Set Theory

In this book, that Carmit Sahar took over a decade to write, Alex is growing up, but rather slowly. The second child of the Hoffman family in London, he is a constant source of disappointment to his parents. His brother, Mark, is a brilliant mathematician; his older sister and younger brother are gifted pianists who travel the world to perform. Alex, however, mainly gets into trouble. To his parents’ relief, each summer Alex and Mark are sent to Israel for a long vacation with their aunt. In Israel, Alex meets Arkady, and they become soulmates¬—soulmates who fight each other with a desperate violence that continues throughout their adolescence.

Set Theory is a coming-of-age novel that follows Alex’s wondrous but painful progress to adulthood. With great sensitivity, the author portrays a boy who is a late developer physically, but who has a huge, tempestuous soul. Alex Hoffman bursts through every hurdle that he encounters determined to achieve two, often incompatible goals: to be loved and to be true to himself.