DNF ( )

The personal completes with science and disaster in this novel. Anna Berkova is a talented Soviet scientist, whose work helped the Soviets built both atomic weapons and nuclear reactors. Then, when Chernobyl explodes, she accidentally time-travels for the first time - a consequence of nuclear explosion that she's been working towards for decades. But when Anna time-travels, she discovers the family she's cut herself off from is in danger. As Anna travels across time to save her family and correct mistakes, she struggles to find a way to save them and to prevent the Chernobyl disaster, ultimately realizing she can't do both. An interesting and enjoyable read, even if I found the conclusion slightly jarring. ( )

. Barenbaum’s latest novel is a “One Book, One Hadassah” pick for the month of June. This hard to put down time-travel story follows three generations of Jewish women as they attempt to prevent the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. It grapples with themes of love and responsibility and the bonds between mother and daughters. The New York Times Book Review calls it “masterfully plotted”.

A vast and complex novel covering three generations of women culminating in their goal of stopping the Chernobyl meltdown thus saving many people. Anna is a Russian scientist that is a key player in their countries' nuclear research. She also develops a working time machine.Her daughter Molly writes a comic strip based on her mom's adventures. Raisa is Anne's granddaughter who has the mathematical savvy to help Anna stop the meltdown.The novel is thought provoking but is confusing at times with the constant time and location shifts. ( )

Book Review….. Atomic Anna by Rachel Barenbaum

Three brilliant women.

1986
When Chernobyl’s reactor melts down, Anna Berkova, renowned nuclear scientist is thrown back in time. She lands in 1992 to her estranged daughter Molly shot in the chest. Molly begs her to go back in time to prevent the disaster and to save Molly's daughter Raisa, and put their family on a better path.

60s Philadelphia
Molly is coming of age as an adopted refusenik. Her family is full of secrets and a past they won’t share. With dreams of being an artist she finds peace in comic books and drawing her own comic Atomic Anna. When she meets. But when she meets the charming Viktor their romance will change the course of her whole life!

Two life-changing mistakes.

80s
Raisa, is a lonely teen and math prodigy, until a handsome boy moves in across the street and a woman shows up saying she is her grandmother. When Raisa finds issues of Atomic Anna, she notices each comic has an equation that leads to one impossible conclusion: time travel. And she finally understands what she has to do.

One chance to reset the future.

Atomic Anna is a fantasy and science fiction with a twist! It's based on the Chernobyl disaster. That was one of the reasons I was drawn to this book. I can't remember reading sci-fi that was based on a real life event. Obviously it's told from multiple points of view and timelines so there is a lot going on but the author brings all the layers together nicely. The main characters are very realistic. They have their flaws, emotions and personalities making it easy to like them. The book offers up a few genres coming of age, sci-fi historical fiction and thriller so it can appeal to a lot of different readers. But in the end it is about family and friendship bonds and sacrifice and redemption!

Thank you Grand Central Pub and Rachel Barenbaum for sharing this book with me!
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