Very wise!

One of the many reasons he and the course get a formal acknowledgement in the book. (But if Nemesis is looking the other way, perhaps I will have just a little gloat...)

Emma

Hi Emma

I know I am coming to this rather late in the day but just wanted to add my name to the long list of people congratulating you on your book. I am particularly proud of a recent review I read which quoted you as saying that even writers need an apprenticeship. What can I say to that but, you tell'em girl! Enjoy enjoy! Nemesis did his worst 7 books ago. It's your time now. S

Shika, thank you so much.

Emma

Hi Emma,
I know you're not taking too much notice of them, but still... There's a great review in August's Psychologies magazine too:
"wonderfully perceptive, nostalgic tale told from two unusual perspectives... this is an enthralling and beautifully written romance"
Congratulations,
Anna

Thanks for that, Anna. Can't say I'm doing terribly well at pretending I'm ignoring good reviews...

Emma

Nor should you be! Enjoy it, you deserve them after all your hard work. I'm looking forward to reading the book.

I had a lovely surprise today: I walked in to Borders bookshop on Orchard road in Singapore, and there, in pride of place on the New Releases table, was TMOL.

Many congratulations, Emma. I'm looking forward to reading it.

Harry

Ha! Harry, thank you. I think that's my most distant sighting yet. I hope you enjoy it.

Emma

I finished Emma's book today and absolutely loved it. Like others above I am in awe of the writing. Emma's grasp of the nuances of detail that make up the textures of her characters' lives struck me as nothing less than clairvoyant. She handles the historical material masterfully so that it never gets in the way of the story, but does the job of allowing the reader to experience the reality and immediacy of distant - and not so distant - events. She also moves between the twin time periods seamlessly, linking them by thematic connections and a parallel narrative pacing. Two stories are being told, but each serves to add meaning and resonance to the other by the simple action of perspective.

It is a highly intelligent book, written with great control, and yet it has an emotional power that is all the more breathtaking for that.

The Mathematics of Love is one of those books you sink into. From page one you know you are in safe hands. My only complaint is that I reached the end of its 400 plus pages all too soon.

Absolutely agree with you, Roger… Emma is one of those writers you want to really really hate but – whatever you do, don’t mention this to anyone else on WW - I think TMOL is stonkingly good – but don’t tell Emma that… wouldn’t want her to become self-conscious or ennyfink.

Dee

What? Did someone mention my name? No? Must be imagining things.



Emma

Much has already been said on this site in praise of The Mathematics of Love. I too enjoyed it very much and not only because of the quality of the prose commented upon above.

I think Emma has managed to capture the different ‘worlds’ of the two principal characters very convincingly. At the same time she has caught the very different voices of those characters most successfully and then gone on to interpret the two worlds through their two voices in a way that never intrudes and never lacks credibility. Importantly she has achieved the convergence of the two worlds and personal stories in a highly satisfying manner.

Her avoidance of the potential jarring that might arise from the juxtaposition of the two personalities, the two worlds and the two periods was impressive and in marked contrast to the unfortunate effect in Julian Barnes’ Arthur and George (in other respects quite an enjoyable read) in which I felt I was being forced to watch a high-speed table-tennis match in which I was assaulted by an endless series of loud cracks as the play switched relentlessly from Arthur to George to Arthur to George to Arthur… (ad nauseam) and in which the convergence of the two streams was too inevitable from the outset.

Congratulations, Emma. It’s an enormous encouragement to see this sort of quality and publishing success from a writewords member and mentor.

Chris

Chris, thank you so much, and I'm so glad you enjoyed it. It's such a huge kick to get feedback like this: it's being read we all crave, never mind the rest of the rubbish...

Emma