This is what it means to love someone. This is what it means to grieve someone. It’s a little bit like a black hole. It’s a little bit like infinity.

Gottie H. Oppenheimer is losing time. Literally. When the fabric of the universe around her seaside town begins to fray, she’s hurtled through wormholes to her past:
To last summer, when her grandfather Grey died. To the afternoon she fell in love with Jason, who wouldn’t even hold her hand at the funeral. To the day her best friend Thomas moved away and left her behind with a scar on her hand and a black hole in her memory.

Although Grey is still gone, Jason and Thomas are back, and Gottie’s past, present, and future are about to collide—and someone’s heart is about to be broken.

With time travel, quantum physics, and sweeping romance, The Square Root of Summer is an exponentially enthralling story about love, loss, and trying to figure it all out, from stunning debut YA voice, Harriet Reuter Hapgood.

Harriet Reuter Hapgood’s debut novel, The Square Root of Summer, showed great potential. While some aspects lived up to this promise, others fell short. Although I had hoped for more from the book, I ultimately found it an enjoyable read.

Strengths:

Concept: The premise of The Square Root of Summer is remarkably unique and intriguing. As a fan of time travel narratives, I was particularly drawn to its integration into a contemporary setting—a fresh approach that I found very appealing. The concept was executed skillfully, and I would certainly welcome more contemporary stories infused with such magical elements.

Characters: Interestingly, I liked nearly all the characters except for Gottie, the protagonist whom I expected to connect with most. Gottie’s family is wonderfully eccentric and flawed, yet full of life. I had a special fondness for Grey, even though he only appears in flashbacks after having passed away a year before the main events. Each character contributed meaningfully to the story, bringing their own quirks and distinct personalities. They were unapologetically themselves, navigating personal struggles while striving to grow.

Weaknesses:

Confusing Elements: The heavy use of mathematical and scientific terminology was challenging to follow. While I don’t consider myself unintelligent, the book often made me question my comprehension. Gottie is clearly highly intelligent, but her thoughts and explanations could have been more accessible. The time travel mechanics remained unclear to me despite repeated attempts to understand them.

Gottie: I found Gottie difficult to relate to. She was emotionally distant and withdrawn, almost as if she believed she was the only one affected by Grey’s death, disregarding others’ grief. Her demeanor came across as selfish and immature.

Overall, The Square Root of Summer had room for improvement, but I don’t regret reading it. I would be open to reading more from Harriet Reuter Hapgood in the future.