I've watched a LOT of show with this premise of the-end-of-the-world, no electricity, no money, riots and violence everywhere. Dystopian stories fascinate me. But this one hit close. Too close. It felt REAL, and it scared me a lot... I don't know if it's because of the current pandemic, but the scenario felt so plausible, it made me anxious and question everything, like what skill would I be able to trade if I was in their situation?

And... would my boyfriend walk 3,000 miles to come see me?

Many thanks to Algonquin for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Lightest Object in the Universe focuses on what happens after the global economy collapses and the electrical grid goes down. A flu spreads across the US, a cult leader tries to draw people in, while families and loved ones are trying to get back to each other.
Kimi Eisele is a beautiful writer. I had no trouble envisioning her characters and their locations. The predominate characters are Beatrix, Carson, and Rosie. Beatrix was an activist. She was my least favorite character, she came across as a white savior, yet was very judgemental towards people who clearly could've used her help.
Carson lives across the country and starts following the trains tracks across the country to find his way to Beatrix.
Rosie is a teenager living with her Abuela. Her Abuela becomes fascinated with the mysterious Johnathan Blue and they decided to pilgrimage to him.
The Lightest Object in the Universe is categorized as post-apocalyptic, but seems just one step away from the world we are currently living in. The only difference is that the electricity and water are still working. I definitely am wondering what I would have thought of this book a year ago.

This gem from @algonquinbooks came out on paperback yesterday and goodness I LOVED IT! Dystopian novels have always been one of my favorites, and all the uneasiness I initially felt about America’s downfall starting with a flu 😳 #alittletooonthenose were put away by the amazing storytelling of faith, hope, and community. I loved this book and I think you will too!

Favorite line: “Sometimes when you dance, joy slips in. Even when you think it’s not possible. Doesn’t erase everything, but makes room somehow”

#steffireadsabook #ieatbooks #newrelease #postapocalypticfiction #dystopianfiction #algonquinpublishing #thelightestobjectintheuniverse

I fully admit, I am a sucker for post-apocalyptic fare. Even know as they often hit way too close to home, I still gravitate to them. So it makes sense that I was eager to read this one. And it delivered! So let's talk about why!

►It was, at its core, hopeful. Yes, that may seem an odd way to describe an end-of-days book, but it was! Even when I wasn't sure how things would turn out, or whether our characters would make it, there were still rays of hope. I feel like if hope can be found in the bleakest of times, it's a commentary on the strength of mankind, and that is just plain inspiring.

►I was really invested in the characters' journeys, both internally and externally. Beatrix is an awesome character from the start, having done all sorts of great work pre-apocalypse. But now she's trying to figure out where she belongs in this new world. Carson is, quite simply, looking for Beatrix. He had been widowed several years prior, and that makes him more aware of what matters most to him. And at the end of the world, it's Beatrix. So he sets out to travel coast-to-coast to find her. Meanwhile, we get to meet a lot of people at Beatrix's neighborhood-turned-family, and I grew very invested in them too.

►The actual travels are great too. I am a sucker for a road trip, even if it happens to be on foot (or bike, in some cases). I feel like they give you such an insight into the characters' motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. How do they handle these challenges? Do they grow? I loved how the author absolutely used the travels in this novel to give the reader a look at what makes the characters tick.

►It all felt eerily plausible. I mean, maybe that is because of our current global crises, but I think it's probably a combination of that, and the fact that the author just does a good job at making the world feel believable. The way characters, good and bad, act in the wake of such dire straights is all too easy to understand. The way the world collapses, the way some people try to lift it back up while others take advantage. It's all just so honest.

Bottom Line: I adored this tale of survival and finding out what the important things are in life. While it's certainly a dire world, it's filled with pockets of hope and characters I cared about.

I received a copy from Algonquin for an honest review. I liked this story about rebuilding life in a post apocalyptic world. It’s not something I’d normally read, but I enjoyed the aspect of rebuilding after traumatic experiences

4 stars

A quiet tale focused on the rebuilding aspect of a post-apocalyptic reality, this novel was a memorable addition to the genre.

Writing: ★★★★
Plot: ★★★ 1/2
Enjoyment: ★★★★

First off, I'm not usually a reader of post-apocalyptic fiction. I don't like novels focused on the end of times, death, destruction, and the lack of hope—I tend to like more escape in my fiction, and to me the plot tends to not outweigh the personal stress I feel while reading it!

The Lightest Object in the Universe isn't about destruction though. It's about hope, and new growth.

Carson is a former school principal and history teacher on the East Coast, witnessing the breakdown of normal as the electrical grid shuts down, the world collapses, and his neighborhood, students, and city fall into the grim reality of "after." The only thing he can think of is his lover, Beatrix, who lives in California. Is she safe? Is she alive? Carson decides to go to her, and that decision sparks a cross-country trek the old-fashioned way: on foot.

Beatrix is dealing with her own end of the world in California, and she wonders about Carson—is he safe? Is he alive? Does her remember the promise he made to her that he would cross the country to be with her? Learning how to live with her neighbors and friends in the new version of the world, Beatrix discovers what it means to carry on.

This is a quiet tale. I have to admit, at times I wished it was a little faster in its pacing...but at the same time, that was kind of the point. In our current world of technology, immediacy, electricity, and the grid, time spent on the quiet moments is seen as something extremely slow and often unnecessary. But for Carson and Beatrix, time flows differently because there is no option to do it faster. It is what it is. Over the course of the novel, I found myself slowing down to match their speed, and once I did that I was able to enjoy the novel more.

Recommended for those who like the quiet, and are willing to spend some lingering time with this radically different post-apocalyptic tale.

Thank you to Algonquin Books for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Dystopian Fiction is my favourite genre. Strangely enough, when it comes to world events I find it rather hopeful. This fresh start, eye opening and profound. I will say that this particular world end was at times too relevant to our current world events. 😂 I don’t know why I keep reading dystopians in the middle of the pandemic.
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The Lightest Object in the Universe was unique in the way it dealt with the “end of the world”. While still a heavy and traumatic event I felt that Kimi focuses more on the hopefulness and positive ideas rather than the violence and death. Not that there weren’t some hard parts to read, but they were dealt with in a gentle way. This was refreshing in a genre that’s usually either death, rape and destruction or the rapture.
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I only wish there was a bit more character development for certain characters. The second half of the book felt a bit rushed, and I kept hoping for a little bit more. Overall I really enjoyed this! I also really LOVE that Kimi drew from her own life to create this world and characters.
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CW-Attempted sexual assault, minor violence, death

When Sarah from Algonquin asked if I wanted to be a part of a blog tour for the paperback release of The Lightest Object in the Universe, I jumped at the opportunity. I had heard about this book last year when it came out, but I had never ended up picking it up. Y'all know the reasoning, too many books, not enough time.

The Lightest Object in the Universe is a basically a dystopian love story about two people who are caught on separate sides of the country, when modern day society breaks down. Through shear determination and with the help of an unusual teenager, they may just find their way back to one another.
Okay, so I will say that reading dystopian books during a Global Pandemic isn't exactly one of my most brilliant ideas. Your girl has the most overactive imagination and honestly now I feel even more paranoid about the pandemic, mainly because there is a FLU that wipes out a ton of the population before society breaks down! A little close to home at the moment but I digress.

So last year I read both Station Eleven and Good Morning, Midnight. Both are dystopian type books and so I couldn't help compare them as I read this book. I will say that I liked this one more than I liked Station Eleven. Good Morning, Midnight comes in second, and this one tops the list. But if you liked either of those books, you'll really enjoy this one.

I really enjoyed this one the most mainly because it's more about rebuilding after society fails, instead of simply being about the break down and also highest the human spirit, especially when it comes to those we love. I think those two things in itself really made the book stand out to me. However, like I said, a book about a society collapsing due to a flu outbreak isn't prime reading material during a worldwide pandemic that is a strain of the FLU people! I digress again!

Our two lovers are Beatrix and Carson. While Beatrix is on the West Coast and a fair trade advoate, Carson is on the East Coast and was a principal prior to the collapse. When you start learning about their next steps, I thought for sure they would both set off to find each other, but while Carson decides to head West, Beatrix decides to help build up the area she lives in. Her experience in third world countries help to spur on the rebuliding efforts and inspire others to help build this new community.
I really enjoyed that the theme of the book is underlined by hope. Many of the people Carson meets on his journey are determined to rebuild and tend to help others out without the need for anything back. It really highlights the good in humans and is a reminder that most people are good in this world, which is a nice reminder in our current day and age.


I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on The Lightest Object in the Universe. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books. Huge thank you to Algonquin for my review copy!

Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Lightest Object in the Univese

Author: Kimi Eisele

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: dystopian, post apocalyptic, sci-fi

Publication Date: July 9, 2020

Genre: Dystopian

Recommended Age: 16+ (apocalypse, death, slight violence and gore, some language)

Publisher: Algonquin Books

Pages: 325

Synopsis: After a global economic collapse and failure of the electrical grid, amid escalating chaos, Carson, a high school teacher of history who sees history bearing out its lessons all around him, heads west on foot toward Beatrix, a woman he met and fell hard for during a chance visit to his school. Working his way along a cross-country railroad line, he encounters lost souls, clever opportunists, and those who believe they’ll be delivered from hardship if they can find their way to the evangelical preacher Jonathan Blue, who is broadcasting on all the airwaves countrywide. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Beatrix and her neighbors turn to one another for food, water, and solace, and begin to construct the kind of cooperative community that suggests the end could, in fact, be a promising beginning.

But between Beatrix and Carson lie 3,000 miles. With no internet or phone or postal service, can they find their way back to each other, and what will be left of their world when they do? The answers may lie with fifteen-year-old Rosie Santos, who travels reluctantly with her grandmother to Jonathan Blue, finding her voice and making choices that could ultimately decide the fate of the cross-country lovers.

Review: I really liked this book! It was so well done and it was probably one of the more realistic dystopian/post apocalyptic novels I’ve read in awhile. The characters were well done, the world building was absolutely amazing, and the book actually had a bright side. I loved seeing the country as the character traveled it and the plot kept me hooked from beginning to end.

However, I did think that the pacing was extremely slow in the beginning and can be redone, but besides that it was great!

Verdict: Loved this one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Algonquin Books for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for my open and honest review.

Life is so much more than the struggle because what is the struggle if you can never stop and enjoy a sunset. I think that the ability to stop and be present is one of the best parts of The Lightest Object in the Universe by Kimi Eisele. It warms and delights in small beautiful moments. Life has crumbled as they know it. It could be many things, was it global warming that stopped the world, or was it pollution? Was it the flu? We never really know as readers. Because honestly, “the why” is not the most important thing. The most important thing is how we go on as people.

Sometimes I am sick of the dark despair that permeates apocalyptical novels. I know it’s the apocalypse. It is supposed to suck. I know this as a reader and a regular person. Having a massive upheaval in one’s life, uncertainty, and the real thought that maybe it will never go back to the way it was is terrifying. And right now, those thoughts are getting closer and closer to being prophetic.

But I need to remember that that is not all there is.

And for everything that The Lightest Object in the Universe is: a love story, a story of friendship, and a tale of survival, Eisele nails that even in the darkest times, there is hope; there is community, there is more than scary things. The Lightest Object in the Universe celebrates and calls attention to small moments that give you the reason that you fight tooth and nail to survive.

“The speed of this collapse astounds me,” she writes to Carson before “the darkness” wipes out the internet. “I guess I, too, believed in some kind of American exceptionalism, though I resented it enough to think I could destroy it. Now, look. Maybe we did.”―

Kimi Eisele, The Lightest Object in the Universe
The story follows two characters: a widower named Carson Waller, a high school history teacher on the East Coast, and Beatrix Banks, an activist on the West Coast. They meet, and there is magic between them a certain something. But before they get to figure out what that magic is fully, the lights turn out. In the last communique between them, Carson tells her, “If for some reason everything implodes and the shit really hits the fan, and we can no longer send words or speak to each other, I’ll come find you.”

Carson sets his focus on Beatrix. It gives him hope in the face of having lost everything. Maybe she is more imagined and magical than who she is in life, but she is a connection to all that was lost and all that could be.

Carson begins his long epic trek through the wastelands of what was the United States. While walking, and as any historian would, he records the moments and experiences he has while he trudges through a broken America. He writes these down in a journal, and that journal becomes almost totemic. Beatrix, however, hunkers down and works with her neighbors in creating a small community. They band together to learn about chickens, bikes, home remedies, and their own experiences.



Narrative Structure
The book is written as a dual narrative; Carson’s ambulatory experiences juxtaposed against Beatrix’s stationary ones. While they are so different, it is easy to see the compatibility of these two characters. It isn’t gushy over overly saccharin. It is a love story like two crashing waves heading for each other: one from the east and one from the West.

The book’s entire experience is the anticipation of the moment when circumstances allow these two lovers to meet. Does it happen? That is not for me to tell you, but for you to discover yourself because it is a twisted and windy path that Eisele lays before them fraught with death, love, starvation, and the indelible human spirit and when faced with so many unknowns, no one can know what will happen.

Protagonists Vs. Antagonists
Each of the two main character’s deal with antagonists. In Carson’s case, it is the world at large and the pervasive hunger that he faces. He is given moment after moment to stray from his path. So for him, his struggles are “man vs. himself.” This trek is a monumental task he is facing, even in the best of circumstances. In Beatrix’s case, she is faced with a boogie man of sorts. A Preacher on the radio named Jonathan Blue. A voice who tells you that all your troubles will disappear if only you give yourself over to him. It is alluring and seductive. His voice wafts through her small community as the pied piper but heard on the radio. It underminds everything that Beatrix is trying to do with her small community.

Should You Read This?
Is this book for everyone? Probably not. In some ways, it’s descriptions of the beauties and quietudes of life after the apocalypse will seem mundane and, at the worst, naive to some readers. But for some, like myself, in a constant state of anxiety because the world I found this book beautiful. It reminds you to take a look at the beauty on a micro-scale, instead of getting swallowed by how massive a societal collapse is. It isn’t grandiose or expansive, and it reminds me much of Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. But The Lightest Object in the Universe is pleasant, romantic, lovely, and I think most importantly right now uplifting. Because dreams are worth chasing, after all, isn’t that the whole point in living? Those dreams exist and should be fought for, even if the dream is another person that shines like a beacon of light through the vastness of the dark two thousand miles away.

I felt good after reading this, and I hope you will too.

If you would like to read more of my reviews, check out my site at www.beforewegoblog.com

Haha reading about the world shutting down during a global pandemic is a Choice™️, but I thought the premise of this one sounded so interesting I couldn’t resist saying yes when Algonquin reached out to me. I love the idea of two people trying to find each other again after all means of communication shut down. Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. I felt like the characters lacked depth and there was just so much dialogue in this book, and after having just finished East of Eden which had a lot of beautiful descriptive writing, this one just felt a bit flat. However I’d still recommend giving this book a go if you are a huge fan of dystopians or if this plot sounds like it would be up your alley!

This is was such fitting read for me since one of the things going on in this book was a "flu as worse and as dangerous as the plague". The electrical grid has failed and everything including cell phones have gone silent. Carson is on a mission to find his love Beatrix. This sounds like the most depressing story in the world, but it is quiet the opposite. Its about love, its about community, its about starting over and letting your best self shine through. Its hopeful and positive and I loved every single minute of it. Thank you so much to Algonquin books and to NetGalley for the E-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

After the flu has ravaged the nation and everything has given up, the power goes out once and for all. No phones, no internet, no lights, no video games. Just dark, oh, and radio!

Carson finds himself in New York with no reason to stay there, and Beatrix makes her way home to the west coast where she's presuaded to be an advocate and community builder with her neighbors. We learn about their lives through several perspectives.

Carson starts making his way west to find Beatrix. He meets good people and bad people, and overall does pretty well without the comforts of home. Beatrix works with her neighbors to farm a little bit, garden, and use everyone's strengths for the benefit and safety of their community. Also in Beatrix's community are 15-year-old Rosie and her abuela, who arrived shortly before Beatrix returned home.

I was pulling for all the good guys, and reassured by how many people showed goodness. This was a great book of human resilience, good hearts, and recognizing when something may be too good to be true. The love and the loss are powerful. I'd give this book 4/5 stars and recommend it for those who enjoy a more promising version of dystopian fiction - how people keep going, instead of just watching it all fall apart.

Thank you to Algonquin Books for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour for The Lightest Object in the Universe.

This book could not have been released at a better time – officially out yesterday, 6/30.

The Lightest Object in the Universe is full of heavy subject matter…pun intended. Synopsis sent to me by Algonquin: Carson is on the East Coast when the electrical grid goes down. Desperate to find Beatrix, a woman on the West Coast who holds his heart, he sets off along a cross-country railroad line, where he encounters lost souls, clever opportunists, and those seeking salvation. Meanwhile, Beatrix and her neighbors begin to construct a cooperative community, working to turn the end of the world into the possibility of a bright beginning.

Without modern means of communication, will Beatrix and Carson be able to find their way to each other? The answer may lie with one fifteen-year-old girl, whose actions could ultimately decide the fate of the lovers.

The Lightest Object in the Universe is a moving story about adaptation and the power of community, imagining a world where our best traits, born of necessity, can begin to emerge.

I read this book over a 48 hour period, it took me just shy of 6 hours to complete, but it felt like an entire journey; I do mean that in a good way. As readers we are taken across the country, though the landscape is very different than we know it today. This story is told in dual/multi-POV

I read this book over a 48 hour period, it took me just shy of 6 hours to complete, but it felt like an entire journey; I do mean that in a good way. As readers we are taken across the country, though the landscape is very different than we know it today. This story is told in dual/multi-POV and spans the better part of a year.

Our three main characters are Carson, Beatrix, and Rosie. Everyone we meet is tortured in their own way, and everyone is easy to relate to in one way or another. I personally was not a huge fan of Beatrix’s character for the majority of the book, only because her and I handle the end of the world in very different ways (or so I believe, since I haven’t yet handled the end of the world…and quite honestly hope I never have to). Because I felt so different from Beatrix, I found her to be the most frustrating.

The plot itself is a marathon, which was perfect. It felt arduous and impossible and hopeful all at the same time. There were several times that I found myself wondering if we were going to get an ending with a resolution or fearful that everyone we meet and grew to know may not be there at the end with us.

I love a book about tasks that feel impossible and hopeful all at the same time. The Lightest Object in the Universe truly captures the human spirit and our will to survive at any cost. The notion that love conquers all is hard to believe in the current climate, but books like this remind us that is actually the case. Love will always push us to endure against all odds.

What would you do to survive the end of times? Kimi Eisele’s debut novel, The Lightest Object in the Universe, looks to answer that question and showcase how a new world could rise from the ashes of the old one through the grit and resilience of a community of people. Originally published last year and now available in paperback, this book shows that even in dark times, there is room for the smallest bit of light, and sometimes that’s all you need.
Reminiscent of The Road by Cormac McCarthy, this novel doesn’t focus on an apocalyptic event, but on the aftermath of such an event. The story shifts between Carson, who is traveling West; Beatrix, who is trying to leave her mark on her new community; and Rosie, a fifteen year old girl who is still learning things about the world. The way these characters’ stories intertwine shows how certain people touch our lives in unique ways and the way Eisele alternates POVs keeps the story engaging.
That being said, I think the most fascinating part of this book is its emphasis on humanity and the resilience of human beings. Even though the world has been plagued by viruses, the fall of capitalism, and loss of technology, the people in this book band together and try to survive. Some people are kind and others not so much, but Eisele does a fantastic job of highlighting the different kinds of people in the world and showing how they all interact with one another. It also shows how people’s true colors seem to come out in the end and how certain choices define who we are as humans.
This is not your stereotypical apocalypse book: it doesn't showcase rebel wars or action-packed scenes. Instead, it focuses on the human experience and what it takes to survive when all you have driving you forward is hope. While this novel takes a bit to get into and the end result isn't clear, this novel is beautifully written and should be a book everyone reads at least once, especially during these uncertain times.

*I received a copy of the book from Algonquin Books in exchange for my honest opinion.

Hope in a novel. Carson makes a cross country journey in a post apocalyptic world to be with Beatrix. Beatrix is on the West Coast trying to establish a community. Carson is following the railroad from the East Coast to reunite with her. The characters are well written. Carson's journey is exhausting, heartwarming, heart-dropping and desperate.

As far as dystopian novels go, this is the first time I’ve read one where the main focus was on rebuilding and not dwelling on the solely the bad stuff. In this book, the government is nonexistent, the economy is worthless, and the population is dwindling.

Beatrix travels a lot working with protestors and organizations for equal rights for workers and consumers. Carson is a high school history teacher who sets out on foot (obviously because there’s no electricity) across the country to find Beatrix. Before the world went dark, Carson and Beatrix used to email each other all the time and had met only once. 

Beatrix and her neighbors plant whatever they can, build whatever they can, and just try to make everyone comfortable. Carson meets a lot of people on his journey to Beatrix. Some of these people offer food, shelter, water, etc. 

The Lightest Object in the Universe is ultimately about hope, community, and survival. I really enjoyed reading this book and all the characters. It was refreshing to read about characters coming together instead of fighting. If you’re looking for a good dystopian novel that’s a little different this book is for you!

Thank you, Algonquin Books for letting me be a part of this blog tour.

This was the perfect book for me to be reading during this time of the pandemic. While civilization is collapsing, there is still hope that we see through the strength and love of our main characters. How people adapt to survive and connect is beautifully told. I enjoyed this book and it will stick with me for a long time.

This is a dystopian where the government no longer exists, electricity is gone, the economy has collapsed, society has collapsed due to a ravaging flu pandemic, and throughout all of this there are two people who are in love but are stuck on opposite sides of the country. Carson is a high school history teacher on the East coast, and Beatrix is a fair trade advocate who lives on the West coast. On the West coast, Beatrix and her neighbors turn to each other for support and attempt to rebuild their community, while Carson sets out West on foot to find Beatrix without any available communication.

Ultimately, this book focuses on the rebuilding aspect of a post-apocalyptic setting rather than the destruction, which was really interesting. It's a novel about community, collaboration, hope and survival in a world that seems irreparable and beyond salvation, and I really loved that. I enjoyed Beatrix's chapters because they focused on building character and community and I was slightly less invested in Carson's chapters, but I sadly just didn't feel a very strong connection to either of them or their love.

The writing kept me intrigued in the story, and there were definitely some good quotes that could be relatable in our world right now, but there wasn't anything spectacular about the writing or the novel in general to me personally. It was a run-of-the-mill, average read for me, but I still really enjoyed aspects of this novel and of course the case might be different if you are an avid sci-fi reader. Overall, I'm still glad I read this, and hopefully this book reaches some people who really love it.

This book wasn't made for someone like me. I love dystopian novels but if I wasn't reviewing this book, I wouldn't have finished it.

Pros:

Gives hope to humanity
Explores realistic actions and motives of today's society
Extrapolates what the world would be like when the world ends and what values matter to us
Strips away today's society and explores what we would have left if we lost everything

So, pretty much assume that coronavirus had a 90% fatality rate. This book was difficult to read, only because of the current state of our economy. It hit a bit too close to home.

Cons:

This book was WAY too slow and did not keep my interest
I wouldn't have felt motivated to finish if I wasn't reviewing the novel
There was little to no plot in the book, only snapshots of what society would be like if an apocalypse actually happened.