worked everything out.
Okay, back to the love, will someone read this book and then call me! It is a great read, deals with some adult stuff (there's my warning)and is fantastic. Read it in one day. Great.
June 15, 2020
Mi teoria de todo a tocado completamente mi corazón. Compré este libro de casualidad, y me alegro de haberme topado con el.
Los personajes estan muy bien construidos, puedes sentir cada una de las emociones que experimentan, y sin duda alguna te llegas a encariñar muchísimo e incluso logras empatizar tanto con ellos como con sus vivencias.
Lo que más me ha gustado de toda la historia son los puntos que se narran acerca de la muerte, como -independientemente de la edad u otro factor- la enfrentamos. Para mi en cuanto a el último punto, ha sido muy realista, sobre todo el como afecta a nuetras vidas de manera involuntaria, y en como nos afecta el entorno.
Puedo recomendarla totalmente, una historia realista pero a la vez conmovedora que nos atrapa desde el primer momento.
Los personajes estan muy bien construidos, puedes sentir cada una de las emociones que experimentan, y sin duda alguna te llegas a encariñar muchísimo e incluso logras empatizar tanto con ellos como con sus vivencias.
Lo que más me ha gustado de toda la historia son los puntos que se narran acerca de la muerte, como -independientemente de la edad u otro factor- la enfrentamos. Para mi en cuanto a el último punto, ha sido muy realista, sobre todo el como afecta a nuetras vidas de manera involuntaria, y en como nos afecta el entorno.
Puedo recomendarla totalmente, una historia realista pero a la vez conmovedora que nos atrapa desde el primer momento.
July 24, 2017
4,5. Cachi cachi perfecto.
Me encantó! Realmente es de esos libros que disfrutas desde el comienzo y que te es imposible soltar.
Adoré a la protagonista. Su sarcasmo, lo que sufrió y cómo se empezó a relacionar con la gente después de su trauma. Me divertí muuucho con sus comentarios y pensamientos. Y también lagrimeé en varias partes. La trama no es tan compleja pero lo más genial es Sarah y obviamente Ruby ♥
Que esté escrito en español peninsular es raro al principio pero una vez que te acostumbras es genial. Mola mogollón (?)
Lo único que no me terminó de convencer fue el final. Fue lindo y emotivo peeero esperaba otra cosa. Quedó medio abierto y tengo ganas de saber más cosas.
Cuando vi que quedaban tan pocas páginas y que faltaba mucho por resolverse (en mi mente) sabía que no iba a quedar 100% satisfecha con el final.
Quiero más. Me gustó mucho.
Me encantó! Realmente es de esos libros que disfrutas desde el comienzo y que te es imposible soltar.
Adoré a la protagonista. Su sarcasmo, lo que sufrió y cómo se empezó a relacionar con la gente después de su trauma. Me divertí muuucho con sus comentarios y pensamientos. Y también lagrimeé en varias partes. La trama no es tan compleja pero lo más genial es Sarah y obviamente Ruby ♥
Que esté escrito en español peninsular es raro al principio pero una vez que te acostumbras es genial. Mola mogollón (?)
Lo único que no me terminó de convencer fue el final. Fue lindo y emotivo peeero esperaba otra cosa. Quedó medio abierto y tengo ganas de saber más cosas.
Cuando vi que quedaban tan pocas páginas y que faltaba mucho por resolverse (en mi mente) sabía que no iba a quedar 100% satisfecha con el final.
Quiero más. Me gustó mucho.
January 7, 2013
I love this book! The writing and voice are fresh and interesting. Each chapter starts with a chart or graph depicting Sarah Jones' thoughts on a topic. Sarah is struggling to deal with the death of her best friend, Jamie, and with the personal responsibility she feels for it. I imagine many readers might get fed up with Sarah feeling like she should just "move on;" many of the characters do. However, this is what I find real about her. She recognizes that she cannot talk about her best friend all the time least she become a drain on others who just don't want to hear about it, but not talking about it and, therefore, not really dealing with it is keeping her from "moving on." I think that too often we tell people -- teenagers, especially -- that they should just "move on" without acknowledging that they are experiencing real emotions and that the experience of those emotions is legitimate. To me, that is what is real and appealing about Sarah as a character.
The writing is fresh and intriguing and kept me completely involved with the book. It also has me looking forward to reading more by J.J. Johnson!
The writing is fresh and intriguing and kept me completely involved with the book. It also has me looking forward to reading more by J.J. Johnson!
April 13, 2017
I love this book! The writing is so nice and interesting. It starts off by showing that Sarah is struggling to deal with the death of her best friend Jamie. She recognizes that she cant talk about her best friend all the time. It starts to drain her and others around her. But her not talking about makes it harder for her to move on. After reading a few chapters I was started to feel unsure, but for me personally it takes awhile for me to get hooked into the book. The one thing I love about this book is that it is funny! I honestly don't know of a book that had made me laugh more than once. Sarah is intelligent and sarcastic. Maybe it takes a sarcastic person to appreciate one another. It touched my heart towards the end of the book were Sarah, Roy and Emmett all come together and realize that they don't have to grief of their own. If you're looking for a book that has both life lessons and comedy, then this is definitely the book for you!
February 8, 2014
Mi teoría de todo ha sido una lectura super divertida y amena, con una protagonista absolutamente genial y una neurona borde que no se está callada ni debajo del agua. Un libro sobre la pérdida y cómo enfrentarse a ella, pero narrado de una forma especial: con un humor sarcástico que le quita un poco de dramatismo al asunto y nos termina deparando muchas risas.
http://lavidasecretadeloslibros.blogs...
http://lavidasecretadeloslibros.blogs...
July 13, 2013
Grief often seems impossible to grasp. Ms. Johnson, you should be applauded for making grief so real and the "new normal" so...normal. I also loved how each chapter began. I don't know how many will choose to "experience" this book, but I look forward to the deep discussions w/ the students that do.
September 4, 2019
Un libro con un argumento que podía haber dado mucho más de sí. Es el “quiero y no puedo” porque, aunque la base era muy buena, la forma de narrar de la autora y el constante autocompadecimiento de la protagonista hacían la lectura pesada y sin mucho interés. Lo único por lo que vale gastarse la pena el dinero en este libro es por su edición, por lo demás es mejor dejarlo pasar.
December 20, 2013
Me ha encantado este libro, está lleno de emociones, de pequeñas reflexiones que te hacen pensar, de risas y de momentos tan tristes como bonitos.
Aquí tenéis la reseña: http://ladevoradora-delibros.blogspot...
Aquí tenéis la reseña: http://ladevoradora-delibros.blogspot...
December 4, 2023
3.75 stars. Quirky little book. I started out unimpressed and frankly a bit irritated by the main character, but she really grew on me. Excellent portrayal of a grief stricken teenager. Serious subject that refused to become maudlin.
June 25, 2022
El primer libro que me compré yo, me acuerdo cuanto los disfrute, hace una semana volví a leerlo y ame nuevamente su historia, termina dándote ese aliento a seguir que muchas veces se necesita después se perde a alguien qe amamos, su final es todo lo que esta bien
February 23, 2013
Last year, Sarah's best friend Jamie died in a freak accident. Back then, everyone was sad; now they're just ready for Sarah to get over it and move on.
But Sarah's not ready to move on. She can't stop reliving what happened, struggling with guilt, questioning the meaning of life, and missing her best friend. Her grades are plummeting, her relationships are falling apart, and her normal voice seems to have been replaced with a snark box. Life just seems random: no pattern, no meaning, no rules - and no reason to bother.
In a last-ditch effort to pull it together, Sarah befriends Jamie's twin brother Emmett, who may be the only other person who understands what she's lost. And when she gets a job working for the local eccentric who owns a Christmas tree farm, she finally begins to understand the threads that connect us all, the benefit of giving people a chance, and the power of love.
Summary from Goodreads
The Theory of Everything was the Cybils finalist that I had heard nothing--literally nothing--about before it was selected. And it was not in either of my library systems. But the publisher kindly sent me a nice hardback copy and I'm glad they did. I very much enjoyed Sarah's story and would recommend this one to any number of people.
Sarah's voice is really what makes this story--she's snarky and tender and funny. She's also younger than most contemporary YA protagonists. She's fifteen, and in certain ways it shows. She can bounce between wise beyond her years and young for her age, sometimes on the same page. I like that fact and I think it's one part of the teen appeal, especially for slightly younger teens who might struggle to find themselves in general YA.
I also liked the fact that some of the plotlines weren't necessarily resolved. It gave an open-ended feeling to the story. At the same time, there were a few coincidences that were very coincidental. As a reader, this is something that usually doesn't bother me since I see fiction as not necessarily needing to conform to the rules of real life. In this case, though, I felt that it was a little more problematic.
That aside, I think that The Theory of Everything is a great book. It's full of humor and honesty and heart. It deals with some big topics--life, death, love, etc--but does so in a light and gentle way. I'm glad that I read it, and I hope more people pick it up as a result of the Cybils mention.
Book source: review copy provided by publishers for the 2012 Cybils
Book information: Peachtree Publishers, 2012; YA (possible cross over for mg)
September 18, 2013
Loss isn't easy for anyone. In the book 'The Theory of Everything' by J. J. Johnson, Sarah, the main character, has to deal on a regular basis with the unexpected death of her best friend, Jamie. As she becomes depressed and unsocial, she is hard to bear for anyone; her family, school staff, and most importantly her boyfriend; She continually feels like it is her fault for Jamie's death, although she is far from the reason of her friend's loss. As a result, she seeks help. To start off, she begins by going out more, and she tries to control her snark box. At a party, she coincidentally bumps into Jamie's twin brother, Emmette; however, he has changed ,for he is no longer the bubbly, cheerful Emmette everyone knew. Sarah believes it is her duty to give hope to Emmette because that is what Jamie would want from her. Soon enough, all of the 'sneaking out of the house' potentially gets Sarah in trouble, and she is almost exposed of all her mishaps by the school's custodian, which Sarah's dog had trespassed into his property and caused a mess. He made a deal with her, on the other hand; as long as Sarah would make up for the damage her dog has made, the custodian would not speak a word to her parents. Reluctantly, Sarah began a tough job of cutting trees for the Christmas season, and she soon got comfortable with the mysterious, yet compassionate janitor. She learned that forgetting about the past will never happen, but she must go on with her life instead of making it miserable for everyone, including herself. All in all, I VERY much enjoyed this book because it was very sarcastic (which I am a pro at), and it was very exciting throughout the entire book. Sarah states in a sarcastic manner, " I wait for him to say more, to clarify. But (surprise, surprise) he doesn't. Instead of talking he turns around, hefts a chainsaw down from a shelf and hands it to me. I repeat: the man hands me a chainsaw. "In addition, the author did an excellent job of relating this book to teenagers; therefore, I give this book five stars out of five. It is a novel that you will be unable to put it down.
October 28, 2013
Originally reviewed at Owl You Need is a Good Read
I saw this book while shelving and was drawn to it because of the blue cover and the trees in the letters of the title. I flipped to the back and without reading the premise of the book, I knew I had to check out. On the back cover is a chart. A CHART! Listing percentages of things in the book. I was sold. 5% possum? Done. I had to see where the possum fits in. It already seemed like my kind of humor and it was a chart!
The premise of the book sounds like a sad one. Our main character, Sarah, lost her friend in a tragic accident and is still not over it. Her family, friends and boyfriend aren't sure how to help her and are frankly getting a little upset with her seeming lack of ability to move on. Add to this a Christmas tree farm, some snarky behavior, and a main character that felt like she could be my best friend, and I was so excited to read this. I was not let down.
Sarah is awesome. I loved that while she was being a bit snarky and bitchy, even she was getting fed up with her own behavior. She wanted to change but couldn't figure out how and I can relate to feeling unsure of how to change yourself. I loved that she would say something and instantly in her head, "Why can't you just be normal?! Why are you like this?" I couldn't put this down because I had to see what happened in her life.
I was a little bummed out by the ending and after reading many other reviews, I was not alone. I won't give away any information, but I felt like one aspect seemed a bit out of character and there could have been more resolution. I wanted this to have the bow tie ending where everything was in its final place and that was that.
I need to request the other book by this author and see if I love it just as much. I will be on the lookout for future books as well!
5/5 stars! I loved this one.
I saw this book while shelving and was drawn to it because of the blue cover and the trees in the letters of the title. I flipped to the back and without reading the premise of the book, I knew I had to check out. On the back cover is a chart. A CHART! Listing percentages of things in the book. I was sold. 5% possum? Done. I had to see where the possum fits in. It already seemed like my kind of humor and it was a chart!
The premise of the book sounds like a sad one. Our main character, Sarah, lost her friend in a tragic accident and is still not over it. Her family, friends and boyfriend aren't sure how to help her and are frankly getting a little upset with her seeming lack of ability to move on. Add to this a Christmas tree farm, some snarky behavior, and a main character that felt like she could be my best friend, and I was so excited to read this. I was not let down.
Sarah is awesome. I loved that while she was being a bit snarky and bitchy, even she was getting fed up with her own behavior. She wanted to change but couldn't figure out how and I can relate to feeling unsure of how to change yourself. I loved that she would say something and instantly in her head, "Why can't you just be normal?! Why are you like this?" I couldn't put this down because I had to see what happened in her life.
I was a little bummed out by the ending and after reading many other reviews, I was not alone. I won't give away any information, but I felt like one aspect seemed a bit out of character and there could have been more resolution. I wanted this to have the bow tie ending where everything was in its final place and that was that.
I need to request the other book by this author and see if I love it just as much. I will be on the lookout for future books as well!
5/5 stars! I loved this one.
July 29, 2014
4.3
Con este libro entré en un género con el que no estoy muy familiarizada y debo decir que me gustó bastante. Fue algo a lo que no estaba acostumbrada, pero que me mostró un mundo injusto, triste pero hermoso en los momentos cotidianos de nuestro día a día.
Este libro fue sencillamente mágico. Se metió en mis pensamientos y los hizo girar como un caleidoscopio. Entendí a la perfección a Sarah y evolucioné con ella. Me reí a carcajadas en muchas ocasiones (sobretodo con sus pensamientos e ideas) y derramé lágrimas literarias por Jamie.
Es patente en el transcurso de la historia todo el cambio de Jamie, sus preocupaciones y su esfuerzo.
La relación que tenía con Stenn fue llevada a la perfección sin opacar al resto de la historia, sino como una columna de apoyo para nuestra protagonista. No entendí muy bien sus motivos para su última reacción dado que me pareció un poco incongruente con sus palabras anteriores.
Me quedo faltando algo de Emmett *-* y fantasee mentalmente con amorsito entre Sarah y él aunque Stenn también fuera adorable. Rosemary fue un personaje crucial para la evolución del personaje y me pereció muy real y divertida.
El final es perfecto e incompleto a la vez. Hay temas que fueron resueltos a la perfección y se concluyeron con soltura mientras que otros (cof* cof* Stenn* cof* cof*) me parecieron inconclusos y dejados muy a la deriva.
En conclusión en un libro muy real que plasma muchas emociones, preocupaciones y dudas incertandonos en una historia triste con personajes no perfectos ni ideales, sino con personajes con sombras y luces que nos exponen sus historias.o
Con este libro entré en un género con el que no estoy muy familiarizada y debo decir que me gustó bastante. Fue algo a lo que no estaba acostumbrada, pero que me mostró un mundo injusto, triste pero hermoso en los momentos cotidianos de nuestro día a día.
Este libro fue sencillamente mágico. Se metió en mis pensamientos y los hizo girar como un caleidoscopio. Entendí a la perfección a Sarah y evolucioné con ella. Me reí a carcajadas en muchas ocasiones (sobretodo con sus pensamientos e ideas) y derramé lágrimas literarias por Jamie.
Es patente en el transcurso de la historia todo el cambio de Jamie, sus preocupaciones y su esfuerzo.
La relación que tenía con Stenn fue llevada a la perfección sin opacar al resto de la historia, sino como una columna de apoyo para nuestra protagonista. No entendí muy bien sus motivos para su última reacción dado que me pareció un poco incongruente con sus palabras anteriores.
Me quedo faltando algo de Emmett *-* y fantasee mentalmente con amorsito entre Sarah y él aunque Stenn también fuera adorable. Rosemary fue un personaje crucial para la evolución del personaje y me pereció muy real y divertida.
El final es perfecto e incompleto a la vez. Hay temas que fueron resueltos a la perfección y se concluyeron con soltura mientras que otros (cof* cof* Stenn* cof* cof*) me parecieron inconclusos y dejados muy a la deriva.
En conclusión en un libro muy real que plasma muchas emociones, preocupaciones y dudas incertandonos en una historia triste con personajes no perfectos ni ideales, sino con personajes con sombras y luces que nos exponen sus historias.o
March 22, 2013
I want to start by saying I simply loved this book. THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING by J.J. Johnson is brilliantly written with a striking voice and clever characters that remind me a lot of John Green. Of course, similar to AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES, this book also comes with a variety of charts and diagrams at the opening of each chapter. It's a completely fun book, that, unexpectedly, begins with a tragedy.
When Sarah's best friend Jamie died in the freakiest of freak accidents, Sarah lost herself. She no longer relates to her peers, has a hard time talking to her parents, and even her amazing boyfriend Sten is a victim of what she calls her "snark box." The snark box spits out constant sarcasm in response to pretty much everything, and she's already on the brink of losing it when a deer crashes through the glass doors in the gym, right in front of Sarah, making a bloody mess right where she saw Jamie die. As Sarah spins out of control, and the consequences of her actions grow greater, she finds herself working at a Christmas tree farm for one of the town's most misunderstood residents...and actually enjoying herself. The question is -- will she ever be able to get her life back on track, or is she doomed to push everyone away for the forseeable future? And will she ever be able to talk to Jamie's twin brother about what happened the day of the accident?
THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING is an unbelievably beautiful book, not to be missed by fans of John Green and Maureen Johnson, and definitely one to watch out for this award season.
When Sarah's best friend Jamie died in the freakiest of freak accidents, Sarah lost herself. She no longer relates to her peers, has a hard time talking to her parents, and even her amazing boyfriend Sten is a victim of what she calls her "snark box." The snark box spits out constant sarcasm in response to pretty much everything, and she's already on the brink of losing it when a deer crashes through the glass doors in the gym, right in front of Sarah, making a bloody mess right where she saw Jamie die. As Sarah spins out of control, and the consequences of her actions grow greater, she finds herself working at a Christmas tree farm for one of the town's most misunderstood residents...and actually enjoying herself. The question is -- will she ever be able to get her life back on track, or is she doomed to push everyone away for the forseeable future? And will she ever be able to talk to Jamie's twin brother about what happened the day of the accident?
THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING is an unbelievably beautiful book, not to be missed by fans of John Green and Maureen Johnson, and definitely one to watch out for this award season.
April 30, 2013
ARC provided by publisher for review.
Review originally published on my blog: AWordsWorth.blogspot.com
When I read Johnson's debut This Girl is Different, I knew she had a good hand for telling the tough teenage stories. The Theory of Everything is another great example of the raw, rough edges of being a teen in the world -- and what it means to grow through those experiences.
Last year, Sarah's best friend Jamie died. In the school gym. In a super crazy freak accident. And Sarah was right there when it happened. Needless to say, Sarah had a hard time coping - grieving - moving on. Especially since she's haunted by what she could (or could not) have done to help save Jamie's life. When Sarah witnesses another freak accident in the gym, a chain of events is put in motion that forces her to take a good, honest look at not only how to move on, but to accept that it's okay to move on.
With colorful characters (both human and animal) and raw, heart-wrenching honesty, Johnson spins a story that keeps you reading. All the details from Jamie's death aren't known up front, as readers we live the events as Sarah remembers, slowly -- and at times, painfully. Life is hard, and learning how to handle the hardest parts of life takes practice and a whole lot of trial and error. But you have to make the decision to keep living, keep pushing, not letting all the junk drag you down, and this - ultimately - is what I feel Sarah learns along the way. The Theory of Everything isn't one of those happy-go-lucky contemporary reads, but it has a definite message of hope.
Review originally published on my blog: AWordsWorth.blogspot.com
When I read Johnson's debut This Girl is Different, I knew she had a good hand for telling the tough teenage stories. The Theory of Everything is another great example of the raw, rough edges of being a teen in the world -- and what it means to grow through those experiences.
Last year, Sarah's best friend Jamie died. In the school gym. In a super crazy freak accident. And Sarah was right there when it happened. Needless to say, Sarah had a hard time coping - grieving - moving on. Especially since she's haunted by what she could (or could not) have done to help save Jamie's life. When Sarah witnesses another freak accident in the gym, a chain of events is put in motion that forces her to take a good, honest look at not only how to move on, but to accept that it's okay to move on.
With colorful characters (both human and animal) and raw, heart-wrenching honesty, Johnson spins a story that keeps you reading. All the details from Jamie's death aren't known up front, as readers we live the events as Sarah remembers, slowly -- and at times, painfully. Life is hard, and learning how to handle the hardest parts of life takes practice and a whole lot of trial and error. But you have to make the decision to keep living, keep pushing, not letting all the junk drag you down, and this - ultimately - is what I feel Sarah learns along the way. The Theory of Everything isn't one of those happy-go-lucky contemporary reads, but it has a definite message of hope.
March 10, 2015
Llegué a la novela por su maquetación, tiene una edición cuidada con un gráfico al principio de cada capítulo que muestra la visión del mundo de un adolescente. Había oído que era un libro lleno de ironía y divertido pese a que el punto de partida es más bien dramático, y puesto que parece que vivimos en un momento en que el drama es un tema de lo más recurrente en el género juvenil (The perks of being a wallflower, The fault in our stars, Eleanor and Park...) me animé con ella.
Es entretenida y se lee muy fácil. Solo por eso queda aprobada. Pero me ha parecido algo vacía. Haciendo un símil con las series de televisión sería el típico capítulo de transición que tiene que estar ahí para explicar ciertas cosas pero del que no te acuerdas cuando piensas en ella. Algo así como el segundo tomo de ciertas trilogías.
Por otro lado en los personajes secundarios me falta algo de chicha, los he encontrado muy planos. Están en la novela porque deben justificar situaciones con la protagonista, pero en si mismos son prescindibles. No me ha conseguido despertar ninguna curiosidad sobre ellos, sobre qué les habrá llevado a dar ciertas respuestas o qué sucedería con ellos más allá de la última página.
En general, bastante anodina. Entretenida, escrita correctamente, con puntos de borderismo adolescente en los que puedes ver reflejado a tu yo de hace años, pero ya. Uno de esos libros que me alegro de haber cogido en la biblioteca municipal, pero no haberlo comprado.
Es entretenida y se lee muy fácil. Solo por eso queda aprobada. Pero me ha parecido algo vacía. Haciendo un símil con las series de televisión sería el típico capítulo de transición que tiene que estar ahí para explicar ciertas cosas pero del que no te acuerdas cuando piensas en ella. Algo así como el segundo tomo de ciertas trilogías.
Por otro lado en los personajes secundarios me falta algo de chicha, los he encontrado muy planos. Están en la novela porque deben justificar situaciones con la protagonista, pero en si mismos son prescindibles. No me ha conseguido despertar ninguna curiosidad sobre ellos, sobre qué les habrá llevado a dar ciertas respuestas o qué sucedería con ellos más allá de la última página.
En general, bastante anodina. Entretenida, escrita correctamente, con puntos de borderismo adolescente en los que puedes ver reflejado a tu yo de hace años, pero ya. Uno de esos libros que me alegro de haber cogido en la biblioteca municipal, pero no haberlo comprado.
May 10, 2013
I stumbled across this sweet, sad young adult novel at my library, quite by chance, and just happened to take a peek inside. Once I saw the Venn diagrams, I was hooked!
The Theory of Everything is narrated by 15-year-old Sarah Jones, a typical teenager in many ways but one: Eight months earlier, her BFF Jamie was killed in a freak accident in the gym at school. Sarah, the only witness, was powerless to help or to save Jamie. Now, months later, it seems as though everyone’s patience with Sarah has worn thin. Shouldn’t she be over it by now? Sarah is lost, consumed by guilt and grief, and has been taken over, as she puts it, by the “snark box” that speaks for her, even when she knows snarkiness will only get her further into trouble.
Despite the grim premise, The Theory of Everything is actually quite readable, thanks to Sarah's quirky voice. Yes, she's snarky, but we understand why. This is a girl who's suffered a tremendous loss, and as she takes tentative steps toward the possibility of a life without Jamie, we can forgive her her bad attitude, her rule-breaking, and her avoidance of confronting real life and real consequences.
I definitely recommend this funny, sad, lovely book. It's a great choice for teens and for adult readers.
My full review is posted on my blog.
The Theory of Everything is narrated by 15-year-old Sarah Jones, a typical teenager in many ways but one: Eight months earlier, her BFF Jamie was killed in a freak accident in the gym at school. Sarah, the only witness, was powerless to help or to save Jamie. Now, months later, it seems as though everyone’s patience with Sarah has worn thin. Shouldn’t she be over it by now? Sarah is lost, consumed by guilt and grief, and has been taken over, as she puts it, by the “snark box” that speaks for her, even when she knows snarkiness will only get her further into trouble.
Despite the grim premise, The Theory of Everything is actually quite readable, thanks to Sarah's quirky voice. Yes, she's snarky, but we understand why. This is a girl who's suffered a tremendous loss, and as she takes tentative steps toward the possibility of a life without Jamie, we can forgive her her bad attitude, her rule-breaking, and her avoidance of confronting real life and real consequences.
I definitely recommend this funny, sad, lovely book. It's a great choice for teens and for adult readers.
My full review is posted on my blog.
January 3, 2013
You know that type of book that is really good, but when it comes time to be responsible and go to a bed at a decent time, you are able to put it down and come back to it later?
Yeah, this isn't that type of book, especially when you get about half-way to three-fourths of the way through it.
I didn't even skim-read as I usually do when a book is getting good. I needed to read and feel and experience what Sarah was going through as she continues to struggle with the horrific loss of her BFF.
The realness of this book, the deep-felt guilt, the desire to be ok yet not be able to pull yourself above water....all combined with boyfriend and parent complications made for a book that has jumped to my top big impact YA books.
In addition, this book is being added to my "unique feature" list. Each chapter starts with a visual representation of Sarah trying to make sense of her life through a series of graphs and diagrams.
Who should read it? Anyone wanting a book with a tough, real, sometimes heart-wrenching topic. Be warned that it doesn't end all tied up in a nice bow...which a book like this shouldn't, IMHO.
Yeah, this isn't that type of book, especially when you get about half-way to three-fourths of the way through it.
I didn't even skim-read as I usually do when a book is getting good. I needed to read and feel and experience what Sarah was going through as she continues to struggle with the horrific loss of her BFF.
The realness of this book, the deep-felt guilt, the desire to be ok yet not be able to pull yourself above water....all combined with boyfriend and parent complications made for a book that has jumped to my top big impact YA books.
In addition, this book is being added to my "unique feature" list. Each chapter starts with a visual representation of Sarah trying to make sense of her life through a series of graphs and diagrams.
Who should read it? Anyone wanting a book with a tough, real, sometimes heart-wrenching topic. Be warned that it doesn't end all tied up in a nice bow...which a book like this shouldn't, IMHO.
July 28, 2013
Sarah and Jamie were BFFs in the truest sense of the term. But that was a lifetime ago. A lifetime ago of swapping clothes, sharing adventures and gossip, glances that say everything without needing to say a word, and unequivocal understanding and support. A tragic accident leaves Sarah struggling to make sense of the chaos that rules the universe. But as the months go by her family and friends seem ready to move on and don't understand why she's not doing the same. She's snarky and bitchy in turns, driving wedges between the people she loves, until a chance encounter with a mysterious man with an opossum for a pet sets her on a course to recover what she thought was lost forever.
Fresh voice and nicely plotted. Great illustrations that really enhance the telling. Sarah feels real and substantial. Atypically for YA lit, her parents are supportive, loving, and caring if fallible. Sarah's relationship with her boyfriend is not cliche, which is refreshing. Definitely for more mature readers with language, references to underage drinking, pot, and sexual activity. I really enjoyed the writing!
Fresh voice and nicely plotted. Great illustrations that really enhance the telling. Sarah feels real and substantial. Atypically for YA lit, her parents are supportive, loving, and caring if fallible. Sarah's relationship with her boyfriend is not cliche, which is refreshing. Definitely for more mature readers with language, references to underage drinking, pot, and sexual activity. I really enjoyed the writing!
August 3, 2016
Reviewed by Thalia Stuart, 12th grade
Sarah and Jamie had been best friends since birth. They did everything together. They were even together on the day that Jamie’s life tragically ended. Even though a year has passed since Jamie’s death, Sarah seems unable to live without Jamie. When Sarah first meets Mr. Showalter, she thinks that he is the creepiest maintenance man ever to walk the earth, mostly because of Buddy, his pet possum. When Mr. Showalter offers Sarah a job at his tree farm, however, she realizes that like her, Mr. Showalter also lost people that he loved. Between Mr. Showalter, her boyfriend, Stenn, and her new friend, Rosemary, Sarah realizes that she is able to live without Jamie after all.
This book was great. J.J. Johnson has created a quirky-sarcastic-relatable character in Sarah. I was never bored or in a hurry to finish this book. In fact, I felt like it ended too quickly. There are still so many unanswered questions at the end of the story, such as: Will Sarah be happy? Will Mr. Showalter ever show his emotions? Will Sarah and her boyfriend work things out? I highly recommend this book for mature high school students.
Sarah and Jamie had been best friends since birth. They did everything together. They were even together on the day that Jamie’s life tragically ended. Even though a year has passed since Jamie’s death, Sarah seems unable to live without Jamie. When Sarah first meets Mr. Showalter, she thinks that he is the creepiest maintenance man ever to walk the earth, mostly because of Buddy, his pet possum. When Mr. Showalter offers Sarah a job at his tree farm, however, she realizes that like her, Mr. Showalter also lost people that he loved. Between Mr. Showalter, her boyfriend, Stenn, and her new friend, Rosemary, Sarah realizes that she is able to live without Jamie after all.
This book was great. J.J. Johnson has created a quirky-sarcastic-relatable character in Sarah. I was never bored or in a hurry to finish this book. In fact, I felt like it ended too quickly. There are still so many unanswered questions at the end of the story, such as: Will Sarah be happy? Will Mr. Showalter ever show his emotions? Will Sarah and her boyfriend work things out? I highly recommend this book for mature high school students.
April 30, 2018
Me gustó la forma en la que está escrito, y el inicio de cada capítulo lo amé, PERO no me gustó nada la historia, entiendo algunos puntos de vista de Sarah e incluso puede que yo reaccionara igual en algunas situaciones, pero por favor, que es súper pesada, y la mayoría de los personajes son igual de insoportables que ella, excepto, quizás, Rosemary.... y Emmet me cayó un poco bien, pero Jeremy y el novio de Sarah fueron súper bordes, y su novio solo quería acostarse con ella ya, no había pasado ni un año del suceso y ya todos le recriminaban su depresión y su comportamiento. Si que fue estúpida y me cayó súper mal, pero los demás tampoco supieron como ayudarla nunca....En fin, al final solo me gustó la historia de Roy, todo lo demás fue tonto y demasiadas líneas para ser y acabar de una forma tan gris...
April 12, 2020
El argumento podría haber dado mucho más de si. La trama era buena, pero la forma de redactarlo hacía que la lectura fuese pesada, tiene frases innecesarias.
Página 9:
Los sonidos reverberan por el suelo, llegan a mis pies, suben por mis piernas y atraviesan mi columna.
Esta frase podría ser más corta, simplemente con escribir que recorrió su cuerpo. No sólo es esta frases sino muchas más .
Las siglas que utiliza el personaje durante el libro no son conocidas por todo el mundo. Y a decir verdad nadie habla así. Tuve que buscar algunas en internet y ni siquiera salían resultados.
La trama me pareció muy buena pero quedan muchas cosas sueltas que me hubieran gustado saber cómo acaban:
Stenn, la relación entre Sarah y Emmett ( nunca se le pregunta a él lo que opina de la situación de celos),una explicación más completa por parte de Roy sobre lo que ocurrió su familia.
Página 9:
Los sonidos reverberan por el suelo, llegan a mis pies, suben por mis piernas y atraviesan mi columna.
Esta frase podría ser más corta, simplemente con escribir que recorrió su cuerpo. No sólo es esta frases sino muchas más .
Las siglas que utiliza el personaje durante el libro no son conocidas por todo el mundo. Y a decir verdad nadie habla así. Tuve que buscar algunas en internet y ni siquiera salían resultados.
La trama me pareció muy buena pero quedan muchas cosas sueltas que me hubieran gustado saber cómo acaban:
Stenn, la relación entre Sarah y Emmett ( nunca se le pregunta a él lo que opina de la situación de celos),una explicación más completa por parte de Roy sobre lo que ocurrió su familia.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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