ŷ������

The fates of three characters are delicately woven together in this sci-fi, historical fiction story that’s beautifully written and creatively told.

Hase - a teenager living in the San Francisco Bay Area - learns that her reclusive and brilliant mathematician father has gone missing. However, he always told her that “in the event,�� she should look for a specific book. As Hase works to find the cryptic breadcrumbs her father left in the book and in an endless labyrinth of Wikipedia edits, she discovers she might not be who she thought she was.

The book is also told from the perspective of two men living in Austria in the 1930s. Josef, a student and a waiter, thinks quite highly of himself and his intelligence. And mild-mannered Anton has recently arrived in Vienna to become a professor at the university.

One thing I had trouble with were the initial similarities between Anton and Josef. Although they eventually differentiated themselves, at first they seemed to be somewhat alike and this was confusing. Although I could have guessed from the deliciously interesting title and really clever cover, THE EXPERT OF SUBTLE REVISIONS is highbrow and did take some brainpower to read. The end became a bit of a brain bender.

I’d compare THE EXPERT OF SUBTLE REVISIONS to The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, which I also enjoyed but didn’t wholeheartedly love. That being said, the writing is beautiful and the story is original, and I would recommend this one to readers who like a good, smart read filled with beautiful language.

Thank you to Penguin Random House - Crown for an early galley of THE EXPERT OF SUBTLE REVISIONS in exchange for my honest review.