Review of The Polymath

Brendan Donaghy · Post by **Brendan Donaghy** » 26 Apr 2022, 08:39

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Polymath" by Breo Gorst.]

3 out of 4 stars

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The Polymath is the first novel from Breo Gorst. It tells the story of Elliott Self, polymath and iconoclast. The book is written from a future perspective (the foreword is dated 2026) in a first-person, autobiographical style. Elliott’s memoir spans the period from 1940 to 2025. It starts off in Barcelona in 2023 when, at the grand age of 83, Elliott meets and falls in love with the lovely Francesca. They discuss Gaudi, Barcelona, and their unhappiness at the trouble that befell England in the three years after 2020; we have to wait until the end of the book to discover the nature of this trouble. The second chapter then cuts back to Elliott’s twenty-first birthday in 1961.

That switch in time sets the pattern for the book. It is divided into three sections and runs to about 220 pages. All the way through, the author shifts back and forward across the decades, from school and childhood through to the final years of his life, taking in his time as a student, doctor, spy, advisor to world leaders, husband, father, brother, son and friend. By the end of the novel, the reader understands exactly how Elliott has achieved his childhood ambition to be a ‘General Specialist’. (Page 18)

I loved this book. It has a rambling, picaresque quality to it. Elliott Self is no rogue, but he doesn’t care too much for social mores or the opinions of others, preferring to live his life his own way. In part, this is because he understands that other people, particularly powerful people, aren’t interested in his opinion, either. They simply want him to affirm them in their own beliefs. The author is a natural storyteller. He has the novelist’s eye for the detail of both events and character traits. The constantly shifting chronology of the book guards against the monotony that a more straightforward narrative timeline might have induced. I liked, too, how the author mixes fact with fiction, so that real places, events, and people are threaded through his novel, bringing added realism to it. His writing manages to mix wisdom, pathos, and humour in equal measures. By the end, I was absorbed by the characters and wanted to know more about them.

If I disliked one thing about the book, it is that the quality of the author’s storytelling is not matched by the standard of editing. The book may have been professionally edited, but it really could have been done better. There are quite a few minor errors in the text that should have been weeded out.

I enjoyed this book immensely and would like to have awarded it maximum marks, but I must deduct one star on account of the number of minor errors I found. I am, therefore, giving it three stars out of four. I recommend it to readers who enjoy novels that focus on characters and life stories rather than fast-paced action. It’s a book for adults who aren’t easily offended by strong language or references to sex. I look forward to this author’s second novel, due out shortly!

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The Polymath
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Edit_or · Post by **Edit_or** » 28 Apr 2022, 02:52

Not my favorite kind of book but I love how detailed the review is. Thank you

Itz Savaga · Post by **Itz Savaga** » 28 Apr 2022, 07:33

This story sounds interesting, would love to know the the kind of trouble that befell England. I would love to read this book. Great review, thanks.

Amy Luman · Post by **Amy Luman** » 28 Apr 2022, 10:51

I am not a polymath because i had to look up the meaning of both it and iconoclast. I don’t think that this is the novel for me as I don’t enjoy when the narrative jumps between past and present. I am a little curious, though, about the problems in England.

Okoye Chinonso+ · Post by **Okoye Chinonso+** » 28 Apr 2022, 11:50

I love books like this. Sometimes I speak as though I was certain of the future...funny right, it's fun try it out; your folks would strangely look at you

it's a lovely review though, made me want to give the book a try.

Ifesi · Post by **Ifesi** » 29 Apr 2022, 05:54

The author did a nice job in presenting the book to be interesting and easy to understanding. Thanks for an honest review. Looking forward to reading this book.