An Elegant Solution

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An Elegant Solution
Paul Robertson
Bethany House

 For young Leonhard Euler, the Bernoulli family have been more than just friends. Master Johann has been a demanding mentor, and his sons have been Leonhard's allies and companions. But it is also a family torn by jealousy and distrust. Father and sons are engaged in a ruthless competition for prestige among the mathematical elites of Europe, especially the greatest prize: the Chair of Mathematics at the University of Basel, which Johann holds and his sons want. And now, their aspirations may have turned deadly.
Lured into an investigation of the suspicious death of Uncle Jacob twenty years ago, Leonhard soon realizes there's more at stake than even a prominent appointment. Surrounded by the most brilliant--and cunning--minds of his generation, Leonhard is forced to see how dangerous his world is. His studies in mathematics have always been entwined with his thoughts on theology, and now, caught in a deadly battle of wills, he'll need both his genius and his faith to survive.

Though this novel is categorized as “historical suspense,” I’m not sure I would describe it that way. It was definitely historical- in fact, I really have to hand it to the author, because I’d rarely read a book that felt so historically accurate in its vernacular without being heavy and hard to read. On the other hand, I wouldn’t exactly label it suspense; it could be a little dry at times. There was a lot about math, and as I’m a bit of a dunce in the subject, I read without really understanding the mathematical equations. However, the intricate plot kept me guessing, although it was very…shall we say, cerebral. Not that that’s a bad thing; it’s just one of those books that you really have to pay attention to. There were several phrases/words that seemed to be unnecessarily repeated throughout the story, and like a lot of classic books, actually, sometimes I felt the writing meandered off the main point (in this case into philosophical questions) although not for too long.

Despite An Elegant Solution being a little long and slightly dull, I still liked it in a way, and I’m actually interested in more books by the author.

Rating: 7


I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Comments

  1. Emma JaneNovember 1, 2013 at 4:01 PM

    I was actually kind of thinking of requesting this book to review this month (because I can do that now! Yay!), but it kind of sounded like one of those books that might take me months of on-and-of reading to finish it. I must say, though, it does have a very eye-catching cover. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

    ~Emma

    ReplyDelete

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