The Tenth Muse : Book Review



Title: The Tenth Muse
Author: Catherine Chung
Genre: Historical Fiction

Set in the 1950s, The Tenth Muse is a story about a mathematics prodigy who is in search of her real identity.

Katherine realizes that she is different and that her parents aren’t who they seem to be. She grows up to be a mathematics genuius and finds her place amidst the research scholars and top universities. While trying to conquer the Riemann Hypothesis, she stumbles upon a theorem which holds the key to a secret and her past that is buried during the World War II. What does Katherine discover?

Narrated from the first person voice of the protagonist, The Tenth Muse is heartbreaking and insightful at the same time. It’s sort of a coming of age story and showcases a woman’s struggle to gain acceptance and attain success in a man’s world.

The author delves deep into the complexity of both mathematics theorems and human emotions. She showcases how several lives were impacted during Workd war II. It’s also fascinating to note how she the title is inspired by certain Greek myth and cleverly weaved into the story.

Overall a compelling and captivating read with a lot of depth and history. Emphasizes the fact that it’s not a bane to be different from the rest.

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