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The Secret Science of Magic
Sophia is smart, like genius-calculator-brain smart. But there are some things no amount of genius can prepare you for, and the messiness of real life is one of them. When everything she knows is falling apart, how can she crack the puzzle of what to do with her life?
Joshua spends his time honing magic tricks and planning how to win Sophia’s heart. But when your best trick is making schoolwork disappear, how do you possibly romance a genius?
In life and love, timing is everything.
Joshua spends his time honing magic tricks and planning how to win Sophia’s heart. But when your best trick is making schoolwork disappear, how do you possibly romance a genius?
In life and love, timing is everything.
317 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2017
30 people are currently reading
3700 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Keil
14 books409 followersMelissa Keil was born in Melbourne, Australia, and has been a giant book nerd for as long as she can remember. She studied Cinema and Anthropology at university, and then spent a few years dabbling in graduate study, including Professional Writing and Editing. In between she has been a high school teacher, Middle Eastern tour guide, waitress, community theatre dogsbody, and IT help desk person. Now, by day, she is a children’s book editor, and spends the rest of her time watching Star Wars content and wrangling a cheeky spoodle named Hugo. Her debut YA novel, Life in Outer Space, was the winner of the 2013 Ampersand Project and the 2014 Ena Noël award. Her subsequent YA novels, The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl and The Secret Science of Magic, are out now. She is also the author of the Barkly Mansion junior fiction series with illustrator Adele K Thomas. Her books have been shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year award, the Prime Minister’s Literary Award and the Gold Inky, and have been published around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
September 2, 2019
(2/9/2019 ETA: I saw Melissa Keil speaking at the Melbourne Writers Festival yesterday and she said that Sophia is Sri Lankan so she's definitely a diverse character and also that makes this Own Voices okay cool bye)
Oof. This was...yeah. I really REALLY wanted to love this book, because I adored The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl last year.
HOWEVER.
There was just something about this that didn't work for me.
The gist of the story is that Joshua has had a massive crush on Sophia since the start of year 7 but she doesn't even know he exists. Mostly because she's too busy being obsessed with maths and Doctor Who to notice. Also, she has extreme anxiety.
Which, great! Except that the entire book reads like she's actually on the autism spectrum. Like, REALLY on the autism spectrum. And yet not a single character ever mentions this as even remotely being a possibility???
Anyway. Maybe she's not supposed to read as autistic. It just bugged me that it seemed SO OBVIOUS and characters kept being all "Nah, just anxiety" about it. You know?? (There's no "just" about anxiety, I know this. There's also not really an easy way to describe it otherwise, so go with it?? Please and thank you?)
I also had mixed feelings about how...romantically pushy Joshua was at times? Like, he wasn't making Sophia do anything she didn't want to do. But there were aaaaaaall these grand sweeping displays of love, and she was all "Sorry, who the fuck is Joshua?" It was liiiittle awkward and cringe-worthy.
I think I liked every single supporting character more than I liked the protagonists, which is less than ideal.
I had a LOT of very angry thoughts about Melbourne Uni being repeatedly referred to as "MU", because WHO THE HELL DOES THAT LITERALLY NO ONE THAT'S WHO.
There are......no parents in this book? Like, they're mentioned repeatedly. But I don't think Joshua's parents, Sophia's parents, or Elsie's parents ever actually show up on the page. Which is kind of weird?
There are repeated mentions of both Sophia and her brother, Toby, having brown skin, but that's really as far as it goes? So, like, I don't know if they're meant to be diverse characters or they're just meant to be really tan white people???
So yeah. I was super excited about this one. But I just...didn't love it. Which makes me sad.
Oof. This was...yeah. I really REALLY wanted to love this book, because I adored The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl last year.
HOWEVER.
There was just something about this that didn't work for me.
The gist of the story is that Joshua has had a massive crush on Sophia since the start of year 7 but she doesn't even know he exists. Mostly because she's too busy being obsessed with maths and Doctor Who to notice. Also, she has extreme anxiety.
Which, great! Except that the entire book reads like she's actually on the autism spectrum. Like, REALLY on the autism spectrum. And yet not a single character ever mentions this as even remotely being a possibility???
Anyway. Maybe she's not supposed to read as autistic. It just bugged me that it seemed SO OBVIOUS and characters kept being all "Nah, just anxiety" about it. You know?? (There's no "just" about anxiety, I know this. There's also not really an easy way to describe it otherwise, so go with it?? Please and thank you?)
I also had mixed feelings about how...romantically pushy Joshua was at times? Like, he wasn't making Sophia do anything she didn't want to do. But there were aaaaaaall these grand sweeping displays of love, and she was all "Sorry, who the fuck is Joshua?" It was liiiittle awkward and cringe-worthy.
I think I liked every single supporting character more than I liked the protagonists, which is less than ideal.
I had a LOT of very angry thoughts about Melbourne Uni being repeatedly referred to as "MU", because WHO THE HELL DOES THAT LITERALLY NO ONE THAT'S WHO.
There are......no parents in this book? Like, they're mentioned repeatedly. But I don't think Joshua's parents, Sophia's parents, or Elsie's parents ever actually show up on the page. Which is kind of weird?
There are repeated mentions of both Sophia and her brother, Toby, having brown skin, but that's really as far as it goes? So, like, I don't know if they're meant to be diverse characters or they're just meant to be really tan white people???
So yeah. I was super excited about this one. But I just...didn't love it. Which makes me sad.
April 1, 2017
I featured this book in a discussion on my blog “On Rating Diverse Books Higher: The Secret Science of Magic by Melissa Keil” —> you can read it here
I was provided a ARC of this book by Hardie Grant Egmont in exchange for an honest review. However, this is no way affects my thoughts!
When I first picked up The Secret Science of Magic by Melissa Keil, it was because it had an interesting premise and a beautiful cover (no shame). But then I started reading and I was hit with the fact that Sophia, our main character, was of Sri Lankan descent. For the first time in almost 21 years, I was quite literally seeing myself in a book and it almost brought me to tears. It is so rare to see PoC characters in contemporary YA fiction - and close to impossible for them to be South Asian - so to say that I was shocked (and low key jumping with joy) is an understatement.
Despite the fact that Australia is actually a very multicultural country, it is never reflected as such in the media, in films or in books and I applaud Melissa Keil for deciding to portray a very realistic Melbourne in her writing. Not only were Sophia and her best friend, Elsie, South Asian but many of their classmates were from also from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, and I felt that it reflected a high school environment true to the one of my teenage years.
Saying this, The Secret Science of Magic was a great book in its own right. It had wonderful writing, witty dialogue and a unique plot to back it up. Joshua was a strong character to stand opposite Sophia and I particularly enjoyed that he wasn't typical in the "YA boyfriend" sense. He was true to himself, had the hugest crush on Sophia and was unapologetically obsessed with magic - he was basically just an adorable geek. The discussion of anxiety on Sophia's part was also handled really well and realistically and the romance between the two was really organic.
I was provided a ARC of this book by Hardie Grant Egmont in exchange for an honest review. However, this is no way affects my thoughts!
When I first picked up The Secret Science of Magic by Melissa Keil, it was because it had an interesting premise and a beautiful cover (no shame). But then I started reading and I was hit with the fact that Sophia, our main character, was of Sri Lankan descent. For the first time in almost 21 years, I was quite literally seeing myself in a book and it almost brought me to tears. It is so rare to see PoC characters in contemporary YA fiction - and close to impossible for them to be South Asian - so to say that I was shocked (and low key jumping with joy) is an understatement.
Despite the fact that Australia is actually a very multicultural country, it is never reflected as such in the media, in films or in books and I applaud Melissa Keil for deciding to portray a very realistic Melbourne in her writing. Not only were Sophia and her best friend, Elsie, South Asian but many of their classmates were from also from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, and I felt that it reflected a high school environment true to the one of my teenage years.
Saying this, The Secret Science of Magic was a great book in its own right. It had wonderful writing, witty dialogue and a unique plot to back it up. Joshua was a strong character to stand opposite Sophia and I particularly enjoyed that he wasn't typical in the "YA boyfriend" sense. He was true to himself, had the hugest crush on Sophia and was unapologetically obsessed with magic - he was basically just an adorable geek. The discussion of anxiety on Sophia's part was also handled really well and realistically and the romance between the two was really organic.
February 3, 2019
Told in alternating POVs between Sophia and Joshua, this is a story of two misfits who find each other in their last year of high school. Sound familiar? Sure, this story has been done before in many different ways and what makes this one slightly different is that Sophia is mega smart with no people skills and a long suffering best friend ; and Joshua is cool outside of school in his world of magic and other misfits, and doesn’t really care what people think.
I first read Keil a few years ago with Life in Outer Space and LOVED IT. This fell much flatter in my opinion. I found Sophia unrelatable and hard to like and Joshua almost stalkerish in his quest to get to know her. I will still seek out more of this author’s work, but this one wasn’t quite for me.
I first read Keil a few years ago with Life in Outer Space and LOVED IT. This fell much flatter in my opinion. I found Sophia unrelatable and hard to like and Joshua almost stalkerish in his quest to get to know her. I will still seek out more of this author’s work, but this one wasn’t quite for me.
March 28, 2017
Australian with Sri Lankan heritage, Sophia is an intelligent young woman, a prodigy mathematician enduring debilitating social anxiety and becoming increasingly infatuated with Grigori Perelman, a recluse Russian mathematician. Sophia is a wonderful character, ingenious and accomplished which often leads to a lack of perception. Unlike Elsie who is leaving for the United States, Sophia isn't optimistic about university and consistently devalues her own intuition. The depiction of Sophia's social anxiety was wonderfully portrayed. As her narrative progressed, she begun to recognise how her anxiety manifested but also sought professional guidance. The tension between Sophia and her brother Toby furthered Sophia's anxiety, especially spending time with Elise and the effortless relationship with her siblings.
Joshua is enchanting. As an illusionist he believes in the impossible. Joshua doesn't place importance on his education and is ostracised by his peers. He's a modest young man who has been captivated by Sophia since the tender age of thirteen but as an introvert, feels intimidated by Sophia's presence. I loved the relationship Joshua shared with thirteen year old sibling Gillian, who has perfected teenage angst. Often a formidable presence, Joshua continues to persist to rebuild his relationship with Gillian despite her defiance.
The romance was captivating and a wonderful progression from a gentle, tentative friendship. Discounting the student body, Joshua has a wonderful company of friends who are accepting, supportive and encouraging. I appreciated how Joshua allowed Sophia to set the boundaries of their friendship, understanding that it was important for Sophia to remain in control of her societal environment due to her anxiety.
The Secret Science of Magic is magnificent. A charming coming of age narrative of existing within the moment. Phenomenally sublime. Magical.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2017/03/b...
Joshua is enchanting. As an illusionist he believes in the impossible. Joshua doesn't place importance on his education and is ostracised by his peers. He's a modest young man who has been captivated by Sophia since the tender age of thirteen but as an introvert, feels intimidated by Sophia's presence. I loved the relationship Joshua shared with thirteen year old sibling Gillian, who has perfected teenage angst. Often a formidable presence, Joshua continues to persist to rebuild his relationship with Gillian despite her defiance.
The romance was captivating and a wonderful progression from a gentle, tentative friendship. Discounting the student body, Joshua has a wonderful company of friends who are accepting, supportive and encouraging. I appreciated how Joshua allowed Sophia to set the boundaries of their friendship, understanding that it was important for Sophia to remain in control of her societal environment due to her anxiety.
The Secret Science of Magic is magnificent. A charming coming of age narrative of existing within the moment. Phenomenally sublime. Magical.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2017/03/b...
June 21, 2017
REVIEW TO COME
January 6, 2018
This review has been posted on Happy Indulgence Books. Check it out for more reviews!
What does a teenage genius and a guy who loves magic tricks have in common? In The Secret Science of Magic, both Sophia and Joshua don't have a clue what they want to do once they finish high school.
I haven't read a book featuring a genius with an eidetic memory before, particularly in a contemporary high school setting. While she's clearly intelligent, reading research papers and obviously miles ahead of her peers, she just has one problem: she has no idea what she wants to do with her intellect. Her fear of failure, of talent wasting away is projected through crippling anxiety which results in inaction.
While I'm certainly not a genius, I found her fear of failure to be quite relatable and human, particularly her anxieties when it comes to fitting in, or being what people expect of you. I also thought her social anxiety and lack of social skills to be characteristic of someone on the autism spectrum, and it was surprising that this wasn't really brought up or addressed by the people around her at all.
Joshua on the other hand, has had a massive crush on Sophia for many years and he constantly plans how to get to know her. His ambitions lie in playing video games and doing magic tricks, which he doesn't think will amount to anything in the future. The thought of moving into university and figuring out what to do in the future is also terrifying for Josh, so he preoccupies himself with his crush on Sophia. It kind of borders on obsession and placing her on a pedestal but despite that, I found the progession of their relationship to be quite natural.
With Sophia's struggling with anxiety and disconnect from the people around her, with Josh and his fixation on Sophia, there's definitely enough in The Secret Science of Magic to keep it moving. I liked the diversity, from selective mutism to social anxiety and autism being explored. Sophia is also Sri Lankan Australian, which I thought was fantastic. Her and Josh's parents were surprisingly absent though.
The only thing I was disappointed in is that there isn't that much science or magic in the book, despite being the key driver as mentioned in the blurb. Aside from plenty of name dropping and repetitive gripes about David Copperfield, I wish there was more of the magic that Joshua was interested in and the science and facts beyond names of theories and prominent people.
There's also this heavy "not like other girls" vibe which I found kind of annoying at some parts, particularly when illustrating Sophia as a character against others. She definitely had enough differentiators of her own without resorting to this path.
I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
What does a teenage genius and a guy who loves magic tricks have in common? In The Secret Science of Magic, both Sophia and Joshua don't have a clue what they want to do once they finish high school.
I haven't read a book featuring a genius with an eidetic memory before, particularly in a contemporary high school setting. While she's clearly intelligent, reading research papers and obviously miles ahead of her peers, she just has one problem: she has no idea what she wants to do with her intellect. Her fear of failure, of talent wasting away is projected through crippling anxiety which results in inaction.
While I'm certainly not a genius, I found her fear of failure to be quite relatable and human, particularly her anxieties when it comes to fitting in, or being what people expect of you. I also thought her social anxiety and lack of social skills to be characteristic of someone on the autism spectrum, and it was surprising that this wasn't really brought up or addressed by the people around her at all.
Joshua on the other hand, has had a massive crush on Sophia for many years and he constantly plans how to get to know her. His ambitions lie in playing video games and doing magic tricks, which he doesn't think will amount to anything in the future. The thought of moving into university and figuring out what to do in the future is also terrifying for Josh, so he preoccupies himself with his crush on Sophia. It kind of borders on obsession and placing her on a pedestal but despite that, I found the progession of their relationship to be quite natural.
With Sophia's struggling with anxiety and disconnect from the people around her, with Josh and his fixation on Sophia, there's definitely enough in The Secret Science of Magic to keep it moving. I liked the diversity, from selective mutism to social anxiety and autism being explored. Sophia is also Sri Lankan Australian, which I thought was fantastic. Her and Josh's parents were surprisingly absent though.
The only thing I was disappointed in is that there isn't that much science or magic in the book, despite being the key driver as mentioned in the blurb. Aside from plenty of name dropping and repetitive gripes about David Copperfield, I wish there was more of the magic that Joshua was interested in and the science and facts beyond names of theories and prominent people.
There's also this heavy "not like other girls" vibe which I found kind of annoying at some parts, particularly when illustrating Sophia as a character against others. She definitely had enough differentiators of her own without resorting to this path.
I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2017
Review originally posted on A Keyboard and an Open Mind April 21, 2017:
Melissa Keil would honestly have to try pretty hard to disappoint me. I may not read much contemporary YA, but I will pick up anything she writes. This is her most recent book, released at the beginning of April, and it does not disappoint.
Sophia is a certifiable genius, but she can’t always read other people correctly and the mysteries of what the future may hold are giving her panic attacks. Joshua is obsessed with magic, and has harboured a crush on Sophia since Year 7. But how do you romance a genius when you’re barely scraping by?
Melissa Keil writes authentically geeky characters that I’ve always felt were “my people”. I think, though, that this was the book where I felt this the strongest. On top of that was the racial diversity that was never presented as a “thing”: Sophia is from a Sri Lankan family and her best friend is Indian-Australian. Sophia also suffers from anxiety, and while it is never stated explicitly, it’s fairly clear she is somewhere on the autism spectrum.
The romance was a cute slow-burn, exactly how I liked it. I got invested in these characters and their relationships, as well as in their other issues. While both POVs were in first person, it was never confusing. The side characters were also well-constructed; no one felt two dimensional. I read my reviews of Melissa Keil’s other two books when I started writing this one, and I mentioned in one that it did feel a little bit like she had reused some ideas from her first book in her second. That was never a concern with this book.
(This review is part of the Australian Women Writers Challenge 2017. Click here for more information.)
Melissa Keil would honestly have to try pretty hard to disappoint me. I may not read much contemporary YA, but I will pick up anything she writes. This is her most recent book, released at the beginning of April, and it does not disappoint.
Sophia is a certifiable genius, but she can’t always read other people correctly and the mysteries of what the future may hold are giving her panic attacks. Joshua is obsessed with magic, and has harboured a crush on Sophia since Year 7. But how do you romance a genius when you’re barely scraping by?
Melissa Keil writes authentically geeky characters that I’ve always felt were “my people”. I think, though, that this was the book where I felt this the strongest. On top of that was the racial diversity that was never presented as a “thing”: Sophia is from a Sri Lankan family and her best friend is Indian-Australian. Sophia also suffers from anxiety, and while it is never stated explicitly, it’s fairly clear she is somewhere on the autism spectrum.
The romance was a cute slow-burn, exactly how I liked it. I got invested in these characters and their relationships, as well as in their other issues. While both POVs were in first person, it was never confusing. The side characters were also well-constructed; no one felt two dimensional. I read my reviews of Melissa Keil’s other two books when I started writing this one, and I mentioned in one that it did feel a little bit like she had reused some ideas from her first book in her second. That was never a concern with this book.
(This review is part of the Australian Women Writers Challenge 2017. Click here for more information.)
May 14, 2017
THIS. BOOK.
I have so much to say, but I'll save it for a review closer to release date. Just. Ugh, loved it.
I have so much to say, but I'll save it for a review closer to release date. Just. Ugh, loved it.
August 16, 2017
Lots of really great elements here.
Loved it.
Loved it.
August 31, 2018
Sophia is a math genius. Joshua is magician.
Can he show her how magical he is before they graduate?
Told alternately from Sophia and Joshua's perspectives. Sophia's chapters begin with the illustration of her from the front cover, and a chapter title that references math in some way. Joshua's chapters begin with the illustration of him from the front cover, and a quotation from a famous, real life, magician.
Really appreciate the representation here. Both Sophia and her best friend Elsie are distinctly, culturally, indisputably POC, and Elsie's cultural heritage, in particular, is a big part of her family/character.
Speaking of Elsie, the story of Sophia and Elsie's friendship almost overwhelms the romance in emotional impact. In a really good way. Everything ends at the end of high school, and sometimes the best of friends have different long-term plans and dreams. Woof, it's so real.
The writing is occasionally really lovely. I wrote down some quotes that should be linked here.
There are definitely some notable moments of Australian-ness, where readers (especially non-Australians) will be reminded of the setting. But there is a level of global approachability.
The magic elements are well-researched, as far as I can tell. The quotes at the beginning of Joshua's chapters lead me to search a few names I didn't recognize and watch at least one video of a card trick.
I also really appreciated the portrayal of Sophia as a non-neurotypical person. She's never specifically diagnosed (there's a reference to eidetic memory, which lead me down another internet rabbithole), but it's clear that she thinks differently than many and has trouble with the human connection parts of life. My son is on the autism spectrum, and she seems to share some of his traits. Joshua embraces this about her and treats her in a really respectful way.
Thumbs up.
Can he show her how magical he is before they graduate?
Told alternately from Sophia and Joshua's perspectives. Sophia's chapters begin with the illustration of her from the front cover, and a chapter title that references math in some way. Joshua's chapters begin with the illustration of him from the front cover, and a quotation from a famous, real life, magician.
Really appreciate the representation here. Both Sophia and her best friend Elsie are distinctly, culturally, indisputably POC, and Elsie's cultural heritage, in particular, is a big part of her family/character.
Speaking of Elsie, the story of Sophia and Elsie's friendship almost overwhelms the romance in emotional impact. In a really good way. Everything ends at the end of high school, and sometimes the best of friends have different long-term plans and dreams. Woof, it's so real.
The writing is occasionally really lovely. I wrote down some quotes that should be linked here.
There are definitely some notable moments of Australian-ness, where readers (especially non-Australians) will be reminded of the setting. But there is a level of global approachability.
The magic elements are well-researched, as far as I can tell. The quotes at the beginning of Joshua's chapters lead me to search a few names I didn't recognize and watch at least one video of a card trick.
I also really appreciated the portrayal of Sophia as a non-neurotypical person. She's never specifically diagnosed (there's a reference to eidetic memory, which lead me down another internet rabbithole), but it's clear that she thinks differently than many and has trouble with the human connection parts of life. My son is on the autism spectrum, and she seems to share some of his traits. Joshua embraces this about her and treats her in a really respectful way.
Thumbs up.
April 13, 2019
German Review: 3,5 Stars
Anmerkung: Ich habe das Buch als Rezensionsexemplar vom Verlag bekommen. Danke dafür. Die volle Videorezension findet ihr auf meinem YouTube Kanal namens schokigirl oder weiter unten.
Meinung:
An sich mochte ich den Ansatz der Autorin, wie in anderen Büchern, die ich bereits von ihr gelesen habe. Die Liebesgeschichte war niedlich aufgezogen und nicht zu übertrieben. Dazu hat sie noch wichtige Themen, wie das Erwachsen werden & herausfinden was man eigentlich will, angesprochen. Manche Charaktere, wie der von Josh, waren auch wirklich sympathisch und interessant dargestellt. Nur leider hatte ich auch einige Kritikpunkte.
Mein größtes Problem war, dass ich Sophia nicht richtig greifen konnte. Sie war mir zu wenig charakterisiert worden, obwohl sie unsere Protagonistin war und wir so gut wie alles aus ihrer Sicht erlebten. Vielleicht wurde ihr Verhalten für mich auch einfach nicht klar genug benannt. Ja, ich weiß, dass sie ein Genie ist, aber das kann ja nicht der einzige Grund sein, weshalb sie in vielen Situationen so komisch reagiert. Ich, als Laie, hätte ja gedacht, dass sie eine Autistin ist. Aber das wurde eben nie gesagt und deswegen habe ich immer offene Fragen zurück behalten.
Dementsprechend hätte ich mir auch eher gewünscht, dass die gesamte Geschichte aus Josh Sicht spielt. Ihn fand ich viel greifbarer, aber auch einfach interessanter und witziger. Und dann wäre es auch kein Problem gewesen, dass ich Sophia nicht ganz verstanden hätte, denn das wäre einfach Josh Sicht auf sie gewesen.
Außerdem waren alle Themen, abgesehen von der Liebesgeschichte, relativ kurz gehalten. Das zweitgrößte Thema war der mögliche Abschied von Sophia und ihrer besten Freundin und selbst das war viel zu kurz abgehandelt worden. Es wurde zu Beginn angesprochen, dann eine lange Zeit ignoriert und am Ende dann relativ schnell zu Ende gebracht worden. Da hätte man definitiv mehr machen können. Das wurde mir etwas zu oberflächlich behandelt. Und von mehr Themen war da eigentlich nicht wirklich die Rede.
Es gab so einige Szenen, die von einem tiefgehenden Problem hätten berichten können, aber letztendlich einfach fallen gelassen wurden und deshalb frage ich mich im Nachhinein, wieso sie eigentlich da waren. Beispielsweise gab es eine Szene mit Josh und seinem Vater, wo man gemerkt hat, dass er ihn ziemlich unter Druck setzt wegen seiner Zukunft und der Uniwahl. Aber darauf wird einfach überhaupt nicht mehr eingegangen. Es war die erste und einzige Szene in der wir Josh Dad zu Gesicht bekommen.
Auch die Dialoge waren mir manchmal zu wenig auf den Punkt gebracht. Es gab Dialoge die um den heißen Brei herum geredet haben oder ständig abgeschweift sind. Oder sie haben einfach schlicht an einander vorbei geredet. An sich kann das auch unterhaltsam sein, aber hier wirkte es einfach unfokussiert.
Fazit:
Ich habe diese Geschichte gern gelesen. Aber da ich nie so richtig drin war im Buch, aus den erläuterten Gründen, habe ich es leider nicht ganz so gut gefunden, wie andere Bücher der Autorin. Daher habe ich 3,5 Sterne vergeben.
Anmerkung: Ich habe das Buch als Rezensionsexemplar vom Verlag bekommen. Danke dafür. Die volle Videorezension findet ihr auf meinem YouTube Kanal namens schokigirl oder weiter unten.
Meinung:
An sich mochte ich den Ansatz der Autorin, wie in anderen Büchern, die ich bereits von ihr gelesen habe. Die Liebesgeschichte war niedlich aufgezogen und nicht zu übertrieben. Dazu hat sie noch wichtige Themen, wie das Erwachsen werden & herausfinden was man eigentlich will, angesprochen. Manche Charaktere, wie der von Josh, waren auch wirklich sympathisch und interessant dargestellt. Nur leider hatte ich auch einige Kritikpunkte.
Mein größtes Problem war, dass ich Sophia nicht richtig greifen konnte. Sie war mir zu wenig charakterisiert worden, obwohl sie unsere Protagonistin war und wir so gut wie alles aus ihrer Sicht erlebten. Vielleicht wurde ihr Verhalten für mich auch einfach nicht klar genug benannt. Ja, ich weiß, dass sie ein Genie ist, aber das kann ja nicht der einzige Grund sein, weshalb sie in vielen Situationen so komisch reagiert. Ich, als Laie, hätte ja gedacht, dass sie eine Autistin ist. Aber das wurde eben nie gesagt und deswegen habe ich immer offene Fragen zurück behalten.
Dementsprechend hätte ich mir auch eher gewünscht, dass die gesamte Geschichte aus Josh Sicht spielt. Ihn fand ich viel greifbarer, aber auch einfach interessanter und witziger. Und dann wäre es auch kein Problem gewesen, dass ich Sophia nicht ganz verstanden hätte, denn das wäre einfach Josh Sicht auf sie gewesen.
Außerdem waren alle Themen, abgesehen von der Liebesgeschichte, relativ kurz gehalten. Das zweitgrößte Thema war der mögliche Abschied von Sophia und ihrer besten Freundin und selbst das war viel zu kurz abgehandelt worden. Es wurde zu Beginn angesprochen, dann eine lange Zeit ignoriert und am Ende dann relativ schnell zu Ende gebracht worden. Da hätte man definitiv mehr machen können. Das wurde mir etwas zu oberflächlich behandelt. Und von mehr Themen war da eigentlich nicht wirklich die Rede.
Es gab so einige Szenen, die von einem tiefgehenden Problem hätten berichten können, aber letztendlich einfach fallen gelassen wurden und deshalb frage ich mich im Nachhinein, wieso sie eigentlich da waren. Beispielsweise gab es eine Szene mit Josh und seinem Vater, wo man gemerkt hat, dass er ihn ziemlich unter Druck setzt wegen seiner Zukunft und der Uniwahl. Aber darauf wird einfach überhaupt nicht mehr eingegangen. Es war die erste und einzige Szene in der wir Josh Dad zu Gesicht bekommen.
Auch die Dialoge waren mir manchmal zu wenig auf den Punkt gebracht. Es gab Dialoge die um den heißen Brei herum geredet haben oder ständig abgeschweift sind. Oder sie haben einfach schlicht an einander vorbei geredet. An sich kann das auch unterhaltsam sein, aber hier wirkte es einfach unfokussiert.
Fazit:
Ich habe diese Geschichte gern gelesen. Aber da ich nie so richtig drin war im Buch, aus den erläuterten Gründen, habe ich es leider nicht ganz so gut gefunden, wie andere Bücher der Autorin. Daher habe ich 3,5 Sterne vergeben.
January 27, 2023
Hab das Buch sehr, sehr gern gelesen. Es ist zwar ein Jugendbuch für eher jüngere LeserInnen (am besten wohl so 14-17 Jährige), aber ich fand’s trotzdem einfach süß. Die zwei Charaktere machen ihren Schulabschluss, müssten also ca. 17 sein, wirken aber die meiste Zeit über wesentlich jünger. Ansonsten fand ich sie super authentisch gezeichnet, sehr interessant mit ihren Ecken & Kanten. Dazu waren sie liebenswert & sehr greifbar, jedoch hatte das Buch durch die kindliche Art der Figuren einen etwas kindlicheren Vibe. Zudem werden zwar sehr interessante Themen angedeutet, nichts wird aber ganz ausgeführt. Besonders Sophias Persönlichkeit betreffend hätte ich mir noch mehr Tiefe gewünscht. Ich glaube allerdings, dass das Buch in erster Linie zeigen will, dass kein Mensch „komisch“ ist, nur weil er/sie etwas anders ist als andere - wir sind alle gut, wie wir sind. Ich fand, das kam hier sehr schön rüber. Es war ein super leichtes Buch, welches sich durch den tollen Schreibstil der Autorin sehr gut hat lesen lassen.
Insgesamt gefiel es mir gut, allerdings fehlte mir etwas, das ich nicht eindeutig benennen kann. Vielleicht liegt das aber auch einfach am Genre oder daran, dass ich nicht mehr der Zielgruppe entspreche.
Das Buch hatte großes Potenzial & viele tolle Ansätze, konnte mich aber gefühlstechnisch nicht ganz an sich „binden“. Werde das Buch in guter Erinnerung halten, befürchte aber, dass es eines der Sorte ist, die relativ schnell aus ihnen verblassen, obwohl ich es gern mochte ✨
Insgesamt gefiel es mir gut, allerdings fehlte mir etwas, das ich nicht eindeutig benennen kann. Vielleicht liegt das aber auch einfach am Genre oder daran, dass ich nicht mehr der Zielgruppe entspreche.
Das Buch hatte großes Potenzial & viele tolle Ansätze, konnte mich aber gefühlstechnisch nicht ganz an sich „binden“. Werde das Buch in guter Erinnerung halten, befürchte aber, dass es eines der Sorte ist, die relativ schnell aus ihnen verblassen, obwohl ich es gern mochte ✨
April 10, 2017
I received a copy of The Secret Science of Magic from Hardie Grant Australia to review.
I don't read a lot of contemporaries but when I picked this up I was glad to take a break from the books I normally read.
I really liked both Sophia, Joshua and their friends. I didn't understand why some people got so annoyed with Sophia for not picking up on how others were feeling sometimes. It was obvious her brain worked differently to the people around her and she can't pick up on a lot of facial cues. I don't know if the people in her life didn't know or they just forgot. But I didn't think it was something Sophia should be blamed for. Or blamed for not picking up how people were feeling when they were so good at hiding it.
I liked that Joshua seemed to understand Sophia, he liked her the way she was and didn't try to change her, to make her socialise if she didn't want to. I also like the magic tricks he did, especially the last one. Not that I can see them when I'm reading but that last illusion was pretty epic.
This book is not only funny but also diverse and intelligent. The love story between Sophia and Joshua went from a tentative friendship and acceptance to something that took Sophia completely by surprise. I enjoyed this book. It was definitely magical.
I don't read a lot of contemporaries but when I picked this up I was glad to take a break from the books I normally read.
I really liked both Sophia, Joshua and their friends. I didn't understand why some people got so annoyed with Sophia for not picking up on how others were feeling sometimes. It was obvious her brain worked differently to the people around her and she can't pick up on a lot of facial cues. I don't know if the people in her life didn't know or they just forgot. But I didn't think it was something Sophia should be blamed for. Or blamed for not picking up how people were feeling when they were so good at hiding it.
I liked that Joshua seemed to understand Sophia, he liked her the way she was and didn't try to change her, to make her socialise if she didn't want to. I also like the magic tricks he did, especially the last one. Not that I can see them when I'm reading but that last illusion was pretty epic.
This book is not only funny but also diverse and intelligent. The love story between Sophia and Joshua went from a tentative friendship and acceptance to something that took Sophia completely by surprise. I enjoyed this book. It was definitely magical.
April 1, 2017
I know a lot of bloggers that quite actively promote #LoveOzYA. For those who don't know what this is, this is a movement trying to gain more popularity for Australian YA novels. I personally don't do a lot of promotion for the movement, but I do have to admit, there is a lot to love about Aussie YA. Often, the novels are set in Australia and we're able to see familiar scenes and themes. There's something strangely gratifying about seeing novels set in Sydney or Melbourne although I don't live there and don't know them well enough to necessarily recognise places.
Joshua and Sophia are great characters who are excellently developed by Keil. Sophia was actually pretty frustrating at times, as she had difficulty interpreting social cues from her friends and she was unable to talk to anyone about her many concerns. In part this was because of her social anxiety, so it was understandable, but was nonetheless frustrating to observe as the reader. Joshua was much easier to like, with his nerdy charm. The way he interacts with his friends and family (and Sophia) were wonderful to see.
I found the progression of the romance quite realistic, and was definitely shipping the two from chapter one. The romance was quite a dominant part of the story, but it didn't feel like it was overshadowing the other threads of the plot, which were mostly focused around Sophia and her struggle to overcome the label of "child genius". Josh didn't really have as much of a plot independent of Sophia, but I felt that this was okay.
The only thing I can criticise about how realistic the novel was that there were some odd choices of language for year 12 students. I honestly don't know anyone past the age of 10 who would say the word "willy", for example. Certainly by year 12, students wouldn't be saying it.
Overall, The Secret Science of Magic was a delightful Aussie contemporary YA which I would definitely recommend to those looking for a light read that is still able to focus on some important issues.
Ratings
Overall: 8/10
Plot: 4/5
Romance: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Joshua and Sophia are great characters who are excellently developed by Keil. Sophia was actually pretty frustrating at times, as she had difficulty interpreting social cues from her friends and she was unable to talk to anyone about her many concerns. In part this was because of her social anxiety, so it was understandable, but was nonetheless frustrating to observe as the reader. Joshua was much easier to like, with his nerdy charm. The way he interacts with his friends and family (and Sophia) were wonderful to see.
I found the progression of the romance quite realistic, and was definitely shipping the two from chapter one. The romance was quite a dominant part of the story, but it didn't feel like it was overshadowing the other threads of the plot, which were mostly focused around Sophia and her struggle to overcome the label of "child genius". Josh didn't really have as much of a plot independent of Sophia, but I felt that this was okay.
The only thing I can criticise about how realistic the novel was that there were some odd choices of language for year 12 students. I honestly don't know anyone past the age of 10 who would say the word "willy", for example. Certainly by year 12, students wouldn't be saying it.
Overall, The Secret Science of Magic was a delightful Aussie contemporary YA which I would definitely recommend to those looking for a light read that is still able to focus on some important issues.
Ratings
Overall: 8/10
Plot: 4/5
Romance: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
May 22, 2017
I have come to really love Melissa Keil's writing and I was eagerly awaiting the release of this, her latest title. The Secret Science of Magic was one part wonderful, one part heartwarming, and totally teenagery (yes, that's a word).
Sophia is a genius. She excels at maths and calculations, but struggles with social situations. Without her friend Elsie, she would be isolated. Joshua sees Sophia. For years he has longed to connect with her, really get to know her rather than observing from afar. But he knows she deserves more than a guy who is only good at magic tricks and doesn't have a plan for his life. But as Joshua will tell you, timing is everything, and, maybe, it is the right time for Sophia and Joshua to finally connect.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I especially loved the characters. Sophia is awesome. She is incredibly smart when it comes to maths, but she is also terribly unsure about everything else, from reading facial expressions to understand others' emotions. She knows she is different from the people around her, she longs to understand how to fit in better, and she really struggles with the feeling that different equals bad. Also, her favourite Doctor Who is Matt Smith, so clearly we are soul mates. Joshua is also an excellent character. A magician, he is constantly fidgeting or shuffling cards. He cares about Sophia but has a lot to learn about his role in her life and the role he should play in his own life. I loved his journey of discovery, I loved his friends, and I loved the way he loved Sophia.
I think the messages conveyed in this book are so important. Sophia has a range of challenges to face, particularly regarding social interactions and her own thoughts about them. She is never diagnosed, and while it might seem simple to throw a label on her, I think it is brilliant that this never happens. Sophia is dealing with her feelings and day-to-day interactions. A label might have made it easier for her to understand what was going on or maybe it would have created a whole range of new problems, either way, that would have been an entirely different story.
There were a few things about this book that didn't appeal to me, particularly the endless crude humour and use of scatalogical and anatomical terms. The male anatomy was named 36 times (both anatomical and slang terms). I'd just like to point out that any female equivalents were only referenced 5 times. Although, I have to say this is probably realistic given how many particular drawings I have removed from textbooks, walls and tables. Teenagers. Sigh. Sorry, moving on.
Overall, The Secret Science of Magic is a charming book. Wonderfully Australian, yet relevant for readers around the world, as two teenagers connect, confront the realities of their lives, and maybe even take a chance on falling in love.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library.
Sophia is a genius. She excels at maths and calculations, but struggles with social situations. Without her friend Elsie, she would be isolated. Joshua sees Sophia. For years he has longed to connect with her, really get to know her rather than observing from afar. But he knows she deserves more than a guy who is only good at magic tricks and doesn't have a plan for his life. But as Joshua will tell you, timing is everything, and, maybe, it is the right time for Sophia and Joshua to finally connect.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I especially loved the characters. Sophia is awesome. She is incredibly smart when it comes to maths, but she is also terribly unsure about everything else, from reading facial expressions to understand others' emotions. She knows she is different from the people around her, she longs to understand how to fit in better, and she really struggles with the feeling that different equals bad. Also, her favourite Doctor Who is Matt Smith, so clearly we are soul mates. Joshua is also an excellent character. A magician, he is constantly fidgeting or shuffling cards. He cares about Sophia but has a lot to learn about his role in her life and the role he should play in his own life. I loved his journey of discovery, I loved his friends, and I loved the way he loved Sophia.
I think the messages conveyed in this book are so important. Sophia has a range of challenges to face, particularly regarding social interactions and her own thoughts about them. She is never diagnosed, and while it might seem simple to throw a label on her, I think it is brilliant that this never happens. Sophia is dealing with her feelings and day-to-day interactions. A label might have made it easier for her to understand what was going on or maybe it would have created a whole range of new problems, either way, that would have been an entirely different story.
There were a few things about this book that didn't appeal to me, particularly the endless crude humour and use of scatalogical and anatomical terms. The male anatomy was named 36 times (both anatomical and slang terms). I'd just like to point out that any female equivalents were only referenced 5 times. Although, I have to say this is probably realistic given how many particular drawings I have removed from textbooks, walls and tables. Teenagers. Sigh. Sorry, moving on.
Overall, The Secret Science of Magic is a charming book. Wonderfully Australian, yet relevant for readers around the world, as two teenagers connect, confront the realities of their lives, and maybe even take a chance on falling in love.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library.
October 7, 2017
This review first appeared on Readers in Wonderland
I’m apologising in advance that this review is going to be vague and probably poorly written. I finished this book a month or two ago but have been too busy studying for exams (which I passed btw) to actually finish this review until now.
5 THINGS ABOUT THE SECRET SCIENCE OF MAGIC
Loveozya
Our fantastic Australian talent is so underrated in the overseas market. A few big hits that to make it are super successful, but there are so many true blue masterpieces that are missed by most people. I think THE SECRET SCIENCE OF MAGIC deserves to be one of the hits.
A contemporary that hits close to home
While THE SECRET SCIENCE OF MAGIC has dual narration with chapters being shared by Josh and Sophia. Much of the focus is on Sophia though, and oh boy did I relate to a lot of the stuff she’s going through. I’m not a math nerd, but you bet I’m an overachiever about to graduate with no idea of where my future is going. A lot of high school and uni students will relate to these coming of age experiences.
Anxiety is a strong focus
Another thing I haven’t seen all that much in YA in the past is a look at anxiety and other mental health issues. It’s a subject that is changing and getting more light shed on it thank goodness. Sophia experiences anxiety over her academic life, future, and social interactions, which are all incredibly relatable for me. She often has panic attacks which are written incredibly accurately. The spiralling thoughts and struggle to pull your brain out of the negative pattern can be so hard to articulate and describe to people who haven’t experienced it personally. I hope that it helps people who don’t have anxiety start to understand the struggles.
SMART GIRLS HELL YEAH
SOPHIA’s BRAIN IS AMAZING! She might not have the best social skills, but academically her talents are phenomenal. I wish I had even half her math brain (it was my weakest subject haha). While a lot of girls in contemporary are the quiet, shy, smart type, Sophia’s genius is another level we don’t often see!
They’re so adorable together
JOSH AND SOPHIA ARE SO ADORABLE AND HJKALHDSJKLFHSFJKLSD. So many cute courtships and moments. It’s beautiful. Everyone deserves a precious Josh. My memory is incredibly vague on all the things I enjoyed about this couple, but it was essentially everything about them.
In Summary
As a studious individual with social anxiety, THE SECRET SCIENCE OF MAGIC had many elements that were very relatable for me. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend this contemporary.
I’m apologising in advance that this review is going to be vague and probably poorly written. I finished this book a month or two ago but have been too busy studying for exams (which I passed btw) to actually finish this review until now.
5 THINGS ABOUT THE SECRET SCIENCE OF MAGIC
Loveozya
Our fantastic Australian talent is so underrated in the overseas market. A few big hits that to make it are super successful, but there are so many true blue masterpieces that are missed by most people. I think THE SECRET SCIENCE OF MAGIC deserves to be one of the hits.
A contemporary that hits close to home
While THE SECRET SCIENCE OF MAGIC has dual narration with chapters being shared by Josh and Sophia. Much of the focus is on Sophia though, and oh boy did I relate to a lot of the stuff she’s going through. I’m not a math nerd, but you bet I’m an overachiever about to graduate with no idea of where my future is going. A lot of high school and uni students will relate to these coming of age experiences.
Anxiety is a strong focus
Another thing I haven’t seen all that much in YA in the past is a look at anxiety and other mental health issues. It’s a subject that is changing and getting more light shed on it thank goodness. Sophia experiences anxiety over her academic life, future, and social interactions, which are all incredibly relatable for me. She often has panic attacks which are written incredibly accurately. The spiralling thoughts and struggle to pull your brain out of the negative pattern can be so hard to articulate and describe to people who haven’t experienced it personally. I hope that it helps people who don’t have anxiety start to understand the struggles.
SMART GIRLS HELL YEAH
SOPHIA’s BRAIN IS AMAZING! She might not have the best social skills, but academically her talents are phenomenal. I wish I had even half her math brain (it was my weakest subject haha). While a lot of girls in contemporary are the quiet, shy, smart type, Sophia’s genius is another level we don’t often see!
They’re so adorable together
JOSH AND SOPHIA ARE SO ADORABLE AND HJKALHDSJKLFHSFJKLSD. So many cute courtships and moments. It’s beautiful. Everyone deserves a precious Josh. My memory is incredibly vague on all the things I enjoyed about this couple, but it was essentially everything about them.
In Summary
As a studious individual with social anxiety, THE SECRET SCIENCE OF MAGIC had many elements that were very relatable for me. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend this contemporary.
June 4, 2017
2.5/5
This one just fell a bit flat to me. I had no care for the general story or characters, in fact, I didn't really feel there was a strong story at all and what was there of a story felt a bit rushed. I will say the characters felt three dimensional, each harboring different personalities, but I still just didn't really care for their story in general.
Also not sure if the kindle version or the book in general, but there was a couple editing issues with not separating different people speaking in different paragraphs
This one just fell a bit flat to me. I had no care for the general story or characters, in fact, I didn't really feel there was a strong story at all and what was there of a story felt a bit rushed. I will say the characters felt three dimensional, each harboring different personalities, but I still just didn't really care for their story in general.
Also not sure if the kindle version or the book in general, but there was a couple editing issues with not separating different people speaking in different paragraphs
February 25, 2021
Ich schwanke zwischen 3 und 4 Sternen.😊
Die Geschichte hat mir gut gefallen und war auch absolut süß, aber so richtig konnten mich Sophia und Joshua nicht abholen.🤔
Sie sind für mich leider eher blass geblieben.
Das Thema des Buches finde ich jedoch wahnsinnig toll und finde es auch gut dass es zunehmend mehr Bücher gibt, die „Vielfalt“ abbilden.☺️
Denn wer bestimmt denn schon was „normal“ ist?✨
Die Geschichte hat mir gut gefallen und war auch absolut süß, aber so richtig konnten mich Sophia und Joshua nicht abholen.🤔
Sie sind für mich leider eher blass geblieben.
Das Thema des Buches finde ich jedoch wahnsinnig toll und finde es auch gut dass es zunehmend mehr Bücher gibt, die „Vielfalt“ abbilden.☺️
Denn wer bestimmt denn schon was „normal“ ist?✨
April 24, 2017
I know I've said this before (possibly in my last review of a Melissa Keil book), but I want to be Melissa Keil when I grow up. She writes the most amazingly geeky and relatable (to me) characters.
In The Secret Science of Magic, we have Sophia, a maths genius and Doctor Who fan who has all the hallmarks of being on the autism spectrum disorder (although she is bafflingly never diagnosed), along with a massive helping of anxiety attacks and self-doubt (presumably from the lack of diagnosis and treatment). She's also a POC, although her family is very "Australian" as far as I can tell -- if there were any elements from other cultures in there I missed them.
Sophia is struggling through the last year of high school, trying very hard not to think about her only friend's impending departure to study medicine in the US. She's acing most of her classes and doing university-level maths on the side, but was pressured into doing drama, which she hates and is terrible at. She has fixated on a Russian maths genius who went off the rails, trying, in her methodical way, to figure out where he went wrong so that she can avoid it -- a bit like Hazel in The Fault in Our Stars, but without the road trip.
Elsie, Sophia's best friend, is from a largish Indian family, with three brothers who look lout for Sophia the way her own brother generally doesn't. But there is growing tension there, which Sophia doesn't really understand. The clues are all there, not just for the reader (as is often the case) but for Sophia too -- the problem is that Sophia simply doesn't know how to recognise or interpret them.
(I'm so mad at Sophia's counsellor, by the way. We never actually see said counsellor, but surely if they were halfway competent they could have recognised what was going on with her! Gah!)
Joshua, the other point of view character, has a long-standing crush on Sophia, a lisp that emerges when he's anxious, and a talent for magic tricks. He decides to finally start wooing her, getting her attention with tricks that are mostly cute and motivated by a desire to help her with her various problems, but that sometimes cross the line for me (for example when he stole her watch; even though she did get it back later, that was uncool, Joshua!). Happily, he does grow over the course of the book and, by the end, he comes good. ;)
I really enjoyed this story, which -- more broadly -- tackles the YA issues of "coping with the end of school" and "what next", as well as the universal human issue of self-acceptance. The romance was tentative and sweet, and my heart broke for Sophia and her confusion and social anxiety. The Doctor Who references made me happy, and Josh's various magic tricks, while not really my thing, made me smile.
Melissa Keil's books are ones I wish I'd had as a teenager; I'm totally buying copies for my friend's geeky pre-teen when she's a few years older.
In The Secret Science of Magic, we have Sophia, a maths genius and Doctor Who fan who has all the hallmarks of being on the autism spectrum disorder (although she is bafflingly never diagnosed), along with a massive helping of anxiety attacks and self-doubt (presumably from the lack of diagnosis and treatment). She's also a POC, although her family is very "Australian" as far as I can tell -- if there were any elements from other cultures in there I missed them.
Sophia is struggling through the last year of high school, trying very hard not to think about her only friend's impending departure to study medicine in the US. She's acing most of her classes and doing university-level maths on the side, but was pressured into doing drama, which she hates and is terrible at. She has fixated on a Russian maths genius who went off the rails, trying, in her methodical way, to figure out where he went wrong so that she can avoid it -- a bit like Hazel in The Fault in Our Stars, but without the road trip.
Elsie, Sophia's best friend, is from a largish Indian family, with three brothers who look lout for Sophia the way her own brother generally doesn't. But there is growing tension there, which Sophia doesn't really understand. The clues are all there, not just for the reader (as is often the case) but for Sophia too -- the problem is that Sophia simply doesn't know how to recognise or interpret them.
(I'm so mad at Sophia's counsellor, by the way. We never actually see said counsellor, but surely if they were halfway competent they could have recognised what was going on with her! Gah!)
Joshua, the other point of view character, has a long-standing crush on Sophia, a lisp that emerges when he's anxious, and a talent for magic tricks. He decides to finally start wooing her, getting her attention with tricks that are mostly cute and motivated by a desire to help her with her various problems, but that sometimes cross the line for me (for example when he stole her watch; even though she did get it back later, that was uncool, Joshua!). Happily, he does grow over the course of the book and, by the end, he comes good. ;)
I really enjoyed this story, which -- more broadly -- tackles the YA issues of "coping with the end of school" and "what next", as well as the universal human issue of self-acceptance. The romance was tentative and sweet, and my heart broke for Sophia and her confusion and social anxiety. The Doctor Who references made me happy, and Josh's various magic tricks, while not really my thing, made me smile.
Melissa Keil's books are ones I wish I'd had as a teenager; I'm totally buying copies for my friend's geeky pre-teen when she's a few years older.
May 30, 2017
I was really expecting to love this book for a number of reasons:
1) lead girl is a physics/maths nerd,
2) each chapter is named after famous physics/maths theorems (although the connection is confusing sometimes),
3) the lead guy is geeky magician guy, and
4) There is lots of hype going around the booktube channels on this.
This YA story is about a girl (clearly Asperger-like, although this is never really addressed) navigating through the difficulties of being a teen, trying to live up to expectations (especially as she is considered a prodigy) and in trying to deal with friendships and teen dating when you are not really emotionally connected to the world and your brain processes things different to others in your immediate circle.
I really wanted to love this book, but it just fell flat for me. I couldn't connect with the lead character and I found it all rather bland. The story line plodded along and was all very predictable with no real change in pacing from beginning to end. However, I am intrigued by Ms Keil's writing (and the fact that she is an Aussie - Melbourne based - YA writer). Her other books have a lot of praise and I am really keen to keep exploring her other stories as I know there will be one that speaks to my inner geek.
1) lead girl is a physics/maths nerd,
2) each chapter is named after famous physics/maths theorems (although the connection is confusing sometimes),
3) the lead guy is geeky magician guy, and
4) There is lots of hype going around the booktube channels on this.
This YA story is about a girl (clearly Asperger-like, although this is never really addressed) navigating through the difficulties of being a teen, trying to live up to expectations (especially as she is considered a prodigy) and in trying to deal with friendships and teen dating when you are not really emotionally connected to the world and your brain processes things different to others in your immediate circle.
I really wanted to love this book, but it just fell flat for me. I couldn't connect with the lead character and I found it all rather bland. The story line plodded along and was all very predictable with no real change in pacing from beginning to end. However, I am intrigued by Ms Keil's writing (and the fact that she is an Aussie - Melbourne based - YA writer). Her other books have a lot of praise and I am really keen to keep exploring her other stories as I know there will be one that speaks to my inner geek.
April 19, 2017
debating between a 3 or 3.5 star rating
i thought this was a really cute and fluffy read. i loved the characters and they were both so unique and had such indentifiable personalities. i thought the side characters were also quite precious and they all made such a cute family i just wanted to reach through and give them a hug. i thought the friendship between sophia and elsie was also super adorable and well written.
however, i didn't really connect with the characters, i found the start pretty hard to get into and a little boring, the relationship was a little insta-lovey and not as well written as it could be and overall not as good as i expected it to be after having read life in outer space also by the same author. the ending was also quite rushed.
for more, read my no spoiler book review: https://sprinkledpages.blogspot.com.a...
i thought this was a really cute and fluffy read. i loved the characters and they were both so unique and had such indentifiable personalities. i thought the side characters were also quite precious and they all made such a cute family i just wanted to reach through and give them a hug. i thought the friendship between sophia and elsie was also super adorable and well written.
however, i didn't really connect with the characters, i found the start pretty hard to get into and a little boring, the relationship was a little insta-lovey and not as well written as it could be and overall not as good as i expected it to be after having read life in outer space also by the same author. the ending was also quite rushed.
for more, read my no spoiler book review: https://sprinkledpages.blogspot.com.a...
June 29, 2017
DNF AT 20%
Ok I started off not liking this book that much so I'm going to put it away and try again later. I don't know whether it's because I live in Australia but I always find myself disliking books set in Australia? Idk just not feeling this but maybe another time because I do want to finish it.
Ok I started off not liking this book that much so I'm going to put it away and try again later. I don't know whether it's because I live in Australia but I always find myself disliking books set in Australia? Idk just not feeling this but maybe another time because I do want to finish it.
January 24, 2020
i didn't like that,, at all
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July 20, 2025
4,5
Das war schööön. Melissa Keil kann einfach nerdige Liebesgeschichten. Werde weiterhin alles von ihr lesen.
Das war schööön. Melissa Keil kann einfach nerdige Liebesgeschichten. Werde weiterhin alles von ihr lesen.
June 27, 2017
2.5/5
I had such high hopes but .. nope.
I had such high hopes but .. nope.
January 25, 2020
3.5 stars
March 7, 2019
This review also appears on Happy Indulgence.
I received a review copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Secret Science of Magic is an incredibly relatable contemporary story about figuring out who you are and what to do with your life. It features two charming characters who you can’t help but root for and if that’s not enough, there’s also lots of science and a sprinkle of magic.
Sophia is a math genius and has always had a hard time making friends because of her social anxiety. She has her best friend, Elsie, and that’s always been enough for her. But recently Sophia’s been having a bit of an existential crisis and is worried about wasting her potential. She becomes obsessed with a Russian mathematician who went from being a genius to disappearing off the face of the earth, and becomes exceedingly worried that the same thing will happen to her. Elsie is confident in her future and her decision to study abroad but Sophia is less sure about her potential and where the future will take her. But when she gets to know Josh, things start to change and she begins to realise that not everything needs to be precise and have a neat ending like the mathematical problems that she loves so much. Josh is a tall, lanky and seemingly equally friendless guy in Sophia’s biology class. He’s great at doing magic tricks and has a large group of friends outside of school who he can relate to and have fun with. He’s intelligent but doesn’t seem to place the same importance on school that Sophia does, or his father wants him to. He gets to know Sophia by filling her days with little sprinkles of magic and he’s intent on showing her how he feels about her even if it means getting his heart broken.
I loved this novel so much. It was extremely easy to relate to all of Sophia’s worries about her future and who she wants to become. As someone who’s reaching the end of her PhD, it’s something that I think about a lot and I really connected with all of her concerns and found her character to be someone who I could understand really well. Another thing that I loved about Sophia was that she was a STEM girl because there’s a severe lack of STEM ladies in YA in my opinion. I liked her passion for science and mathematics and that she’s a perfect example that women can be just as badass as men in these disciplines. There were quite a lot of scientific references in the book, not all of which I could understand, but I don’t think it hindered my enjoyment of the novel. I also really connected with Josh and found him to be really endearing and I enjoyed all the things that he did for Sophia in this book. The interactions between Sophia and Josh were also fantastic and I found their awkwardness to be really adorable as well as relatable because that’s what first love is. Their relationship progressed in a really slow and natural way from being just acquaintances to something more. I also really enjoyed all the little bits of magic that were in the book and thought they were all really exciting and captivating, and it definitely kept me interested in the story from the very beginning.
The Secret Science of Magic is a relatable and captivating coming-of-age story with two main characters who you will fall in love with. The novel was beautifully written and perfectly combines scientific elements with magic.
I received a review copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Secret Science of Magic is an incredibly relatable contemporary story about figuring out who you are and what to do with your life. It features two charming characters who you can’t help but root for and if that’s not enough, there’s also lots of science and a sprinkle of magic.
Sophia is a math genius and has always had a hard time making friends because of her social anxiety. She has her best friend, Elsie, and that’s always been enough for her. But recently Sophia’s been having a bit of an existential crisis and is worried about wasting her potential. She becomes obsessed with a Russian mathematician who went from being a genius to disappearing off the face of the earth, and becomes exceedingly worried that the same thing will happen to her. Elsie is confident in her future and her decision to study abroad but Sophia is less sure about her potential and where the future will take her. But when she gets to know Josh, things start to change and she begins to realise that not everything needs to be precise and have a neat ending like the mathematical problems that she loves so much. Josh is a tall, lanky and seemingly equally friendless guy in Sophia’s biology class. He’s great at doing magic tricks and has a large group of friends outside of school who he can relate to and have fun with. He’s intelligent but doesn’t seem to place the same importance on school that Sophia does, or his father wants him to. He gets to know Sophia by filling her days with little sprinkles of magic and he’s intent on showing her how he feels about her even if it means getting his heart broken.
I’m afraid of wasting my life. I’m afraid that I’m just synapses and neurotransmitters, but maybe there’s nothing else there. Maybe that’s all I am?
I loved this novel so much. It was extremely easy to relate to all of Sophia’s worries about her future and who she wants to become. As someone who’s reaching the end of her PhD, it’s something that I think about a lot and I really connected with all of her concerns and found her character to be someone who I could understand really well. Another thing that I loved about Sophia was that she was a STEM girl because there’s a severe lack of STEM ladies in YA in my opinion. I liked her passion for science and mathematics and that she’s a perfect example that women can be just as badass as men in these disciplines. There were quite a lot of scientific references in the book, not all of which I could understand, but I don’t think it hindered my enjoyment of the novel. I also really connected with Josh and found him to be really endearing and I enjoyed all the things that he did for Sophia in this book. The interactions between Sophia and Josh were also fantastic and I found their awkwardness to be really adorable as well as relatable because that’s what first love is. Their relationship progressed in a really slow and natural way from being just acquaintances to something more. I also really enjoyed all the little bits of magic that were in the book and thought they were all really exciting and captivating, and it definitely kept me interested in the story from the very beginning.
The Secret Science of Magic is a relatable and captivating coming-of-age story with two main characters who you will fall in love with. The novel was beautifully written and perfectly combines scientific elements with magic.
June 16, 2025
Oh wow. Really wow. That was adorable.
I have a million thoughts running through my mind and I read it all so quick it was a bit of a blur. Solution: I shall read it again and then follow with a detailed review. There's really no other option hehehe.....
Update- 29th April 2017
Second reading
This story was truly nothing short of magical, and completely warmed my heart. Such a perfect mixture of adorable, complex characters and an intriguing storyline that made for a really sweet novel.
I found myself really relating to and understanding Sophia's character, with her anxiety and constant uncertainty around other people. It was sad to see how alone she felt at many parts, and the way her friends and family viewed her as having it easy and would be totally fine without them in her life.
Joshua was such a unique character, and really brought the story to life for me. His confidence in who he was, his awesome fashion choices, and his protective love for his sister made for an amazing character. I especially loved his devotion and patience with Sophia, how he understood that she didn't feel comfortable with people being too close, how she sometimes just liked to stare at people for a while, how she enjoyed sitting in silence.
Their relationship was so special, and I loved the way it developed. How they started as friends and even though he loved her and it was never a hidden fact that was was romantically interested in her, he was happy to take it slow because he knew that was what she needed.
Sophia and Elsie's friendship was another aspect of the story I really loved, as it really focused on a lot of issues teenage girls today struggle with when it comes to friends. It helps you to see how being friends with someone who suffers from anxiety and social awkwardness would put a strain on the friendship, and can actually be quite lonely for the other person. It did make their relationship so special and unique, because they really were happy with it being just the two of them, but it showed how a lack of communication and not being open and honest can really damage a friendship.
I could go on forever about the 1,078 other things I loved about this novel... so I'll just finish up here with some of the quotes I loved.
"So. Uni. This should be interesting. Wonder if we can induce that impending mental collapse ahead of schedule? You could be, like, the Phantom of the Opera of the Maths faculty."
"What does it say about me if I can't take one tiny step outside my comfort zone without falling in a heap? What does it say about my potential if I'm incapable of mastering something new?"
"I feel like I've fallen into a daydream not entirely of my own making, like I'm an unprepared companion on an unscheduled TARDIS trip."
"But there always seemed to be someone around to point out what I was doing wrong. In those fleeting moments where I forgot to be cautious, and vigilant, there always seemed to be someone who was happy to put me back in my place. "
"Maybe it's not you who needs to keep pretzel lung yourself to make everyone else happy? Maybe who you are is perfect, and everyone else just needs better glasses."
"I can't kiss a boy who looks at me like I'm the only thing that matters in the world. I know, for a fact, that nothing I am or will become could be momentous enough to warrant that."
I have a million thoughts running through my mind and I read it all so quick it was a bit of a blur. Solution: I shall read it again and then follow with a detailed review. There's really no other option hehehe.....
Update- 29th April 2017
Second reading
This story was truly nothing short of magical, and completely warmed my heart. Such a perfect mixture of adorable, complex characters and an intriguing storyline that made for a really sweet novel.
I found myself really relating to and understanding Sophia's character, with her anxiety and constant uncertainty around other people. It was sad to see how alone she felt at many parts, and the way her friends and family viewed her as having it easy and would be totally fine without them in her life.
Joshua was such a unique character, and really brought the story to life for me. His confidence in who he was, his awesome fashion choices, and his protective love for his sister made for an amazing character. I especially loved his devotion and patience with Sophia, how he understood that she didn't feel comfortable with people being too close, how she sometimes just liked to stare at people for a while, how she enjoyed sitting in silence.
Their relationship was so special, and I loved the way it developed. How they started as friends and even though he loved her and it was never a hidden fact that was was romantically interested in her, he was happy to take it slow because he knew that was what she needed.
Sophia and Elsie's friendship was another aspect of the story I really loved, as it really focused on a lot of issues teenage girls today struggle with when it comes to friends. It helps you to see how being friends with someone who suffers from anxiety and social awkwardness would put a strain on the friendship, and can actually be quite lonely for the other person. It did make their relationship so special and unique, because they really were happy with it being just the two of them, but it showed how a lack of communication and not being open and honest can really damage a friendship.
I could go on forever about the 1,078 other things I loved about this novel... so I'll just finish up here with some of the quotes I loved.
"So. Uni. This should be interesting. Wonder if we can induce that impending mental collapse ahead of schedule? You could be, like, the Phantom of the Opera of the Maths faculty."
"What does it say about me if I can't take one tiny step outside my comfort zone without falling in a heap? What does it say about my potential if I'm incapable of mastering something new?"
"I feel like I've fallen into a daydream not entirely of my own making, like I'm an unprepared companion on an unscheduled TARDIS trip."
"But there always seemed to be someone around to point out what I was doing wrong. In those fleeting moments where I forgot to be cautious, and vigilant, there always seemed to be someone who was happy to put me back in my place. "
"Maybe it's not you who needs to keep pretzel lung yourself to make everyone else happy? Maybe who you are is perfect, and everyone else just needs better glasses."
"I can't kiss a boy who looks at me like I'm the only thing that matters in the world. I know, for a fact, that nothing I am or will become could be momentous enough to warrant that."
April 9, 2019
Bei einem Blick in die Vorschau des Carlsen Verlags ist mir „Zusammen sind wir unendlich“ sofort ins Auge gesprungen. Obwohl das Cover ziemlich schlicht ist, war es bei mir Coverliebe auf den ersten Blick. Der Klappentext überzeugte mich auch auf Anhieb, sodass für mich schnell feststand: Die Geschichte von Sophia und Josh möchte ich unbedingt lesen!
Sophia ist ein absolutes Mathegenie und glänzt auch in allen weiteren naturwissenschaftlichen Fächern mit Spitzennoten. Klare Strukturen, das ist einfach ihr Ding. Was ihr dafür deutlich weniger liegt, ist Smalltalk. Das Gen dafür scheint sie irgendwie nicht abbekommen zu haben. Sophia lebt in ihrer eigenen Welt und gilt in ihrer Schule als Außenseiterin und Sonderling. Diesen Stempel trägt auch Josh. Josh ist ebenfalls anders. Er ist groß, schlacksig, er fängt an zu lispeln, wenn er aufgeregt ist und er begeistert sich sehr für Zauberkunststücke.
Sophia und Josh hatten bisher kaum Kontakt zueinander, was sich aber bald ändern soll. Josh ist schon etwas länger in Sophia verliebt, hat sich aber nie getraut, sie auf sich aufmerksam zu machen. Nun aber, drei Monate vor dem Abschluss, fasst Josh sich endlich ein Herz. Das Sophia-Beobachten reicht ihm einfach nicht mehr. Es soll sich schließlich etwas Zartes zwischen den beiden entwickeln, aber kann daraus auch mehr werden? Schließlich handelt es sich hier um Sophia, die Schwierigkeiten mit der Empathie hat und Panikattacken bekommt, wenn sie ihre Komfortzone verlässt und mit Veränderungen konfrontiert wird.
Melissa Keil ist hier eine ganz besondere Geschichte über zwei ganz besondere Menschen gelungen, welche mir tolle Lesestunden beschert hat. Ich hatte nur anfangs leichte Probleme gehabt, in die Handlung reinzukommen und zwischendurch waren mir einige Stellen ein bisschen zu langatmig. Zudem bin ich leider mit der Protagonistin Sophia nicht komplett warmgeworden. Mit vollen 5 Sternen werde ich das Buch daher nicht bewerten können, aber wärmstens empfehlen kann ich „Zusammen sind wir unendlich“ natürlich dennoch.
Woran genau es gelegen hat, dass ich leichte Startschwierigkeiten hatte, kann ich noch mal so genau nicht sagen. Am Schreibstil lag es nicht, dieser liest sich wunderbar. Er ist flüssig, humorvoll und lebendig. Vielleicht lag es an der Protagonistin Sophia. Wir bekommen die meisten Kapitel aus ihrer Sicht zu lesen und Sophia ist, wie der Klappentext ja bereits erwähnt, anders. Was genau sie hat, wird nicht beim Namen genannt, aber anhand ihres Handelns und Denkens gehe ich davon aus, dass sie an einer Form des Autismus leidet. Sophia ist schon ein recht gewöhnungsbedürftiger Charakter. Aufgrund ihrer Störung lebt sie in ihrer eigenen Welt und verlässt selten ihre Komfortzone. Ihre einzige Freundin ist Elsie. Sie gibt ihr Halt, ein Leben ohne sie kann Sophia sich kaum vorstellen. Dass Elsie nach der Schule in die USA gehen wird, macht Sophia daher große Angst. Wie wird ihr Leben ohne ihre beste Freundin aussehen?
Sophia plagen immerzu Sorgen, Selbstzweifel und Ängste. Für sie ist es ein ständiger Kampf, sich in der Welt zurechtfinden, da andere Menschen ihr ein einziges Rätsel sind. Ich hatte großes Mitleid mit Sophia, allerdings muss ich gestehen, dass mich ihre Gefühle nicht komplett erreichten konnten. Bei ihr haben mir einfach die Emotionen gefehlt, was vermutlich an ihrer Störung liegt. Zudem habe ich ihr Denken stellenweise als etwas anstrengend empfunden. Sophia macht sich über viele Dinge so ihre Gedanken. Sie ist extrem intelligent, was durch ihre oft sehr komplexen Gedankengänge auch mehr als deutlich wird. Diese waren mir teilweise etwas zu ausschweifend, was dann vermutlich auch dazu geführt hat, dass ich das Buch an einigen Stellen als etwas langatmig empfunden habe.
Ich persönlich mochte die Kapitel aus der Perspektive von Josh lieber. Wir erfahren die Geschichte sowohl aus der Sicht von Sophia als auch aus der von Josh, wobei die Kapitel von Sophia deutlich dominieren. Josh habe ich vom ersten Moment an ganz fest in mein Herz geschlossen. Er ist so ein süßer und total lieber Kerl. Er macht irgendwie immer ein leicht trotteligen Eindruck, was ihn allerdings nur noch sympathischer macht. Josh ist schon etwas eigenwillig, dies aber auf eine total liebenswerte Weise. So lebt er zum Beispiel, dank einer früheren, sehr ausgeprägten Harry Potter-Phase, in einem minikleinen Zimmer (ähnlich klein wie Harrys Schrank unter der Treppe bei den Dursleys) und das auch heute noch, obwohl seine Eltern sehr reich sind und ein ziemlich großes Haus besitzen. Dann wäre da auch noch Joshs Vorliebe für Zaubertricks, was ihn auf andere vermutlich auch oft etwas komisch wirken lässt. Ja, Josh und Sophia haben wirklich eine große Gemeinsamkeit: Beide sind sie anders und habe ihre Eigenarten und Ticks. Für beide ist es nicht einfach, sich in der Welt zurechtfinden.
Vermutlich könnt ihr euch denken, dass die Aufeinandertreffen der beiden stellenweise sehr unterhaltsam und lustig sind. Obwohl die Handlung viele ernsthafte Themen behandelt und sehr zum Nachdenken anregt, hat sie auch etwas herrlich Locker-Leichtes und zaubert einen immer wieder ein breites Lächeln aufs Gesicht. Der Humor in dem Buch war auf jeden Fall vollkommen meiner, ich hatte hier eine Menge Gründe zum Schmunzeln. Ich fand es so schön zu sehen, wie langsam eine zarte Beziehung zwischen den beiden Jugendlichen entsteht und habe wie gebannt mitverfolgt, wie sie sich entwickelt.
Neben Sophia und Josh dürfen wir auch noch so einige weitere tolle Charaktere kennenlernen. Elsie habe ich ja bereits erwähnt, sie mochte ich richtig gerne. Wen ich auch super fand, war Josh kleine Schwester Gillian. Sie ist … hm, auch etwas spezieller. Scheint wohl in der Familie zu liegen. ;)
Wen ich einfach nur genial fand, ist Damien. Er nimmt leider nur eine recht kleine Nebenrolle ein. Fand ich irgendwie ein bisschen schade, er ist so witzig! Jedermanns Geschmack wird sein Humor nicht sein, aber mir hat er gefallen, ich musste so über Damien lachen. :D
Fazit: Insgesamt hat mir „Zusammen sind wir unendlich“ echt gut gefallen. Ein paar kleine Schwächen hat das Buch zwar für mich, aber allzu sehr gestört haben sie mich eigentlich nicht. Die Liebesgeschichte, die hier erzählt wird, ist einfach so erfrischend anders und außergewöhnlich. Sie ist ernst, zugleich aber auch humorvoll. Die Charaktere sind einzigartig und durch ihre Ecken und Kanten so herrlich authentisch. In meinen Augen ist „Zusammen sind wir unendlich“ ein wundervoller Roman über das Anderssein, Liebe und Freundschaft. Ich kann das Buch wärmstens empfehlen und vergebe 4 von 5 Sternen!
Sophia ist ein absolutes Mathegenie und glänzt auch in allen weiteren naturwissenschaftlichen Fächern mit Spitzennoten. Klare Strukturen, das ist einfach ihr Ding. Was ihr dafür deutlich weniger liegt, ist Smalltalk. Das Gen dafür scheint sie irgendwie nicht abbekommen zu haben. Sophia lebt in ihrer eigenen Welt und gilt in ihrer Schule als Außenseiterin und Sonderling. Diesen Stempel trägt auch Josh. Josh ist ebenfalls anders. Er ist groß, schlacksig, er fängt an zu lispeln, wenn er aufgeregt ist und er begeistert sich sehr für Zauberkunststücke.
Sophia und Josh hatten bisher kaum Kontakt zueinander, was sich aber bald ändern soll. Josh ist schon etwas länger in Sophia verliebt, hat sich aber nie getraut, sie auf sich aufmerksam zu machen. Nun aber, drei Monate vor dem Abschluss, fasst Josh sich endlich ein Herz. Das Sophia-Beobachten reicht ihm einfach nicht mehr. Es soll sich schließlich etwas Zartes zwischen den beiden entwickeln, aber kann daraus auch mehr werden? Schließlich handelt es sich hier um Sophia, die Schwierigkeiten mit der Empathie hat und Panikattacken bekommt, wenn sie ihre Komfortzone verlässt und mit Veränderungen konfrontiert wird.
Melissa Keil ist hier eine ganz besondere Geschichte über zwei ganz besondere Menschen gelungen, welche mir tolle Lesestunden beschert hat. Ich hatte nur anfangs leichte Probleme gehabt, in die Handlung reinzukommen und zwischendurch waren mir einige Stellen ein bisschen zu langatmig. Zudem bin ich leider mit der Protagonistin Sophia nicht komplett warmgeworden. Mit vollen 5 Sternen werde ich das Buch daher nicht bewerten können, aber wärmstens empfehlen kann ich „Zusammen sind wir unendlich“ natürlich dennoch.
Woran genau es gelegen hat, dass ich leichte Startschwierigkeiten hatte, kann ich noch mal so genau nicht sagen. Am Schreibstil lag es nicht, dieser liest sich wunderbar. Er ist flüssig, humorvoll und lebendig. Vielleicht lag es an der Protagonistin Sophia. Wir bekommen die meisten Kapitel aus ihrer Sicht zu lesen und Sophia ist, wie der Klappentext ja bereits erwähnt, anders. Was genau sie hat, wird nicht beim Namen genannt, aber anhand ihres Handelns und Denkens gehe ich davon aus, dass sie an einer Form des Autismus leidet. Sophia ist schon ein recht gewöhnungsbedürftiger Charakter. Aufgrund ihrer Störung lebt sie in ihrer eigenen Welt und verlässt selten ihre Komfortzone. Ihre einzige Freundin ist Elsie. Sie gibt ihr Halt, ein Leben ohne sie kann Sophia sich kaum vorstellen. Dass Elsie nach der Schule in die USA gehen wird, macht Sophia daher große Angst. Wie wird ihr Leben ohne ihre beste Freundin aussehen?
Sophia plagen immerzu Sorgen, Selbstzweifel und Ängste. Für sie ist es ein ständiger Kampf, sich in der Welt zurechtfinden, da andere Menschen ihr ein einziges Rätsel sind. Ich hatte großes Mitleid mit Sophia, allerdings muss ich gestehen, dass mich ihre Gefühle nicht komplett erreichten konnten. Bei ihr haben mir einfach die Emotionen gefehlt, was vermutlich an ihrer Störung liegt. Zudem habe ich ihr Denken stellenweise als etwas anstrengend empfunden. Sophia macht sich über viele Dinge so ihre Gedanken. Sie ist extrem intelligent, was durch ihre oft sehr komplexen Gedankengänge auch mehr als deutlich wird. Diese waren mir teilweise etwas zu ausschweifend, was dann vermutlich auch dazu geführt hat, dass ich das Buch an einigen Stellen als etwas langatmig empfunden habe.
Ich persönlich mochte die Kapitel aus der Perspektive von Josh lieber. Wir erfahren die Geschichte sowohl aus der Sicht von Sophia als auch aus der von Josh, wobei die Kapitel von Sophia deutlich dominieren. Josh habe ich vom ersten Moment an ganz fest in mein Herz geschlossen. Er ist so ein süßer und total lieber Kerl. Er macht irgendwie immer ein leicht trotteligen Eindruck, was ihn allerdings nur noch sympathischer macht. Josh ist schon etwas eigenwillig, dies aber auf eine total liebenswerte Weise. So lebt er zum Beispiel, dank einer früheren, sehr ausgeprägten Harry Potter-Phase, in einem minikleinen Zimmer (ähnlich klein wie Harrys Schrank unter der Treppe bei den Dursleys) und das auch heute noch, obwohl seine Eltern sehr reich sind und ein ziemlich großes Haus besitzen. Dann wäre da auch noch Joshs Vorliebe für Zaubertricks, was ihn auf andere vermutlich auch oft etwas komisch wirken lässt. Ja, Josh und Sophia haben wirklich eine große Gemeinsamkeit: Beide sind sie anders und habe ihre Eigenarten und Ticks. Für beide ist es nicht einfach, sich in der Welt zurechtfinden.
Vermutlich könnt ihr euch denken, dass die Aufeinandertreffen der beiden stellenweise sehr unterhaltsam und lustig sind. Obwohl die Handlung viele ernsthafte Themen behandelt und sehr zum Nachdenken anregt, hat sie auch etwas herrlich Locker-Leichtes und zaubert einen immer wieder ein breites Lächeln aufs Gesicht. Der Humor in dem Buch war auf jeden Fall vollkommen meiner, ich hatte hier eine Menge Gründe zum Schmunzeln. Ich fand es so schön zu sehen, wie langsam eine zarte Beziehung zwischen den beiden Jugendlichen entsteht und habe wie gebannt mitverfolgt, wie sie sich entwickelt.
Neben Sophia und Josh dürfen wir auch noch so einige weitere tolle Charaktere kennenlernen. Elsie habe ich ja bereits erwähnt, sie mochte ich richtig gerne. Wen ich auch super fand, war Josh kleine Schwester Gillian. Sie ist … hm, auch etwas spezieller. Scheint wohl in der Familie zu liegen. ;)
Wen ich einfach nur genial fand, ist Damien. Er nimmt leider nur eine recht kleine Nebenrolle ein. Fand ich irgendwie ein bisschen schade, er ist so witzig! Jedermanns Geschmack wird sein Humor nicht sein, aber mir hat er gefallen, ich musste so über Damien lachen. :D
Fazit: Insgesamt hat mir „Zusammen sind wir unendlich“ echt gut gefallen. Ein paar kleine Schwächen hat das Buch zwar für mich, aber allzu sehr gestört haben sie mich eigentlich nicht. Die Liebesgeschichte, die hier erzählt wird, ist einfach so erfrischend anders und außergewöhnlich. Sie ist ernst, zugleich aber auch humorvoll. Die Charaktere sind einzigartig und durch ihre Ecken und Kanten so herrlich authentisch. In meinen Augen ist „Zusammen sind wir unendlich“ ein wundervoller Roman über das Anderssein, Liebe und Freundschaft. Ich kann das Buch wärmstens empfehlen und vergebe 4 von 5 Sternen!
December 22, 2020
This was a beautiful, awkward, sweet slow burn of a story and I loved it.
Unfortunately I'm not as knowledgeable in the field of science as I'd like so a LOT of the content was unfamiliar which made this a struggle to read because I really had to concentrate and couldn't just lose myself in the story.
Regardless, I found the characters completely adorable and really enjoyed exploring their world. Joshua and Sophia are super cute and I couldn't help smiling as they got to know each other. It was so relatable; their struggle with anxiety and social pressures while they try to find their place in a world where they don't "fit".
Also, massive shout out to the author for writing their first kiss in a way that makes helpless romantics like me swoon. A moment in time you wish you could leap into the pages and experience it for yourself.
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