Friday, January 8, 2021

The Tenth Muse by Catherine Chung

 
"When I was a child, first discovering numbers, the secrets they yielded, the power they held, I imagined I would live my life unchecked, knocking down problem after problem that was set before me. And in the beginning, because I outstripped my classmates, my parents, and even my teachers it seemed possible that it would be so. That was pure hubris. ... Still, I never tried to hide or suppress my mind as some girls do, and thank God, because that would have been the beginning of the end."


Katherine is a math genius at a time when math is still very much a man's world. She's also half-Chinese with questions about her parentage that her father refuses to answer. And she thinks she might have found the mathematical key to solving the Reimann hypothesis. But will people believe the solution is really hers, or will they think some man helped her with it? Love, math and ambition are complicated problems for Katherine as she navigates and narrates her journey through life.

This novel is thoughtful, poignant, intelligent and beautifully written. And Katherine is a quietly compelling narrator. I admired her courage and her stubborn refusal to be viewed as less than just because she's a woman. From her third grade teacher to the college professor who claims to love her, Katherine has to battle just to have her own voice heard. It made me angry for her. (I found it a little heartbreaking, too.) Katherine's story drew me in from the very first page of this novel. (I even liked the math bits.) And though the ending left me feeling a little sad, I'm glad to count this as my first read of 2021. It's a good one.

Happy Reading!

40 comments:

  1. I discovered I actually own this one, but have not read it yet. Bet I got it on an ebook sale. Anyway, I'll make a note to try it before long. Sounds very good.

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    1. That's funny that you have this one. I'd love to know what you think of it. :)

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  2. Is it based on a true story? or pure fiction. Curious.

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    1. Katherine's story is fiction, although some of the mathematicians that are mentioned in the book were real people.

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  3. Katherine sounds like a great character; and as a reader I'm curious to know her story. Will keep this book in mind. :)

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    1. I really liked her. And I liked the way Chung tells this story. :)

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  4. This sounds great! Katherine seems like an awesome character. :)

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  5. Wow, sounds like a great read!! I am adding it to my reading wishlist!!

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    1. Yay. Let me know what you think if you get a chance to read it! :)

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    1. The good thing is that you don't actually have to do any math to enjoy this one. ;D

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  7. This does sound like a good one, even with the sad ending.

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    1. It is good. And the ending isn't super sad, but I did wish for more happiness for Katherine in her life.

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    1. Me, too! Although I have been working lately on improving my mental math skills which has actually been kind of fun. :)

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  9. Novels whose theme is related to math are not that common.

    This actually sounds good for a lot of reasons.

    Apparently The Riemann Hypothesis has not actually been solved.

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    1. It hasn't. There's a really good nonfiction book about it called Prime Obsession that does a good job of explaining it, even to non math people like me. :)

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  10. This sounds like a moving novel, Lark. I like stories like this--about women who have something to prove against a society to doesn't value who worth. I am adding this to my wish list.

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    1. I hope you get a chance to read it...and that you like it as much as I did. :)

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  11. Hi Lark, it must have been so hard for women in science decades ago and the women who persevered had enormous courage as well as brilliance and the Tenth Muse sounds like a novel that us well written and honors them.

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    1. This book definitely brings the role of women, and the lack of respect for them or their work, to the forefront. And I thought it was very well written! :)

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  12. I like math because there is a definite right answer. English was more subjective, IMO. I'd be angry for Katherine too! Women always have a struggle. Even now. :(

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    1. Some of the things that happened to Katherine really pissed me off!

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  13. I love that paragraph, and this one is going on the TBR mountain. I'll have to see what my library has.

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    1. I sometimes feel like my TBR mountain has become a TBR avalanche that I'm buried beneath. ;D

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  14. What a great sounding book. Math was always my least favorite subject but I can root for a protagonist that is a brilliant at it!

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    1. Right? As long as they don't ask me to do it! ;D

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  15. This sounds really compelling!

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  16. On wow, I love the sounds of this -Katherine sounds quietly formidable

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    1. She is, but it's her insecurities and struggles that really made me love her.

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  17. This sounds fascinating - just the type of book I love to read!

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  18. It's wonderful when the first read of a new year is a winner! This sounds good (and I hate math!). :D

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    1. I always feel like I'm starting the year off right when the first book I read is as good as this one. :)

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  19. I'm not a math fan, but I still think this book sounds interesting. I might have to check it out.

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    1. I enjoyed Chung's writing and found Katherine to be a very compelling character.

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  20. I'm glad you found such a good read as your first one of 2021. I'd love to read more novels that incorporate math in a way I can understand, although I'm not a numbers person in general.

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    1. This book might be a good book for you to try. Chung's writing is amazing. :)

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