On the Calculation of Volume I

Time could break. On The Calculation of Volume I is a haunting exploration of that possibility. Many of us are already ruled by the clock, but this novel asks who we are when we truly become prisoners of time.

I found myself drawn into the protagonist Tara’s inner life: her loneliness, the creeping sense of isolation as everything repeats and nothing changes, her hope that something might shift, her despair when it doesn’t.

Tara’s loneliness, her yearning for meaning, the slow drift away from her husband Thomas are all rendered with startling realism.

This story has done a fantastic job of setting the stage and mood for a series, one that I’m now totally invested in continuing!

Overall, this was a quiet and slow but profound read. I found myself savoring its blend of a speculative concept with emotional intimacy.

4.5/5