A Goodreads Editors’ Pick and one of the Washington Post’s notable books for March!
Early reviews of THE EXPERT OF SUBTLE REVISIONS are starting to come in! I will be updating this page as more reviews come in:
“Menger-Anderson superbly demonstrates how a writer needn’t shy away from the political tensions of a historical period but can use them to heighten and contextualize setting, character and plot.” ―Ilana Masad in the Los Angeles Times
“…an eloquent story of time travel and family secrets…Menger-Anderson does an excellent job of recreating the fraught academic and cultural life of Vienna before the 1938 Anschluss, and she effectively sustains the pretzel logic of time travel. It’s an appealing intellectual mystery.” – Publishers Weekly
“In The Expert of Subtle Revisions, Kirsten Menger-Anderson’s oddball intellectual characters are buffeted about by all kinds of crazy passions, which have everything to do with the workings of their beautiful minds.” – Bookpage
“Menger-Anderson ties classical music with mathematics, using academic brilliance in an intricately plotted tale featuring eclectic individuals and persuasive settings. I never once questioned the credibility of this awesome novel.” – Fiona Alison, Historical Novels Review
“In her brilliant, unsettling novel, Kirsten Menger-Anderson reminds the reader that every nuance counts. Before, history was written by the victor; now, an army of volunteers with pseudonyms like ‘Manifold’ battle and edit each Wikipedia page. From Vienna to San Francisco, I was swept away by this fascinating search for family and for answers.” – Janet Skeslien Charles, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library and Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade
“The Expert of Subtle Revisions begins with a mysterious disappearance and ends with a moving discovery. Along the way, Kirsten Menger-Anderson weaves together history, time travel, and a haunting love story. She also manages to raise stirring questions about identity, family, and what it means to record and revise history, especially one’s own. A powerful and original novel that defies expectations in almost every chapter.”―Stephen McCauley, author of My Ex-Life and The Object of My Affection
“A time travelling tale between 1930s Vienna’s halls of academia and contemporary California. Utterly engrossing and intricately plotted.” ―Editors’ Choice, Historical Novels Review
“Open up and hold on for a sharp history filled with twists and secrets. It’s a propulsive novel with expert craftsmanship. Menger-Anderson knows how to hook a reader’s attention and keep it page after page.” ―Adam Vitcavage, Debutiful
“Smart. Propulsive. Addictive. Kirsten Menger-Anderson’s The Expert of Subtle Revisions grabbed hold with the opening sentence and didn’t let go until its surprising and satisfying conclusion. Brilliantly plotted and filled with deft twists and unforgettable characters, this dual-timeline novel about obsession, madness, and love is a must-read for fans of both mystery and historical fiction. I loved this book.”―Peggy Townsend, author of The Beautiful and the Wild
“Essayist and short story writer Menger-Anderson melds history and SF in her debut novel about loss, yearning, and the nature of reality… As [protagonist] Hase discovers, though, the past can never truly be escaped; the present is haunted by shadows.” – Kirkus
“Set in parallel historical eras, Kirsten Menger-Anderson’s fantastic novel of time-travelling mathematicians addresses the perilous line between brilliance and madness, the politics of hate, and the unsung women relegated to the shadows of history—all through a transporting story of love . . . and Wikipedia! If, like me, you become riled up over the difference between ‘accepted’ versus ‘chose’ or ‘killed’ versus ‘murdered’ then you too will absolutely love the brainy, vigilante spirit of The Expert of Subtle Revisions.” – Daphne Kalotay, author of The Archivists
“A touching and deftly constructed story about the most precious thing we have—time. From modern-day San Francisco to Croatia before the Great War and 1930s Vienna, Kirsten Menger-Anderson follows her characters as they try to solve the mysteries of science, faith, and love. A glorious book.” – Laila Lalami, author of Pulitzer Prize-finalist The Moor’s Account
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I will continue to post reviews as they come in! In the meantime, the book is now available in stores or to order online!