I loved this book. It had me guessing throughout and at times... screaming at Art and Mimi!
An easy and enjoyable read.

I couldn’t get into this book and ended up having to put it down. I’m not even sure specifically what it was as the blurb sounded great but I just found myself avoiding picking it up

A complex story following different relationships and how to navigate life following trauma and carrying it's burden, among others. I think this was such an excellent display of neurodivergence and those who live and take care of them and the characters were beautifully written with a lot of light-hearted fun mixed in as well. However there was a lot of darker, depressing scenes which did blanket a lot of the book and felt repetitive towards the end but overall it was an okay romance with a diverse cast of characters and unique POV's.

The theory of not quite everything

Disclaimer - I received a free digital download of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book to be very poignant. We follow the story from two narratives - one from Naomi aka Mimi and one from her brother Art. Usually I’m not a fan of books from more than one persons point of view if it isn’t the two individuals involved in a romance. However with this book it added layers that were so important for allowing the reader to fully integrate into the story.

I found myself joining Mimi in her irritations towards Art but then flipping sides after hearing Arts take on his and Mimi’s life. I especially enjoyed this yo-yo’ing between the two sides. It built up the sense of never actually knowing a story from another persons point of view quite a bit for me personally. Even more so the fact that from each point of view Mimi and Art were right. Their thoughts and feelings were valid for how they viewed the situations based on their experiences but equally they were so wrong when you considered the other individuals outlook.

A key thing that I’m picking up on more of as I’m reading non-fiction is key neurodivergent hints or behaviours that are mentioned and this book is rife with them. This really highlights a book to me as normalising/bringing more attention to the struggles of individuals who are - an essential improvement in modern literature.

I started to get quite emotional towards the end of this book and it’ll definitely be a read that remains with me for a long time. The book is a must read in my opinion

A story of complex dynamics and relationships. How families can change over time and the beauty of that and how they can grow and change and not just blood ties make you family. It's a beautiful story that's not maybe as straightforward as first appears. The characters are endearing and as the reader you wish for the best outcome for them all. Thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for my arc.

I enjoyed this book very much and on a couple of occasions was so engrossed in it that I was late for appointments!

No spoilers and I’m not going to outline the plot because that is what the blurb is for.

I felt invested in the characters straight away, found them engaging and was desperate to find out all about them. I thought Mimi, Art and Frank were very well drawn (Rey perhaps slightly less so) and I felt that their actions were psychologically plausible and the dialogue realistic.

The plot of the book is very strong, generally quick moving and at points, quite emotional and there are enough small surprises to keep it interesting. It is a bit of a jolt near the end when we discover that Mimi is not quite the reliable narrator she thinks she is and i for one was surprised at Art's emotions notebook. Unlike many books, the ending is entirely believable and satisfying.

The book is an easy read and most enjoyable and although I probably would not reread it (hence not quite 5 stars), I would read a sequel or connected book.

It took a few chapters for me to get into this book but once I did, I absolutely loved it. Initially, I was a little apprehensive to read it as the title makes the book sound like a story about maths (which I despise and do not understand - AT ALL!) but the way that maths was woven into the story was brilliant. I think Kara Gnodde did an awesome job at keeping it relative to the story and also explaining the theories in a way that was easy to understand.

The story is told in both the present and the past tense and the narrative switches between Mimi's and Art's voices. I thought this was a great way of getting to see the versions of events from the perspective of each person. This is important as Art is very driven by logic and algorithms, even when trying to find a soulmate but Mimi understands that there are things in the world that just happen, they can't be dictated by maths.

Art thinks that the best way to find love is to use an algorithm, so when Mimi approaches Art and tells him she's ready to meet someone, she's willing to go along with it as it will make him happy but she also won't conform to the parameters Art wants to put in place.

When she meets Frank at an event for mathematicians, she falls for him instantly but lies to him about who she is. Art is immediately suspicious and thinks that Frank is too good to be true and he sets out to prove this to Mimi. But along the way, Art ends up getting hit by a car and rushed to hospital with a TBI. While Art is unconscious, Mimi seeks to uncover his "lost days" to understand what he was doing at the point he was hit and while doing so, she uncovers a number of truths about her past and the people she cares about most.

I really was hooked until the end once I got into the flow of the story, and I highly recommend everyone takes the time to read this book!

Thanks to NetGally for the opportunity to read this ARC

This is a slow starting read that deals with heavier themes than I was expecting initially. Mimi and Art are siblings with a relationship that has deepened after the loss of their parents with Mimii taking over a caring role of Art with his neurodivergent/mathematical genius persona. I love a quirky read and there is much to enjoy but I think it sometimes doesn’t flow as a read and the romance element of the story didn’t gel for me. Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the chance to read this book.

This is a complex book about the many faces of love - sibling love, romantic love, and parental love - with a hefty chunk of amazingly supportive friendship thrown in for good measure.

Art and Mimi were orphaned at a young age and struggle to handle the feelings of abandonment. Art has thrown himself into the task of being a mathematical genius and is working on attempting to solve a mathematical challenge so complex that it could destroy all aspects of privacy and security as we know them. Mimi has reached a point in life when she's looking for love - and of course, Art has a formula for that as well. Mimi meets Frank at a mathematics event and they fall for each other, but Art (and his research assistant) can't help thinking that there's more to Frank than meets the eye. Is he after Mimi's heart or Art's mathematical solutions?

It's a lovely book, if a bit slow to start with. As readers, we're simply not sure whether Frank is a good guy or the greatest threat to Art and his relationship with his sister. The book keeps us guessing all the way and eventually reveals something that changes life for both of them.

I liked it a lot.
Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley for my copy.

Mimi and Art are siblings who have lost their parents at a young age. They are both socially awkward and emotionally dependent on one another and when Mimi decides she would like to find a significant other, Art, a brilliant mathematician, suggests she uses a mathematical algorithm to choose her life partner and tensions arise when things don’t go according to plan. Interesting rather than riveting, it’s a good exploration of the bond between siblings but tries a little too hard to be quirky at times.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the book before publication.

Mimi and Art were young adults when their parent’s died. Art is a very gifted mathematician and appears quite dependant on his younger sister. Mimi decides she would like a partner and Art helps her in her search by using a dating app that uses ‘suitable’ algorithms. Then she meets Frank who seems perfect, but is he?
I really enjoyed the story but struggled a bit in the telling of it. The characters are very well described. Some of the chapters are written from Mimi’s perspective and some from Art’s, which I thought was very clever as Art has autistic traits in my opinion. I didn’t like occasional the headline type sentences, but understand it was describing the excitement, and that is a very personal thing.
I enjoyed the red herrings and how even a very logical person can sometimes get things wrong or misunderstands things.
A lovely story.

The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything by Kara Gnodde

Siblings Art and Mimi Brotherton are devoted to each other, particularly since their parents died. When Mimi decides to look for a partner, Art thinks a mathematical algorithm approach is best. But Mimi falls in love with Frank after a serendipitious meeting... or is it?

I loved this book - a really original take on themes of family, love, fate and loyalty. I raced through the pages, really invested in the characters and the story. Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Not being a fan of maths or numbers I really wasn't sure how I would find this book. I Needn't have worried. I absolutely loved it. The story involves the relationship between Mimi and her brother Art, who lost their parents years ago, Mimi taking the responsibility of looking after her brother. When Mimi decides it's time to have a relationship herself all hell breaks loose when she meets her ideal partner, Frank.
I won't give any of the story away but it is beautifully written and touches on all your emotions. There are twists and puzzles to work out along with the characters. I really loved that it seemed so different to other books that I have read. I would definitely recommend everyone to give this a read. .

This is the debut novel by Kara Gnodde. At first it took me a little while to get into the story and I thought the storyline was going to be a bit predictable - boy meets girl, girls struggles with living in the shadow and in the reality of a brother with special needs, she lies about her family and then they overcome their differences and happy ever after.

It is a much more complex story that that!

Kara Gnodde deftly weaves heart-wrenching issues like suicide, end of life, death of a family member and never living up to your own expectations, along with some highly complicated mathematical ideas! I really enjoyed the novel and would recommend it as a romantic story with a twist.

Many thanks to the publishers and netgalley for an early release copy in exchange for an honest review.

Art and Mimi Brotherton rely on each other since the tragic death of their parents. Art is mathematical genius so when Mimi decided she would like top look for love, Art decides to help, analysing which app to use and the probabilities of finding love. However, Mimi loses sight of the end of his experiment when she starts seeing Frank which upsets Art in many ways.
I found this story intriguing and disturbing, it wasn't quite the light hearted tale I was expecting, it turned into a mystery where we had to follow the clues to decide what had happened. Interesting.

I loved this quirky novel which looks at the way people find love in the modern age . on line dating apps seemed too perfect to not try for one of the characters in the story a young man who is a talented mathmetician and a university professor , although not directly stated by the author it is clear he is on the autistic spectrum . With his autism come strength as well as difficulties and he needs the support of his sister who he lives with in their parental home as they have since the death of their parents
We learn more about the closeness of these siblings as the story progresses . By means of flashbacks we gradually learn more about they family life and the untimely deaths of their parents . This helps us to slowly get to know the characters and their motivations for their current behaviour . there is an element of mystery to how they ended uo living like they do and it is a satisfying read to discover the story
The author has a clear easily read writing style making the novel an enjoyable read
I read an early copy on Netgalley uk the book is published in the uk on 23rd March 2023 by Pan Macmillan
This review will appear on Good reads , Netgalley Uk and my book blog Bionicsarahsbooks.wordpress.com

A really lovely story that beautifully depicted the relationship between siblings. An interesting storyline and one I will recommend to others.

Mimi and Art are orphaned, adult siblings. Art is a mathematical genius, searching for the answer to a major equation. Mimi, though younger, is often his caregiver, with little focus on her own future. When she meets Frank, another mathematician, Art starts to resent their relationship and is suspicious of Frank's motives.

I found the premise intriguing, and, as a mainly romance reader, was hoping for an angsty but uplifting read. Sadly I really struggled with this book, mainly because the pacing was SO slow for the first third. While there are several very weighty topics such as family bereavement, trauma, and suicide sympathetically entwined, I personally wasn't a fan of the writing style. I honestly felt disconnected for most of the book, and couldn't really warm to either Mimi or Art. The plot lines finally started to come to fruition very near the end, and while some were satisfying, I'm afraid I'd pretty much switched off by then. I admire the idea of this story, but ultimately it left me wanting more.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️ (I just don't think I was the target audience)

*Thanks to PanMacmillan and NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review*

The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything is the first novel by South African-born British author, Kara Gnodde. We are following Mimi and Art the brother and sister duo. On their jounrey of loss, Family, realtionships and maths.

Art is trying to help Mimi find love in the tune of an altrgorohim. I found this an easy read but wasn't truly invest I'm the characters. For me the pacing is slow and I haven't felt a connect to Mimi or Art. I feel at times this book is a bit long winded. I was excited to read the book because I liked the premise. Unfortunately, I had difficulty with this book.

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Two siblings, Mimi and Art, only have each other after the tragic death of their parents. Mimi needs to look out for Art has he is vulnerable. When Frank appears in their life, Mimi starts to want more for herself. All the characters have an important role to play in the story that grows in complexity the further on that you read. i didn't love it but the story leaves an impact on you.