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The Lightest Object in the Universe
If the grid went down, how would you find someone on the other side of the country? How would you find hope?
After a global economic collapse and failure of the electrical grid, amid escalating chaos, Carson, a high school teacher of history who sees history bearing out its lessons all around him, heads west on foot toward Beatrix, a woman he met and fell hard for during a chance visit to his school. Working his way along a cross-country railroad line, he encounters lost souls, clever opportunists, and those who believe they’ll be delivered from hardship if they can find their way to the evangelical preacher Jonathan Blue, who is broadcasting on all the airwaves countrywide. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Beatrix and her neighbors turn to one another for food, water, and solace, and begin to construct the kind of cooperative community that suggests the end could, in fact, be a promising beginning.
But between Beatrix and Carson lie 3,000 miles. With no internet or phone or postal service, can they find their way back to each other, and what will be left of their world when they do? The answers may lie with fifteen-year-old Rosie Santos, who travels reluctantly with her grandmother to Jonathan Blue, finding her voice and making choices that could ultimately decide the fate of the cross-country lovers.
The Lightest Object in the Universe is a story about reliance and adaptation, a testament to the power of community and a chronicle of moving on after catastrophic loss, illustrating that even in the worst of times, our best traits, borne of necessity, can begin to emerge.
After a global economic collapse and failure of the electrical grid, amid escalating chaos, Carson, a high school teacher of history who sees history bearing out its lessons all around him, heads west on foot toward Beatrix, a woman he met and fell hard for during a chance visit to his school. Working his way along a cross-country railroad line, he encounters lost souls, clever opportunists, and those who believe they’ll be delivered from hardship if they can find their way to the evangelical preacher Jonathan Blue, who is broadcasting on all the airwaves countrywide. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Beatrix and her neighbors turn to one another for food, water, and solace, and begin to construct the kind of cooperative community that suggests the end could, in fact, be a promising beginning.
But between Beatrix and Carson lie 3,000 miles. With no internet or phone or postal service, can they find their way back to each other, and what will be left of their world when they do? The answers may lie with fifteen-year-old Rosie Santos, who travels reluctantly with her grandmother to Jonathan Blue, finding her voice and making choices that could ultimately decide the fate of the cross-country lovers.
The Lightest Object in the Universe is a story about reliance and adaptation, a testament to the power of community and a chronicle of moving on after catastrophic loss, illustrating that even in the worst of times, our best traits, borne of necessity, can begin to emerge.
325 pages, Hardcover
First published July 9, 2019
473 people are currently reading
9215 people want to read
About the author
Kimi Eisele
1 book130 followersKimi Eisele is the author of The Lightest Object in the Universe, a novel. Her work has appeared in Longreads, Guernica, Terrain.org, High Country News, Orion, Fourth Genre, and other publications. She holds a master’s degree in geography from the University of Arizona, where in 1998 she founded You Are Here: The Journal of Creative Geography. Also a performing and visual artist, her work has been funded by the Arts Foundation of Southern Arizona, the Arizona Commission on the Arts, the Kresge Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. She lives in Tucson and works for the Southwest Folklife Alliance.
July 2019 INDIE NEXT Pick (IndieBound)
Indies Introduce Summer 2019 Selection
Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Summer 2019 Selection
Powell's Book: 22 Books We Can't Wait to Read in 2019 (https://www.powells.com/post/lists/we...)
“It might be an oxymoron to call an apocalyptic novel hopeful, but The Lightest Object in the Universe is a testament to the power of love in the darkest times. Like a near-future Cold Mountain, it's the story of a man's epic journey to reunite with the woman he loves, and a woman's determination to reimagine and rebuild after the fall. There's horror, yes, but more moments of ingenuity, generosity, and grace. I couldn't put it down.”
—Sheri Holman, author of Witches on the Road Tonight
“A tale told in sentences starkly declarative of the gone world they describe, The Lightest Object in the Universe offers characters that linger long after the final page is turned. This is a novel with that exact balance of heart and momentum. Dazzling.”
—Christian Kiefer, author of The Animals
“Post-apocalyptic stories are all the rage, but Kimi Eisele’s novel is a rarity. Her people don’t merely wander across a blighted wasteland; they form communities, till the soil, send their voices into the ether, and cling tenaciously to hope. The Lightest Object in the Universe is a triumphant story for anyone with a shred of faith left in the human spirit.”
—David McGlynn, author of One Day You'll Thank Me
July 2019 INDIE NEXT Pick (IndieBound)
Indies Introduce Summer 2019 Selection
Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Summer 2019 Selection
Powell's Book: 22 Books We Can't Wait to Read in 2019 (https://www.powells.com/post/lists/we...)
“It might be an oxymoron to call an apocalyptic novel hopeful, but The Lightest Object in the Universe is a testament to the power of love in the darkest times. Like a near-future Cold Mountain, it's the story of a man's epic journey to reunite with the woman he loves, and a woman's determination to reimagine and rebuild after the fall. There's horror, yes, but more moments of ingenuity, generosity, and grace. I couldn't put it down.”
—Sheri Holman, author of Witches on the Road Tonight
“A tale told in sentences starkly declarative of the gone world they describe, The Lightest Object in the Universe offers characters that linger long after the final page is turned. This is a novel with that exact balance of heart and momentum. Dazzling.”
—Christian Kiefer, author of The Animals
“Post-apocalyptic stories are all the rage, but Kimi Eisele’s novel is a rarity. Her people don’t merely wander across a blighted wasteland; they form communities, till the soil, send their voices into the ether, and cling tenaciously to hope. The Lightest Object in the Universe is a triumphant story for anyone with a shred of faith left in the human spirit.”
—David McGlynn, author of One Day You'll Thank Me
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 607 reviews
November 10, 2019
This is a first! A dystopian novel about rebuilding rather than destruction!
Kimi Eisele’s debut gives us a world where the government no longer exists, electricity is gone, and along with it the economy. Society has collapsed due to a flu outbreak. The heart of the story, however, is about two people in love that are on opposite sides of the country and their journey to get back together.
Beatrix, a fair trade advocate and protester, is on the West Coast, and Carson, a history teacher, is on the East Coast. Carson decides to make the trek cross country to find Beatrix. What unfolds is a wonderful story about the resilience of the surviving human race and the start to new beginnings.
Carson’s journey brings him in touch with all sorts of people. Some are staying put, and others are traveling elsewhere. Many have been enticed to join Jonathan Blue who has been broadcasting via radio of a new paradise for the lost. Carson, however, decides to continue walking to the West Coast. The uplifting theme, however, is about those survivors that he does meet and their goodwill. Many that he meets on the road offer food, water, shelter, and the hope Carson needs to continue his long and arduous journey.
Meanwhile, Beatrix has decided to stay put and, with the help of others, starts to build a new community. They share knowledge and possessions, bring to life a radio broadcast of their own, and rebuild as best they can.
THE LIGHTEST OBJECT IN THE UNIVERSE is a delightful story about coming together, hope, and starting over.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Many thanks to Algonquin Books and Andrew for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Kimi Eisele’s debut gives us a world where the government no longer exists, electricity is gone, and along with it the economy. Society has collapsed due to a flu outbreak. The heart of the story, however, is about two people in love that are on opposite sides of the country and their journey to get back together.
Beatrix, a fair trade advocate and protester, is on the West Coast, and Carson, a history teacher, is on the East Coast. Carson decides to make the trek cross country to find Beatrix. What unfolds is a wonderful story about the resilience of the surviving human race and the start to new beginnings.
Carson’s journey brings him in touch with all sorts of people. Some are staying put, and others are traveling elsewhere. Many have been enticed to join Jonathan Blue who has been broadcasting via radio of a new paradise for the lost. Carson, however, decides to continue walking to the West Coast. The uplifting theme, however, is about those survivors that he does meet and their goodwill. Many that he meets on the road offer food, water, shelter, and the hope Carson needs to continue his long and arduous journey.
Meanwhile, Beatrix has decided to stay put and, with the help of others, starts to build a new community. They share knowledge and possessions, bring to life a radio broadcast of their own, and rebuild as best they can.
THE LIGHTEST OBJECT IN THE UNIVERSE is a delightful story about coming together, hope, and starting over.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Many thanks to Algonquin Books and Andrew for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2019
I love post apocalyptic books. I have read my fair share and unfortunately some do not stand out and feel like every other one. It was sadly the case for me with this one.
In the beginning I was getting vibes of "Station Eleven" and even "The Stand" but by the middle point I was bored and struggled to finish the book. I was able to finish it by trying the audiobook but even then I struggled the concentrate.
Gorgeous Cover but forgettable.
In the beginning I was getting vibes of "Station Eleven" and even "The Stand" but by the middle point I was bored and struggled to finish the book. I was able to finish it by trying the audiobook but even then I struggled the concentrate.
Gorgeous Cover but forgettable.
June 29, 2020
Is there hope when all seems lost?
Carson believes the answer is yes. In a post apocalyptic world, where the government no longer exists and society is a shell of what it once was, Carson has something to live for. A former Principal and History Teacher living in New York, Carson has a destination. San Francisco. For that is where she is: Beatrix.
Beatrix is a Fair Trade advocate who has always stood up for what she believes in. Returning to San Francisco from Mexico she discovers that the life she once led is no more. Now she must rebuild. Help those around her to build a community. Figure out a new way to survive and even thrive in the midst of chaos and oftentimes, danger.
Until the world went dark, Beatrix and Carson used to send emails to each other. Now both write letters that the other will never receive.
To get to Beatrix, Carson treks 3,000 miles on foot, encountering the kindness of strangers, precarious situations and disease.
“The Lightest Object in the Universe” is a novel about community, friendship, hope and survival. It is about finding happiness in the darkest of times. What made this novel special are the characters and the feeling of community created by Beatrix and her friends. I was wholly invested in them and really enjoyed that storyline. While I liked the character of Carson, I didn’t enjoy his story as much specifically because he was transient and didn’t really build relationships with other characters until the very end. Although this novel could have taken on a bleak tone, it managed to avoid that and that is to the credit of the author, Kimi Eisele. Considering everything that is currently going on in our world, I was extremely grateful for that. The underlying message in “The Lightest Object in the Universe” is one of hope and it is exactly what I needed right now. 3.65 Stars for this intriguing novel.
Thank you to Algonquin Publishing for the arc.
Published on Goodreads and Amazon on 6.28.20.
Carson believes the answer is yes. In a post apocalyptic world, where the government no longer exists and society is a shell of what it once was, Carson has something to live for. A former Principal and History Teacher living in New York, Carson has a destination. San Francisco. For that is where she is: Beatrix.
Beatrix is a Fair Trade advocate who has always stood up for what she believes in. Returning to San Francisco from Mexico she discovers that the life she once led is no more. Now she must rebuild. Help those around her to build a community. Figure out a new way to survive and even thrive in the midst of chaos and oftentimes, danger.
Until the world went dark, Beatrix and Carson used to send emails to each other. Now both write letters that the other will never receive.
To get to Beatrix, Carson treks 3,000 miles on foot, encountering the kindness of strangers, precarious situations and disease.
“The Lightest Object in the Universe” is a novel about community, friendship, hope and survival. It is about finding happiness in the darkest of times. What made this novel special are the characters and the feeling of community created by Beatrix and her friends. I was wholly invested in them and really enjoyed that storyline. While I liked the character of Carson, I didn’t enjoy his story as much specifically because he was transient and didn’t really build relationships with other characters until the very end. Although this novel could have taken on a bleak tone, it managed to avoid that and that is to the credit of the author, Kimi Eisele. Considering everything that is currently going on in our world, I was extremely grateful for that. The underlying message in “The Lightest Object in the Universe” is one of hope and it is exactly what I needed right now. 3.65 Stars for this intriguing novel.
Thank you to Algonquin Publishing for the arc.
Published on Goodreads and Amazon on 6.28.20.
July 11, 2021
I'm not crying... YOU'RE crying! Ok... Maybe I'm crying just a little.
I'm a huge fan of apocalyptic stories. There aren't many out there that are actually kind of hopeful. But folks, this one is just that! Very hopeful! Most of the book is about how the goodness of people come through rather than the dregs of society taking over.
The Lightest Object in the Universe is the story of Carson on the east coast, and Beatrix on the west coast. Shortly after a soft apocalypse caused by a flu, Carson heads out on a journey from coast to coast to reunite with Beatrix, whom he loves.
While Carson travels, Beatrix helps form a new community as the survivors begin anew in the world that's left.
This is a love story and I couldn't get enough. This is the kind of world I hope to find if there ever is some kind of worldwide disaster.
*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for the advance copy!*
I'm a huge fan of apocalyptic stories. There aren't many out there that are actually kind of hopeful. But folks, this one is just that! Very hopeful! Most of the book is about how the goodness of people come through rather than the dregs of society taking over.
The Lightest Object in the Universe is the story of Carson on the east coast, and Beatrix on the west coast. Shortly after a soft apocalypse caused by a flu, Carson heads out on a journey from coast to coast to reunite with Beatrix, whom he loves.
While Carson travels, Beatrix helps form a new community as the survivors begin anew in the world that's left.
This is a love story and I couldn't get enough. This is the kind of world I hope to find if there ever is some kind of worldwide disaster.
*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for the advance copy!*
October 27, 2025
4.5 stars
Set in the near future, government and society has effectively crumbled in the aftermath of a pandemic and technological collapse. This book takes place after the dust has started to settle and people turn themselves to the process of building anew.
Rather than epic, Eisele focuses the story on two main characters, Carson and Beatrix, and the people who make up their worlds. Before the collapse school principal Carson and fair trade activist Beatrix had recently met and were taking the first steps in finding out what they could be to one another. After, the long distances between their respective homes, New York and California, seem impossible to overcome. Somewhat daunted but nevertheless determined, Carson decides to undertake the long and dangerous journey west, to Beatrix, and maybe to love.
Beatrix, meanwhile, can't stop herself from wondering what happened to Carson, and misses what she glimpsed in him, grieving the lost opportunity to continue their relationship and find out. Her activism has in the past given her so many reasons to leave home to try and make a difference elsewhere. She realises now, though, that in the wake of the collapse the greatest contribution she can make is to build and strengthen the community that is budding around her. Her home can be everything she wants it to be, but she is needed to undertake the hard work to nurture it.
The parallel journeys of Carson and Beatrix are both about self-discovery, growth, and community building. Sometimes you have to leave home to find what you need in both yourself and in others; sometimes you need to stay where you are to do the same thing.
This isn't an action packed post-apocalyptic story. It is a quiet, reflective book that puts the characters front and centre in the narrative. For the most part, people try their best to do the right thing, although not always. There is certainly some trauma, but it doesn't take the story over or eclipse the larger themes of compassion and community building explored by Eisele. The main message remains one that we can all relate to: when things get tough, be kind, be compassionate, and help each other.
It's remarkably similar to the mantra we heard daily here in British Columbia from our public health authority and government during our own time of crisis: Be kind, be calm, and be safe.
Set in the near future, government and society has effectively crumbled in the aftermath of a pandemic and technological collapse. This book takes place after the dust has started to settle and people turn themselves to the process of building anew.
Rather than epic, Eisele focuses the story on two main characters, Carson and Beatrix, and the people who make up their worlds. Before the collapse school principal Carson and fair trade activist Beatrix had recently met and were taking the first steps in finding out what they could be to one another. After, the long distances between their respective homes, New York and California, seem impossible to overcome. Somewhat daunted but nevertheless determined, Carson decides to undertake the long and dangerous journey west, to Beatrix, and maybe to love.
Beatrix, meanwhile, can't stop herself from wondering what happened to Carson, and misses what she glimpsed in him, grieving the lost opportunity to continue their relationship and find out. Her activism has in the past given her so many reasons to leave home to try and make a difference elsewhere. She realises now, though, that in the wake of the collapse the greatest contribution she can make is to build and strengthen the community that is budding around her. Her home can be everything she wants it to be, but she is needed to undertake the hard work to nurture it.
The parallel journeys of Carson and Beatrix are both about self-discovery, growth, and community building. Sometimes you have to leave home to find what you need in both yourself and in others; sometimes you need to stay where you are to do the same thing.
This isn't an action packed post-apocalyptic story. It is a quiet, reflective book that puts the characters front and centre in the narrative. For the most part, people try their best to do the right thing, although not always. There is certainly some trauma, but it doesn't take the story over or eclipse the larger themes of compassion and community building explored by Eisele. The main message remains one that we can all relate to: when things get tough, be kind, be compassionate, and help each other.
It's remarkably similar to the mantra we heard daily here in British Columbia from our public health authority and government during our own time of crisis: Be kind, be calm, and be safe.
June 10, 2019
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine
For its first third, I found The Lightest Object in the Universe to be deeply frustrating. Here I am reading a novel about the end of the world - flu has wiped out a huge chunk of humanity, the government just sort-of decided to stop working, commerce has collapsed, and the electrical grid has stopped reducing iPhones and computers to useless blocks of plastic and metal - and the world stubbornly refuses to end. Where were the Nuke Pooches, the marauding cannibal, road warriors, the blood-thirsty packs of sentient AIs, and the mushroom clouds? The problem wasn't with Kimi Eisele (who's debut novel is one those infuriating books that makes you want to congratulate the author for creating something so unique, but at the same time, leaves you completely jealous that they can come so close to perfection with their first try); the problem was me. You see, I thought I was getting a novel about the end of the world, but Kimi Eisele wrote one about the world beginning.
Set soon after the collapse of the world as we know it, the Lightest Object in the Universe tells the story of Beatrix (a Fair Trade advocate), Carson (a school principal trying to piece his life back together after the loss of his wife), his journey across the changed landscape of the United States, and her attempt to pull together a community that is threatening to fragment as water, food, and trust become increasingly rare commodities. It's a set-up rife with potential for exploring the darkest side of human psyche, but instead the author populates her novel with charcters who see the end of the world as an opportunity to build a new society where people work together to solve problems instead of looking for ways to maximize their own survival. That's not to say that there is no danger to be found in Kimi Eisle's novel - a deadly flu seems to be getting more lethal with every outbreak, a gang of bicycling terrorists teenagers angered that their generation has lost its future threaten to derail all progress, and a strange ascension cult which promises simple solutions to complex problems are constant and real threats - but these threats are overshadowed by the combined decency of the survivors who see their own pain and loss reflected in the eyes of the people they meet on the road to anywhere.
In the end, Kimi Eisle, dosen't see the loss of our lifestyle as an ending, but as a beginning. It's our willingness to place more importance on the invisible people that we reach through our phones than the people we see everyday in our neighborhoods that is the true end of a world worth living in, and it's the same tools that connect the world and supposedly bring us together are the things that are keeping us most apart. In The Lightest Object in the Universe it's the loss of everything we think is important that acts as the catalyst for giving the human race a chance to live again.
For its first third, I found The Lightest Object in the Universe to be deeply frustrating. Here I am reading a novel about the end of the world - flu has wiped out a huge chunk of humanity, the government just sort-of decided to stop working, commerce has collapsed, and the electrical grid has stopped reducing iPhones and computers to useless blocks of plastic and metal - and the world stubbornly refuses to end. Where were the Nuke Pooches, the marauding cannibal, road warriors, the blood-thirsty packs of sentient AIs, and the mushroom clouds? The problem wasn't with Kimi Eisele (who's debut novel is one those infuriating books that makes you want to congratulate the author for creating something so unique, but at the same time, leaves you completely jealous that they can come so close to perfection with their first try); the problem was me. You see, I thought I was getting a novel about the end of the world, but Kimi Eisele wrote one about the world beginning.
Set soon after the collapse of the world as we know it, the Lightest Object in the Universe tells the story of Beatrix (a Fair Trade advocate), Carson (a school principal trying to piece his life back together after the loss of his wife), his journey across the changed landscape of the United States, and her attempt to pull together a community that is threatening to fragment as water, food, and trust become increasingly rare commodities. It's a set-up rife with potential for exploring the darkest side of human psyche, but instead the author populates her novel with charcters who see the end of the world as an opportunity to build a new society where people work together to solve problems instead of looking for ways to maximize their own survival. That's not to say that there is no danger to be found in Kimi Eisle's novel - a deadly flu seems to be getting more lethal with every outbreak, a gang of bicycling terrorists teenagers angered that their generation has lost its future threaten to derail all progress, and a strange ascension cult which promises simple solutions to complex problems are constant and real threats - but these threats are overshadowed by the combined decency of the survivors who see their own pain and loss reflected in the eyes of the people they meet on the road to anywhere.
In the end, Kimi Eisle, dosen't see the loss of our lifestyle as an ending, but as a beginning. It's our willingness to place more importance on the invisible people that we reach through our phones than the people we see everyday in our neighborhoods that is the true end of a world worth living in, and it's the same tools that connect the world and supposedly bring us together are the things that are keeping us most apart. In The Lightest Object in the Universe it's the loss of everything we think is important that acts as the catalyst for giving the human race a chance to live again.
October 17, 2020
October 08, 2020: Seems like there's only so much one should expect from a dystopian sci-fi after so many have already left a good mark in the recent past. The only bit I can appreciate with enough heart is the writing since it has a hypnotic tone to actually transfer you through the timelines and into a future so worse. But there's nothing different enough from a list of 'all things you would find in a dystopian sci-fi'.
There's the usual differing moralities of the main character and their love interest, in the way Beatrix is highly conscious of righteousness and always on her toes to take offence and a guy who is completely different from her but still grows a lot of feelings through emails. So much so that they come together to fight all the stereotypical problems in a dystopia—people who are brainwashed to believe in exactly what a cult expects them to and all the big guys who run behind you when you're being rebellious.
July 04, 2020: I don't think I can ever get tired of dystopian or post-apocalyptic books so this one does fascinate me. Received a digital review copy via Netgalley.
There's the usual differing moralities of the main character and their love interest, in the way Beatrix is highly conscious of righteousness and always on her toes to take offence and a guy who is completely different from her but still grows a lot of feelings through emails. So much so that they come together to fight all the stereotypical problems in a dystopia—people who are brainwashed to believe in exactly what a cult expects them to and all the big guys who run behind you when you're being rebellious.
July 04, 2020: I don't think I can ever get tired of dystopian or post-apocalyptic books so this one does fascinate me. Received a digital review copy via Netgalley.
June 24, 2023
Meh... I read Year One too recently before this one and the Stand not that long ago. This was somewhat of a doing the same thing that's been done before but without much of a new arc other than the setting.
The dual narration is almost more confusing than contributing to the story. The settings don't even seem different enough to be in different locations, which is supposed to be a considerable part of the plot. Ultimately I just got bored with the pace and the lack of exciting elements to keep my attention.
It wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't earth-shattering.
Just ok for me. 2-2.5 stars
The dual narration is almost more confusing than contributing to the story. The settings don't even seem different enough to be in different locations, which is supposed to be a considerable part of the plot. Ultimately I just got bored with the pace and the lack of exciting elements to keep my attention.
It wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't earth-shattering.
Just ok for me. 2-2.5 stars
November 24, 2019
It's so light that it practically floats
The Lightest Object in the Universe is a gentle tale about a future world where modern society just stops functioning. No more internet. No more power plants polluting the air. Forget traffic. People use bicycles. Forget overpopulation. The influenza epidemic took care of that. Let's just farm and trade, fair trade only. No zombies. No aliens. No desperate hordes. And, you know what, there was nothing really compelling about the story. There just wasn't any action or anything that really mattered.
The Lightest Object in the Universe is a gentle tale about a future world where modern society just stops functioning. No more internet. No more power plants polluting the air. Forget traffic. People use bicycles. Forget overpopulation. The influenza epidemic took care of that. Let's just farm and trade, fair trade only. No zombies. No aliens. No desperate hordes. And, you know what, there was nothing really compelling about the story. There just wasn't any action or anything that really mattered.
July 6, 2020
4 stars
A quiet tale focused on the rebuilding aspect of a post-apocalyptic reality, this novel was a memorable addition to the genre.
Writing: ★★★★
Plot: ★★★ 1/2
Enjoyment: ★★★★
First off, I'm not usually a reader of post-apocalyptic fiction. I don't like novels focused on the end of times, death, destruction, and the lack of hope—I tend to like more escape in my fiction, and to me the plot tends to not outweigh the personal stress I feel while reading it!
The Lightest Object in the Universe isn't about destruction though. It's about hope, and new growth.
Carson is a former school principal and history teacher on the East Coast, witnessing the breakdown of normal as the electrical grid shuts down, the world collapses, and his neighborhood, students, and city fall into the grim reality of "after." The only thing he can think of is his lover, Beatrix, who lives in California. Is she safe? Is she alive? Carson decides to go to her, and that decision sparks a cross-country trek the old-fashioned way: on foot.
Beatrix is dealing with her own end of the world in California, and she wonders about Carson—is he safe? Is he alive? Does her remember the promise he made to her that he would cross the country to be with her? Learning how to live with her neighbors and friends in the new version of the world, Beatrix discovers what it means to carry on.
This is a quiet tale. I have to admit, at times I wished it was a little faster in its pacing...but at the same time, that was kind of the point. In our current world of technology, immediacy, electricity, and the grid, time spent on the quiet moments is seen as something extremely slow and often unnecessary. But for Carson and Beatrix, time flows differently because there is no option to do it faster. It is what it is. Over the course of the novel, I found myself slowing down to match their speed, and once I did that I was able to enjoy the novel more.
Recommended for those who like the quiet, and are willing to spend some lingering time with this radically different post-apocalyptic tale.
Thank you to Algonquin Books for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
A quiet tale focused on the rebuilding aspect of a post-apocalyptic reality, this novel was a memorable addition to the genre.
Writing: ★★★★
Plot: ★★★ 1/2
Enjoyment: ★★★★
First off, I'm not usually a reader of post-apocalyptic fiction. I don't like novels focused on the end of times, death, destruction, and the lack of hope—I tend to like more escape in my fiction, and to me the plot tends to not outweigh the personal stress I feel while reading it!
The Lightest Object in the Universe isn't about destruction though. It's about hope, and new growth.
Carson is a former school principal and history teacher on the East Coast, witnessing the breakdown of normal as the electrical grid shuts down, the world collapses, and his neighborhood, students, and city fall into the grim reality of "after." The only thing he can think of is his lover, Beatrix, who lives in California. Is she safe? Is she alive? Carson decides to go to her, and that decision sparks a cross-country trek the old-fashioned way: on foot.
Beatrix is dealing with her own end of the world in California, and she wonders about Carson—is he safe? Is he alive? Does her remember the promise he made to her that he would cross the country to be with her? Learning how to live with her neighbors and friends in the new version of the world, Beatrix discovers what it means to carry on.
This is a quiet tale. I have to admit, at times I wished it was a little faster in its pacing...but at the same time, that was kind of the point. In our current world of technology, immediacy, electricity, and the grid, time spent on the quiet moments is seen as something extremely slow and often unnecessary. But for Carson and Beatrix, time flows differently because there is no option to do it faster. It is what it is. Over the course of the novel, I found myself slowing down to match their speed, and once I did that I was able to enjoy the novel more.
Recommended for those who like the quiet, and are willing to spend some lingering time with this radically different post-apocalyptic tale.
Thank you to Algonquin Books for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
January 23, 2022
I do love a good post apocalyptic novel where huge catastrophes force people to dig deep to survive and hopefully develop their humanity, strength, and character.
This novel starts out slowly, which is OK. But as it proceeds, nothing really happens, most of the characters have no charm, and the writing is bland and squishy like Wonder Bread (one of the lightest objects in the universe?).
The MC’s name is Beatrix, and she’s a west coast gal whose career involves setting up fair trade arrangements between companies in third world countries and those in the US and who, of course, leads a scrupulously conscientious life. This should be admirable, but she is so self-righteous and offensive that I HAAAAAATED her. Note that she’s not intentionally despicable like an unreliable narrator or anti hero.
And then there’s her flat, lovelorn boyfriend on the east coast, the highly principled high school principal who falls in love with her from afar (email and phone calls) and walks across America to be with her—yuck. Together, they come across as weak pablum. Or ipecac.
And of course, there are annoyingly cliché stereotypes: the religious cult, coarse men, and many more.
Could not stomach it. Skimmed, skipped, and DNF
This novel starts out slowly, which is OK. But as it proceeds, nothing really happens, most of the characters have no charm, and the writing is bland and squishy like Wonder Bread (one of the lightest objects in the universe?).
The MC’s name is Beatrix, and she’s a west coast gal whose career involves setting up fair trade arrangements between companies in third world countries and those in the US and who, of course, leads a scrupulously conscientious life. This should be admirable, but she is so self-righteous and offensive that I HAAAAAATED her. Note that she’s not intentionally despicable like an unreliable narrator or anti hero.
And then there’s her flat, lovelorn boyfriend on the east coast, the highly principled high school principal who falls in love with her from afar (email and phone calls) and walks across America to be with her—yuck. Together, they come across as weak pablum. Or ipecac.
And of course, there are annoyingly cliché stereotypes: the religious cult, coarse men, and many more.
Could not stomach it. Skimmed, skipped, and DNF
September 17, 2019
Another near-future fiction with a thinly-veiled political agenda, The Lightest Object in the Universe is as crunchy a post-apocalyptic vision as they come. Although a post-collapse Bay Area where all central government control ceases to exist a matter of mere months after an oil shock doesn't hold up to scrutiny, artist and activist Eisele is not that linear a thinker. It doesn't matter a whole lot, because she has some thoughtful characters and many interesting ideas. The novel can get damnably poetic at turns, but its chief strength is playing on reader expectations. The vision of a world with no electricity and no major threats bigger than rowdy teenage bicycle thieves (past the odd suicide cult) might be optimistic, but it's a welcome change of pace. Eisele plays with tension in a deliberate and intelligent way. As one of her protagonists learns to build chicken coops and spearhead a community radio station in San Francisco, the other makes his way across the country from the other coast on foot, meeting a variety of survivors along the way. Each of these encounters is fraught with the possibility of violence and betrayal, and yet (almost) nothing terrible ever happens. In Eisele's conception, the world's end brings out the best in people. That's probably not true, but it's OK to want it to be. The author keeps things small and gives each of her few major characters meaningful and significant backstories, and has much success making the minor characters memorable and unique. In contrast to Stephen King's portentous apocalypse in The Stand, where the literal Hand of God descends from the sky at the end, The Lightest Object is most notable for its tiny details, like the barter value of free-trade chocolate, the production of an educational old-school radio drama, or the rituals of the bike-mounted post-collapse version of the Pony Express. The tone is slightly separate from absolute documentary reality throughout, but Eisele's tentative attempts at full-blown magic and mysticism are perhaps its weakest passages. The payoff of the ominous cult subplot is rather hard to follow because the obligatory prophet character is having some sort of incoherent reverie for the whole run of it. While it's obvious where the author's sympathies lie, it's notable how she chooses to give her heroine and chief identification figure, the resourceful Beatrix, doubts and fallibility. Becoming a community leader in this brave new world isn't a complete vindication for her, since she spent most of her life before the collapse traveling all over the world while having barely any connection to her nominal home. That the author is this willing to slip honest self-examination into the narrative proves that you don't have to share her Portlandia politics in order to enjoy her work.
May 12, 2025
نمیدونم من دیگه واسه کتابهای پادآرمانی پیر شدم یا این واقعا بیهوده و الکی بود.
Read
May 24, 2020
June 30, 2020
I've watched a LOT of show with this premise of the-end-of-the-world, no electricity, no money, riots and violence everywhere. Dystopian stories fascinate me. But this one hit close. Too close. It felt REAL, and it scared me a lot... I don't know if it's because of the current pandemic, but the scenario felt so plausible, it made me anxious and question everything, like what skill would I be able to trade if I was in their situation?
And... would my boyfriend walk 3,000 miles to come see me?
Many thanks to Algonquin for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #blogtour
And... would my boyfriend walk 3,000 miles to come see me?
Many thanks to Algonquin for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #blogtour
July 17, 2019
Absolutely and thoroughly enjoyed this!
My childhood neighbor and friend wrote this book and I could not be more proud of her!
I happy bought this at our local indie bookstore and started reading immediately and had no idea what to expect. The extra best thing about this is that this is exactly the sort of book that I would have devoured even if I didn't know the author.
The grid goes down, society collapses, and the characters we follow are trying to survive and sustain themselves post-apocalypse style. The story focuses on two people on opposite coasts who are trying to find each other and reconnect yet without the technology that we have become so used to communicating with -- it's a difficult task and near impossible to hope that they will indeed see each other again.
Beatrix has been an activist for years, traveling in and out of South America helping establish free-trade and worker empowerment. Carson is a History professor on the East Coast. I really enjoyed the little bits that I know of Kimi in this -- the South American and the Pennsylvania bits. (smile).
What I also really loved was how familiar these characters felt, how easy it was to love them and feel like I know them -- both in the book and in the real world. This story could be taken right out of my life and that was all the more exciting.
Beatrix is working with her neighborhood on a sustainable collective lifestyle. Carson meanwhile is walking across the country. Both of them are hearing Blue's radio broadcasts -- encouraging everyone to come to "The Center". His preaching ways are enticing and it sounds like a perfect solution. Yet it's hard to walk hundreds of miles and many don't make it. Like any post-apocalptic world there are marauders and bandits and you never know quite who you can trust. Fortunately this is a story of hope and has a very positive spin on humanity working together for the greater good.
I loved it right up until the very last sentence. It held me in it's grip the whole way through. A new spin on a common theme, all the more pertinent and believable in our near future.
Love Love Love this book!
My childhood neighbor and friend wrote this book and I could not be more proud of her!
I happy bought this at our local indie bookstore and started reading immediately and had no idea what to expect. The extra best thing about this is that this is exactly the sort of book that I would have devoured even if I didn't know the author.
The grid goes down, society collapses, and the characters we follow are trying to survive and sustain themselves post-apocalypse style. The story focuses on two people on opposite coasts who are trying to find each other and reconnect yet without the technology that we have become so used to communicating with -- it's a difficult task and near impossible to hope that they will indeed see each other again.
Beatrix has been an activist for years, traveling in and out of South America helping establish free-trade and worker empowerment. Carson is a History professor on the East Coast. I really enjoyed the little bits that I know of Kimi in this -- the South American and the Pennsylvania bits. (smile).
What I also really loved was how familiar these characters felt, how easy it was to love them and feel like I know them -- both in the book and in the real world. This story could be taken right out of my life and that was all the more exciting.
Beatrix is working with her neighborhood on a sustainable collective lifestyle. Carson meanwhile is walking across the country. Both of them are hearing Blue's radio broadcasts -- encouraging everyone to come to "The Center". His preaching ways are enticing and it sounds like a perfect solution. Yet it's hard to walk hundreds of miles and many don't make it. Like any post-apocalptic world there are marauders and bandits and you never know quite who you can trust. Fortunately this is a story of hope and has a very positive spin on humanity working together for the greater good.
I loved it right up until the very last sentence. It held me in it's grip the whole way through. A new spin on a common theme, all the more pertinent and believable in our near future.
Love Love Love this book!
July 1, 2020
Check out my blog tour post in which I wrote a five-point essay about the importance of the post-apocalyptic genre and how this novel's themes fit into those categories. https://sassysarahreads.blogspot.com/...
3 stars. I didn't dislike this one, but I was not a big fan of the story or the characters. I just felt very detached from it. Review to come.
3 stars. I didn't dislike this one, but I was not a big fan of the story or the characters. I just felt very detached from it. Review to come.
May 29, 2021
3.5/5
Received this in my September 2020 Caffeine & Legends Box! Check out my unboxing on Instagram here.
I've been slowly working my way through my Caffeine & Legends books and I've enjoyed every one of them. This one definitely hit a different way as it's an apocalyptic/cli-fi type story. So like sometimes a bit depressing.
The main plot line is about seeing if Carson and Beatrix will reunite after the environmental disaster that's caused everyday society to break down. They're on opposite coasts and Carson decides to hitchhike across the country to find her. Meanwhile Beatrix is unsure whether she should stay put or attempt to find her previous roommates who have left "north". Eventually Beatrix decides to stay and finds that improving the community she lives in is a team effort especially with all of the broadcasts from Jonathan Blue who preaches that all who come to the center will be delivered.
I really enjoyed seeing Beatrix push herself into her community, learning to work with all the different residents and make it into a home. The addition of the bike kid gang was really interesting and added a lot of conflict. This book was quite a break from my normal which is usually YA. So having two real adult narrators was definitely different! I really liked that Beatrix as constantly reassessing and finding compromises or ways to get what she wanted by working with the other people in her community.
Carson's journey was wild. It seemed like it took forever and almost no time at all. I don't remember which way he was going (east to west or west to east), but he mainly travels by following train tracks. He was a history teacher, so seeing him stop to interview other people, and take in their stories was so cool. I loved seeing him collect the history that was happening.
I loved the way these two perspectives wove together, especially since both would often be thinking of each other. Writing mental notes to each other, or in Carson's case, he actually did send Beatrix a message before he left. We also have an additional narrator in Rosie, a young girl who starts off in Beatrix's community but ends up traveling with her grandmother to Jonathan Blue's compound. Rosie really grew a lot through this book, we see her start to make decisions for herself and begin to grow into her own as a young adult.
The ending was a bit abrupt and open ended, so I wish there was so more to the end, like maybe an extended epilogue. But the journey of this book was very well done. Definitely something I'll be thinking about for a while.
Received this in my September 2020 Caffeine & Legends Box! Check out my unboxing on Instagram here.
I've been slowly working my way through my Caffeine & Legends books and I've enjoyed every one of them. This one definitely hit a different way as it's an apocalyptic/cli-fi type story. So like sometimes a bit depressing.
The main plot line is about seeing if Carson and Beatrix will reunite after the environmental disaster that's caused everyday society to break down. They're on opposite coasts and Carson decides to hitchhike across the country to find her. Meanwhile Beatrix is unsure whether she should stay put or attempt to find her previous roommates who have left "north". Eventually Beatrix decides to stay and finds that improving the community she lives in is a team effort especially with all of the broadcasts from Jonathan Blue who preaches that all who come to the center will be delivered.
I really enjoyed seeing Beatrix push herself into her community, learning to work with all the different residents and make it into a home. The addition of the bike kid gang was really interesting and added a lot of conflict. This book was quite a break from my normal which is usually YA. So having two real adult narrators was definitely different! I really liked that Beatrix as constantly reassessing and finding compromises or ways to get what she wanted by working with the other people in her community.
Carson's journey was wild. It seemed like it took forever and almost no time at all. I don't remember which way he was going (east to west or west to east), but he mainly travels by following train tracks. He was a history teacher, so seeing him stop to interview other people, and take in their stories was so cool. I loved seeing him collect the history that was happening.
I loved the way these two perspectives wove together, especially since both would often be thinking of each other. Writing mental notes to each other, or in Carson's case, he actually did send Beatrix a message before he left. We also have an additional narrator in Rosie, a young girl who starts off in Beatrix's community but ends up traveling with her grandmother to Jonathan Blue's compound. Rosie really grew a lot through this book, we see her start to make decisions for herself and begin to grow into her own as a young adult.
The ending was a bit abrupt and open ended, so I wish there was so more to the end, like maybe an extended epilogue. But the journey of this book was very well done. Definitely something I'll be thinking about for a while.
August 12, 2019
I'm not a big reader of sci fi/ end of days stories, but I seem to love the few I've "read" via audible (books like: The Age of Miracles, The Dreamers which I actually read - okay so maybe the theme there is the author Karen Thompson Walker ) but I digress.
The Lightest Object in the Universe is one I must add to this list. First, the story is completely captivating. And secondly, the audible is perfectly produced, with distinct voices from the myriad of characters who create this new society. This is an amazing story rooted in the characters and the situation where society has fallen, there's little to no electricity, gas, etc. - you get the picture. What's important here is human connection, the ability to persevere, to hold onto a glimmer of hope, to love.
The story is told via multiple voices but focuses on characters on the west coast who have maintained and continue to build their community on Halcyon St. It's a dynamic group of figures; at the center is Beatrix, from the East coast, comes Carson - making his way to his friend Beatrix. And in the middle of the country - somewhere in Wyoming, is the voice of Jonathan Blue - "proclaiming his place" as a savior who can offer food and protection (drink the kool-aid type of savior).
Over a time span of about a year, we see the evolution of humanity, the various factions interacting, a marauding group of children not afraid to use violence in order to secure food, the people of Halcyon as they try to shore up their neighborhood and offer something to combat the pull of
the enigmatic Jonathan Blue. And the wanderers, like Carson. People forced out of their homes in big cities, in light of anarchy and resources, and who travel, looking for a better place to live.
If you haven't read or listened to a book like this I say try it - try it WITH THIS BOOK! It has it all and in the end left me feeling highly entertained and a bit more hopeful about humanity.
The Lightest Object in the Universe is one I must add to this list. First, the story is completely captivating. And secondly, the audible is perfectly produced, with distinct voices from the myriad of characters who create this new society. This is an amazing story rooted in the characters and the situation where society has fallen, there's little to no electricity, gas, etc. - you get the picture. What's important here is human connection, the ability to persevere, to hold onto a glimmer of hope, to love.
The story is told via multiple voices but focuses on characters on the west coast who have maintained and continue to build their community on Halcyon St. It's a dynamic group of figures; at the center is Beatrix, from the East coast, comes Carson - making his way to his friend Beatrix. And in the middle of the country - somewhere in Wyoming, is the voice of Jonathan Blue - "proclaiming his place" as a savior who can offer food and protection (drink the kool-aid type of savior).
Over a time span of about a year, we see the evolution of humanity, the various factions interacting, a marauding group of children not afraid to use violence in order to secure food, the people of Halcyon as they try to shore up their neighborhood and offer something to combat the pull of
the enigmatic Jonathan Blue. And the wanderers, like Carson. People forced out of their homes in big cities, in light of anarchy and resources, and who travel, looking for a better place to live.
If you haven't read or listened to a book like this I say try it - try it WITH THIS BOOK! It has it all and in the end left me feeling highly entertained and a bit more hopeful about humanity.
November 30, 2019
It reads like a white liberal version of the apocalypse (and no mistake that our two star-crossed lovers in this book are, in fact, white liberals): The nation falls as a result of its consumption, and the solution is to come together and rebuild community by using our skills to help each other survive. It's almost a little too neat, a little too idealistic.
And yet.
I kept reading, because under it all, there is love between these people, and there is hope, even though the world's been shot to hell, and isn't that what we all want while the world is shot to hell?
So while the book wears its politics a little too heavily, it has a end of the world scenario that I wouldn't mind living in so much. 3/5.
And yet.
I kept reading, because under it all, there is love between these people, and there is hope, even though the world's been shot to hell, and isn't that what we all want while the world is shot to hell?
So while the book wears its politics a little too heavily, it has a end of the world scenario that I wouldn't mind living in so much. 3/5.
August 10, 2019
Eisels post apocalyptic America is preposterous. Our real world lives are way more challenging and dangerous and thus: more interesting. (Author is either a product of homeschooling or of privilege...or both.) I guess the super-flu only killed off conservatives, the alt right and anarchists?
The prologue describing the fall of America is plausible only because all the evils of destruction are on deck: climate change + financial crash + epidemic + cyber attack = government collapse. Unfortunately that only took up three pages and...Wait - where were the invaders? Hello? Russia? China? Canada and Mexico? Nobody??? Come on.
The prologue describing the fall of America is plausible only because all the evils of destruction are on deck: climate change + financial crash + epidemic + cyber attack = government collapse. Unfortunately that only took up three pages and...Wait - where were the invaders? Hello? Russia? China? Canada and Mexico? Nobody??? Come on.
May 20, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The world has already collapsed and the journey is towards rebuilding a community network, returning to the basics of farming produce, building shelter and adjusting to climate. The People’s Bicycle Brigade (PBB) is the internet on wheels, they are the communicators. Beatrix, Flash, Dragon, Rosie and Carson are a diverse group of characters who are at the heart of bringing my faith back in humanity. On the flip side there is Jonathon Blue who takes advantage of those who are vulnerable and fear the unknown future. So what is the lightest object in the universe? You will be surprised.
April 26, 2019
Well-written and full of haunting scenes of post-apocalyptic America, I devoured this book and it grew on me the more that I read it. It follows two adult characters who had a brief romance and are now trying to connect with each other even thought they live on opposite sides of the country. I wish that there was a little more details concerning how society crumbled, but descriptions of the aftermath were some of the best I have read. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 19, 2022
This book was written by a white hippie in Arizona and it reads like it. That is not a compliment.
July 1, 2020
Thank you Algonquin for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Lightest Object In The Universe
By: Kimi Eisele
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
I love dystopian and speculative fiction, so The Lightest Object In The Universe was the ideal read for me.
"Onto the typography of change and despair came the darkness. There were neither prescriptions nor predictions. Grief and pain could make you either cruel or generous; the only common denominator was loss."
Imagine companies failing, government collapsing, flu killing thousands upon thousands, and finally, darkness. No TV, no cell phone, no internet, no transportation, no communication-forever. This is your life now. What would you do to survive, or would you survive at all? Personally, I don't think I would last a week. In this story, Carson and Beatrix met just prior to the darkness, and they had a spark of something special. Now, however, they are stranded on opposite sides of the country, 3,000 miles apart.
Carson sets out to get to Beatrix no matter what, like an epic journey of sorts. Carson encounters every type of person, but he is given more goodwill than danger. I want to believe this could happen, but I don't have a lot of faith in humanity. I believe many people are inherently bad, but they are absent in the story. Despite my cynicism, the story is encouraging, hopeful, positive and suggests that an apocalyptic event might bring people together.
Beatrix is not on a journey, but she is working with her community to build a new sustainable environment for the changed world. Again, I hope this type of cooperation would be true. I like the message of this story. People are people. Love and help each other. Uplift and encourage your neighbors. Spread kindness not cruelty. Being in the midst of a pandemic, brings this story home to me. It's real, and something cataclysmic could happen any day. Keep your fingers crossed that Carson and Beatrix will be reunited. What would you do for love?
The Lightest Object In The Universe
By: Kimi Eisele
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
I love dystopian and speculative fiction, so The Lightest Object In The Universe was the ideal read for me.
"Onto the typography of change and despair came the darkness. There were neither prescriptions nor predictions. Grief and pain could make you either cruel or generous; the only common denominator was loss."
Imagine companies failing, government collapsing, flu killing thousands upon thousands, and finally, darkness. No TV, no cell phone, no internet, no transportation, no communication-forever. This is your life now. What would you do to survive, or would you survive at all? Personally, I don't think I would last a week. In this story, Carson and Beatrix met just prior to the darkness, and they had a spark of something special. Now, however, they are stranded on opposite sides of the country, 3,000 miles apart.
Carson sets out to get to Beatrix no matter what, like an epic journey of sorts. Carson encounters every type of person, but he is given more goodwill than danger. I want to believe this could happen, but I don't have a lot of faith in humanity. I believe many people are inherently bad, but they are absent in the story. Despite my cynicism, the story is encouraging, hopeful, positive and suggests that an apocalyptic event might bring people together.
Beatrix is not on a journey, but she is working with her community to build a new sustainable environment for the changed world. Again, I hope this type of cooperation would be true. I like the message of this story. People are people. Love and help each other. Uplift and encourage your neighbors. Spread kindness not cruelty. Being in the midst of a pandemic, brings this story home to me. It's real, and something cataclysmic could happen any day. Keep your fingers crossed that Carson and Beatrix will be reunited. What would you do for love?
July 7, 2020
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
4.5*
I fully admit, I am a sucker for post-apocalyptic fare. Even know as they often hit way too close to home, I still gravitate to them. So it makes sense that I was eager to read this one. And it delivered! So let's talk about why!
►It was, at its core, hopeful. Yes, that may seem an odd way to describe an end-of-days book, but it was! Even when I wasn't sure how things would turn out, or whether our characters would make it, there were still rays of hope. I feel like if hope can be found in the bleakest of times, it's a commentary on the strength of mankind, and that is just plain inspiring.
►I was really invested in the characters' journeys, both internally and externally. Beatrix is an awesome character from the start, having done all sorts of great work pre-apocalypse. But now she's trying to figure out where she belongs in this new world. Carson is, quite simply, looking for Beatrix. He had been widowed several years prior, and that makes him more aware of what matters most to him. And at the end of the world, it's Beatrix. So he sets out to travel coast-to-coast to find her. Meanwhile, we get to meet a lot of people at Beatrix's neighborhood-turned-family, and I grew very invested in them too.
►The actual travels are great too. I am a sucker for a road trip, even if it happens to be on foot (or bike, in some cases). I feel like they give you such an insight into the characters' motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. How do they handle these challenges? Do they grow? I loved how the author absolutely used the travels in this novel to give the reader a look at what makes the characters tick.
►It all felt eerily plausible. I mean, maybe that is because of our current global crises, but I think it's probably a combination of that, and the fact that the author just does a good job at making the world feel believable. The way characters, good and bad, act in the wake of such dire straights is all too easy to understand. The way the world collapses, the way some people try to lift it back up while others take advantage. It's all just so honest.
Bottom Line: I adored this tale of survival and finding out what the important things are in life. While it's certainly a dire world, it's filled with pockets of hope and characters I cared about.
4.5*
I fully admit, I am a sucker for post-apocalyptic fare. Even know as they often hit way too close to home, I still gravitate to them. So it makes sense that I was eager to read this one. And it delivered! So let's talk about why!
►It was, at its core, hopeful. Yes, that may seem an odd way to describe an end-of-days book, but it was! Even when I wasn't sure how things would turn out, or whether our characters would make it, there were still rays of hope. I feel like if hope can be found in the bleakest of times, it's a commentary on the strength of mankind, and that is just plain inspiring.
►I was really invested in the characters' journeys, both internally and externally. Beatrix is an awesome character from the start, having done all sorts of great work pre-apocalypse. But now she's trying to figure out where she belongs in this new world. Carson is, quite simply, looking for Beatrix. He had been widowed several years prior, and that makes him more aware of what matters most to him. And at the end of the world, it's Beatrix. So he sets out to travel coast-to-coast to find her. Meanwhile, we get to meet a lot of people at Beatrix's neighborhood-turned-family, and I grew very invested in them too.
►The actual travels are great too. I am a sucker for a road trip, even if it happens to be on foot (or bike, in some cases). I feel like they give you such an insight into the characters' motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. How do they handle these challenges? Do they grow? I loved how the author absolutely used the travels in this novel to give the reader a look at what makes the characters tick.
►It all felt eerily plausible. I mean, maybe that is because of our current global crises, but I think it's probably a combination of that, and the fact that the author just does a good job at making the world feel believable. The way characters, good and bad, act in the wake of such dire straights is all too easy to understand. The way the world collapses, the way some people try to lift it back up while others take advantage. It's all just so honest.
Bottom Line: I adored this tale of survival and finding out what the important things are in life. While it's certainly a dire world, it's filled with pockets of hope and characters I cared about.
July 3, 2020
Thanks to Algonquin for sending me a copy to read and review.
Haha reading about the world shutting down during a global pandemic is a Choice™️, but I thought the premise of this one sounded so interesting I couldn’t resist saying yes when Algonquin reached out to me. I love the idea of two people trying to find each other again after all means of communication shut down. Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. I felt like the characters lacked depth and there was just so much dialogue in this book, and after having just finished East of Eden which had a lot of beautiful descriptive writing, this one just felt a bit flat. However I’d still recommend giving this book a go if you are a huge fan of dystopians or if this plot sounds like it would be up your alley!
Haha reading about the world shutting down during a global pandemic is a Choice™️, but I thought the premise of this one sounded so interesting I couldn’t resist saying yes when Algonquin reached out to me. I love the idea of two people trying to find each other again after all means of communication shut down. Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. I felt like the characters lacked depth and there was just so much dialogue in this book, and after having just finished East of Eden which had a lot of beautiful descriptive writing, this one just felt a bit flat. However I’d still recommend giving this book a go if you are a huge fan of dystopians or if this plot sounds like it would be up your alley!
July 15, 2019
Slightly underwhelmed with this one. Not sure what I had been expecting exactly but I was defintely expecting more. Maybe if the scope had been a bit more narrow? It felt like Kimi was trying to do too much with a storyline that might have benefited from a little less.
July 3, 2020
The Lightest Object in the Universe focuses on what happens after the global economy collapses and the electrical grid goes down. A flu spreads across the US, a cult leader tries to draw people in, while families and loved ones are trying to get back to each other.
Kimi Eisele is a beautiful writer. I had no trouble envisioning her characters and their locations. The predominate characters are Beatrix, Carson, and Rosie. Beatrix was an activist. She was my least favorite character, she came across as a white savior, yet was very judgemental towards people who clearly could've used her help.
Carson lives across the country and starts following the trains tracks across the country to find his way to Beatrix.
Rosie is a teenager living with her Abuela. Her Abuela becomes fascinated with the mysterious Johnathan Blue and they decided to pilgrimage to him.
The Lightest Object in the Universe is categorized as post-apocalyptic, but seems just one step away from the world we are currently living in. The only difference is that the electricity and water are still working. I definitely am wondering what I would have thought of this book a year ago.
Kimi Eisele is a beautiful writer. I had no trouble envisioning her characters and their locations. The predominate characters are Beatrix, Carson, and Rosie. Beatrix was an activist. She was my least favorite character, she came across as a white savior, yet was very judgemental towards people who clearly could've used her help.
Carson lives across the country and starts following the trains tracks across the country to find his way to Beatrix.
Rosie is a teenager living with her Abuela. Her Abuela becomes fascinated with the mysterious Johnathan Blue and they decided to pilgrimage to him.
The Lightest Object in the Universe is categorized as post-apocalyptic, but seems just one step away from the world we are currently living in. The only difference is that the electricity and water are still working. I definitely am wondering what I would have thought of this book a year ago.
July 18, 2019
I won't be able to write a review that will do Kimi's book justice, but I don't want to "wait until the right time," so here it goes! I was a naughty reader, skimming ahead in a few parts, because I wanted so much to find out what happened next, what happened to certain characters.... so I would allow myself to skip lightly ahead (which I never usually let myself do!), then make myself go back to savor the prose. I wanted both to savor the journey, and to get where we were going next. It's kind of an amazing parallel, when the reader is able to have much of the same experience the characters are having.
This book is exciting and engaging, as it follows the uncertain journeys of several characters that, I, as the reader, grew to care about very quickly. These characters are living in a present where survival and community are uncertain, the future a distant dream.
I read to find out what would happen to these characters, but, as I read -- and re-read, more carefully -- I really had the chance to ruminate on big questions, universal questions, about what we truly need and what makes us human.
I'm so happy I knew about this book since Kimi is a friend, and thrilled to see the success the book is already having, in its earliest days of publication, as a debut novel. Kimi deserves this as a person and as an artist, but even if I had never met her, I would tell you, without a doubt, that this BOOK deserves all the acclaim it's getting. Read it, re-read it, discuss it with family and friends. There's a lot to chew on here, but it doesn't feel HEAVY, like so many books with similar settings. It's light as hope and feathers, community and love.
This book is exciting and engaging, as it follows the uncertain journeys of several characters that, I, as the reader, grew to care about very quickly. These characters are living in a present where survival and community are uncertain, the future a distant dream.
I read to find out what would happen to these characters, but, as I read -- and re-read, more carefully -- I really had the chance to ruminate on big questions, universal questions, about what we truly need and what makes us human.
I'm so happy I knew about this book since Kimi is a friend, and thrilled to see the success the book is already having, in its earliest days of publication, as a debut novel. Kimi deserves this as a person and as an artist, but even if I had never met her, I would tell you, without a doubt, that this BOOK deserves all the acclaim it's getting. Read it, re-read it, discuss it with family and friends. There's a lot to chew on here, but it doesn't feel HEAVY, like so many books with similar settings. It's light as hope and feathers, community and love.
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