Monster's Proof

by Richard Lewis

Livey's younger brother, Darby, a math genius, brings his imaginary friend to life through a mathematical proof. Bob is a creature of pure math, and he hates chaos and disorder. Now Livey, Darby, and some very unique allies must band together to find a way to stop Bob-before he fixes our disorderly world for good. Monster's Proof brings horror and math together in an unforgettable novel that will forever change the way you look at an equation.

Genres: Mathematics, Teen

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 30, 2009

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Reviews

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel Monster’s Proof by Richard Lewis follows the life of the Ell family. Darby Ell, a 10 year old mathematical genius with an astoundingly high IQ level, just began an elite school for the gifted. While Darby is working on proving the new discoveries, his older sister Livey is a high school cheerleader at River Oaks High School. Unlike Darby, Livey is struggling to pass her Algebra 1 class. Living with an inattentive math professor father, Livey believes she is the only normal member of the family. Livey must improve her math grade to stay on the cheer squad, but is distracted by an attractive new student, Johnny Magnus. Darby’s proofs begin to cause concern when Bob, a mathematical creation, exists in our plane of reality. Throughout the novel Darby, Livey and Johnny eventually grow closer, and work together to banish Bob from the real world.

In this novel, I admire how Lewis wrote a page turning novel full of the reality and struggles of balancing family dynamics. Darby and Livey are very different people, especially when comprehending mathematical concepts. I feel Lewis showed the reader the importance of discovering how you learn most effectively. While Darby quickly grasped abstract mathematical ideas, Livey struggled with less complex equations. Both siblings discovered how to use accessible resources to learn new material. I would like to applaud Lewis for being able to embed some mathematical concepts into a young adult novel, however I often felt the reader was being pulled in too many directions. I feel there were two main story lines following Darby and Livey, but the plots were not unified until close to the end of the novel. I wish there was more actual mathematical examples throughout the novel, instead of referencing ideas. I feel adding more analytic descriptions would enhance the reader's experience.

[M. Sprouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading and then realized this was a YA book. I continued because it was such a charming, interesting and very readable story. I had a hard time putting this book down. It's not particularly deep or scary but unique considering all the books out there. I was surprised that I continued to read it and more surprised that I thought it deserved 4 stars.

[Nico Hydock · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Monsters Proof is primarily about Darby Ell who is ten years old and is a math whiz. Then there’s his older sister Livey Ell who is 17 and is a cheerleader. However their Aunt Ludy who was also a math whiz was brought into the Pythagorean Brotherhood which biases everything on math theories. During her time in this organization she came up the Thingamabob Conjecture which was a math equation for “Bob” who was a mathematical apparition. However Aunt Ludy never proved the equation to bring “bob” to life because she realized the danger “Bob” brought to earth. Although with Darby being so young, smart and eager to do math he eventually found this equation in one of his aunt’s journals and he was determined to prove it. But when he first proves it he thinks “Bob” is only here to help him with his problems since he gets bulled at school. Although after a while he starts to rethink things and realizes that “Bob” is actually go to end up destroying not just earth but the universe. Since he realized this so does his sister and they end up getting help from Johnny and Aether who happen to be seraphs.
Some strength that this book brings is that it has some of everything from education to romance and humor to mysteries and past to future. All of these things make this book one of the most interesting books I have ever read. This book had some term I didn’t know but could easily infer what they meant for example “Hilbert Space” was used throughout the whole book and all it is; is an area of space where things can be “stored”. However some of the weaknesses are that it jumps from Darby to Livey often throughout the book so sometimes I got confused with what was happening to whom. Also it jumps from places to places without explaining who they got to some places because of this I would have to reread some sections to really understand what happened and even then I still didn’t one hundred percent understand everything. Another weakness is that they talk about a good amount of math which I don’t like and I know some other people wouldn’t like because it’s confusing. However overall I believe the strengths overwhelm the weaknesses.
I would recommend this book to everyone but I know not everyone would like it so with that said the people that I think would really enjoy this book are people that like mysteries because throughout the whole book your questioning things. Although this book does take a lot of focus once you start reading it’s hard to stop, but you won’t need a dictionary. This book makes me thing of the series “The Dreamhouse Kings” by Robert Liparulo because the amount of mysterious things that go on. Actually it was this series that brought me to this book “Monsters Proof” because of how close I thought they were. Both of these books were my all-time favorite books I have ever read.

[Cicay Foutley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued how a writer could possibly come up with a story that revolves around Mathematics. My passion for the subject rekindled when I have read the gist. Couldn’t stop laughing at every punch line the characters are throwing at each other.

Do you really know your numbers? Here are some of the hilarious explanations from our Math genius, Darby Ell:

VAMPIRE NUMBERS: Take two numbers and multiply them together. If their product has the same digits as the original two numbers, without any zeros at the end, then the product is a vampire number. For example, 27 times 81 is 2187. So 2187 is a vampire number. (p.35)

GARGOYLE FRACTIONS: These fractions have the Mark of the Beast. Divide 3 by 5 = 1.666666… Be careful when you run into 20 divided by 3! (p.48)

PERFECT NUMBERS: A perfect number is one that is the sum of the numbers that divide it. 6 is a perfect number because it is divided by 1 and 2 and 3, and 1 + 2 + 3 equals 6. The next perfect number is 28, because 1 + 2 +4 + 7 + 14 equals 28. (p.48)

There is no boring number. The first boring number you come to is interesting precisely because it’s the first boring number. And perfect numbers are very rare. The ancient Greeks discovered the first four, 6, 28, 496, 8128, and even today, with supercomputers, we’ve only found around 30 of them. Nobody knows if there is an infinite number. And nobody knows if a single odd perfect number even exists. (p. 49)

WEREWOLF NUMBERS: A werewolf number would be 4 divided by a pi. Because it turns into a long, shaggy, continuous fraction. (p. 49)

Think they’re odd enough? That’s why Darby tried to prove the ALIEN NUMBERS.

You could say that it is indeed a good-vs.-evil kind of story, the twists however made it interesting. A rebel angel falling for a human; a seraph befriending a genius; humans creating a cult to praise a math creature, who is a shape shifter that can manipulate the Hilbert space.

It is my first Lewis book; I must say I was impressed.

[David Molnar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more of a surreal fantasy, with Mathematics providing the scenery. Livey is 16; her little brother Darby is 10. Their great-aunt Ludy had once been a brilliant mathematician working on a "Hilbert space of Hilbert spaces". Darby has inherited her curiosity and talent, and enjoys reading "Mathematical Monsters and Pathological Math Functions", from which he hopes to better understand "Bob", who was conjectured by his aunt but whose existence has yet to be proved. Dad is obsessed with proving the Riemann Hypothesis. As for Livey, even the Goths in her Algebra class are doing better than she is. That's right, even the Goths. What's worse, if she does not pass the next exam, she will be dropped from the cheerleading squad. Which. would. suck. Her only hope (her brother and father explain math "like lawyers") is the James Dean figure Johnny Magnus, to whom Livey finds herself immensely attracted, due to his (a) creepy physical appearance, (b) crappy car, and (c) exalted status as a teaching assistant in her Algebra class.

I should have sniffed out a Plot Device when Livey's Algebra teacher strayed off-topic to talk about the tetraktys - another Pythagorean reference - but apparently I have some sort of a blind spot when it comes to mathematical digressions. Numbers, he elaborated, are living things that created the cosmos, a gateway to mysterious forces of the universe. Like... you guessed it (but I didn't)... Bob. The teacher of course ends up being in the same cult as everybody else, because encountering your Math teacher outside of school is just good drama. Honestly, I found the story rather gripping -- possibly more than I should admit. I take it back. And the mathematical content wasn't poorly done; it felt like a kids' version of a Rudy Rucker story or something like that. But it's real borderline whether I could call this a math book.

(from my not-really-a-blog at https://sites.google.com/site/molnarm...)

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my quest to discover books with a math connection that might work for a book discussion, I came across this novel. Teenage Livey's family (mother, father, little brother, and even great aunt) are all mathematical geniuses. Livey struggles to understand how a minus times a minus can be a plus. Little brother Darby solves his great aunt's mathematical proof and creates a math creature (Bob), and then the fun begins. Angels, a Pythagorean cult, the NSA, a school for the gifted (with the requisite bully), divorced parents, and Bob's quest for elegance and beauty create an adventure story that has some thrills and romance as well. It's predictable, but the pacing is good, and the story is cute.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never done well with math, and have a very limited knowledge of the subject, but that didn't hinder my enjoyment of this imaginative young adult novel.

Lewis uses math as a creative plot hook for a supernatural adventure. But he also does a great job of capturing the challenges of gifted children and their families, divorce, and other issues; and does so with well drawn characters and crisp dialog.

I also like the fact that he incorporates the battle of good and evil in interesting and thought provoking ways.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't normally like books that revolve around math, but this one was great! I really like the storyline about a child genius (much like Artemis Fowl). If you like the Artemis Fowl series, you will enjoy this book. It not only has the child genius, but a twist of romance between his older sister and an angel.
I recommend this to everybody!!

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the math part of this---very creative.