A Review of The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarty

This book has altered my views on many things about life. It was a wonderful and enjoyable read. It made me smile and sometimes cry. The words used are brilliant and thought provoking, the instances that occur in the book will entertain you and make you question your very own existence. It convinces you to question things that you normally overlook, but should indeed be scrutinized. Love, Life, Existence, The Earth, Christianity, Hypocrisy, and Politics are the main topics that are brought about are prominent in this novel. The characters are realistic, honest, and profound. By the end of the book, you will feel like you know each character personally, as if each is a friend or enemy of yours. I believe anyone can relate to this book, whether you are religious or non-religious. You will feel a bit of accomplishment after reading this book. It's a bit long, but completely worth it. The time investment is worth it, because the emotional and intellectual investment is life-long. Each character in the book is examined and everyone is criticized for their frame of mind. Because of this, you are coerced to re-analyze your own mind-set and belief system. Beautiful story, astounding achievement!

Evelyn Bucknow, a ten year old girl living in Kansas, is more able to keep her life in control than her mother. It seems as if there is no true responsible mother figure, and Evelyn must play dual roles and learn responsibility on her own. She discovers the pains of growing up, battles with science, then religion, an irresponsible mother, and must also cope with a mentally challenged brother. Growing up is tough, but it Evelyn's case, is even tougher. Her mother fools around with a married man, struggles to barely pay the rent, and later gives birth to a mentally challenged child, it seems as if her life is in shambles. What's worse is this poor and downtrodden must also face U.S politics in the 1980's. For this family it is a pretty low time, since Reagan is president and he despises the "wealthfare queens" as he so despicably calls poor women having babies, and lacking the economic resources to live a prosperous life.

Evelyn grows up, and learns many new lessons from life. She learns how that rich girl who would taunt and tease her in grade school for being poor, had a traumatic end to her life. She most significantly learns to forgive, she learns to forgive this girl and others. She falls into Christianity, since a Christian family ends up treating her better than her own mother. But later her increasing want of knowledge in science, causes her to realize that religion has no scientific base. After winning a prize for a science project, her love for science further increases and ultimately she goes to college to pursue her studies in science. She leaves Christianity behind because it contradicts science, and has a prosperous life ahead of her. Despite her having been raised in a poor, single parent household, she is able to better herself and raise herself intellectually and economically. Kansas is the center of everything, the center of her little world, and that is why Moriarty chose this particular title. There are so many lessons to be learned from this book. The characters are so vivid, you feel as if they are right there with you, as you are reading the book. A very influential look at life!