The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything: the most beautiful and uplifting novel of 2023 (Hardback) - Kara Gnodde

For fans of The Rosie Project , The Flatshare and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine , The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything is an utterly delightful reminder that the bonds of family and calculations of the heart are determined to follow a logic all of their own . . .

As seen on Kay Burley at Breakfast

The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything by Kara Gnodde is a tender, intelligent and uplifting novel about brothers and sisters, true love in all its forms, and how life is more than just a numbers game . . .

'Tender, unique and uplifting, it explores sibling love, romantic love and the love between friends. Such an accomplished debut' - Beth O'Leary, bestselling author of The Flat Share

'[A] sunny debut, in which heart and mind must work together to shed light on a family secret' - Daily Mail

Like circles of a Venn diagram, Mimi and Art Brotherton have always come as a pair. Devoted siblings, they're bound together in their childhood home by the tragic death of their parents.

Art believes that people - including his sister - are incapable of making sensible decisions when it comes to love. That's what algorithms are for.

Mimi knows that her brother is a mathematical genius. But she believes that maths isn't the answer to everything. Not quite. Especially when it comes to love.

Still, when Mimi begins her search for a soulmate, Art's insistence that she follow a strict mathematical plan seems reasonable. The arrival of Frank, however - a romantic stargazer who is definitely not algorithm-approved - challenges the siblings' relationship to breaking point. As their equilibrium falters, Art's mistrust of Frank grows, but so do Mimi's feelings. Something about Frank doesn't quite add up, and only Art can see it . . .

'Gorgeous' - Rosie Walsh, bestselling author of The Man Who Didn't Call

'My book of the year . . . Smart, funny, tender' - Kate Weinberg, bestselling author of The Truants

'A delightfully clever tale of first love, loss and an unforgettable sibling relationship' - Marianne Cronin, author of The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot

About the Author

Kara Gnodde was born in Johannesburg and raised on a diet of Dr. Seuss and no TV. After graduating from the University of Cape Town, she joined Saatchi & Saatchi in London as a strategic planner - work that required head and heart, her favorite kind. She lived in Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore before settling back in the UK with her husband and three children. A discussion on the radio about a maths problem that could change the world, or perhaps just help keep her desk tidy, gave her a place to start The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything, her debut novel.