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janey's review against another edition
4.0
A fun, light read, despite all the talk about mathematics. I think you'll like this one if you liked [b:Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore|13538873|Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore (Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, #1)|Robin Sloan|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1345089845s/13538873.jpg|6736543]
mariab27's review against another edition
3.0
I was looking for a light, easy read written in The Da Vinci Code-esque style. While I enjoyed trying to solve the puzzle at the heart of this novel, I found the light-hearted take on mental illness, suicide, and incest off-putting.
jenpaul13's review against another edition
4.0
Solving some mysteries may require mostly curiosity and determination while others, such as the one in The Last Equation of Isaac Severy by Nova Jacobs, require a keen sense of logic to accurately deduce the solution.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
When Isaac Severy, a mathematical genius family patriarch, dies of an apparent suicide he leaves behind a coveted equation that those who know of it believe is able to predict the times and locations of murders. Trusting few with the reality of his work, Isaac leaves behind a note for his struggling bookstore-owning adopted granddaughter Hazel that's sprinkled with clues on how she can find and protect this equation from falling into the hands of those who would exploit the equation's possibility. As Hazel seeks to solve the clues Isaac gave her, she reluctantly takes on the help of a mathematically-inclined cousin she never met, realizing that he might have been killed for his equation and that she's probably not the only one looking for it.
Following a dysfunctional family that places a focus on genius, particularly of the mathematical variety, this novel was entertaining as the obscured secrets of the titular Isaac Severy were slowly revealed. Tackling more cerebral concepts surrounding death and the larger workings of the universe, the narrative was bolstered by Hazel's mundane issues and her liveliness to solve the mystery presented to her. There was a vast cast of characters to follow as the narrative shifted between them to provide pieces of the puzzle to come together into a larger, interconnected whole, which at times was a bit overwhelming to remember the background and details for specific characters.
Overall, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
When Isaac Severy, a mathematical genius family patriarch, dies of an apparent suicide he leaves behind a coveted equation that those who know of it believe is able to predict the times and locations of murders. Trusting few with the reality of his work, Isaac leaves behind a note for his struggling bookstore-owning adopted granddaughter Hazel that's sprinkled with clues on how she can find and protect this equation from falling into the hands of those who would exploit the equation's possibility. As Hazel seeks to solve the clues Isaac gave her, she reluctantly takes on the help of a mathematically-inclined cousin she never met, realizing that he might have been killed for his equation and that she's probably not the only one looking for it.
Following a dysfunctional family that places a focus on genius, particularly of the mathematical variety, this novel was entertaining as the obscured secrets of the titular Isaac Severy were slowly revealed. Tackling more cerebral concepts surrounding death and the larger workings of the universe, the narrative was bolstered by Hazel's mundane issues and her liveliness to solve the mystery presented to her. There was a vast cast of characters to follow as the narrative shifted between them to provide pieces of the puzzle to come together into a larger, interconnected whole, which at times was a bit overwhelming to remember the background and details for specific characters.
Overall, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
emmabeckman's review against another edition
4.0
This book was pretty slow at the beginning and it took me a while to really get into it. For a long time, it felt like there were too many characters and it was difficult to keep track of how they were all related to one another. However, the second half really grabbed my attention once the premise was all squared away! It was definitely an enjoyable read.
Now, I must admit that [b:The Westing Game|902|The Westing Game|Ellen Raskin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1356850909s/902.jpg|869832] is one of my favorite books of all-time so I had very high expectations when I heard that this book was being billed as the adult version of that story. I definitely don't think it's THAT good. But it certainly has a similar vibe to that story and I liked that a lot.
Now, I must admit that [b:The Westing Game|902|The Westing Game|Ellen Raskin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1356850909s/902.jpg|869832] is one of my favorite books of all-time so I had very high expectations when I heard that this book was being billed as the adult version of that story. I definitely don't think it's THAT good. But it certainly has a similar vibe to that story and I liked that a lot.
laurenisallbooked's review against another edition
3.0
An unexpectedly dark, page-turning read. This book is a four star mystery novel but a two and a half star literary fiction.
I really enjoyed the mystery element of this novel. The clues and red herrings were great, and I thought the main character was the perfect narrator to make this math-heavy hunt digestible for right-brained readers.
I wish there had been more time spent developing the relationships between Isaac and his family members. We got really deep glimpses into one facet, but I would have liked more storytelling to round out the relationships.
I really enjoyed the mystery element of this novel. The clues and red herrings were great, and I thought the main character was the perfect narrator to make this math-heavy hunt digestible for right-brained readers.
I wish there had been more time spent developing the relationships between Isaac and his family members. We got really deep glimpses into one facet, but I would have liked more storytelling to round out the relationships.
prairieraven's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
ah_nailse's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I’d compare this book to Knives Out. I really liked the twists, usually they caught me off guard and I thought that was pretty well done, but there is something just not really engaging about this book. I think it was the mystery aspect, I was more interested in the mundane things the characters were doing in this huge murder mystery I was supposed to be invested in
kmthomas06's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not quite sure what I was expecting but it wasn't quite this. An interesting read and it certainly kept me guessing though it was ultimately pretty implausible all around. The morality of the characters is concerning, to say the least, but I enjoyed the exploration of a set of people driven by numbers at all costs and the blind faith that if the numbers say it is so then it must be, no matter what. Hazel does well as the "heroine" (and I only had minimal desire to shake her periodically) and her uncle and brother made for compelling narrators (and in retrospect, how their chapters play with the idea of an unreliable narrator is quite cool).