A Universe of Sufficient Size
Miriam Sved

A Universe of Sufficient Size
Miriam Sved
I wish that I had been more worthy of you…
Eventually the war will end, and then we will find each other.
Budapest, 1938. In a city park, five young Jewish mathematicians gather to share ideas, trade proofs and whisper sedition.
Review
by Elke Power
With her second novel, A Universe of Sufficient Size, Miriam Sved again demonstrates her ability to write about highly specific human preoccupations in a way that renders them interesting and engaging to the previously uninterested or unaware reader. Her debut novel, Game Day, as noted by our reviewer at the time of its publication, requires no knowledge or even interest in its underpinning context – AFL, football generally, or even sport – for it to be enjoyed. The same can and will be said about A Universe of Sufficient Size, which is a story about friendship, family and trauma that is founded upon pure mathematics.
A premise so esoteric could be alienating or off-putting, but such is Sved’s skill that even a reader with an active dislike of maths is likely to be beguiled by her characters’ affinity for numbers and enthusiasm for their potential. While maths is an essential link between the characters and across the generations, there is more to this novel. In fact, it is inspired by a true story from Sved’s own family.
Set between 1930s Budapest and late 2000s Sydney, with a few peeks at 1950s Brooklyn, A Universe of Sufficient Size is a tale of the plight of a group of brilliant, Jewish university students in Nazi-enthralled Europe, and of the echoing consequences of their experiences and decisions. It follows Illy, both daughter and mother, as she orbits an unexpected mystery with faint dread. Gradually, she joins the dots between the generations and tries to make sense of revelations in the aftermath of her father’s death. However, she’s not the only one in the family grappling with surprising ideas that could affect them all.
A Universe of Sufficient Size is a moving tale of deep humanity that couldn’t come at a better time.
Elke Power is the editor of Readings Monthly.
This item is not currently in-stock, but it’s available to order online.
Sign in or become a Readings Member to add this title to a wishlist.

Shepherd
Compulsive and terrifying adult fiction from renowned Australian author Catherine Jinks
$29.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

A Universe of Sufficient Size
An historical novel for readers of Heather Morris, Anna Funder and Anthony Doerr, based on the true story of five Jewish mathematicians on the eve of the Second World War.
$32.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Paper Emperors
Reveals who owned Australia's newspapers and how they used them to wield political power. A corporate and political history of Australian newspapers spanning 140 years, this book explains how Australia's media system came to be...
$39.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

The Lost Arabs
Award-winning Arab Australian poet Omar Sakr presents a pulsating collection of poetry that interrogates the bonds and borders of family, faith, queerness, and nationality.
$24.95Buy now
Finding stock availability...

The Glad Shout
The Glad Shout is an extraordinary novel of rare depth and texture. Told in a starkly visual and compelling narrative, this is a deeply moving homage to motherhood and the struggles faced by women in difficult times. ...
$19.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Peace
A must-read Australian rural crime novel, written by one of the masters of the genre.
$29.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Red Can Origami
$29.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Hide
$32.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Field of Poppies
$29.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Damascus
$32.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

The Weekend
$29.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

The Death of Jesus
$29.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Cilka’s Journey
$32.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

The Sea & Us
$29.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...