Relativity
-
- $22.99
Publisher Description
A “beautifully written, heartbreaking” (S. J. Watson) literary novel about a gifted boy obsessed with physics who uncovers the truth about his past—and the devastating family secret his overprotective single mother has tried to hide.
“Original, compassionate, cleverly plotted, and genuinely difficult to put down.” —Graeme Simsion, New York Times bestselling author of The Rosie Project
Twelve-year-old Ethan Forsythe is a precocious, astronomy-loving boy growing up in Sydney, Australia, raised by his fiercely devoted single mother, Claire, a former professional ballerina. Ethan’s world is shaped by science, logic, and the mysteries of the universe—but he’s increasingly curious about the father he has never known. Claire has always shielded him from the past, guarding both her vulnerable son and her own carefully contained grief.
When Ethan falls ill—an illness tied to a traumatic event from his infancy—long-buried truths begin to surface. Thousands of miles away in Western Australia, Mark has spent years trying to outrun the tragedy that shattered his family. But an unexpected call forces him to confront what happened and return home. When Ethan secretly intercepts a letter from Mark to Claire, he sets in motion a chain of events that pulls mother, father, and son back into each other’s orbit—testing the limits of love, forgiveness, and what it means to protect the ones we love.
Told in alternating perspectives, Relativity is a poignant, thought-provoking exploration of family bonds, childhood trauma, parental love, and the fragile line between protection and truth. Perfect for readers of Jodi Picoult, Lisa Genova, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, this is an unforgettable debut about science, secrets, and the gravity of love.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Twelve-year-old Ethan is extraordinary: he's always been bright and curious, idolizing Stephen Hawking and easily able to rattle off facts about the stars and planets. No one recognized the extent of his unusual genius, however, until the wake of an unexpected seizure, when he reveals to his neurologist the uncanny ability to accurately visualize various phenomena of physics, including redshift and black holes. This discovery coincides with the return to Sydney of Ethan's dad, who's been absent from the family since a tragic incident in Ethan's infancy that nearly killed Ethan and resulted in the end of his parents' marriage. That same incident, however, may have resulted in Ethan's exceptional talents, leading Ethan's parents to wonder whether this silver lining might hint at other opportunities for redemption and reconciliation. At times, layers of imagery are piled on a little too thickly. But the author's willingness to engage with ethical and interpersonal complexities and her resistance to too-easy resolutions overcome occasional weaknesses in the prose. With its thoughtful consideration of family dynamics and its strong thematic currents, Hayes's excellent debut will appeal to fans of JoJo Moyes.
