Is there hope when all seems lost?

Carson believes the answer is yes. In a post apocalyptic world, where the government no longer exists and society is a shell of what it once was, Carson has something to live for. A former Principal and History Teacher living in New York, Carson has a destination. San Francisco. For that is where she is: Beatrix.

Beatrix is a Fair Trade advocate who has always stood up for what she believes in. Returning to San Francisco from Mexico she discovers that the life she once led is no more. Now she must rebuild. Help those around her to build a community. Figure out a new way to survive and even thrive in the midst of chaos and oftentimes, danger.

Until the world went dark, Beatrix and Carson used to send emails to each other. Now both write letters that the other will never receive.

To get to Beatrix, Carson treks 3,000 miles on foot, encountering the kindness of strangers, precarious situations and disease.

“The Lightest Object in the Universe” is a novel about community, friendship, hope and survival. It is about finding happiness in the darkest of times. What made this novel special are the characters and the feeling of community created by Beatrix and her friends. I was wholly invested in them and really enjoyed that storyline. While I liked the character of Carson, I didn’t enjoy his story as much specifically because he was transient and didn’t really build relationships with other characters until the very end. Although this novel could have taken on a bleak tone, it managed to avoid that and that is to the credit of the author, Kimi Eisele. Considering everything that is currently going on in our world, I was extremely grateful for that. The underlying message in “The Lightest Object in the Universe” is one of hope and it is exactly what I needed right now. 3.65 Stars for this intriguing novel.

Thank you to Algonquin Publishing for the arc.

Published on Goodreads and Amazon on 6.28.20.

In a post-apocalyptic world, how does one survive? How does one find hope in a world gone wrong?

The Lightest Object in the Universe follows two lovers who are separated by 3,000 miles of harsh, unforgiving country. Carson, a schoolteacher, sets off to find Beatrix, the activist-turn-homesteader, on a grueling journey that will test him, body and soul. Beatrix has never lived in a single place for long, but becomes determined to make a life for herself as she builds a community from the ground up. Can they cling to the hope of each other and the hope for this new world?

This book may have been released last year, but it’s uncannily relevant in 2020. Thankfully, the grid hasn’t had anything happen to it (yet) as it did in the novel, but the part about the flu epidemic, well, there’s something I never thought I’d have practical experience with. 2020 has turned out to be at least semi-apocalyptic, so this book was put in a whole new light.

As I mentioned, part of the scenario of the book is that the grid goes out. No electricity, no phones, little to no communication, etc. Communities that are left after the flu and the looting either band together to form a new town, or they go on a pilgrimage to the man who claims to have all the answers, Jonathan Blue.

I really felt like I was on a journey with Carson and Beatrix. Everything about their struggles and hardships was visceral and real. While I don’t know what it’s like to be separated from someone to this degree, I know it’s been difficult this year with the travel restrictions alone. Now, it takes more effort to see someone besides hopping on a plane. If the grid went down in 2020, imagine the chaos. We have lived online more this year than any other time, it feels, especially with purchasing groceries and supplies. If that chain breaks, what would we do?
The Lightest Object in the Universe reminds me of Station Eleven in a lot of ways. The vibe of the book, as well as the theming, would make this an excellent read if you liked the latter book.

I read this book thanks to the Algonquin book tour to promote the paperback coming out 6/30/2020. Thanks, Algonquin Books, for allowing me to participate and read this fantastic novel in exchange for an honest review!

The Lightest Object in the Universe is a love story. When a global economic collapse and failure of the electrical grid occurs Beatrix and Carson find themselves on opposite sides of the country.

Beatrix is on the East coast and decides to start her journey to the other side until she meets a community of people who are working to rebuild. She not only helps to rebuild the community but makes some amazing friends who become her new found family.

Carson can only see his path to Beatrix. He moves across the country meeting many people along the way.

This book shows you that no matter what happens we can always find those who are willing to help one another.

I enjoyed following Beatrix and Carson on their journey’s to finding each other. The pacing was a bit slower than I’m used to but I attribute that to not reading much in the adult realm but I’m glad I decided to read this one.

The Quick Cut: A guy and girl who met by chance meeting struggle to find each other again after global economic collapse.

A Real Review:
Thank you to Algonquin Books for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

We love a good disaster. Whether it be books, television shows, or movies, society seems to enjoy imagining the world's demise and our reaction to it. In this debut novel, a guy named Carson makes his way to Beatrix, a girl he met on a visit to the school he worked at.

Beatrix is a west coaster who previously worked as a fair trade advocate while Carson is an east coaster who worked in a high school as a history teacher. In a world where electricity is gone and the world government's have collapsed, these two try to find their place in the new world as everybody tries to rebuild. Will they find themselves together again? Or will this new world eat them alive?

Apocalypse books are a dime a dozen, but one that focuses on the aftermath instead of the midst of the crumbling apart. It's a concept that I thought would set this book apart from the others, but in this case that seemed to have not worked as much magic as I hoped.

This story is broken up into three parts and getting through the first one is a serious bear. I can tell based on the pacing that it's meant to allow you to get to know the main characters. Unfortunately, all it did was enfuriate me with the slow pace. Plus, I just really didn't like Beatrix. Maybe it's just me, but she struck me as selfish in a way that made me wonder why Carson loved her so much.

A case of serious mismatch with a slowly paced story that didn't intrigue me the way it was meant to.

My rating: 1 out of 5

Over several decades I've perused a cornucopia of books categorized as pre-Apocalyptic, Apocalyptic, and post-Apocalyptic. I think it's only been in the last two decades or so that an EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse), whether of human design or due to a Solar Flare/Coronal Mass Ejection of the Sun, is the cause. Many of these books are extremely depressing, hopeless, even horrifying. Few are hopeful: THE LIGHTEST OBJECT IN THE UNIVERSE is a shining light of hope and courage in the morass of Apocalypse. What can we do in the face of Society's collapse? Persevere. Hope. Love.

This was an odd, yet eerie, book to read during a pandemic.

Carson and Beatrix’s love is tested after a failed electrical grid plunges the world into darkness and chaos. With nothing more than a backpack,and a map of the rail line, Carson sets out to find his love on foot—with only a small clue of where she’ll be and no guarantee he’ll actually get there.

All he knows is he has over a thousand miles to cover—she’s on the West Coast and he’s on the East—and only his desire to see her to light the way.

Many books crossed my mind as I read this: The Road, The Stand, and Cold Mountain, but Kimi Eisele managed to find a voice to distinguish her story from others in the way she developed and presented the stories of each of these characters—even the ones met only in passing.

With so many miles to cover, Carson comes across many types of people—the shady, the resourceful, and the opportunistic—and each one manages to teach him something about the world and himself.

Carson sets out to take a history of this new world but ends up not only learning more about himself, but also the grief he’s been unable to fully work through—having lost his wife several years prior.

By contrast, Beatrix has always been a wanderer: unable to stay rooted to one spot for very long without some cause or protest to keep her there; however, she soon finds it’s in the staying put—to fix her own world—that she’s able to truly find purpose.

Both Carson and Beatrix are discovering themselves, in a parallel manner, as Carson attempts to find his way toward her.

The desire to see if they actually make it to one another kept me turning pages but, as they continued to discover more about themselves, on a personal level, it was also easy to imagine them outgrowing their love for one another.

Would it be the dangers of the world that’d tear them apart, or would the world change them so much they wouldn’t be able to find the love they once knew—assuming death or disease didn’t take them first?

You couldn’t take any possibility for granted—which added to the suspense.

Eisele also managed to introduce a wealth of colorful characters—with stories of their own—and this kept the story fresh and engaging.

I never tired of meeting other weary travelers; all of whom were searching for something more than they’d left behind.

The one constant was Jonathan Blue.

Blue can only be described as a David Koresh-type figure whose hypnotic voice seems to be all anyone can hear—thanks to him having access to an extremely powerful radio signal—and no one is certain if he’s friend or foe.

Blue’s promises of a better world lead many his way—including Carson—but what is Blue’s ultimate goal?

Is he there to hurt or help? Are his promises as empty as those of other “prophets”, or is there something tangible to be gained—if folks are willing to release their skepticism and allow themselves to truly believe?

I enjoyed traversing the many questions this book offered.
My only complaint would be in the abruptness of the ending.

I felt cheated out of knowing the “rest of the story” but that in no way diminished the pleasure of having taken the journey.

*Thanks to Algonquin Books for the ARC. Opinion is my own.*

I really enjoyed this story, which reminded me of Station Eleven. It had similarly beautiful writing and storytelling. I loved that the focus was rebuilding and community/relationships rather than destruction and loneliness, like so many apocalyptic stories. I thought the pacing was good and the multiple points of view were used effectively — I never felt bored or wishing we were focusing on another storyline/character.

There are really three storylines (plus one that appears in all three) that move the plot forward: Beatrix, Carson, and Rosie. These characters help to build this world with no electricity and no government.

I initially did not really care for Beatrix. I thought she was too stubborn and close-minded even though she claimed to be open-minded. As the story went on, other characters drew attention to this, which forced her to think about her actions. That moment of self-reflection is what made me like her in the end.

What I really loved about this book was what Kimi Eisele brought to light about love, hope, and determination. Each of these storylines focused on how those three things would get them through any of the struggles in this apocalyptic world. Without these key elements, and working together with those around them, the lives of Beatrix, Carson, and Rosie would have ended.

The Lightest Object in the Universe is an unpredictable story of teamwork, love, and what can happen when people come together.

The lightest object


This story hit a little close to home right now. A virus, helplessness, and a new normal. This one is told from two different perspectives. Carson and Beatrix are trying to find a way to get back to one another. Carson has to walk from one coast to another to find her, and Beatrix has to learn to stay and become part of her community. There is so much to unpack with this book. I truly recommend it, a tale of the strength of love.

Book: The Lightest Object in the Universe
Author: Kimi Eisele
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Algonquin Books, for providing me with a paperback ARC. This title is already out in hardcover.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect going into this one. I have never heard of this title, but reading about the end of the world sounded great. Plus, it was kind of nice to escape from the real end of the world vibe going on out there. I really did enjoy this title and seeing the collapse of life as we knew it. I enjoyed how this book felt. Kimi’s writing just pulled me in. This is a very atmospheric book; you felt like you were in the world with the characters.

We are in a world in which there is no government. All of the lights are gone, as well as the economy. Oh, let’s not forget about a flu outbreak that is killing people. People must now learn how to live in a world that is far different than what they are used to. This sounds like some kind of scary horror story, but it’s not. In all of this darkness, Kimi offers us a bit of hope. This book follows two lovers who are on opposite sides of the country and their quest to come together again. I love this idea, because it just shows us that there is always hope-no matter how bad things may look.

Beatrix and Carson are the two lovers we follow. Beatrix is an advocate and protester, while Carson is s a teacher. As they make their journey to be together, we get to see just how strong and resilient the human race actually is. Both characters face a lot of hardship and near death experiences that will leave you on the edge of your seat. It is actually Carson, though, who does end up making the journey. We see how different people are handling the end of the world thing and we do get to see a lot of the best side of humans. I did like that a lot. I really like getting to see that even though it seems like the world is coming to an end, there is still some good out there.

This isn’t the fasted paced book, but it worked. I mean, it worked really well for this book. I like the slow build up to where we are going and getting to see all of the wonderful character moments. Plus, we get the slow burn and the anticipation of the reunion.

Anyway, the hardback is out now and the paperback will be released on June 30, 2020.


Youtube: https://youtu.be/MJJ_2EVxBxo

I’ve read a lot of books about the world ending, but Kimi Eisele’s THE LIGHTEST OBJECT IN THE UNIVERSE is really a story about the world beginning. And god, it’s beautiful. It absolutely has its dark moments, covering both the mass loss of any apocalyptic setting and the loss of friends and family in the aftermath. There’s also an extremely dark scene towards the end of the novel, related to the trigger warnings listed at the top of my post. Those dark moments are perfectly balanced though, and what I loved about this book was the hope threaded through the entire thing. When I finished the final page I honestly hugged my kindle to my chest for a minute because it left such a positive impression on me that it had me a little weepy.

Initially I was a little concerned that I might not be well suited for the book because I’m used to fast-paced books, but after the 30% mark I couldn’t put it down anyway! THE LIGHTEST OBJECT is slow paced, but in a beautifully measured way. It’s not rushing towards a finale but slowly building. Which is fitting, because THE LIGHTEST OBJECT IN THE UNIVERSE is all about rebuilding. I think that’s what makes it so appealing, especially with the world the way it is right now. Rather than focusing on the immediate destruction like most post-apocalyptic stories I’ve read, Beatrix and Carson’s story is about societies rebuilding themselves from the ground up. And it was incredible to see.

People in this story are, with a few significant exceptions, inherently good. They’re protecting themselves and their family but they’re not going out of their way to hurt each other if they can share and show kindness instead. There’s a beautiful moment when a moment of conflict is resolved by Carson teaching would-be robbers to identify safe food, instead of attacking back. I loved seeing people working to better their community, even if it did make me realise I have absolutely no marketable skills in-case-of-apocalypse. I need to learn how to grow food or dig a well, stat.

The sub-plot around Blue was interesting but honestly? I was so interested in the Halcyon radio station and the development of Beatrix’s settlement, and in Carson’s cross-country trek that even if that big (and well-written, don’t get me wrong) plot was removed, I’d still have adored this book. The characters were all just realistically well-rounded, skilled and flawed in lots of different and fascinating ways, and I loved seeing how people fit their skills to the situation to all help out.

I struggled a little with the POV switches, though that may have been the formatting in the eARC that I had. The POV between Carson and Beatrix switched without much warning or significant line breaks. Even if that wasn’t a formatting mistake in the eARC I did get used to it eventually and it didn’t detract much from the reading experience. In the end I absolutely loved this book and if anyone has been feeling a lot of ‘the world sucks’ blues lately, I would recommend THE LIGHTEST OBJECT IN THE UNIVERSE – the ending made me feel like there was a whole new world waiting to be built from scratch.

Thank you Algonquin Books for the advanced copy of The Lightest Object in the Universe by Kimi Eisele..

Below is an excerpt from my review. To read the full review, please visit: https://wigginswords.com/category/book-reviews/

"The Lightest Object in the Universe has vulnerable and likeable characters, more tolerable than despicable too. Even the more suspicious faces, like a self-proclaimed preacher toting salvation, are not without reasonable persuasion. South American civil activist, Beatrix Banks, and Carson Waller, a Pennsylvanian high school history teacher, create a liminal backdrop for a seemingly dystopian end. It is only after the couple lose contact that their true nature withstands their fears and complacency. Headstrong as she is, Beatrix learns she cannot fight the good fight alone, so she joins and fosters a community in her neighborhood. Carson Waller chooses to leave his city and travel west to document the global collapse and to be with Beatrix. While there is no single antagonist in Eisele’s debut novel (the occasional uncivilized gang or slightly unhinged lost soul), minor and tame as they are, she does offer one sure villain at the end of the sidewalk: unpredictable, sometimes unpreventable, loss."

While character motivations are sometimes hard to relate to, I enjoyed this book. Would like to see spin-off books for some of the characters, I like the characters and world building.

The Lightest Object in the Universe is a post-apocalyptic story in which a flu causes the collapse of the world as we know it. On one side of the country, Beatrix and her neighbors in California are relearning how to live off of the land and maintain a sense of community. In New York, Carson gives up on life in the city and sets off across country hoping to reunite with Beatrix on the other coast. Both encounter different struggles in the new world, including a radio preacher promising paradise for everyone who joins him.

It is quite slow for a post-apocalyptic novel, and I wanted to know more about what happened to bring about the collapse. The whole explanation piece is pretty bare bones. The rebuilding process, however, was interesting to read and think about. I kept feeling the need to brush up on my survival skills and learn sustainable gardening. Carson’s cross-country journey seemed a little unbelievable in terms of what he would have encountered. The preacher's storyline was intriguing, but felt out of place to me. My favorite parts to read were about Beatrix’s community and how they were pulling together and giving each other hope.

I think the nature of the story gave it the potential for a deeper exploration of loss, grief and hope which never materialized. While some aspects of this book were thought-provoking and enjoyable, overall it left me feeling underwhelmed and disconnected from the characters.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for offering me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kimi Eisele's The Lightest Object in the Universe follows Carson's journey across the US to find Beatrix, his love, after the entire society has ceased to exist (and by that, I mean literally everything stopped: no government, no technology, nothing!) due to a flu outbreak. The story itself is different than other apocalyptic settings because it has a positive spin on society: rebuilding, trusting, beginning anew - all fragile things that can be disrupted by outside threats. But Eisele' focuses on the goodness of humanity, on love, on working together to survive. It was a lovely story, with elegant writing and beautiful characters; however, my one complaint is that it felt slow at times. Thank you NetGalley and Algonquin Books for this eARC. Opinions are completely my own.

This was a great story, good writing. It's about after the world collapses, what do you do next? How do you rebuild? And how do you reconnect to your loved ones when there aren't planes anymore? Who takes control?

This books gives some great answers to those questions. It's not a new story, first thought that comes to mind is The Postman, but there are others. For that reason it's not a five star, just not unique enough. But it's definitely worth your time to read, that is if you like a little disaster in your fiction.

I love post apocalyptic books. I have read my fair share and unfortunately some do not stand out and feel like every other one. It was sadly the case for me with this one.

In the beginning I was getting vibes of "Station Eleven" and even "The Stand" but by the middle point I was bored and struggled to finish the book. I was able to finish it by trying the audiobook but even then I struggled the concentrate.

Forgettable.

I admit to a weakness for dystopian novels--particularly ones that seem plausible today and are told on a small, personal scale (like The Age of Miracles or Into the Forest). This one imagines a collapse of the global economy and electrical grid. Carson is on the east coast and is desperate to make his way to Beatrix, on the west coast. Beatrix, meanwhile, joins with her neighborhood to share resources and rebuild their lives. Hovering over these efforts is the persistent voice of Jonathan Blue, promising food and safety--but is the promised salvation too good to be true?

Dystopias tend to be persistently dark. The Lightest Object in the Universe was not without darkness, but true to its title, it offers more light and hope than any other novel I've read about similar circumstances. Filled with characters who are ready to offer help, empathy, encouragement, friendship, and family, Eisele offers a refreshingly optimistic view of human nature and behavior in the worst of circumstances. She weaves into the story examples of impoverished communities in Latin America where people band together in similar ways to survive. Maybe such community is too much to hope for if the fall ever does come to the U.S., but I like to think that thousands of communities like Beatrix's would rise again.

The Lightest Object in the Universe book review – no spoilers
Thank you to Netgalley and Algonquin Books for the free advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
This one started out strong for me. It has a lot of great things going for it: mysterious dystopian setting, lovers separated by long distance trying to find their way to each other, a radical "savior" attempting to build a place of "freedom". But somewhere around halfway through my interest started to wane. I think I wasn't ready for the pacing and for where I was in my mindset I needed things to get going! All in all it's an insightful adventure that makes you think about what you would do if you were in this situation and the lengths you would go to for others. It does feel completely plausible and that in its own is slightly terrifying if you think too hard on it. A solid 3 stars for The Lightest Object in the Universe, which in my ratings is a good novel ☺.
I'd recommend this for fans of Margaret Atwood and Kristin Hannah.
Here's the official synopsis: What if the end times allowed people to see and build the world anew? This is the landscape that Kimi Eisele creates in her surprising and original debut novel. Evoking the spirit of such monumental love stories as Cold Mountain and the creative vision of novels like Station Eleven, The Lightest Object in the Universe imagines what happens after the global economy collapses and the electrical grid goes down.In this new world, Carson, on the East Coast, is desperate to find Beatrix, a woman on the West Coast who holds his heart. Working his way along a cross-country railroad line, he encounters lost souls, clever opportunists, and those who believe they’ll be saved by an evangelical preacher in the middle of the country. While Carson travels west, Beatrix and her neighbors begin to construct the kind of cooperative community that suggests the end could be, in fact, a bright beginning. Without modern means of communication, will Beatrix and Carson find their way to each other, and what will be left of the old world if they do? The answers may lie with a fifteen-year-old girl who could ultimately decide the fate of the lovers.

*Received via NetGalley for review*

Atypical for a post-apocalyptic story, The Lightest Object... is relatively slow and optimistic - some un-detailed event has occurred that has shattered the world, leaving all electronics useless. Carter, a school principal, leaves his home and travels across the United States to reunite with his love, Beatrix.

Much of the story is about community and how people can help each other survive - Carter has a friend who helps him get what he needs to leave, and is able to accomplish his journey by the kindness of strangers; Beatrix stays (initially unwillingly) where she is and discovers she can make a difference inspiring others to survive and help each other. It's a refreshing take on the genre, even though Beatrix can seem frustratingly naive and stubborn when it comes to her ideals.

There's also a... plot (not quite a side-plot, since it's fairly important, but doesn't become important until about the last third of the book) about a preacher who monopolizes the radio airwaves inviting people to his compound that's underdeveloped. Carter finds his way there and has an uncomfortable but benign encounter with the preacher, whereas Rosie and her grandmother (friends of Beatrix) undertake the journey to devastating results.
This is also realistic, but should have more importance placed on it. Carter's interactions with Blue don't seem to be of any import - he might as well have not gone for all we learned and the effect it had on anything. Rosie and her grandmother were only there a few days, it seems, before everything came to the inevitable conclusion.

The editing is sloppy (no demarkation between Carter's, Beatrix's, and Rosie's point of view, which is confusing; a passage where Beatrix's section is cut off mid-sentence to go to Rosie's) and the preacher plot is handled awkwardly; otherwise this would be 4 stars.