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sci_mom's review
4.0
I received this book through a Goodreads Giveaway. I loved everything about this book except the end. Based on the synopsis, I thought there would be more about Charlie and Brenda's lives after the war. Instead, the author left us with an epilogue that was brief, superficial, and at least for me, unsatisfying. It just felt so abrupt after experiencing such adept character development and beautiful storytelling for 90% of the book. While that was disappointing, i still feel that it is well worth reading and I'll definitely read more by this author.
bibliopage's review
4.0
'Universe of Two' was beautifully written and very compelling but it spent way too much time on building up to the making of the bomb and their relationship rather than the redemption that both of them claim to seek in the book's description below:
"Ahe war’s end, Charlie receives a scholarship to pursue a PhD in physics at Stanford—an opportunity he and Brenda hope will allow them a fresh start. But the past proves inescapable. All any of his new colleagues can talk about is the bomb, and what greater atomic weapons might be on the horizon. Haunted by guilt, Charlie and Brenda leave Stanford and decide to dedicate the rest of their lives to making amends for the evil he helped to birth into the world."
There were only 2 chapters on this post-war redemption and it would have been a more compelling story to read if this was more of the focus.
All in all, I did like this book and would definitely recommend it!
"Ahe war’s end, Charlie receives a scholarship to pursue a PhD in physics at Stanford—an opportunity he and Brenda hope will allow them a fresh start. But the past proves inescapable. All any of his new colleagues can talk about is the bomb, and what greater atomic weapons might be on the horizon. Haunted by guilt, Charlie and Brenda leave Stanford and decide to dedicate the rest of their lives to making amends for the evil he helped to birth into the world."
There were only 2 chapters on this post-war redemption and it would have been a more compelling story to read if this was more of the focus.
All in all, I did like this book and would definitely recommend it!
carireadsbooksandtarot's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A fictionalized love story about Charles Fisk, a scientist whose work was crucial to the creation of the atomic bomb. Before he is recruited to work on the top-secret government project in Los Alamos, New Mexico, Charlie meets Brenda at her parents’ music shop. Their love grows alongside the doubts and guilt he feels about working on a project that, as he fears, turns out to be a devastating weapon.
Having read and loved The Glass Chateau and The Baker’s Secret, I was less impressed by Kiernan’s writing here. I felt like the book went on too long and didn’t have the beautiful writing that swept me through the other two books. I was also disappointed to find that the story of Charlie and Brenda bears little resemblance to Fisk’s real personal life. A story closer to the truth might have been more compelling. I didn’t care for Brenda and would have rather had Charlie as the primary protagonist of the story.
I read it at an opportune time, as the movie Oppenheimer is currently in theaters, so it has made me more interested in the history surrounding the creation of the atomic bomb.
tpteacher's review
4.0
I started this book at one point and put it down about 1/4 of the way in because I didn't like it. I gave it to a friend who said it gets better so I gave it another go, especially since I won it in a giveaway and need to give a review. So here goes:
I still did not like the first half of the book. Super slow and I could not stand Brenda who, speaking from the future, mentioned a ton of times that she wished she had acted differently (but never did). At the halfway point, the story picks up when the acceleration towards finishing the bomb starts. It is also when Brenda and Charlie finally pick up their relationship.
The information about the creation of the bomb was fascinating, from the physics and chemistry involved to the emotional/ethical/moral issues addressed. I liked that part a lot. I also liked how Brenda did change but it wasn't until the book was almost done.
Also, the summary on the book talks about their life after the war ends as if it is a large part of the novel, but it is not. The end of the war and their subsequent life takes up only the last few pages of the book.
Overall, I would give it a 2 for the first half and a 4 for the second. I was glad to learn about the creation of the atomic bomb since I didn't really know a lot about it but it's too bad that I almost didn't pick the book back up because of the boring beginning.
I still did not like the first half of the book. Super slow and I could not stand Brenda who, speaking from the future, mentioned a ton of times that she wished she had acted differently (but never did). At the halfway point, the story picks up when the acceleration towards finishing the bomb starts. It is also when Brenda and Charlie finally pick up their relationship.
The information about the creation of the bomb was fascinating, from the physics and chemistry involved to the emotional/ethical/moral issues addressed. I liked that part a lot. I also liked how Brenda did change but it wasn't until the book was almost done.
Also, the summary on the book talks about their life after the war ends as if it is a large part of the novel, but it is not. The end of the war and their subsequent life takes up only the last few pages of the book.
Overall, I would give it a 2 for the first half and a 4 for the second. I was glad to learn about the creation of the atomic bomb since I didn't really know a lot about it but it's too bad that I almost didn't pick the book back up because of the boring beginning.
corathereadingbug's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
leleroulant's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. I inhaled this book. I read it in one day. Beautiful characters you could get behind and root for. Subject matter so interesting. Weaving organ music into The Manhattan Project so deftly was genius.
annameisenburg's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
i love charlie fish
shinerobison's review
2.0
I think this had a great concept for a story and the potential for great characters. Unfortunately, I felt that the writing was a little bit sporadic and not well-tuned. It was a little all over the place and not very interesting. I appreciate romance in stories but to a degree, when it contributes to the overall story about the characters. It was a little too much. Some of it was also just not very convincing story-wise. Small details also felt like they were brought back as an afterthought. I think this has potential to be a really great tale but just could have been written better.
cjsamuel's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
megs004's review against another edition
4.0
This book is inspired by, and loosely based on, Charles Fisk. Fisk worked on the detonator team for the Manhattan Project during World War II. Kiernan did a great job writing this book, immersing me in the imaginary world of Charlie Fish. So good, that I felt the story was 100% real. He also separated the two lives (the real Charles Fisk and the fictional character Charlie Fish) well but still gave justice to the real Charles Fisk.
I highly recommend Universe Of Two. The romance between Charlie and Brenda was genuine and realistic. I could feel their emotions through the pages of the book. The historical fiction part was well written. I really like how Kieran incorporated science and its implications that could affect the entire world. My only complaint is that the ending was short and we only saw a little glimpse of what Charlie and Brenda’s relationship looked like after the war. I wish we could have seen how Charlie’s involvement in the war affected his relationship with his wife and how affected his mental health.
Thank you to Goodreads giveaways and to William Morrow for a free kindle copy for my honest review
I highly recommend Universe Of Two. The romance between Charlie and Brenda was genuine and realistic. I could feel their emotions through the pages of the book. The historical fiction part was well written. I really like how Kieran incorporated science and its implications that could affect the entire world. My only complaint is that the ending was short and we only saw a little glimpse of what Charlie and Brenda’s relationship looked like after the war. I wish we could have seen how Charlie’s involvement in the war affected his relationship with his wife and how affected his mental health.
Thank you to Goodreads giveaways and to William Morrow for a free kindle copy for my honest review