A Bend in the Stars by Rachel Barenbaum - A Review and a Guide to Download the Ebook
Ebook pdf epub downloads A Bend in the Stars
If you are looking for a captivating historical fiction novel that combines romance, adventure, science, and history, you might want to check out A Bend in the Stars by Rachel Barenbaum. This debut novel was published in 2019 and received rave reviews from critics and readers alike. It tells the story of a Jewish family in Russia during World War I and the Russian Revolution, who are caught up in a race to prove Einstein's theory of relativity.
Ebook pdf epub downloads A Bend in the Stars
In this article, we will give you a brief overview of what A Bend in the Stars is about, why you should read it, and how you can download it as an ebook in pdf or epub format. We will also answer some frequently asked questions about the novel and its author.
What is A Bend in the Stars?
A brief summary of the novel
A Bend in the Stars follows the lives of two siblings, Miri and Vanya Abramov, who are both brilliant scientists. Miri is a surgeon who faces discrimination and danger as a woman and a Jew in a male-dominated profession. Vanya is a physicist who is obsessed with proving Einstein's theory of relativity before anyone else. He believes that a solar eclipse that will occur in 1914 will provide the perfect opportunity to observe the bending of light around the sun.
However, their plans are disrupted by the outbreak of World War I and the rise of anti-Semitism in Russia. Miri is forced to flee from her hospital in St. Petersburg to join Vanya, who has already left for Siberia with his colleague and fiancee, Yevgeny. Along the way, she meets Sasha, a soldier who helps her escape from the authorities and falls in love with her. Meanwhile, Vanya and Yevgeny face their own challenges and dangers as they try to reach the eclipse site before their rivals.
The novel alternates between the perspectives of Miri, Vanya, Sasha, and Yevgeny, creating a suspenseful and emotional narrative that explores themes such as love, family, loyalty, identity, faith, science, and war.
The author and her inspiration
Rachel Barenbaum is an American writer who holds an MFA from Grub Street in Boston. She is also a book critic for The LA Review of Books and a co-host of The Book Club Girl podcast. A Bend in the Stars is her first novel.
Barenbaum was inspired to write A Bend in the Stars by her own family history. Her grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Russia who escaped during World War I and the Russian Revolution. She also had a great-uncle who was a physicist and worked on Einstein's theory of relativity. She wanted to explore how these historical events affected ordinary people's lives and how science and religion intersected at that time.
Barenbaum did extensive research for her novel, reading books, articles, journals, letters, and memoirs about Einstein, relativity, Russia, Judaism, medicine, and war. She also visited Russia and interviewed experts and historians. She said that she wanted to be as accurate as possible while still creating a fictional story that would engage readers.
The historical and scientific context
A Bend in the Stars is set in a turbulent period of history that shaped the 20th century. World War I was one of the deadliest and most destructive wars in history, involving more than 70 million military personnel and resulting in more than 20 million deaths and 21 million wounded. It also led to the collapse of several empires, including the Russian Empire, which was overthrown by the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917.
The novel also depicts the scientific revolution that was taking place at the same time, especially in the field of physics. Albert Einstein was one of the most influential and famous scientists of his era, who developed the theory of relativity, which changed the way we understand space and time. His theory was controversial and challenged by many other physicists, who tried to prove or disprove it with experiments and observations.
One of the key predictions of Einstein's theory was that light would bend around massive objects, such as the sun, due to gravity. This effect could only be seen during a total solar eclipse, when the sun's light would be blocked by the moon. In 1914, there was a solar eclipse that crossed Russia, and many scientists planned to observe it and test Einstein's theory. However, due to the war and other factors, most of them failed or were unable to do so. The first successful observation of the bending of light was made in 1919 by Arthur Eddington, a British astronomer who traveled to Africa for the eclipse.
Why should you read A Bend in the Stars?
The main themes and messages
A Bend in the Stars is not just a historical fiction novel, but also a philosophical and moral one. It explores some of the big questions and issues that humans face, such as:
What is the meaning and purpose of life?
What is the role and responsibility of science in society?
How do we balance our personal ambitions and passions with our family and community obligations?
How do we cope with uncertainty, change, and loss?
How do we deal with prejudice, oppression, and violence?
How do we maintain our faith and identity in a chaotic and hostile world?
The novel also conveys some important messages and lessons that are relevant for today's readers, such as:
The power and beauty of love, friendship, and courage in overcoming adversity.
The importance and value of diversity, tolerance, and respect for different cultures, beliefs, and perspectives.
The need and potential for collaboration, innovation, and discovery in advancing human knowledge and progress.
The danger and tragedy of war, hatred, and extremism in destroying human lives and dignity.
The characters and their development
A Bend in the Stars features a cast of memorable and realistic characters who will make you care about their fates and root for them. They are not perfect or heroic, but flawed and human, with their own strengths and weaknesses, hopes and fears, dreams and regrets. They also grow and change throughout the novel, facing challenges and dilemmas that test their limits and force them to make difficult decisions.
Some of the main characters are:
Miri Abramov: A strong-willed and intelligent woman who defies social norms and expectations to become a surgeon. She is loyal to her family and her patients, but also independent and adventurous. She struggles with her Jewish identity and her relationship with God.
Vanya Abramov: A brilliant and ambitious physicist who dedicates his life to proving Einstein's theory. He is passionate about science and truth, but also compassionate and generous. He faces discrimination and danger as a Jew in Russia.
Sasha: A brave and charming soldier who falls in love with Miri. He is loyal to his country and his comrades, but also disillusioned by the war. He has a secret past that haunts him.
Yevgeny: A talented and loyal physicist who works with Vanya. He is engaged to Vanya's fiancee, Ludmila. He is pragmatic and cautious, but also curious and adventurous. He has a hidden agenda that complicates his situation.
The style and structure
A Bend in the Stars is written in a clear and engaging style that captures the reader's attention from the first page to the last. The author uses vivid descriptions, realistic dialogue, suspenseful twists, emotional moments, humorous touches, historical details, scientific explanations, literary references, cultural insights, religious symbols, metaphors, similes, personification etc. to create a rich and immersive reading experience.
of Miri, Vanya, Sasha, and Yevgeny. This allows the reader to follow the different perspectives and experiences of the characters, as well as the parallel and intersecting plots. The chapters are also numbered and titled with the date and location of the events, which helps the reader to keep track of the timeline and the setting.
How can you download A Bend in the Stars as an ebook?
The benefits of ebooks
If you are interested in reading A Bend in the Stars, you might want to consider downloading it as an ebook. Ebooks are digital versions of books that can be read on various devices, such as computers, tablets, smartphones, or dedicated e-readers. Ebooks have many advantages over printed books, such as:
They are cheaper and more accessible. You can buy or borrow ebooks online without having to go to a bookstore or a library. You can also find many free ebooks on the internet.
They are more convenient and portable. You can store thousands of ebooks on a single device and carry them with you wherever you go. You can also adjust the font size, brightness, and orientation of the screen to suit your preferences and reading conditions.
They are more eco-friendly and durable. You can save paper, ink, and energy by reading ebooks instead of printed books. You can also avoid damaging or losing your books due to wear and tear, spills, or theft.
The best platforms and formats
There are many platforms and formats for ebooks, but some of the most popular and widely used ones are:
Amazon Kindle: This is a series of e-readers and tablets that allow you to buy, download, and read ebooks from Amazon's online store. You can also access other features, such as audiobooks, newspapers, magazines, games, apps, etc. The ebooks on Kindle are usually in mobi or azw format.
Apple Books: This is an app that allows you to buy, download, and read ebooks from Apple's online store. You can also access other features, such as audiobooks, podcasts, PDFs, etc. The ebooks on Apple Books are usually in epub or pdf format.
Google Play Books: This is an app that allows you to buy, download, and read ebooks from Google's online store. You can also access other features, such as audiobooks, comics, magazines, etc. The ebooks on Google Play Books are usually in epub or pdf format.
Other platforms and formats for ebooks include Kobo, Nook, Scribd, OverDrive, etc. You can also use various software and websites to convert ebooks from one format to another.
The legal and ethical issues
While downloading ebooks can be easy and convenient, you should also be aware of the legal and ethical issues involved. Not all ebooks are free or legal to download. Some ebooks are protected by copyright laws and require you to pay a fee or obtain a license to access them. Downloading or sharing pirated or unauthorized ebooks is illegal and can result in fines or lawsuits.
You should also respect the rights and efforts of the authors and publishers who create and distribute ebooks. They deserve to be compensated for their work and creativity. Downloading or sharing pirated or unauthorized ebooks is unethical and can harm their reputation and income.
virus, spam, pornography, hate speech, etc.
Conclusion
A Bend in the Stars is a fascinating and compelling historical fiction novel that will take you on a journey through time and space, love and war, science and faith. It is a novel that will make you think, feel, and wonder about the world and yourself. It is a novel that you should not miss.
If you want to read A Bend in the Stars, you can download it as an ebook in pdf or epub format from various platforms and sources. However, you should also be careful and responsible when downloading ebooks, and respect the law and the authors.
We hope that this article has given you some useful information and insights about A Bend in the Stars and ebooks. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us or leave a comment below. Happy reading!
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about A Bend in the Stars and ebooks:
Is A Bend in the Stars based on a true story?
A Bend in the Stars is not based on a specific true story, but it is inspired by the author's family history and the historical events and scientific discoveries of the early 20th century. The author did extensive research to make the novel as accurate and realistic as possible, but she also used her imagination and creativity to create a fictional story that would appeal to readers.
Who is the target audience for A Bend in the Stars?
A Bend in the Stars is suitable for adult readers who enjoy historical fiction, romance, adventure, science, and history. It is also suitable for readers who are interested in learning more about Einstein's theory of relativity, World War I, the Russian Revolution, Judaism, etc. The novel contains some scenes of violence, sex, and profanity that may not be appropriate for younger or sensitive readers.
How long does it take to read A Bend in the Stars?
A Bend in the Stars has 464 pages in its print edition. The average reading speed for an adult is about 250 words per minute. Therefore, it would take about 10 hours to read A Bend in the Stars at an average pace. However, your reading speed may vary depending on your level of interest, comprehension, concentration, etc.
What are some similar books to A Bend in the Stars?
If you liked A Bend in the Stars, you might also like these books:
The Lost Letter by Jillian Cantor: A dual-timeline novel that follows a Jewish stamp engraver in Austria during World War II and his daughter in Los Angeles in 1989 who discovers a mysterious letter that reveals a family secret.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr: A Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that follows a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths cross in occupied France during World War II.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: A bestselling novel that follows a young girl who steals books and shares them with others in Nazi Germany during World War II.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah: A bestselling novel that follows two sisters who face different challenges and choices as they try to survive and resist the Nazi occupation of France during World War II.
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: A bestselling novel that follows a man who suffers from a rare genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably and his wife who has to cope with his absences and appearances.
How can I write a review for A Bend in the Stars?
If you want to write a review for A Bend in the Stars, you can follow these steps:
Read the book carefully and take notes of your impressions, opinions, reactions, etc.
Think about what you liked and disliked about the book, what you learned from it, how it made you feel, etc.
Write a brief summary of what the book is about without giving away any spoilers or major plot points.
such as the plot, the characters, the style, the themes, the messages, etc.
Write your recommendation of who would enjoy or benefit from reading the book and why.
Write your rating of the book on a scale of 1 to 5 stars or any other system you prefer.
Proofread and edit your review for clarity, accuracy, grammar, spelling, etc.
Publish or share your review on a platform or medium of your choice, such as a blog, a website, a social media account, a magazine, etc.
71b2f0854b