After overcoming his initial disbelief of what he has done, Isaac approaches his university colleague, and world renowned math genius, Dimitri to review his work. With painstaking detail, Dimitri reviews the proof step-by-step, until concluding that his fellow professor has found the secret to one of the world’s most important problems. Lost amid the joy of this discovery, however, are the deranged fantasies of a mature student named Mr. Vale, who accuses Isaac of plagiarizing his solution to the Wild Number Problem. Quick to maintain his innocence, Isaac must deal with Mr. Vale’s erratic threats, while also maintaining in check his own descent into lunacy.
This book is a captivating read that highlights the fine line between genius and madness, success and failure. Though heavily focused on mathematics, the story is accessible to all readers, and can capture the imagination of a wide audience. As well, while the writing does sound wooden at times, the story has an excellent pace that captivates to the end. It also handles a difficult subject matter in an entertaining an accessible way, and also leaves the reader thinking about whether poor Isaac has truly gone mad.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
