Review: The Many Worlds of Albie Bright

It’s been a few weeks since Albie’s scientist mum died. When dad tries to explain death to the intelligent Albie, he uses parallel universes and the way they work, as an example. He explains how things that happen in one universe don’t happen in another. This awakens in Albie the possibility of utilising this information to find his mum.

Albie reads his dad’s published research to learn how to go about it. The information on Schrodinger’s Cat helps. The rest involves a box, his mum’s prototype quantum computer, and a rotting banana. First he tries it out on his neighbour’s psycho cat. When it works, he tries it on himself.

His attempt to resolve his feelings of grief and loss puts Albie in strange, mind-blowing situations, and simultaneously incredible, hysterically funny adventures.  Christopher Edge’s ability to string so many synchronised mishaps into one lucid paragraph is amazing.

Albie’s search doesn’t yield the outcome he longs for but as his journeys come to an end, a great revelation gifts him the courage to carry on with life without mum.

This is a brilliant book. Cleverly constructed, the story is informative, witty and highly educational, especially to anyone interested in quantum physics and the Universe, while addressing themes of coping with grief and loss.

Title: The Many Worlds of Albie Bright
Author: Christopher Edge
Publisher: Nosy Crow, $14.99 RRP
Publication Date: 25 May 2016
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780857636041
For ages: 10+
Type: Middle Fiction