A Theory of Relativity

By: Jacquelyn Mitchard

Narrated by: Jacquelyn Mitchard

Jacquelyn Mitchard's first novel, The Deep End of the Ocean, launched the Oprah's Book Club and riveted millions of readers across the country. Now comes A Theory of Relativity, Mitchard's most compelling and beautifully written novel yet.

At 24, Gordon McKenna thinks he's already heard the worst news of his life when he learns that his sister Georgia is fatally ill. Then Georgia and her husband die in a car accident, leaving behind their baby daughter, Keefer. Gordon and his parents are able to survive their sorrow only by devoting themselves to the care of the beloved one-year-old.

But the decision of who will raise Keefer is far from over, and soon Gordon's most basic assumptions about his family will be challenged in ways so provocative that he will be driven to disbelief and then to outrage. The ordeal will test the bonds of this closely knit family, challenging even love's ultimate capacity to heal.

©2001 Jacquelyn Mitchard (P)2001 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Gripping fiction....Once again, she excels in rendering domestic scenes and family relationships while providing a suspenseful story that tugs at the heartstrings." (Publishers Weekly)
"Mitchard...brings literary finesse, wisdom, and deep emotion to this believable and remarkably involving tale of anguished people trying to do the right thing." (Booklist)

Loved It

When I found out (after having downloaded the book) that the author herself was going to be reading it, I nearly put it down. In the world of audio books, an author who thinks that they have as talented a voice as they do a pen has serious ego issues. Putting the book down would have been a huge mistake in this case, though. The story is touching, the author (in this case)<i>actually does</i> have a talent for reading her own story and I wholeheartedly recommend the story based on its own merits.

This is a great story about family and love, coming of age, and the struggle to claim what is rightfully yours, regardless of the seemingly endless obstacles that may stand in your way. I was cheering during the high point of the book and utterly reminiscent at the very end. In the end I thought that this book was brilliantly written, beautifully portrayed and skillfully delivered.