Einsteinowie z Vista Point

by Ben Guterson, Pétur Antonsson (Illustrator), Magdalena Witkowska (Translator)

Kiedy młodsza siostra Zacka ginie w tragicznym wypadku, jego rodzina przeprowadza się do małego miasteczka, aby spróbować poradzić sobie z bólem. Jedenastoletni Zack obwinia się o śmierć siostry i stara się znaleźć pocieszenie w nowym miejscu. A malownicze Vista Point wydaje się do tego idealne. Chłopca szczególnie interesuje tajemnicza kamienna wieża, a kiedy w jej wnętrzu odkrywa medalion z zagadkową inskrypcją, postanawia rozwikłać sekret tego miejsca. Z pomocą przychodzi mu mieszkająca w okolicy Ann. Dziewczynka jest przewodnikiem Zacka po jaskiniach, skrytych w lesie chatach. I choć Zack odnajduje radość w spotkaniach z Ann, jej zachowanie wydaje się chłopcu dziwne. Kiedy nagle okazuje się, że nie wszyscy w Vista Point cieszą się z obecności nowych mieszkańców, a niektórzy wręcz chcą się ich pozbyć, sytuacja Einsteinów bardzo się komplikuje.

Czy Zackowi uda się w pełni zaufać Ann, znaleźć porozumienie z rodzeństwem i rodzicami, pogodzić się ze stratą i przeżyć uzdrawiającą przygodę?

Autor z wyjątkową delikatnością przedstawia bohaterów, ich odmienne sposoby radzenia sobie z bólem i przeżywania przez nich czasu żałoby, i – co najważniejsze – zostawia czytelnika z przesłaniem, że bliskość, miłość i wsparcie, których doświadczamy w rodzinie, są w życiu najcenniejsze.

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Fiction, Fantasy, Childrens, Young Adult, Family

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 12, 2022

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Middle Grade with some Magical Realism. This book took me a little bit to be pulled into the story. I love this story so much once I was pulled into it. There was so much going on in this book, but I think it was done so well. I also love the messages in this book. The characters were so great, and I really got to get to know all the characters. This was a very fun read with a little mystery and magical realism tossed into. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Christy Ottaviano Books) or author (Ben Guterson) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

[Gedankenlabor · Rating 5 out of 5]

>>Ich weiß mehr, als ich in Worten ausdrücken kann, und das Wenige, was ich ausdrücken kann, hätte ich nicht ausdrücken können, wenn ich nicht mehr wissen würde.<<
"Die Einsteins und der geheimnisvolle Turm" von Ben Guterson war für mich ein sehr berührendes Buch... Ben Guterson erzählt hier eine sehr ruhige, mitunter auch traurige Geschichte der Familie Einstein, die nach einem tragischen Schicksalsschlag in ein Anwesen in ein abgelegenes Örtchen zieht. Dort fangen sie neu an, schmieden neue Pläne und entdecken mitunter magisches...
Rund um den Turm, der sich in der nähe des Anwesens der Einsteins befindet ranken sich so einige Geschichten, mitunter auch ein Rätsel, das die Familie lösen möchte.
Im Vordergrund der Geschichte steht hier der junge Zack, der nochmal ganz besondere Pfade einschlägt aus denen sich eine ganz besondere Entwicklung der Geschichte entwickelt, die erst einmal sehr unvorhergesehen, für mich zum Ende dann aber doch vorhersehbar war.
Das tat für mich der Geschichte im gesamten aber keinen Abbruch und machte es noch mal ein bisschen berührender.

Letztlich spielen hier Familie, Freundschaft, der hauch von Magie, aber eben auch die Trauer und der Trauerprozess eine große Rolle.
Für meinen Geschmack hat Ben Guterson gerade diese Trauer sehr sensibel mit eingebaut und in form der Familie Einstein und Ann's Geschichte aufgearbeitet.
Fazit: Wer die leisen Erzähltöne mag und sich mit den Themen Trauer, Familie & Freundschaft beschäftigen möchte, dem kann ich das Buch sehr ans Herz legen! 💖

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I think it took me a little bit to really get into it, but once I did, I was so curious to see what would happen next. I think it's a pretty powerful story about dealing with grief, and I really appreciated how the author handled the material. Even though this is a middle grade book, I really feel like it could be read and liked by people of all ages. I also really appreciated how strong the familial bonds were in this novel. While this story mainly revolved around Zack, we also get to see the love and support that the whole family has for him and each other, and it was really heartwarming to see this so strongly shown in a novel. I definitely recommend this book!

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a touching story of loss, grief, and the love of family from the author of the Winterhouse series. I thought Guterson did a great job of addressing a tough topic in a middle grade format. You could see the trauma Zack had after watching his sister die and how the family was struggling to move forward afterward, while also incorporating a fun mystery and some magic in the forest. I found this easy to listen to and flew through in one sitting.

The Einstein family are sweet, with each sibling having their own quirks and skills and an immense amount of love for one another. Even though Zack was the main character, I felt like we got to know the other kids fairly well and enjoyed seeing them explore together. I also thought the friendship between Zack and Ann was adorable and their resolution made me smile.

This was a good story and I'm happy to see more from Guterson!

[merle · Rating 5 out of 5]

»Sorge stets dafür, dass das Gute überdauert.« 💫

Wundervolle Geschichte, Charaktere (die 7 Einsteins) und Atmosphäre 🫂💫 sowie ein spannendes Rätsel und großartige Illustrationen! 🌲✨

Außerdem gab es ein kleines Easter Egg 🐣 zur Winterhaus Trilogie!! <3

[Lucie Coppin · Rating 3 out of 5]

On suit l’histoire de Zack (qui a perdu sa sœur de 9 ans) et de sa famille qui a déménagé dans un manoir, bordé d’une tour intrigante. Il rencontre une fille de 2 ans sa cadette, qui ressemble beaucoup à sa sœur, et ils se donnent rendez-vous dans la forêt pour y découvrir les endroits les plus merveilleux.
Les protagonistes sont donc des enfants mais cela ne rend pas l’histoire complètement enfantine pour autant. Ils explorent les alentours et découvrent une énigme sur un médaillon, un message en morse un samedi soir…
L’histoire traîne un peu au milieu, mais le mystère devient ensuite de plus en plus intense pour aboutir sur une fin plutôt émouvante.
J’en attendais peut-être un peu plus de ce roman, mais il était très relaxant à lire.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

~new genre by a familiar author~

Brief synopsis: The Einstein siblings move to the rural locale of Vista Point with their parents who want to start over after a tragic accident changed their family forever...but who (and what) they find there might do more healing than the move itself ;)

I started it as an audiobook (the narration was wonderful!) but I decided to read the rest of it in print, mostly because I didn't want to miss out on the illustrations.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, and it kept me interested the whole time to know how the mystery was going to play out. I think my favorite part was the Einstein siblings themselves - they seemed really fun to be around and I loved their personalities (especially Ruth!). I also think the commentary on grief and grieving is very necessary for a middle grade audience.

One comment I would make is that I feel like there was a lot of room to explore other cultures in this story that didn't fully seem to be capitalized upon. I personally think that would have enriched this book, especially for a middle grade reader who might not yet have had exposure to any of these cultures yet in their reading or in their lived experiences.

An enjoyable weekend read!
⭐ ⭐ ⭐.5

[Jovi Ene · Rating 3 out of 5]

După ce familia Einstein se mută la marginea orășelului Vista Point, cei patru copii încep să cerceteze împrejurările, să caute locurile ascunse, să își imagineze viitorul în acest loc aflat în mijlocul pădurii, aproape de un turn dărăpănat, care le suscită imaginația. Zack, în vârstă de 11 ani, este cel care poartă pe umeri o vinovăție pe care nu și-o poate scoate din minte: a fost de față la moartea surorii sale, Susan, așa că este mereu distant, tăcut, taciturn, până când întâlnește o fată misterioasă în pădure, în apropierea turnului.
Deși nu oferă prea multe momente spectaculoase, Misterul turnului din Vista Point este, în mod sigur, o carte care va plăcea copiilor, având personaje pe placul și de vârsta acestora, dar și ceva aventuri și mister. Pentru mine, a avut și ceva rezonanțe din Cireșarii, așa cum pentru cei tineri poate avea ceva urme din mult-iubitul serial Strangers Things. De căutat la Bookfest!

[Marijt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mijn verwachtingen waren iets te hoog gespannen na het lezen - alweer een paar jaar geleden - van het eerste Winterhuis-deel van dezelfde schrijver. Daar werd ik helemaal meegezogen in het verhaal. Nu had ik dat totaal niet. Ik miste ‘het gegrepen worden in het verhaal’ en heb dan ook een onbevredigend gevoel nu ik het boek uit heb. Heb steeds ook de hoop gehouden dat het nog zou komen of anders een spetterend einde, maar helaas.

Mooi vind ik het voelbare gemis van het zusje van hoofdpersoon Zack en de bijbehorende schuldgevoelens van het zichzelf verantwoordelijk houden van haar dood. Maar daarnaast vind ik het verhaal slapjes. Ik begrijp dat de bieb ervoor gekozen heeft om het genre-etiket ‘ detective’ hierop te plakken, want om er nu een sprookjeshoed op te plakken is ook zo overdreven.

Jammer, maar helaas. Maar er zal vast een lezer in groep 5,6,7 dit aandurven om dit explorerende boek (ingewikkeld is het niet) te lezen.

[Karen Parisot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its been almost a year since the Einstein family lost one of its members. Meanwhile, the family has moved to Vista Point and are busy renovating a large fixer upper for themselves and the bed and breakfast they are planning to open on the ground floor. Of the four siblings, Zack is having the hardest time. He just can’t seem to shake the grief he’s feeling after the loss of their youngest sister. He’s been holing himself up in his room, losing himself in his favorite books.
The Einstein siblings have each others backs. They’re all trying to pull Zack out of his funk each in their own way. They’re a great bunch of kids, pitching in and helping on the house, exploring together and trying to solve a couple of mysteries. I really liked this middle grade book about a family dealing with grief. It’s a heartwarming story, very well done.

[K Wilmot · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a fast read! It was still an amazing book with really good plot twist and an unexpected ending.
But it’s not a book you would want to read over and over again.


I would recommend it if you want a quick and random book!

[Inge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Niet helemaal wat ik er van hoopte. Ook al is het een redelijk hartverwarmend verhaal, één en ander ligt er veel te dik bovenop.

[Sydney Smile · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the 3rd time I've read this. it will get a 5 star every time. EVERY. TIME. It's sosososo good!

edit: Goodreads what did you do with my old review???

[Silke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Guterson schafft Atmosphäre! Eine Geschichte über Trauer und Zusammenhalt so spannend erzählt, dass ich das Buch am Stück gelesen habe.
So ein guter Geschichtenerzähler!

[Andrew Eder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. It was fine. Kind of a let down since B&N marketed it as a tear jerker but whatever.

The story was fine. Plot was fine. The main character was great and strong and I really liked him. The side characters / his siblings were so boring and the attempt to make them different was so obnoxiously bad. They didn’t really have anything to contribute other than random one liners that aligned with their boring personality traits. So that was annoying.

It was also insanely predictable. Like I know it’s a middle grade book and all, but I wouldn’t consider myself to be very smart when it comes to mysteries but literately as soon as it started I knew exactly what was happening and what the mystery was. Seems like lazy writing or just a painfully simple storyline.

At the very least, it kept me engaged and interested for most of the book. It was a very slow start but after about 50-100 pages I read the second part in one sitting. There was plenty of dialogue to keep the story moving and a lot of internal thought that explained the main characters feelings. It’s a very easy read.

I would recommend this to kids who like books that try to make you sad and mysteries, but only to a kid who needs a very simple storyline that doesn’t really deviate from the narrow plot line. This is not for your gifted readers.

[Daniele Kasper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heart-wrenching and equally heartwarming, Einsteins is a tale of love, loss, and life itself. A middle grade tale, it tackles deep topics like the death of a sibling and the process of grieving all while masking the worst of the pain with a mystery the main character is trying to solve.

Zack’s sister dies after being hit by a car so his family moves in an effort to move forward and heal. Zack blames himself for his sister’s death because he was watching her when she was killed, which is a heart breaking aspect of the book. The guilt he feels must weigh on him and many children often feel guilt over events they had no control over.

As an adult reading this, some of the twists and turns were more obvious to me sooner, but to a younger reader they will enjoy the subtle mystery and reveals. It wasn't a Nancy Drew sleuth style mystery, but more a story of uncovering secrets and discovery. Think closer to Boxcar Children.

The way Guterson writes about emotions is masterful, along with how he handles the family dynamic and the differences in every individual member's reactions.

Definitely one that should be read, especially by young people who may be on their own journey healing after the loss of any loved one.

[Stephanie ((Strazzybooks)) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely middle-grade novel with themes of grief, family, moving, forgiveness, and more. I enjoy Guterson's writing (read his Winterhouse series!) and his atmospheric descriptions once again shine - I want to visit Vista Point. The story did take some time to pick up (it gives classic vibes, in the vein of Boxcar Children), but it finished strong.

Recommended for middle-grade readers (of any age!) and classrooms.

[Elena Druță · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ben Guterson creează personaje pe care vrei să le înțelegi și să le ajuți, e imposibil să nu te atașezi de Zack sau de frații lui, de familia Einstein în întregime, sau chiar de bătrânul morocănos din oraș. Fiecare dintre personaje are câte o suferință, uneori comună, și autorul construiește personajele în așa fel, încât vezi diferite perspective și moduri de a trece peste o traumă.
Recenzia, aici.

[Hanneke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Innemend verhaal, maar erg kort. Over een vreemde toren met een legende eneen mysterieus meisje. Kan niet tippen aan de serie Winterhuis hotel. Ben Guterson schrijft originele verhalen voor kinderen vanaf 9 jaar.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving middle grade story about the loss of a family member. I really liked the sibling relationships and the walks through the woods together. Things were wrapped up nicely in the end. A 3.5 to a 4 star for me.
I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Provided by Young Adult Books Central

Zack's family is reeling from the death of his younger sister, Susan, in an unexpected car crash at the fair. His parents decide to move the family from the city to the small town of Vista Point, where they have decided to run a bed and breakfast after the father quits his job as an architect and the mother drops out of teacher training at college. Their new home is out in the country, and Zack and his older sisters Ruth (13) and Miriam (15), as well as older brother Ethan, enjoy exploring. One thing they find is a building they call the Tower, an ornate and mysterious place that has been abandoned for years. While there, Zack meets Ann, who says she lives with her mother, a waitress. Ann is nine, the same age as Susan, and even looks a bit like Zack's sister. The parents are deep in renovations on the house, so the children are able to spend time at a swimming hole, explore abandoned cabins, and tromp through the woods. At one point, someone named Horatio Curvallo shows up in a frenzied state, and tells the family that there are zoning regulations that prohibit businesses on the property, which he claims was stolen from him years previously. The Bigelows, who have been in the area over forty years, are able to shed some light on the man's plight, but assue the family it isn't a problem. The children do research into the area, and find that the Tower was a "comfort station", built in 1895 by Orlando Wetherill. It needs a "charm" to be said to avert bad things in the area, and the children try to crack the code, which is rather cryptically laid out in the building. They make some progress, but Zack has an even bigger mystery when parts of Ann's story don't make sense. Will the family be able to heal from their recent bereavement and construct a new life for themselves?

Vista Point is an intriguing setting, and I loved how the Bigelows and other long time residents were brought into the story to provide the intriguing background information about the house and Tower. There is a fair amount of interesting code and clues that the have to process in order to be able to make the "charm" work. Curvallo's background has a bit of history to it, with the Vietnam war, and his loss echoes the Einstein's. It has a rather surprising resolution that I don't want to spoil.

The family dynamics are very interesting. The family is close knit, and the parents, despite being busy with the bed and breakfast plans, are involved in the children's lives. They celebrate their Jewish culture every day rituals. They are all dealing with their grief in different ways, but don't talk very much about Susan. Zack, being closest in age, misses her the most, and struggles to get the help he needs in processing his loss. This is a realistic depiction of grief, and it's good to see that his needs are eventually addressed. At one point, he asks to go back to the fair where Susan was killed. Everyone else is appalled, but it makes sense to him to visit the last place he has memories of his sister.

The clues and mystery makes this a great choice for readers who liked Beil's 2022 The Wreck at Ada's Reef, and the scene at the pond made me think of Enright's The Four-Story Mistake (1942) so strongly that I half expected Cuffy to have lunch waiting when the children returned home! Readers who love summer stories rich with family details, like Glaser's The Vanderbeekers series or Birdsall's The Penderwicks will be glad to make the acquaintance of the Einsteins.

I had some trouble believing that running a B&B would provide enough income for a large family with several children approaching college age. It also was odd that the family would give up their entire life because one child died. That doesn't seem like something many people would do. I have opinions on the treatment of grief in middle grade literature, though, especially when it concerns grieving parents.

[Sammie · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can read my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, here.

Many thanks to Christy Ottaviano Books and TBR and Beyond Tours for an eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Overall

The Winterhouse series is a hugely popular series at my library. Kids can’t seem to get enough of it, and our copy goes out regularly. While I’ve never read it myself, when I saw that the author had a new book coming out, I figured that I should definitely check it out! So here we are.

The Einsteins of Vista Point is a heartwarming story about a family working together to heal after the loss of a sibling, mixed with touching sibling bonds and a small mystery.

I didn’t love this book as much as I thought I would, mostly because I had expected a mystery and this really felt more like a general fiction contemporary book. The mystery was so painfully obvious that I guessed it almost immediately and was kind of bummed to find that I had called everything right away. I think readers who go in expecting more contemporary and less mystery will really enjoy this book, though. The setting is fantastic, the characters are great, and the interactions between family members are funny and uplifting!

My Thoughts

- The Einsteins of Vista Point is set in a picturesque small town setting that will feel immediately familiar to rural readers. Vista Point has a history. Not always a pleasant one, either. The town has its secrets, which the Einsteins are slowly learning about as the past comes back to haunt them. But then again, what small town would be complete without its history and secrets?

I really liked the descriptions of Vista Point. It seems like such a quiet, idyllic place to live! I definitely felt flashbacks to my own childhood as the Einsteins explored the woods and went swimming in a random pond they found. For urban readers, this book may be a bit eye-opening as to what life is like in small towns, but as a small town native, born and raised, I thought Guterson hit the nail on the head with this setting! Plus, the descriptions just make you feel like you’re there.

Also, the Tower sounds absolutely amazing and I’m jealous that we don’t have one. Don’t know what the Tower is? Guess you’ll just have to read it to find out. 😉

- What this book does really well is weave a solid story of a family healing from grief and loss. As I’ve said, the mystery was pretty obvious. What I loved most about this book, though, is this family! The Einsteins lost their youngest member, who was hit by a car just under a year before this book starts. The family is still reeling from this loss. In fact, it’s the reason they’ve moved to Vista Point to begin with (which I didn’t fully understand the reasoning here, but I doubt middle grade readers will care).

The family members each experience grief in a different way, which makes sense. For Zack, his grief comes with a healthy layer of guilt, because he was supposed to be watching his sister when she ran after a kitten into the road. So he finds it harder to move on. His siblings are there for him, though. I loved how much the family supports each other as they’re working through their grief together.

- Readers will likely fall in love with the Einsteins. Not only is there a lot of them, each with their own unique personality, but they’re also very loving and supportive of each other. Considering how many middle grade books have a tendency of simply killing off parents or making them conveniently absent, it’s always nice to read a book where the parents are not only present and active in their children’s lives but also extremely supportive! Not only are they present, but Zack’s parents are adorable and share inside jokes with their kids.

There were some moments where I was kind of confused, where Zack said something and nobody in his family believed him or thought he was lying, even though there was no indication that he had a history of lying or stretching the truth. There were times when I was a bit confused about the interactions simply because the siblings would occasionally lash out at weird moments that didn’t make sense to me (although, I guess that fits with dealing with grief).

Still, despite that, I mostly enjoyed the sibling interactions. They joke between themselves and occasionally drive each other crazy (as siblings are wont to do), but at the end of the day, they’ve got each others’ backs. I was just absolutely in love with how close-knit the Einsteins are!

Sticking Points

- If readers go in expecting a mystery book, they’re likely to be disappointed. The mystery feels like a minor part of this story, and the resolution is obvious and easy to guess from the beginning of the book. This isn’t really anything wrong with the book, per se. It’s more about managing expectations. I went in expecting the mystery to dominate the book, had been excited for that, and it simply wasn’t the case. The majority of this book read more like contemporary general fiction, which is perfectly fine . . . if you’re into that genre. I’m really not. Which meant there were large portions of the book that felt like they were slow or dragging, because I tend to be less interested in contemporary fiction.

As for the mystery itself, I guessed it almost immediately. I thought that surely that couldn’t be the resolution, because it was so obvious, but it was. I will say that I think kids may not be able to guess it quite as easily, unless they maybe read a ton of mystery and are used to the tropes and good at solving things.

[Buchdoktor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Die Eltern des elfjährigen Zack Einstein haben ihr altes Leben mit einem Schnitt beendet und wollen in idyllischer Lage ein Bed&Breakfast in einer viktorianischen Villa eröffnen. Vor einem Jahr ist Zacks jüngste Schwester Susan tödlich verunglückt; der Neuanfang könnte auch als Trauerbewältigung geplant sein. Da noch Ferien sind, helfen die vier Kinder bei der Renovierung und erkunden die bewaldete Gegend, in der sie sich wie in einem Campingurlaub fühlen. Spätestens mit Schulbeginn wird ihnen bewusst werden, dass sie ihre vertraute Umgebung und ihre Freunde zurückgelassen haben. Jungen können sich im nahen Thornton Falls den Pfadfindern anschließen oder Basketball spielen, Mädchen bleibt vermutlich nur Basketball. Die geheimnisvolle Geschichte folgt Zack bei seiner Entdeckung eines verglasten Gebäudes, dessen Eingang unverschlossen ist. Die Bezeichnung Turm beleidigt den neunseitigen Pavillon von 1885 mit farbig verglasten Bogenfenstern, in dem Statuen historischer Figuren aufgestellt sind. Gewächshaus, Museum oder Café – Zack wundert sich, dass das kleine Schmuckstück nicht genutzt wird.

Die Einsteins werden schon bald mit einem grantigen alten Nachbarn konfrontiert, dem ihr Haus vor zahlreichen anderen Besitzern gehört haben soll und der die kommerzielle Nutzung als Pension verhindern will. Solange das B&B-Projekt nicht gesichert ist, kann erst einmal keine Rede davon sein, den „Turm“ als Sehenswürdigkeit zu vermarkten und damit das Überleben des B&B zu sichern. Während die Eltern mit dem finanziellen Überleben befasst sind, trifft Zack ein geheimnisvolles Mädchen, das Susan Einstein verblüffend ähnelt, und er entdeckt unter der Decke des Pavillons eine Plakette mit einem codierten Text und dem Hinweis auf die Zahl neun. „Einer von neun“, ein neunseitiges Gebäude – Zack ist vollauf mit Dekodierung mehrerer Rätsel beschäftigt. Dabei muss er möglichst unter dem Radar elterlicher Kontrolle entlang schlüpfen – die Eltern Morton und Deborah sind zwar um ihre Kinder besorgt, aber zum Glück zu beschäftigt, um die vier Kinder zu kontrollieren. Schließlich laufen die Enträtselung der Botschaft, der Umgang der Einsteins mit der Trauer um Susan und die Klärung ihrer wirtschaftlichen Zukunft auf ein verblüffendes Ende zu.

Dan Gutersons abenteuerliche Feriengeschichte spielt zur Jahrtausendwende, die Erlebnisse der Kinder sind bis auf eine kleine Online-Recherche in der Gemeindebücherei jedoch absolut zeitlos. Die Vielzahl der Themen wirkt für ein Jugendbuch ab 12 Jahre ambitioniert: Zacks Schuldgefühl, Susans Tod nicht verhindert zu haben, seine Beziehung zur geheimnisvollen Ann, Zusammenhalt der Geschwister, das wirtschaftliche Überleben der Familie und nicht zuletzt die Aufnahme der neu Zugezogenen in eine kleine, eingeschworene Gemeinde. Faszinierend fand ich auch das „Buch im Buch“, eine Abenteuerserie, die von mehreren Kindern gelesen wird und sie verbindet. Ein im positiven Sinn wertkonservatives Buch, allen empfohlen, die sich von Geheimbotschaften fesseln lassen.

[Flavia Maltritz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darum geht’s:
Nach einem schweren Schicksalsschlag zieht Zack mit seiner Familie nach Vista Point. Seine Eltern möchten in der abgelegenen Kleinstadt einen Neuanfang wagen, in dem sie eine Pension eröffnen. Während sie das alte Haus renovieren, erkunden Zack und seine Geschwister die Umgebung. Dabei entdecken sie in unmittelbarer Nähe zu ihrem neuen Zuhause einen geheimnisvollen Turm, der die ganze Familie magisch anzuziehen scheint. Als Zack während einem seiner Streifzüge auf das Mädchen Ann trifft, wird die ganze Situation immer mysteriöser. Er glaubt, dass Ann ein Geheimnis umgibt, das möglicherweise sogar etwas mit dem Turm zu tun hat. Zack und seine Geschwister stoßen auf immer mehr Rätsel und sie setzen alles daran, diese zu lösen.

So fand ich’s:
Eine Beschreibung für ein Buch, die mir besonders gut gefällt ist „Ein Buch wie eine warme Decke“. Und meiner Meinung nach, gehört diese gemütvolle, aber auch spannende Geschichte auf jeden Fall in diese Kategorie.

Zack und seine Familie haben sich ganz schnell in mein Herz geschlichen. Ihr Schicksal ging mir sehr nahe. Aber ihr gemeinsamer Umgang mit Verlust und Trauer haben mich tief berührt. Es stecken so viel Trost und Hoffnung in dieser Geschichte, so dass ich beim Lesen ab und an einen Kloß im Hals verspürte, gleichzeitig wurde mir aber auch immer wieder warm ums Herz.

Auch wenn das jetzt nach einem sehr rührseligen Buch klingt, kann ich nicht anders, als es so zu beschreiben. Und es klingt ja nur so – denn schnulzig ist die Geschichte der Familie Einstein keineswegs. Im Gegenteil: In erster Linie ist es ein fesselndes Abenteuer, dass auch die Leser zum miträtseln einlädt. Es hat mich dann auch überhaupt nicht gestört, dass ich Anns Geheimnis ein wenig schneller erraten hatte als Zack und seine Geschwister.

Der Erzählstil ist flüssig und dem Alter der Zielgruppe absolut angemessen. Man fühlt sich als Leser den Figuren sehr nahe und kann sich alles bildlich vorstellen.

Ben Guterson hat hier wichtige und gefühlvolle Botschaften in eine aufregende Geschichte verpackt. Dieses Buch, das man auch sehr gut als Eltern zusammen mit seinem Kind lesen kann, da es auch viel um das Familienleben geht, aber auch um das Miteinander nach einem schweren Schicksalsschlag, hat meiner Meinung nach ganz viele Leser verdient.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eleven-year-old Zack Einstein and his family have moved to Vista Point so his parents can open a bed-and-breakfast in an old house. They want a fresh start in a new place because a few months before, the youngest Einstein was killed in an accident. Zack blames himself. If only he had stopped his little sister Susan from chasing after the kitten, she wouldn’t have been hit by a car.
Zack can’t forget that fateful day and his role in it. Instead of helping with the house renovations like the others, Zack prefers to spend time alone in his room rereading his favorite books.
One day, while looking out of his window, Zack sees a girl walking around the Tower. Built over one hundred years before, the neglected, nine-sided building used to be a comfort station for travelers, but has been boarded up for years. It sits on adjacent property and has a magnificent view of the river valley.

When Zack goes to investigate, he meets Ann, a friendly nine-year-old who is a bit vague about where she lives. They go inside the Tower and see a large medallion on the ceiling covered with a spiral of nonsense words. Zack wonders what they might mean. He also wonders when he’ll see Ann again.

One night, Zack and his brother Ethan, and two sisters Miriam and Ruth are sitting on the steps of the Tower to look at the stars when they see flashes of light coming from the woods on the other side of the river. Ethan thinks it’s a signal in Morse Code.
Between the strange words on the medallion, the suspicious flashing lights, and Ann’s unpredictable appearances and disappearances, Zack and his siblings resolve to solve the mysteries at the Tower.

Not only did the codes, ciphers, and the enigmatic Ann kept me intrigued, but I was also drawn to Zack’s experience of grief. Guterson deftly and gently demonstrates that people grieve in different ways and at different times. I especially appreciated how loving and caring the Einsteins were to each other as they start a new life in a new place without their beloved Susan.

This mystery with a touch of mystical kept me reading past my bedtime and caused my eyes to water more than once. I highly recommend it to readers ten and up.

[OpenedBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

To lose someone that you hold very dear is something that changes you forever. It brings on a sadness that can be all-consuming. It is almost impossible to pull yourself out of that state by yourself. Luckily, Zach has a big family to assist him in the way he needs it. But that does not mean that it is easier it just takes the 'im' out of 'impossible'.

The story starts with Zach being stuck in his grief. For him, life stopped when Susan died; everything went black, and all that was left was guilt and sadness. Zach is punishing himself by not being part of his family: he disintegrated himself from life. But throughout the adventures with Ann, the Tower and his siblings, he finds his way back.

Zach is such a lovely boy: compassionate, empathetic, and smart. You can feel his pain and want him to be happy again. His family is truly amazing: they are all so different, yet they just work together and have a true bonding. The story made my heart swell and see that life is worth living.

I had a hard time reading the first chapters of this book because of the length of the sentences. They seemed never-ending, and sometimes confusing, but once emerged in the happenings, I did not notice the length anymore. Either because the author found his flow with the story or I did. Regardless, I enjoyed the journey the Einsteins made starting a new life without forgetting about the past. The mystery around Ann and the Tower kept me thrilled till the end, and the family dynamics made me feel good about people. With everything happening in the real world, I sometimes forget that there a more good people than bad. And I am sure that, to some degree, there is a family out there that is just like the Einsteins – this gives me hope.

I recommend this book to any middle grader who enjoys a mystery with a hint of magic and needs to be reminded that siblings and family – even if sometimes annoying – are always there for you and are going to be a part of you even after death.

PS.: Me, Reader – How to feel connected to the characters and regain hope.

[book_matula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jak radzisz sobie z bólem, zarówno fizycznym, jak i tym emocjonalnym po stracie bliskiej osoby? Nikt nie powinien nam mówić, jak mamy sobie radzić, ponieważ każdy doświadcza bólu na swój sposób! Strata kogoś z rodziny jest nieopisana i trudna do zaakceptowania. Dajmy sobie czas, aby uporządkować nasze myśli i uczucia. Wiedziałam, o czym jest książka, ale to, co znalazłam w środku, było piękne. Autor w fantastyczny sposób przedstawia, jak bohaterowie radzą sobie z żałobą po stracie siostry, córki. Każdy ma inny sposób radzenia sobie z żałobą, ale to nie oznacza, że ból jest większy lub mniejszy. Nie martwcie się, to nie spoiler, ponieważ dowiadujemy się o tym od samego początku. Książka przekazuje pewne przesłanie, do którego można wracać wielokrotnie.

Rodzina Einsteinów to rodzina, która odbudowuje swoje życie w nowym miejscu, co za tym idzie? Tego dowiecie się już sami czytając tę książkę. Cała historia jest dla mnie magiczna i dowodzi, że w rodzinie jest wielka siła. Bez względu na to, jak długo minie od przeczytania, znajdziemy w niej zrozumienie i pomoc w radzeniu sobie z naszymi własnymi bólami i zmartwieniami. Dodajmy do tego tajemniczą kamienną wieżę, w której skrywa się pewna tajemnica, oraz ten medalion z inskrypcją?! Może to wydawać się niespójne, ale zakończenie książki przynosi ulgę nie tylko członkom rodziny, ale także czytelnikowi. Muszę przyznać, że na początku irytowała mnie bohaterka, Ann, dziewczynka mieszkająca w okolicy. Z każdym rozdziałem chciałam dowiedzieć się, kim jest i co się z nią dzieje? Koniec końców historia warta była każdej zarwanej nocy.

Polecam zapoznać się z opisem książki, bo może to do was powinna trafić ta fantastyczna historia rodziny Einsteinów z Vista Point. Trzymam kciuki, żeby powstał audiobook, ponieważ wiem, że wiele osób, zwłaszcza młodsze pokolenie, mogłoby go słuchać w podróży, przed snem lub w trudnych momentach, aby lepiej zrozumieć okres żałoby i inne trudności.

[Katarzyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dziś chciałbym podzielić się z Wami moimi przemyśleniami na temat książki "Einsteinowie z Vista Point" Bena Gutersona. 📚 Choć na pierwszy rzut oka może się ona wydawać kolejną młodzieżówką traktującą o przygodach nastolatków i ich dorastaniu, to uwierzcie, że jest czymś o wiele głębszym. 😍 Zapraszam na recenzję❗️☺️

Po tragicznej śmierci swojej córki 😟 państwo Einsteinowie podejmują decyzję o przeprowadzce do małego, malowniczego miasteczka Vista Point. 🏘 Liczą na to, że tam cała ich rodzina łatwiej upora się z bólem i znajdzie nowy sposób na życie. Utratę Susan szczególnie mocno przeżywa jej brat Zack, który obwinia się za jej śmierć. 😖 Pewnego rodzaju odskocznię od dręczących go wyrzutów sumienia stanowi nowo poznana dziewczynka o imieniu Ann oraz ich wspólne rozwiązywanie sekretu kamiennej wieży i znalezionego w niej tajemniczego medalionu. 😯 Czy ta przygoda wystarczy, aby Zack pogodził się ze stratą siostry❓️

W swojej książce Guterson skupia się na relacjach i uczuciach, zabierając nas w emocjonalną podróż przepełnioną smutkiem, 😞 ale też dającą nadzieję. 😊 Autor porusza tutaj bardzo trudny temat, jakim jest śmierć dziecka. Sposób, w jaki przedstawia proces żałoby i odbudowę życia jest wyjątkowo urzekający. 😍 Przeprowadzka Einsteinów do nowego, fascynującego miejsca otwiera przed nimi wiele możliwości. Nowa przyjaźń Zacka, tajemnica opuszczonego budynku, stawianie czoła przeciwnościom losu - wszystko to tworzy barwną mozaikę wydarzeń. 🤩

"Einsteinowie z Vista Point" to piękna historia o sile przyjaźni i miłości, ❤️ o wsparciu, jakie daje rodzina, o nadziei oraz o sposobach radzenia sobie z żałobą po stracie bliskiej osoby. To książka pokazująca, że każdy koniec jest też początkiem czegoś nowego. 👍 Może nie wciągnie Was od pierwszej strony wartką akcją, ale na pewno pozostanie z Wami na dłużej dzięki głębokim emocjom, autentyczności i pięknemu przesłaniu. Gorąco polecam❗️☺️

[Robert Lurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Guterson's "Winterhouse" trilogy brought a lot of delight to my household and contributed to my daughter's ongoing love of reading. As good as those books were, though, they did not prepare me for "The Einsteins of Vista Point," a quieter, deeper, and altogether more powerful novel. It is quite possibly Ben's best book (with the caveat that I have not yet read his latest, "The World Famous Nine").

It is also his most underrated book, perhaps because there is no obvious villain and no dramatic clash of good vs. evil. The tone is meditative rather than whimsical, as young Zack Einstein and his family grapple with an incomprehensible loss. As with the "Winterhouse" books, there are magical elements in play, but here they are muted. The world depicted is very much the world we live in, with familiar and sharply drawn characters--which lends plausibility to the fantastical elements when they do emerge.

At the heart of the book is a beguiling mystery. Almost a year after the accidental death of the youngest Einstein sibling, a girl very close to her age appears at the forested periphery of the family's new property, near a mysterious abandoned tower. She wanders in and out of frame, never staying long enough to be seen by anyone else but Zack. Who is she? This infinitely complex question powers the novel.

I don't know of another book quite like this. It is a meditation on loss and redemption gentle enough to be enjoyed by young readers, but profound enough to appeal to all ages. It proves the adage that "still waters run deep." Everyone should read it.

[Jaimie · Rating 2 out of 5]

***ARC provided by the publishers for review.
This was a pretty enjoyable (and easy) book to read, but I think the author was trying to do a bit too much for it to be properly successful. The story is ostensibly about the protagonist (eleven-year old Zack) learning to cope with his grief, but there are a few too many surrounding narratives to distract the reader. Zack and his family have recently moved to Vista Point for a fresh start, after his youngest sister died in a car accident, and are spending their summer fixing up an old mansion to establish a bed and breakfast to reinvigorate the rural neighourhood. The setting of the story is very intriguing, since we have a mysterious ancient-seeming rest stop, a forest for Zack and his sibling to explore, and lots of house renovations to complete before the summer ends, and the author does a decent job of building up the motley crew of Zack’s family into well-cast characters, but where things go a bit off the deep end is the introduction of a supernatural storyline. I’m usually all for stories that seamlessly blend fantasy elements into the real world, but I honestly think that the story would have been stronger if the secondary protagonist (Zack’s new friend Ann) didn’t turn out to be a ghost. I guess that was the whole point of the story, but it just didn’t quite work for me.