Saturday, May 7, 2016

The Atomic Weight of Love

Lovely cover!


Happy Derby Day!  Today is the Kentucky Derby.  The three big horseraces are the only sports I watch.  Did you know . . . Louis XIV of France began construction on Palace of Versailles in 1664; The American Medical Association is founded in Philadelphia in 1847; The Cambridge Chronicle (America's oldest surviving weekly newspaper) is published for the first time in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1846; and the concept of the integrated circuit (the basis for all modern computers) is first published by Geoffrey Dummer in 1952.  

Did you ever have a teacher that had one of the monotone voices that would slowly lull you off to sleep (or in a meeting where someone drones on and on)?  Well, that is what this book reminds me of.  The Atomic Weight of Love by Elizabeth J.Church is Meridian Wallace looking back on her life.  Meridian excelled in science and math.  She loved birds and wanted to pursue a career in ornithology.  She gets a scholarship to the aUniversity of Chicago.  There, Meridian meets Professor Alden Whetstone who is twenty years older than her.  His intellect intrigues Meridian.  Alden has to leave college (this is during World War II) for a special, top-secret project in Los Alamos, New Mexico.  The two continue their relationship long-distance and eventually marry.  After Meridian graduates she moves to Los Alamos. It is to be just for a year and then she will go to Cornell (she was accepted and received a scholarship) for her graduate degree (you just know that she will never get there).  Read The Atomic Weight of Love to see how Meridian's life turns out.

This book was lacking.  It needed some life (like a life without color). Meridian's story is one that has been written about many, many times (it is such a cliche).  The difference with this book is the addition of the birds (there is information on birds interspersed throughout the novel) and Meridian's study of crows (she continued it in New Mexico). There is also some information on Alden's work on the atomic bomb.  I think in order to enjoy a book you have to like the main character.  I did not find Meridian or Alden (especially Alden) appealing.  Alden felt he was superior to other people because of his intellect.  He was controlling and self-absorbed.   I give The Atomic Weight of Love 1 out of 5 stars.  

I received a complimentary copy of The Atomic Weight of Love from NetGalley in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel.


I am going to eat dinner and get ready to watch Outlander!  I hope everyone had a delightful Saturday.  It was such a beautiful day in our area. I just loved the cooler air (it helps with the hot flashes).  I am currently reading House of Dreams by Kate Lord Brown.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris 
The Avid Reader


P.S.--sorry about the two different fonts.  No matter what I tried I could not correct it.  

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