Liz Ziemska

A very short book/novella (110 pages) of biographical historical fantasy. Our protagonist is the mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot, who discovered fractals; in our story, he masters complex geometry with a dash of Jewish traditions to create a pocket in the universe in which to hide his Polish Jewish family from the Nazis in occupied France.

The idea of math as magic is a very interesting concept, but you don't need to know complex math to appreciate the story. I was able to grasp the crucial show more points without just a rusty, high school-level understanding of fractals.

I feel like this story could have been either shorter or longer, but at the current length it felt a bit odd. I don't feel like there's enough of an explanation for why Mandelbrot doesn't continue to explore D. At the same time, there's remarkable character development in such a small space.

Anyway, I mostly grabbed this particular one because it was the shortest book on my shelf and I just needed something to hold me over until I got The Iliad from the library. I'd been holding off because I was afraid it was set in a concentration camp (see my review of Briar Rose...), but thankfully, it wasn't.

Quote Roundup

p. 19) (Friends who had been reluctant to leave their park-view apartments, their Meissen china, their illusory dreams of status, did not survive.) show less

Mathematics, magic based in fractals, World War II (alternate) history, Mandelbrot biography… everything mixed in the right amount to make this book an engaging and original novella perfect to read in one seating.

An interesting, entertaining, quick novella. I've always enjoyed Jewish literature and things involving the mysticism behind Judaism or the Kabbalah. Things about the Sephiroth / sefrot, etc. And this does a fairly good job of representing all of that, and the fantastical element(s) are hidden and only truly shown at the end. I do think its a case of no real danger though, despite having the Gestapo threat looming over the family.... they never seem to be in any danger, and even the coda at show more the end where everyone survived (even those who wandered outside his protective fractal) and the one true bad-guy of the book (Emile) just so happens to get his comeuppance, but nobody else. Like I said though, fun entertaining read, sadly a bit devoid of deeper meaning or truly great story behind it, but a fun quick read. show less

Math magic and history. So much is contained and hidden within this compact book. Looking forward to reading it again.