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Le théorème du perroquet
744 pages
A charming, cozy mystery that doubles as a whimsical journey through the history of mathematics.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting in a dusty, sunlit Parisian bookstore while an eccentric, brilliant professor regales you with tales of ancient scholars. It balances a cozy, found-family dynamic with an intellectual treasure hunt, weaving the history of mathematics seamlessly into a gentle thriller. The narrative pace is steady and deliberate, prioritizing the wonder of numbers and philosophical musings over pulse-pounding action. Complex ideas are rendered accessible and wondrous, wrapped in a quirky mystery featuring a talking parrot and a cast of endearing misfits. It will thoroughly delight readers who enjoy their fiction infused with historical trivia, where the true thrill lies in the joy of learning and the beauty of a perfectly solved equation.
- Mood
- cozy
- intellectual
- mysterious
- Parisian
- Tone
- whimsical
- educational
- inquisitive
- quirky
- warm
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- the beauty of mathematics · found family · intellectual curiosity · the history of ideas · hidden knowledge
- The writing
- Didactic yet charming, seamlessly blending narrative fiction with accessible historical and mathematical exposition.
- The arc
- Moves from a quiet, reclusive existence into a vibrant, shared quest for intellectual and literal truth.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love intellectual puzzles, the history of science, and cozy European mysteries featuring eccentric casts.
Content notes
- mild peril
- death of a friend
About the book
"When Mr. Ruche, a reclusive Parisian bookseller, receives a letter from a long lost friend in the Amazon bequesting him a vast library of mathematical books, he is propelled into a great exploration of the story of maths, from brilliant Greek thinkers, such as Archimedes and Pythagoras, to the modern-day genius Fermat.".
"Meanwhile Max, a deaf boy whose dysfunctional family live with Mr. Ruche, finds a voluble parrot in a local fleamarket. He turns out to be a bird who discusses maths with anyone who will listen. So when Mr. Ruche learns of his friend's mysterious death in the rainforests of Brazil he decides that with the parrot's help he will use these books to teach Max and his twin brother and sister the mysteries of Euclid's Elements, Pythagoras' Theorem and the countless other wonders of numbers and shapes.".
"But soon it becomes clear that Mr. Ruche has inherited the library for reasons other than pure enlightenment, and before he knows it the household are caught up in a race to prevent vital theorems falling into the wrong hands."--BOOK JACKET.
Description from Open Library.
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