In 1914 Russia, siblings Miri, a doctor, and Vanya, a scientist, are living with their grandmother, a Jewish matchmaker. The Great War is just beginning. Vanya is competing with Einstein to prove the theory of relativity. He embarks on a jury with Miri’s fiancé, Yuri, to meet an American, take photos of an eclipse, and arrange passage for their family to America. Miri travels with a soldier, to find Vanya and Yuri. The novel follows each journey through the vast terrain of Russian landscapes, cities, and towns. It is a story of ambition, love, science, prejudice, and resilience.

The book is structured around the Jewish calendar, which fits with the themes of cosmic phenomena, time, and being Jewish in czarist Russia. I enjoyed the historic setting and complexity in the narrative. There is one major plot issue toward the end that bothered me, but overall a successful debut. I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.
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Russia, 1914. Miri Abramov and her brother Vanya have been raised by their grandmother after their parents' death years before. There is unrest in the country and the Jewish communities are especially at risk. Miri Abramov is now one of few female surgeons, while Vanya is a physicist who dreams of solving the final puzzle concerning Einstein's theory of relativity. Now an eclipse is coming and this could be the answer to solving the puzzle. However, with Russia at war, it is unsure if Vanya will be able to take the photographs he needs to confirm his theory. But, he will not give up and together with Miri's fiance he sneaks away from the army in hopes of taking photographs of the eclipse...

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This book had a great start - a new aspect to the story of Einstein's Theory of Relativity set in 1914 Russia - but I lost some of my interest in the story and I slogged my way to the finish. The bones of the plot are good - I really liked the characters, but I never felt compelled to read on the way I do with my favorite books. I also was disheartened by a certain character's death, but this was a decent book overall, just not one of my favorites. ( )

A new voice in historical fiction, Rachel Barenbaum has chosen Russia in 1914 -- at the outset of WWI. The basic plot is two-fold: scientist Vanya's efforts to complete Einstein's theory of relativity so the family can move to America. He needs to complete the complex math and get a picture of a forthcoming solar eclipse (proving that light bends.) He is being chased by a Russian scientist trying to steal credit for his work. Meanwhile, his sister Miri is a rare gem, a woman surgeon, whose surgeon fiancé (Yuri) agrees to join the military for her promotion. Vanya and Yuri head to the eclipse while Miri saves the life of a soldier, Sasha, who himself is a complicated character, with skeletons in his closet. They head off to meet Vanya and Yuri at the eclipse. A compelling mix of history, science, the plight of Russian Jews plus a complicated love triangle, with treachery, friendship and love, and profit. ( )

This novel about the start of WWI in Russia with the German, was so good! I felt like I was holding my breath the whole time. In the midst of war breaking out; Miri, her brother Vanya, and fiancé Yuri have to make some quick life altering decisions while on the fly. Vanya is racing time and Einstein to prove a theory, Miri has just become one of the first female surgeons, and Yuri has been the only one to believe in Miri’s abilities as a surgeon.

But being Jewish has put targets on their backs and they are now fearing their lives. Vanya also has those he thought he could trust after him, for his work. This would not be the first time that others have taken his work, and produced it as their own, now knowing he can trust no one- and that the only way to figure out and prove relativity is to use the upcoming eclipse to prove everything. But in Russia eclipses are believed to be bad, and are often feared.

Their grandmother, who they live with knows the signs all too well and the only option is to leave. They must escape and find a way to America. Vanya knows that if they can just wait until the eclipse happens, this will solve the problem and they will then have guaranteed passage to America, by the one university. They just need to find a way to stay safe and not raise suspicion until he can get his data.

But war does not wait, neither does time and soon they all must flee for their lives. With the help of an injured soldier, Miri and this “cousin” are on their own, their grandmother has made it to her sisters house where she will await the rest of them, and Vanya and Yuri have also gone off together. So many things are at stake, but they must live today and worry about tomorrow as it comes, as the future is so uncertain.

This was such a good novel! It tells the story from the various characters and it is amazing what these people endured. Based on a true story, I learned a lot about Russia during WWI and the a tid-bit about relativity and time and space being used to prove this. I would recommend this to any one who loves reading historical fiction. ( )