Historical Fiction: The Tenth Muse by Catherine Chung

Thanks again to the Cloud Library. I do prefer physical books, but being able to pull out my phone and enjoy a new historical fiction release at almost any time is not a bad deal. This is how I was able to read The Tenth Muse by Catherine Chung, which I had been hearing marvelous things about since its release in early June.

The Situation: Katherine is different, in more ways than one. Growing up in 1940s and 1950s Michigan, she did not know any other half-Chinese children, and had grown accustomed to the stares she and her mother received. That is until her mother left her and her father, without a word, and without a goodbye. But something else that gained the attention from those around her was her aptitude and obvious love for numbers. Katherine's love of mathematics will not only form her life and relationships in college and in her future career, but it will also lead her to answers (and more questions) about her parents, and an old notebook, filled with mysterious mathematical equations, that her father gave her when she was younger.   

The Problem: From the outset, if people are not judging Katherine for her heritage, then they are more than ready to dismiss her because she is a woman. And after an incident during her undergraduate years when a male colleague takes credit for her work, Katherine is sure to always be on guard against anyone who would take advantage of her, or think her to be at all inferior to her counterparts. Resolved to working harder than anyone else, her efforts lead to an invitation to continue working and studying in Germany. Armed with precious information she obtained from her father regarding her mother, and his time in the military during World War II, Katherine goes on an adventure to learn as much as she can about who she is, and the old notebook she carries with her. What she learns will change everything she knew about her family and herself.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel set mostly in 1940s, 50s, and 60s America. As a girl who grew up with a white father and a Chinese mother in middle America, Katherine was always set apart and identified as different. And when she shows real skill with numbers, it is no question that she is not like other girls. A theme that consistently comes up in the book is how women were (and still are) often dismissed, despite their clear ability to contribute to whichever field they have chosen. In Katherine's case, that field happens to be the heavily male-dominated one of mathematics, and her father is always quick to tell her how difficult it will be for her to receive a job once she is done with graduate school. Another theme that came up even more is the wreckage left behind by World War II, and the attitudes that continued to persist. While living in Germany, Katherine must reconcile what she sees and the people she meets with the atrocities that occurred and the people who died. Did the people who continue to prosper in Germany benefit from the Jews who perished? How is Katherine's own history linked to what she sees? And what does any of it have to do with her mysterious notebook? Using the examples of famous mathematicians of the past (some real, some made up), Katherine will set her own course for the future, while learning about her past.

My Verdict: This is a touching and well-written story about a woman who is desperate to find out who she really is, while also making her own mark on the world of mathematics that she loves so much. Her life is a mystery, its own math problem that she wants more than anything to solve. The story is never boring, though often confusing, especially as different characters tell different pieces of the story, and it is easy to get the time lines mixed up, as well as the ever-growing branches in Katherine's family tree. But I think even those who are not so interested in math will enjoy unraveling the mystery and going with Katherine on her journey. And while there is plenty of focus on WWII, it is not so much that it overtakes the story. It is simply an event that has a long reach, whose effects are difficult to outrun.

Favorite Moment: When Katherine tells the story of a boy in one of her undergraduate math classes who dismissed her because she is female, only to end up failing the class himself at the end of the semester.

Favorite Character: Katherine's friend Henry, whom she meets while in Germany and is roommates with for a time, is smart, funny, independent, and has a love for folk and fairy tales from all cultures.

Favorite Quote: "Forget princes. Forget men. Let's never get married. Let's stay single and free forever, and do what we want. Let's be heroes or villains, but never the princess. Or if we have to marry, let's be like the girl in Bluebeard, who marries the villain with all the dead wives in the basement, and then kills him in self-defense and inherits all his wealth." - Henry after a discussion about fairy tales. 

Recommended Reading: Both Lilac Girls and Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly are fantastic stories centered on women in World War II.