A Different Kind of Novel

I am a fan of novels but I never expected that there would be a novel about mathematics. So when I learned that we need to read one I had many thoughts about it. Whether it would be interesting or boring for can you imagine reading one whole book just about math? But I think incorporating it into a novel would make it bearable and easier to understand.

 The book entitled “A Certain Ambiguity” written by Gauruv Suri and Hartosh Singh Bal is the mathematical novel I mentioned earlier. The story evolved around Euclidian Geometry, with a glimpse on non-euclidian geometry. Of course why wouldn’t it if its main goal is to talk about mathematics? The book also tells us that the great mathematicians are somewhat connected. Some of the mathematicians mentioned are Carl Friedrich Gauss, Farkas Bolyai and his son Janos, Albert Einstein, and Bernhard Riemann. They are connected because one of them influenced the work of the other. Galileo’s works was also mentioned in the book and that he introduced the modern age of infinity.

When I started reading the novel I really that it was boring but as the story progressed and as I finished reading the novel, I can say that it is interesting and what really caught my attention is the story of Ravi’s grandfather, Bauji, and his conversations with Judge John Taylor. As their conversations grew it made me realize that it doesn’t take a scientist to understand mathematics. I just want to point out that this book has no intention to make people have doubts on their beliefs rather to explain faith to people with a mathematical or rational view of life. And this just proves that indeed math has a lot to say about philosophy.

There is part in the book where it says that during the medieval period mathematicians concluded that mathematics is an awe-inspiring and fear-inspiring idea and that only God is infinite. This actually got me thinking whether they just make this as an excuse for not being able to explain it or either due to the fact that at that time religion affects the way of thinking of people.

I however did not expect that the main character would have a love interest in the story and this just proves that mathematics can also bring you love. But it is a little disappointing for Ravi and Claire’s love story was not expanded for I was hoping that their story would be another source of fun in the story besides the wonders of math. It also shocked me that the Parthenon was just an illusion of parallel lines.

            

 In conclusion, a mathematical novel is not bad after all.

BY: DAISIC DE ASIS BELLO