Review of Timewise

[Hubre De Klerk]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Timewise" by Robert Leet.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Ron is an orphan, and although he hasn’t had a bad life, he has jumped around so much that he remembers places and names but not where or when they occurred. He recalls playing chess in primary school and how it stuck with him because he was good at it. He also remembers Regina, as she was the first adult (late thirties) to ever take interest in him, and she was beautiful to him at fourteen years of age. As his school years progressed, he realized that there isn’t money in chess, and he started learning everything there is to know about poker. Through poker, he started making a name and actually winning more than losing. Poker was his main focus, and he did odd jobs just to bring in a monthly salary to mostly cover his rent. The one constant in his life was Regina.

Later in his life, after school, he bumped into Regina again. She wasn’t happy with where he was in his life and said he had the potential to be great. She then gave him an offer he couldn’t resist: go to college and take whatever classes he wanted, and for every A he got, she would pay him, but only for As. If he got a B, he wouldn’t get anything. At first, he took easy classes to ensure he got all his A’s and the money, but he soon became bored. He started to focus more on mathematics, and he soon realized that it was his refuge. Through these courses, he met with Regina on a regular basis to receive his stipend and also discuss the different types of physics and how they work. At times, Ron believed that Regina was delusional, as she was stating that the greatest minds in physics were wrong. Due to his studies and getting all As, he was accepted into the Ph.D. program at the University of Washington in Seattle.

This book was very intriguing from the start, as I got to know the different characters, their roles, and how Ron developed. I was surprised by his "cruising through school" attitude toward his aptitude for mathematics. He began to shine after being given the proper motivation. Although Regina’s discussions left me in the dust from time to time, they were very interesting, and the everyday terms she used to explain her opinions regarding physics made it easier to grasp and understand. I loved Regina’s outlook and opinions, especially about the perfect life: "I’ve always found the pursuit of perfection shows a profound lack of imagination, as well as a misunderstanding of reality." Their discussions made me think and also re-examine what I did know regarding physics and the everyday workings of life. Their discussions mainly ran around why and how Regina had the opinion that awareness creates time. It felt like I was sitting there in the diner with them every time.

I enjoyed everything about this book. I did start having my doubts when Regina and Ron started going into in-depth discussions that I had absolutely no understanding of or concept about, but I got into their lessons quite quickly. Regina discussed virtual time travel and explained it in a very easy-to-understand manner regarding a batter trying to hit a baseball. I believe this is where I really got into the book and started getting interested in their discussions instead of just reading a book. Although physics is the main point of this book, I loved how the author created a story around it to pull you in and make it interesting. I definitely would not have read a book on physics alone, but the personal touch of Ron’s life made the book for me. The physics discussions were broken up into smaller parts and then jumped back to Ron’s life. His studies, emotions, and struggles kept me entertained throughout, which also made the book relatable to me.

I would rate Timewise by Robert Leet 5 out of 5 stars. I didn’t find anything that I disliked in this book, and I only spotted one error. This leads me to believe that this book was professionally edited. I also enjoyed the manner in which the different types of sciences work and that there were sketches to give a visual look at what was discussed. The title of this book was a perfect fit for the content and cover image. I would recommend this book to readers who love science, to understand how time and physics work together, and also just to get your mind thinking outside of the box. There was a saying from Regina earlier in the book that hooked me: "Anyone who hasn’t made mistakes hasn't tried." Give this book a chance, and you might just be surprised by the outcome!

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Timewise
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[Yuna Chang]

The emotional depth of the book is noteworthy, as Leet skillfully delves into the characters' past traumas and inner struggles, making them relatable and human.