Mimi and Art are siblings. Mimi deals with factual information whereas Art believes that mathematical equations are the root of everything, they can solve problems and help figure life out.

Their relationship is tested through their differences and when Art decides to try and help Mimi find love, he believes his equations can help find her perfect match. Yet they don’t always see eye to eye, it turns out that Mimi’s heart is captured by a man who doesn’t fit Art’s formula.

I was a little confused at the start of this book, I wasn’t immediately drawn in and it took a little while for me to get on board with what was happening. I went in with an idea of the book being based on equations but don’t think I realised how much of that would be the main element of the book. The relationship between Mimi and Art is lovable but at sometimes a little overbearing and I got a little bit bored of the equations.

I think the story is well written but there are some trigger warnings to be mindful of when reading this so please make sure you check them out.

Art and Naomi Brotherton are siblings locked together by the joint traumatic suicide of their parents which took place years before. Art is a mathematician but is also controlling and probably autistic. Naomi, also known as Mimi, has become locked into an almost incestuous and destructive relationship with him. The book is about her attempts to find a relationship beyond this and the attempts made by Art to use mathematics and algorithms to find her a partner while simultaneously making it difficult for her. Frank is the unlucky man caught in the middle!

In some ways, the story entertains when Mimi tells Art that she wants romance and he turns to mathematics to try and solve the problem but as the nature of their relationship emerges it is more difficult to laugh.

There are twists and turns in the story and some crucial misunderstandings and red herrings before everything turns out all right but some bleak events take place as Art almost dies and Frank is made to suffer…

You can see where the story is trying to go but for this reader the sibling relationship and its lifelong impact on Mimi was rather too easily resolved.

Book Review...

'The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything' by Kara Gnodde

I've been looking forward to this book since first hearing about it and was delighted to be able to read it early thanks to @netgalley.

The gist... Mimi and her brother Art live together following the tragic death of their parents. Art is happy with their routine but Mimi wants more in her life and is looking to find love. She meets Frank unexpectedly which throws things into disarray. As Art becomes increasingly suspicious of Frank, his behaviour becomes incresingly erratic and Mimi is torn between them.

I felt this book had two faces - on one hand it's a light read with a romcom feel and on the other it's a more gritty story of loss, family ties and responsibility - and the balance was just right for me. It was funny without being frivilous and had real depth and emotional pull.

The characters are all likeable, relateable and interesting. The story moved between Mimi and Art allowing the reader to really connect with both siblings. Sometimes I find the portrayal of neurodivergent characters a little grating as they feel like outdated caricatures but Art's character felt very true. I loved the dynamic between the siblings - their bond is complex and is coloured by shared trauma and codependency and the exploration of this as the story progressed really fascinated me. And of course I was hooked by Mimi's developing relationship with Frank.

I thought (a little smugly) I knew how the story was going to play out but was wrong at every turn. I didn't expect the element of intrigue at all and the drama and tension towards the end really kept me on my toes. I couldn't wait to get back to it.

There is nothing better than a book which surprises you and this one hits the shelves on 16th March.

Look out for it - it's very addictive and packs a punch.

#bookreview
#bookrec
#thetheoryofnotquiteverything
#karagnodde
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Sibling love. Parental love. Romantic love. And maths.

Maybe I shouldn't write a review straight after finishing a book, as a couple of glistening tears are still drying under my eyes. But I didn't expect to be as moved as I was when I begun this. I thought I was getting more of a Rosie Project comedy.

Not that I mind. This turned into a deeper look at the nature of love, guilt and responsibility. Adult siblings Art and Mimi live together, Mimi having given up her own ambitions after the death of their parents 13 years ago to stay with her mathematical genius brother as he works on problems that could change the world.

Now in their thirties, Mimi braves opening up and saying she wants to look for love. Art agrees - if she in turn will agree to follow a mathematical formula for finding someone suitable. As we can all guess, love and formulae are not likely to go hand in hand, and Mimi meets Frank outside of her brother's agreed schedule, setting and sums.

What readers think is going to be a story about adults finding their paths and letting go, well, it's more than that and revelations are dropped into the mix like pebbles into water causing ripples to the burgeoning and established relationships.

I enjoyed the love story (quite romantic at times, and also realistic in its portrayal of a couple struggling to move together despite Mimi's guilt towards her brother), loved Art and Mimi, felt Rey (Mimi's friend) was a little underused. I liked the movement between the two siblings as narrators (though the formatting was poor in the proof edition I read, with no gaps between, or even changes in font for texts, making it slightly awkward to spot the changes).

This was so moving, by the end and the final facts coming to light I was sobbing just a little bit. But a beautiful resolution and a very affecting story, would recommend. Not enough maths to put anyone off who's not a fan, but it was well integrated into the plot.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Kara Gnodde
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Contemporary Romance
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 16th March 2023
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬/𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬: Neurodivergent, Maths, Orphanhood, Abandonment
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3.5/5

Content Warning: Parental Death, Sexual Assault

”It’s the Halting Problem. All outcomes are possible until one outcome actually happens. Until you know for sure, you don’t know anything.”

I’ll admit, I feel as though I didn’t understand much, but what I did understand, I enjoyed.

The characters of Mimi and Art, who are brother and sister and take care of each other in their own ways, they are full of depth, idiosyncrasies, and emotions, hidden, heartfelt and headstrong.

The brother and sister dynamic is the main focus of the novel here, with some mystery and climax that almost bought me to tears. The only boundaries that seem to exist for this relationship are physical boundaries, and this makes life difficult for both Art and Mimi. Mimi feels frustrated and trapped whilst Art feels fearful. This dynamic carries on throughout the story and as a reader I was very invested in each of these characters developing.

The writing is good, it’s engaging and compelling but I found that the points of view of Art and Mimi were interchangeable and it was sometimes difficult to know who’s inner monologue I was reading. I do wonder if this is the authors way of showing how Art and Mimi are simultaneously separate people yet also the same. But even so, I think the formatting could be better.

Overall, it’s a poignant novel that doesn’t take a mathematician to see that The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything + Reader = Happiness.


𝑲𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉 @ 𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒉 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒚
🧚‍♀️🤍

After the deaths of their parents Art and Mimi live together. Mimi feels that she should look after her older but genius brother. Art is obsessed with the p =Np equation and solving it, whilst being paranoid that his research is being watched.
The status quo is rocked when Mimi decides she wants a romantic partner and Frank appears.
Follow the relationships the confusion and outcomes. All the characters are flawed and human.
Keep your fingers crossed for the ending to make things right

Art and Mimi Brotherton are siblings and housemates. Since their parents tragically died they have been there for each other. Art is a mathematical genius - probably on the spectrum - and Mimi has devoted herself to looking after him. He shines academically whilst she hides her light under the domestic bushel.
When Mimi decides she needs more from life, she starts looking for love, and Art insists that she find it using a strict mathematical algorithm and a dating website.
But then Mimi meets Frank, another mathematician, who is also a romantic, spontaneous stargazer - definitely not algorithm –approved, and Art mistrusts him: something about Frank doesn't quite add up. As Mimi's feelings grow, the siblings' relationship is tested to breaking point...

I have seen this novel described as a modern romantic comedy, ideal for fans of The Rosy Project, but for me there is something a bit deeper and less fluffy here than a rom-com, and, it is a tad darker than The Rosy series.

However, I absolutely loved it. It took a couple of chapters to get used to the characters, and the novel’s style and timeframe, but I quickly found myself completely hooked, and I was totally invested in the characters. They are all perfectly realised and they felt so real that they leapt off the page - you felt that you knew them personally. You really feel the challenges that Art and Mimi have been through in the past, and you feel for Mimi as she devotes herself to looking after Art who requires a great deal of patience and careful handling. The character development is masterful as Art and Mimi respond and react to events, and they are not at all the same people they were at the start of the novel. The characters of Rey (Mimi and Art’s friend), Frank and Ernest (Art’s assistant) are equally well drawn.

It is a very touching read too. It is a well-observed, beautifully and intelligently written novel, and everything is handled with great sensitivity. It is set within the context of a complex family situation, and it looks deeply into sibling relationships and family dynamics, as well as exploring themes of love, grief and loss. There are some dark points in the story and some readers may need to take care for triggers including suicide, death, brain injury and sexually predatorial behaviour, but, the overall effect is positive with its message that you have to come to terms with the past before you can move forward, and it is ultimately and overwhelmingly an uplifting and positive read.

If there is any justice this brilliant debut will receive the success it deserves on publication, and I am keen to see what Kara Gnodde will follow this one with.

With thanks to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an impartial an unbiased review

A beautifully written book about the love between a brother and sister which is also layered with Mimi's desire to escape her neurodivergent brother and the responsibility of looking after him following the deaths of their parents. The characters are well developed and there's enough of a mystery going on to make you doubt who you should be rooting for. It's a story of grief, love, dependency and friendship so don't be fooled by the comparison with The Rosie Project, it's not at all the same.

This was an enjoyable read and I thought the premise of this was super unique mixing romance, general fiction, and a smidge of mystery. Art and Mimi were interesting main characters that felt very real - I loved that Art was neurodivergent. With Art being a mathematician, I thought the author did a great job of handling technical terminologies (you don't need to <i>completely</i> understand them to be able to enjoy the novel) and weaving them into the storyline. However, at the beginning I did struggle to get used to the writing style, and I thought there were certain sections where the pacing was too slow, such as 1-10% and 50-75%.

How do I describe this book? It’s difficult as it is hard to categorise but all I can say is that it really touched me and I just loved the characters, the plot and all the twists.
Mimi Brotherton lives with her brother Art who is a Professor of Mathematics and is researching a very important mathematical problem. Art is unusual and has problems with relationships- he sees everything in a particular way and certainly doesn’t like change so when Mimi decides she wants to find a partner it really scares him. However he agrees to help her by working on the algorithms on the dating site she is using to find the perfect person.
Art and Naomi have been traumatised by the untimely death of their parents and this plot line features as a major part of the book with several flashbacks.
When Naomi meets Frank at a Maths Award Ceremony when she is accompanying Art there is an immediate attraction but matters are not so simple. Art finds the relationship difficult to accept and Frank has secrets of his own. When tragedy strikes feelings come to the surface and the outcome is not clear until the very last page.
I just loved the sibling relationship between Mimi and Art- they are interdependent with different strengths. Mimi does all the household tasks , cooking and cleaning whilst Art works on his maths problems. However despite his difficulties in communication and behaviour, Art is continually looking out for Mimi, the reasons for which become clear as the book progresses.
This is a heartwarming story with a bit of mystery and romance and would appeal to many readers. It certainly had me gripped and I had to ration my reading so that I would not finish it too quickly , always a good sign.
I highly recommend this book as a quirky and enjoyable read! I loved the cover too- very eye catching!
Thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for my advance copy.

A gentle mystery, a love story in more ways than one, a careful and sensitive portrayal of a unique sibling relationship and above all an absolute joy to read. The dynamics between Art and Mimi, one of the many love stories in the book, really captured my heart, it was so perfectly rendered.. This is a book I want to press into the hands of anyone feeling the need to hunker down with a read to soothe a troubled soul.

Firstly, I have to mention how much I love the front cover, it’s so colourful and eye catching! Art is a highly respected mathematician (I would say he is on the spectrum) and Mimi is his younger sister who has looked out for him following their parents death, when they were young children. Now in her 30’s Mimi is ready to find love but Art believes that for her to find her true love, a mathematical principle must obviously be applied.

Maths isn’t my strong point so most of that was over my head. It’s a bit of a slow burner but with such endearing characters it’s well worth a read.

Thanks to NetGalley Pan Macmillan, Mantle for the opportunity to read and review this advance copy.

This is a beautiful and very well written book. The characters are fantastic and believable, the dynamics between the three main, Art, Mimi and Rey felt very relatable, I didn't enjoy the attempts to create a suspense element with other characters as I didn't feel that this was well delivered, there wasn't enough depth or story to make it believable and gripping as a suspense plot should do. In all I enjoyed reading this and would recommend.

This was a simple, fun, easy and quick read. The perfect type of book for your holiday, beach, pool kind of read. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words some text written has been typed in red and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This was so gripping and not at all what I expected! It was so dramatic and verging on dark at several points. The family drama was intense, especially alongside the romance storyline. The conclusions to both these ended up so touching ❤️ I feel like this is a ready made TV series surely?!

It took me a while to get into this book, most likely due to the mathematical element throughout, and also because there were times I felt frustrated with Mimi having such a narrow life to please her brother, Art, even though I could understand the needs of Art and thought they were depicted and described really well. However, as the book moved on, I found I really empathised with Mimi and the book took me on a journey which dealt with many issues. Not just a regular romance.

It took me a while to read The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything. Initially I thought it was perhaps going to be a bit like The Rosie Effect, but it evolved away from being a romance into something more meaty dealing with some serious issues.

Grown up siblings Art and Mimi Brotherton share a tragic past and still live together in their family home in North London. Mimi takes care of her brother, a celebrated Mathematician who is socially awkward. Art as the older brother believes he needs to take care of Mimi.

Mimi decides one day that she needs to carve out a life for herself apart from Art and and to find a soulmate before it’s too late. Art agrees only if she follows his scientific/mathematical approach. Mimi complies and goes on fruitless dates. Then one day she has a chance meeting with Frank and falls for him, but the course of true love never did run smooth.

After having a break from the book and returning to finish, I found that the book had crept up on me and I had grown to care about Mimi, Frank, Art and their neighbour and friend Rey and really wanted them to all get the ending that they wanted and deserved.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Pan Macmillan, Mantle, for making the e-ARC of The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything by Kara Gnodde available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I must admit I wasn't sure about this book at first as I just couldn't get into it, but I am glad that I stuck with it. The book does develop slowly but ends up drawing the reader in. I think it was the mathematical/computer element initially that floored me being not at all of that mindset and found myself looking up certain terms initially. However, I loved all the characters and came to understand and engage with them by the end. Quite a few unforeseen circumstances plus a balanced mix of sadness with warmth interwoven.

A surprise in several ways - first for appearing to be a pretty 'standard' romcom when I'd been expecting something a little more 'Lessons in Chemistry'; then for turning that early assumption on its head by offering a much more complex layering of interpersonal relationships. As charming as it is heartfelt.

A great premise and wonderful romance. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.