What do readers think of The Invention of Everything Else by Samantha Hunt? Write your own review.

In The Invention of Everything Else, Samantha Hunt skillfully evokes the world of New York city in the beginning of 1943. She captures the feel of an era where nothing seems impossible; the miraculous inventions which transformed American culture almost overnight gave rise to a collective suspension of disbelief, as exemplified by the national response to the radio broadcast of "War of the Worlds." The discoveries of electricity, magnetism, and radio play directly into to the lives of Louisa, a maid at the Hotel New Yorker, and her widowed father.

As the characters struggle with loss and love, their paths circle around the figure of Nikola Tesla, living out his last years in the hotel where Louisa works. His part of the story is written in first person, while he is consumed by memories of his past as well as by his constant pursuit of knowledge and invention. The parts of the story which incorporate the true details of his life are riveting, but the individual stories of each character are held together more by abstract ideas than by the plot itself. In the end, one is left with a palpable sense of the era, where (heartbreakingly) the possibilities of science seem endless, and how that plays into the inner lives of the people of the time.

If you are looking for a quick light read for an airplane, this is not the book to grab. I am a big fan of non-horror science-fiction and that is what kept me engaged enough to finish the book. I found the storyline in the beginning to be confusing at times, but by the mid-point the characters became more defined and the various threads began to seem more orderly and understandable. The book requires you ask questions about what you know and what you think you know - and in the end leaves you with many unanswered questions, but perhaps that was the point all along. Book Clubs should be cautious in choosing this book, as it may cause more frustration than discussion.

This book was not what I expected. I hoped to learn more about Tesla than I did. I felt like I was reading a series of short stories, rather than a novel. It did prompt me to do some research on things that were mentioned, so that was good. I would not recommend this book to others - I found the characters rather strange, but maybe geniuses are that way.

It was hard to believe that the inventor in this book was actually a real person. The author could have been more clear and developed her characters better. The ideas she touches on were good ones...loneliness and confusion in all individuals, not just the aged. It's a subject that everyone has to deal with in real life. It would be a good book for a book club, they could touch on the subjects of age (young and old), loneliness, confusion, and how these individuals dealt with those issues. I liked the ending, it seemed to really come together and explained a lot of what I needed to put it all together.