The Tenth Muse by Catherine Chung
Wonderfully reviewed for us by Christine 🙏
‘The Tenth Muse is a beautiful novel about identity, ambition, discovery, and belonging.
The story is told by Katherine, a gifted mathematician, as she recounts events from her life and career. Growing up in post-WWII America, she has had to fight for everything she has accomplished and has struggled with feelings of never truly belonging; as a child, her Chinese mother set her apart in the local Caucasian society, in school she was punished for her intelligence, and as a female mathematician trying to succeed in the male-dominated world of academia, she has had to work twice as hard to prove her worth. As she sets out to forge her professional path, family secrets come to light which send her on a journey to discover her own origins and understand her family history and legacy in post-war Europe.
Katherine is a fascinating leading character who refuses to compromise on her ambitions even though they come at a high price, and whose determination to carve out a space for herself in a male-dominated environment is unrelenting.
The Tenth Muse is a beautiful, warm, and moving story and the book is an easy, comfortable read which I highly recommend.’
Happy Monday and Happy reading!