From the Publisher
"The story of a Russia—and a love—at the precipice, poised between dreaming and giving in. As in Ferrante's Neapolitan novels or Bellow's Seize the Day, Parr's characters seem to move under the surface of the page—breathing, changing, flawed, and resilient."
"An illuminating and assured debut. Parr deftly incorporates her historical research into an affecting story about a young woman grappling with the tense intersections between art and science, politics and idealism, duty and love."
"A historical novel that feels refreshingly contemporary, Uncertain Weights and Measures exposes the tensions between ideology and conviction, politics and art, truth and power. This remarkable debut novel is both a compelling love story and a thoughtful exploration of the human heart and mind."
"Uncertain Weights and Measures goes for it and gets there."
"In this confident and accomplished novel, Parr creates a detailed portrait of a world haunted by the past but uncertain of its future direction."
"Could very well be read as a cautionary allegory of our own 'brave and visionary time.'"
"A great book for lovers of history and science."
"Parr's penetrating, incisive prose places the reader amid the thrilling, frightening milieu of real-life 1920s Moscow... This debut novel bodes well for a strong fiction-writing career for Parr."
Quill & Quire
"Uncertain Weights and Measures goes for it and gets there."
Catherine Cooper
"An illuminating and assured debut. Parr deftly incorporates her historical research into an affecting story about a young woman grappling with the tense intersections between art and science, politics and idealism, duty and love."
The Winnipeg Free Press - Chris Smith
"Parr's penetrating, incisive prose places the reader amid the thrilling, frightening milieu of real-life 1920s Moscow... This debut novel bodes well for a strong fiction-writing career for Parr."
Johanna Skibsrud
"A historical novel that feels refreshingly contemporary, Uncertain Weights and Measures exposes the tensions between ideology and conviction, politics and art, truth and power. This remarkable debut novel is both a compelling love story and a thoughtful exploration of the human heart and mind."
Atlantic Books Today
"In this confident and accomplished novel, Parr creates a detailed portrait of a world haunted by the past but uncertain of its future direction."
The Waterloo Region Record
"A great book for lovers of history and science."
The Walrus - Samia Madwar
"Could very well be read as a cautionary allegory of our own 'brave and visionary time.'"
Sean Michaels
"The story of a Russia—and a love—at the precipice, poised between dreaming and giving in. As in Ferrante's Neapolitan novels or Bellow's Seize the Day, Parr's characters seem to move under the surface of the page—breathing, changing, flawed, and resilient."
