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Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions

Fiction | Novella | Adult | Published in 1884

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Book Brief

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Edwin A. Abbott

Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions

Fiction | Novella | Adult | Published in 1884
Book Details
Pages

96

Format

Novella • Fiction

Publication Year

1884

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

12-18 years

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Super Short Summary

In Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott, the story is narrated by a character called the Square, who lives in a two-dimensional world with a strict social hierarchy based on shape. He dreams of a one-dimensional world, Lineland, and later meets the Sphere, who introduces him to the concept of a three-dimensional world, Spaceland. Despite gaining new insights, the Square's attempts to share his knowledge in Flatland lead to his imprisonment. The novel includes references to rape and death by suicide.

Informative

Fantastical

Contemplative

Challenging

Mysterious

Reviews & Readership

4.0

77,216 ratings

66%

Loved it

24%

Mixed feelings

10%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott is praised for its inventive exploration of dimensions and social satire. Readers appreciate its imaginative narrative and philosophical depth. However, some find its mathematical concepts dense and its portrayal of gender roles outdated. Overall, it remains a thought-provoking classic in speculative fiction.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions?

Readers who enjoy thought-provoking and imaginative works blending mathematics and social satire, like Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland or George Orwell's Animal Farm, will appreciate Edwin A. Abbott's Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions. Ideal for fans of speculative fiction and geometry.

4.0

77,216 ratings

66%

Loved it

24%

Mixed feelings

10%

Not a fan

Character List

The Square

The Square is a first-person narrator and professional mathematician in Flatland who enjoys teaching his grandchildren geometry. He is intellectually curious and a member of Flatland's professional class.

The Sphere is a three-dimensional being who introduces the Square to the concept of Spaceland. He possesses a graceful and perfect form that stuns the Square, and he serves as a guide to new dimensions.

The Square’s Wife is a character portrayed within the context of Flatland's social norms, where women are devalued. She shares a loving though constrained relationship with the Square and is protective of their home.

The King of Lineland is a ruler the Square encounters in a dream, who firmly believes that his linear world is the entirety of the universe. He is skeptical and dismissive of ideas that challenge his worldview.

Chromatistes is a historical figure in Flatland known for instigating the Colour Revolt by introducing painting. His actions led to a significant movement for equal rights, influencing Flatland's society.

Book Details
Pages

96

Format

Novella • Fiction

Publication Year

1884

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

12-18 years

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