Reviews

The Indian Clerk by David Leavitt

elliethebookreader's review against another edition

3.0

3,5 stars. Great book, I loved how it was written, the attention to details, different story plots, however at the end it was too fast, as if the author decided to fast-forward everything.
Loved the fact that it was about mathematics and India.

bkbarons's review against another edition

2.0

Not really sure this was for me. If it focused more on the MATH or more on the Ramanujan. character I think i would have liked it more. I didnt really find Hardy all that interesting - or the side plots with the Nevilles and Littlewood, or the crazy amounts of homosexual sex involved. I have read plenty of books with gay charachters and gay sex, but this just didnt seem to really need to be a part of the story. It felt very fake and only there to shock you, but not bringing anything to the real story. I feel the same way about straight sex in books - totally ok with it if it is relevant, but dont throw it in there bec you think it will keep people interested or open up your audience base. It just reads haphazard.

Overall, I best liked the parts that dealt with straight math or about how Ramanujan was having trouble fitting into British society.

maryw's review

dark emotional funny informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

esperata's review

3.0

A book about roles - the roles we expect others to play, the roles we find ourselves playing, familial roles, society roles, even personal expectations of oneself. All these roles change and conflict, all are both real and pretended.
I found the ending a bit abrupt and unsatisfying but it did leave me wanting to find out more about Ramanujan, which is I suppose the purpose.