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I'd Know You Anywhere (+ Giveaway!)

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

Release Date: November 4, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins | HarperTeen
Pages: 368 pages
Source & Format: Publicist; Hardcover
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Summary (from Goodreads)
Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him. 

Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure.

Thoughts on A Thousand Pieces of You
When I first saw the cover for A Thousand Pieces of You, I was in love. Seriously, it's one of the most gorgeous covers I've seen in quite a while! I immediately put it on my wishlist without even looking at the summary. When I was given the opportunity to read it for review, I jumped at the offer! I wanted this beauty in my life.

Marguerite Caine's parents are genius physicists known for their incredible achievements. But their most amazing invention might also be their most dangerous: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes. When Marguerite's father is murdered by his assistant Paul, she chases Paul through different universes to get revenge and justice for her father's death. She can't let him get away with it... but as she meets Paul in each universe, she begins to question his guilt, her feelings and whether fate exists.

A Thousand Pieces of You throws you right into the action. The first chapter has an explosive feeling right out of the gate, despite being a little confusing. But then the pace slows down, and the excitement tapers off a bit. Marguerite has pursued Paul into a high-tech version of the present, and you aren't invested enough in the characters yet to really care about the chase. You don't know enough about the characters, their relationship to one another or their history to really connect to the story.

And then it changes... Marguerite is transported to Russia, and everything starts to click. I can't really put my finger on it, but there was a shift. The pace picked up, and I started to finally connect to what I was reading. I wanted Marguerite to avenge her father, to learn the truth about Paul and to understand the power of the Firebird. I still didn't completely understand the science behind it all, the explanation for the alternate dimensions, but I didn't care. I wanted more of the magical experience and the mystery!

While I think the book needed more character development, A Thousand Pieces of You still managed to deliver on the feelings. Although I was detached at first, I cared about Marguerite's family and romantic relationship by the end of the book. I felt for these characters, even if I'd like to know a little more about who they are and why they feel the way they do for one another.

Overall, I think the setting and the plot were the two strongest elements of the book. I might not have understood the science aspect, but I could still picture the alternate dimensions because of Gray's vivid descriptions of the world. And once I was hooked, the plot had me on the edge of my seat! I wanted to know what had set all of these events in motion and how the characters would change as they jumped through dimensions. At one point, I verbally reacted to a certain revelation... and as a result got teased a bit by my husband. It's not often that a book makes me talk back!

I didn't realize this was the first in a series when I started it, but I finished and was so excited to discover that there was going to be more to this story. It ends on a nice note - giving you some closure and resolution while still leaving a few threads open for the next book.  It was compelling and creative, and I'm so glad that the story inside lived up to the gorgeous cover. If you're looking for a complex sci-fi novel, this probably isn't it. The romance and relationships take precedence, but I think that's why it worked for me. A Thousand Pieces of You was an addicting read, and I can't wait to return to this world!

So Quotable
“Every form of art is another way of seeing the world. Another perspective, another window. And science –that’s the most spectacular window of all. You can see the entire universe from there.”
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review.

Win a copy of A Thousand Pieces of You!
Open to US only. | All entrants must be 13 or older to enter.

15 comments

  1. Oooohhh... a different time period... I think I would choose 12th century in the Nordic countries. I find the Vikings to be very interesting and a very harsh culture, but I'd love to travel there for like a week or so to really see how it was. Plus there were shield maidens! How awesome is that?! Thanks for the giveaway, girl! :)

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  2. I absolutely love the idea behind this book, so long as Claudia Gray is able to execute it well. And oh my goodness that cover, speechless. I'm seriously considering getting it solely for the purpose of making my bookshelf to look fancier :P

    Angel @ Spare Reads

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  3. So many time periods! Maybe the 20s . . . or the Jane Austen/Pride and Prejudice era. Of course, I've always wanted to wear big poofy dresses, so maybe whenever those were height of fashion. I have way too many time periods I want to visit!

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  4. I would probably want to start with Ancient Egypt. I have always found this era very fascinating. I also would want to go to the roaring twenties. These were the years that "common" things for us was skyrocketing like automobiles, movies, and women being able to vote.

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  5. Maybe the 1920's? They are called the roarin' 20's and I've never spent much time being wild so maybe just living in the moment once :)

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  6. Oh goodness, what a question! I would probably have to choose late 1800s Europe somewhere! Thanks for hosting the giveaway!

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  7. Oh I LOVE your review!! I too was absolutely taken by this cover without even knowing the synopsis of the book and until maybe yesterday or the day before (?), I still didn't know it! BUT your review is perfect because I finally have a sense of the book and I SO want to read it! THANK YOU for talking about the ending because I've read sci-fi alternative universe books before that left cliffhangers and it shocked me. Ok so I'm entering this giveaway and I'm probably weird for saying this, but I'm SO IN LOVE with Revolutionary War and Civil War America. Don't make fun of me. (:

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  8. I will travel to the Titanic! I'll love to see all the gowns, all the ballrooms, the ship design, and couples falling in love. ;D
    Hopefully they have good toilets by then.
    Only problem with travelling to the Titanic is, I need a way out of that time too.

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  9. Early Edwardian (early 1900'sish)! I love the dress! It would probably suck to not have any woman's rights though.

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  10. Would it be absolutely ridiculous to say the 90s? I was born in 92 but I wish that I was a teenager to early adult in the 90s. The concert, the clothing, the people. I practically am still stuck there; my favorite show is Dawson's Creek. Rob Thomas' voice lulled me to sleep so many times I can't count. my go to movies are all 90s classics.

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  11. If a time period in the future were an option, I would go forward a century or two to see where things are way past me ever seeing it. I think it would be too weird to see the immediate future. If I have to pick the past, I would say 1400's Ireland. Really I just want to see Ireland, but I think the time of castles and knights would be a bonus.

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  12. Renaissance England would be the era for me, I think! I'd love to be among all the artists and musicians of that time, just basking in their glorious creations :)

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  13. Don't you just love a good cover? I would probably either go to the 20's or maybe even just back to the 90's. I was born in the 90's, but I think it would have been nice to actually have some time to live then.

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  14. I would love to go back to the 19th century! It just looks like a very intriguing time period :) Thanks for the giveaway

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