Review & Quote-tastic Monday (26): A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

Title: A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird #1)
Author: Claudia Gray
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Source: ARC via Pinoy Book Tours; Final copy-bought
Pre-order Links: Amazon | B & N | TBD | Kobo | Indiebound

ORPHAN BLACK meets CLOUD ATLAS in the first book of this epic dimension–bending trilogy about a girl who must chase her father’s killer through multiple dimensions.

Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their groundbreaking achievements. Their most astonishing invention, called the Firebird, allows users to jump into multiple universes—and promises to revolutionize science forever. But then Marguerite’s father is murdered, and the killer—her parent’s handsome, enigmatic assistant Paul— escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite refuses to let the man who destroyed her family go free. So she races after Paul through different universes, always leaping into another version of herself. To accomplish her goal, she must learn how each world works, and confront the many people she has the capacity to become. But she also meets alternate versions of the people she knows — including Paul, whose life entangles with hers in increasingly familiar ways. Before long she begins to question Paul’s guilt—as well as her own heart. And soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is far more sinister than she expected.

A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU explores an amazingly intricate multi-universe where the truth is elusive, and love the greatest mystery of all.

Praise for the Firebird series

“With on the edge of your seat mystery and suspense, this thrilling adventure will keep you guessing until the end.”
— # 1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout

My Review:

Why did I want to read this book?

Have you guys read that book blurb? It talks about an amazing premise with so much plot and mysteries to mine while reading. It’s not time traveling but it is about dimension-jumping. And doesn’t the idea of multiverses intrigue you? It intrigues me a lot.

What worked for me?

It was fascinating premise and world(s) that author Claudia Gray was able to give her readers in this book. I know how tricky it can be when a story tackles a science fiction-esque topic like being able to travel or jump in different dimensions or universes alike and yet not alike our own original one. The science fiction is there but then you have to lay down all the rules to make something such as this concept work. And I think the author was able to sufficiently give us, her readers, what we need in order to gradually understand this ‘world’.

The book also raised some interesting questions especially about the ethical part of dimension-traveling. And I’m glad that gets to be discussed and debated within the book and our characters, especially our main character Meg, are aware of this issue. It isn’t as clear cut as perfection would like it to be but then again when are things like this clear-cut and perfect down the very line.

The characters are pretty engaging, and while of course there is Meg, Theo, and Paul as the main ones, you can’t help but get really attached to Meg’s mom and dad. They’re amazing in the glimpses that we get to see of them.

I also really enjoyed the pacing of the book. I thought in the beginning how many universes will they be able to jump through but as I read through the book, I found that I did not mind so much how many as long as we get the plot moving, and that’s exactly what the book did. So I am very glad.

There is this little plot point that I have been feeling iffy about and I was planning on writing it down below but then I realized that it was a great set-up for the next book because everything couldn’t be perfect and tied in a bow since this is book 1. It’s a great plot point for character and story development. So in the end, I was feeling a little excited instead of iffy.

What did not work for me?

I was just a little put off by that hint of a love triangle. And mostly because I wasn’t expecting it at all. When I read the earliest blurb of this book, there was zero mention about the third character and so I was a little surprised when he was just there right at the beginning. But it all turned out great, especially because I think the love triangle non issue was not really overpowering the main plot or even the character arc of our female main character. You would be surprised by what does. But I’ll leave you to discover that on your own.

My over-all take on it?

This was a great start to a new series. This is actually my first Claudia Gray book and definitely not my last. I’ve discovered a lot from this first book and it does tie in great by the end. But at the same time, I have to say I’m already excited for book 2 and where the author is planning to take this story.

My rating:

QUOTE-TASTIC is hosted by Anna @ Herding Cats & Burning Soup.

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That feeling–the one like being at the edge of a cliff–the only other time I felt it was at home, that night Paul and I talked about painting. The night I knew he understood me more deeply than anyone else ever had…

I meant it when I said that I didn’t believe in love at first sight. It takes time to really, truly fall for someone. Yet I believe in a moment. A moment when you glimpse the truth within someone, and they glimpse the truth within you. In the moment, you don’t belong to yourself any longer, not completely. Part of you belongs to him; part of him belongs to you. After that, you can’t take it back, no matter how much you want to, no matter how hard you try.

Why is this quote fantastic?

Well, this girl can tell it. If she doesn’t believe in insta-love, works for me. As her wise brain says, it takes time to truly fall for someone. And I’m just happy that a book character tells that to herself very, very clearly.

So, what’s YOUR favorite quote this week?

Don’t forget to hop around and check out everyone’s picks for the week! Never know, you just might find your next favorite read!

About the Author:

Claudia Gray is a pseudonym. I would like to say that I chose another name so that no one would ever learn the links between my shadowy, dramatic past and the explosive secrets revealed through my characters. This would be a lie. In truth, I took a pseudonym simply because I thought it would be fun to choose my own name. (And it is.)

I write novels full-time, absolutely love it, and hope to be able to do this forever. My home is in New Orleans, is more than 100 years old, and is painted purple. In my free time I read, travel, hike, cook and listen to music. You can keep up with my latest releases, thoughts on writing and various pop-culture musings via Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, GoodReads or (of course) my own home page.

If you want to contact me, you can email me here, but your best bet is probably to Tweet me. I don’t do follows on Twitter, but I follow everyone back on Tumblr, Pinterest and GoodReads.

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