Customer Reviews

Dancing With Einstein: A Novel

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Among the many triumphs Kate Wenner achieves in her new novel is its compelling portrait of the aged Einstein seen through the eyes of Marea, the protagonist of this story, as a young girl. Their developing relationship and almost mystical mutual understanding is deftly written, completely believable, and immensely touching. As a young woman Marea is haunted by the loss of "Grandpa Albert" almost as much as by the death of her father in a car crash when she was 12. The unresolved questions, regrets, and resentments that untimely death left her with might have made for a real downer of a story, but Wenner conceived the brilliantly comic idea of having Marea see four therapists simultaneously--a time- and space-bending solution I'll bet Einstein himself would have liked.

Dancing With Einstein is written with such care and talent; it is a pleasure to read, like a wonderful meal. It has everything: a story that moves and keeps you turning the pages, a depth of insight into humanity, humor, great characters. This is an intriguing piece of historical fiction about a significant moral quandary that has long been hidden from view. I found myself laughing out loud, crying and deepening in self-understanding. This book is in the class of Cold Mountain, Prince of Tides, The House of Spirits, and the Poisonwood Bible. Highest marks!

I loved this book! A compelling story beautifully written, with characters so carefully drawn that they have stayed with me long after I finished the book. I particularly loved Marea's sessions with her four concurrent therapists! Highly recommended.

Marea is a seeker, travelling the world for seven years after college. When she stops, she finds four therapists, simultaneously, to help her sort herself out. An important factor in her quest is that her father was a scientist on the Manhattan Project, thus Marea's relationship with the "actual" Einstein.
The thematic metaphors are rich. Seeing four therapists gives tangibility to the multiple strands we all possess, and perhaps need to explore for self-understanding. Marea's travelling can translate to any number of driven behaviors and patterns in our lives.
I appreciated the psychological insights in this well-written, compelling novel.

I'd like to know what the other reviewers read- because this book was neither compelling nor very entertaining. I found the writing to be just o.k. and the characters not compelling enough. This could have easily have been a novella instead of a short book. At times Marea the main character seemed self-destructive and not likeable. I just didn't like the unfinished feeling of the true intent of the story for Marea to find herself and figure out her fathers mysterious death that supposedly infulenced her past and somewhat current lifestyle. Also the sex in the book was illplaced and illneeded- it didn't help the book. If you are a Wenner fan then obviously you like her style and this book. This was my first and probably last time of reading this author.