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nicolebonia's review against another edition
3.0
The Explanation of Everything proves why Grodstein’s work is lauded by readers and critics alike. Her writing is lovely and well-considered. I loved the details that supported the intimate portrait of Andy’s relationships with his daughters, his neighbor, Sheila, and his place among the faculty and staff. Grodstein made it easy to see why Andy arrived at some of his conclusions, and how he could have wandered so far off track.
Still, there was something missing (a lack of urgency, too much apathy from the characters?), that was hard to pinpoint and bogged the story down. While I was happy enough while reading it, I didn’t find particularly compelling reasons to go back to it once I had set it aside. While Andy and his daughters were fully realized (and maybe even Lionel, whose character I really enjoyed), the revolving female characters would have benefited the novel had they been fleshed out a little more. I also would have liked to have more cohesion in the way certain story lines were linked. Halfway through, a story that was before only mentioned in passing, takes center stage in a way that is rather jarring, even though it’s also one of the more fascinating aspects of the book. As carefully paced as it is the ending is rather abrupt and vaguely unsatisfying.
Ultimately, The Explanation for Everything didn’t work for me as fully as I had hoped, but Grodstein is an author whose work I will continue to look forward to.
Still, there was something missing (a lack of urgency, too much apathy from the characters?), that was hard to pinpoint and bogged the story down. While I was happy enough while reading it, I didn’t find particularly compelling reasons to go back to it once I had set it aside. While Andy and his daughters were fully realized (and maybe even Lionel, whose character I really enjoyed), the revolving female characters would have benefited the novel had they been fleshed out a little more. I also would have liked to have more cohesion in the way certain story lines were linked. Halfway through, a story that was before only mentioned in passing, takes center stage in a way that is rather jarring, even though it’s also one of the more fascinating aspects of the book. As carefully paced as it is the ending is rather abrupt and vaguely unsatisfying.
Ultimately, The Explanation for Everything didn’t work for me as fully as I had hoped, but Grodstein is an author whose work I will continue to look forward to.
sde's review against another edition
4.0
I very much enjoyed the first half of this book. A student approaches a biology professor to be her advisor on an independent study on intelligent design. The professor takes her on even though he is an ardent atheist. (He kind of wants to believe, though, and he does see his dead wife's ghost often.) The student uses some not-very-academic sources, but she is intelligent and questioning. If the story continued to focus on the tension and interplay between the student and the professor as they begin to influence each other's ideas on G-d and evolution, it would have been a better story. Instead, about halfway through it veers off into the professor's own personal life and demons unrelated to the first question at hand. At some point, the story abandons the intelligent design debate all together, and that's when it gets more boring.
jtlars7's review against another edition
2.0
Maybe deserved a three. The writing was good and I kept wanting to read more, but overall not completely satisfying; I can't think of anyone I'd recommend it to.
eclectictales's review against another edition
3.0
I received a copy of this novel through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers programme in exchange for an honest review. This review in its entirety was originally posted at caffeinatedlife.net: http://www.caffeinatedlife.net/blog/2014/08/04/review-the-explanation-for-everything/
For a book that addresses a very loaded topic, it was quite easy to get into the story and into Andy Waite’s life. The reader quickly gains a sense of his mourning over his dead wife, and his struggles to maintain his position at the university faculty and his role as a single father. It’s sweet and sad how the ghost and memory of his dead wife is haunting him throughout the novel as he struggles to move on and face all of these challenges before him.
I think the author did a good job in presenting both sides of the argument, that of religious/spiritual belief and that of science/evolution/atheism. Some might feel that this novel sides more with the argument for religion in one’s life, especially given Andy’s journey over the course of the novel, but I think characters like Rosenblum and Lionel balance the argument out a bit and provide more representation for the evolution/non-religious element of the argument. But there are no simple answers; I think if there’s anything to take out of the novel, it’s that you need to keep an open mind and be considerate towards others, especially with people who don’t share your beliefs.
I would have rated this novel a little higher save for a few things about the story:
Overall, The Explanation for Everything was an interesting read and kept me invested. This novel is not for everyone–I can see how this novel might he leaning towards one or the other depending on your own values and beliefs–but it was one that raised a lot of food for thought.
Final rating: 3.5/5
For a book that addresses a very loaded topic, it was quite easy to get into the story and into Andy Waite’s life. The reader quickly gains a sense of his mourning over his dead wife, and his struggles to maintain his position at the university faculty and his role as a single father. It’s sweet and sad how the ghost and memory of his dead wife is haunting him throughout the novel as he struggles to move on and face all of these challenges before him.
I think the author did a good job in presenting both sides of the argument, that of religious/spiritual belief and that of science/evolution/atheism. Some might feel that this novel sides more with the argument for religion in one’s life, especially given Andy’s journey over the course of the novel, but I think characters like Rosenblum and Lionel balance the argument out a bit and provide more representation for the evolution/non-religious element of the argument. But there are no simple answers; I think if there’s anything to take out of the novel, it’s that you need to keep an open mind and be considerate towards others, especially with people who don’t share your beliefs.
I would have rated this novel a little higher save for a few things about the story:
Spoiler
I could’ve used one more scene to show Andy’s gradual process from being a staunch Darwinist/atheist to considering God and spirituality in his life (I say consideration because it’s an ongoing process that I will explain further in a little bit), just to link the progression up more tightly. Also, I was a bit more dismayed was the handling of Andy and Melissa’s relationship, especially at the end. Andy was at fault for stepping over the line, but Melissa was expecting too much from him all at once.Overall, The Explanation for Everything was an interesting read and kept me invested. This novel is not for everyone–I can see how this novel might he leaning towards one or the other depending on your own values and beliefs–but it was one that raised a lot of food for thought.
Final rating: 3.5/5
shelfimprovement's review against another edition
Not for me. I don't think there was any real depth to this one.
lisagray68's review against another edition
4.0
Got this book as an Early Reviewer copy from Library Thing. The main premise is that Andy, an evolutionary biologist who teaches a class called "There is No God", gets approached by Melissa, a student who wants to do her thesis on intelligent design. Although the characters are interesting, the main premise is that both points of view have valid points with reasons why people want to believe that particular way. The author, an atheist, says she would like to see us all "just get along" already! I don't think my church would go for it, but I think it would be a great book for our church book club. Lots of points to discuss here, and no easy answers.
rebeccafromflorida's review against another edition
3.0
I received this book from Devourer of Books in order to participate in her book club.
Oh how I wanted to like The Explanation for Everything by Lauren Grodstein more. Really. It seems like a good concept: Man has a fabulous life and wife. Man loses wife. Man believes in evolution. Maybe man will find G-d.
But no. . . Professor Andy Waite is an evolutionist, a believer in the Darwinian field. He’s also a college professor and teaches a class about how there is no G-d. A few years ago, Andy lost his wife to a drunk driving accident (the other guy was drunk) and has to raise his two girls on his own. Then Melissa, a student, enters his life and complicates things. This stuff I liked.
Rebecca @ Love at First Book
Oh how I wanted to like The Explanation for Everything by Lauren Grodstein more. Really. It seems like a good concept: Man has a fabulous life and wife. Man loses wife. Man believes in evolution. Maybe man will find G-d.
But no. . . Professor Andy Waite is an evolutionist, a believer in the Darwinian field. He’s also a college professor and teaches a class about how there is no G-d. A few years ago, Andy lost his wife to a drunk driving accident (the other guy was drunk) and has to raise his two girls on his own. Then Melissa, a student, enters his life and complicates things. This stuff I liked.
Rebecca @ Love at First Book
wordnerdy's review against another edition
4.0
http://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2013/09/2013-book-241.html
rickijill's review against another edition
3.0
This week I read another book club selection: The Explanation for Everything by Lauren Grodstein.
I truly had high hopes for this book because it explores one of the most polarizing debates: evolution v. intelligent design. Professor Andy Waite, a biology professor and diehard evolutionist at a liberal arts college in New Jersey, is challenged to sponsor an independent study for Melissa Potter. Melissa's goal is to write the definitive paper on intelligent design {and save Andy's soul}. Melissa is dared to make the request by Simon, a fellow member of Campus Crusade for Christ and one of Andy's 400 level students in his There Is No God class.
Andy has issues. He still grieves over his wife Louisa's tragic death caused by a drunk driver. The tragedy impacts his scholarship years later as he's attempting to prove a genetic element to alcoholism which would label it an incurable disease. Andy's application for a grant from the NSF and possibly his tenure depends upon the success of proving his theory in the lab. At this point he doesn't want to lose his job and uproot his tween daughters.
I couldn't believe how easily Andy is influenced by Melissa. She lacks beauty, grace, and sophistication (I include this because he is attracted to her and she's described as being very unattractive). Yet her arguments are much stronger than Andy's, and Andy stammers and cannot seem to defend his argument around her. If most of the dialogue had been a Lincoln-Douglas value debate, Melissa would have won easily. Plus, he doesn't seem to notice very much in his environment aside from women's hair. How can he not notice that his daughters are outgrowing their clothes and that the oldest one needs a training bra? He seems easily influenced: one minute he begins to believe in God through Melissa's arguments, and the next minute he waffles as he reads a transcript from his former graduate school mentor at Princeton. I must admit that I also can't get past his attraction to Melissa and an alcoholic neighbor (especially given his wife's tragic death), but then again maybe it's his obsession with hair. The limited omniscient narrator doesn't help the reader understand what's truly going on with him.
Some of the lesser themes like appropriate student-teacher relationships (there is a very unrealistic subplot concerning Andy's mentor and a tragedy with one of his female graduate students that ended his academic career), questions about God's nature (mercy v. justice), and forgiveness are better written than the book's central theme. I found Andy's character unbelievable for most of the book as well as unlikable. His ability to forgive at the end of the book helps redeem him a little in my eyes.
DISCLOSURE:
This book is definitely polarizing and many of the issues in the book are either/or. I'm a Christian and I do believe in intelligent design, and I also believe the viability of some of Darwin's theories. I believe that science is a gift from God that allows us to better understand His creation like math explains how His creation is organized. I also believe that God is just and merciful. However I did not let my beliefs influence how I reviewed this book.
I truly had high hopes for this book because it explores one of the most polarizing debates: evolution v. intelligent design. Professor Andy Waite, a biology professor and diehard evolutionist at a liberal arts college in New Jersey, is challenged to sponsor an independent study for Melissa Potter. Melissa's goal is to write the definitive paper on intelligent design {and save Andy's soul}. Melissa is dared to make the request by Simon, a fellow member of Campus Crusade for Christ and one of Andy's 400 level students in his There Is No God class.
Andy has issues. He still grieves over his wife Louisa's tragic death caused by a drunk driver. The tragedy impacts his scholarship years later as he's attempting to prove a genetic element to alcoholism which would label it an incurable disease. Andy's application for a grant from the NSF and possibly his tenure depends upon the success of proving his theory in the lab. At this point he doesn't want to lose his job and uproot his tween daughters.
I couldn't believe how easily Andy is influenced by Melissa. She lacks beauty, grace, and sophistication (I include this because he is attracted to her and she's described as being very unattractive). Yet her arguments are much stronger than Andy's, and Andy stammers and cannot seem to defend his argument around her. If most of the dialogue had been a Lincoln-Douglas value debate, Melissa would have won easily. Plus, he doesn't seem to notice very much in his environment aside from women's hair. How can he not notice that his daughters are outgrowing their clothes and that the oldest one needs a training bra? He seems easily influenced: one minute he begins to believe in God through Melissa's arguments, and the next minute he waffles as he reads a transcript from his former graduate school mentor at Princeton. I must admit that I also can't get past his attraction to Melissa and an alcoholic neighbor (especially given his wife's tragic death), but then again maybe it's his obsession with hair. The limited omniscient narrator doesn't help the reader understand what's truly going on with him.
Some of the lesser themes like appropriate student-teacher relationships (there is a very unrealistic subplot concerning Andy's mentor and a tragedy with one of his female graduate students that ended his academic career), questions about God's nature (mercy v. justice), and forgiveness are better written than the book's central theme. I found Andy's character unbelievable for most of the book as well as unlikable. His ability to forgive at the end of the book helps redeem him a little in my eyes.
DISCLOSURE:
This book is definitely polarizing and many of the issues in the book are either/or. I'm a Christian and I do believe in intelligent design, and I also believe the viability of some of Darwin's theories. I believe that science is a gift from God that allows us to better understand His creation like math explains how His creation is organized. I also believe that God is just and merciful. However I did not let my beliefs influence how I reviewed this book.
el1zabe4h's review against another edition
4.0
Lauren Grodstein tackles the origins of life and where we find meaning in this beautiful story of life, death, and rebirth. She handles the seriousness of this topic with beauty and lyrical prose. I appreciated the various perspectives her characters presented. Occasionally in novels about heavy topics such as this the authors personal view comes through. One comes away with a feeling of being used or manipulated. Not so in this case. Through her characters I viewed the issues from different perspectives and felt the emotions involved in their beliefs. This moving story had me riveted from the first page through the last page.