Calculus and the order of nature
The main historical crux of this novel is not the political regime changes that are just on the horizon during this historical setting, nor is this novel primarily about the personal lives of characters—the novel is primarily set in response to the discovery of calculus. This thematic presentation of order and chaos (because the chaos ensues about who invented calculus first—Leibniz or Newton, and calculus is literally the math of the order of nature) continues throughout the plot in other ways, and social order is explored through side stories.
Politics and fear
When bombs begin going off, there is a sense of paranoia that arises in the characters of this novel. The most obvious portrayal of this is Eliza, who is scared that her mistress, Princess Caroline, might soon become the victim of a terrorist attack, because Eliza understands that the Queen has displeased the people, and if a riot ensues, she wonders about her safety. Ultimately, she ends up safe and sound in the luxury of the most extravagant French court, that of Louis XIV, a sign that Eliza and her crooked boyfriend are saved not by heroism but by sheer wealth and privilege.
Death and resurrection
Although this novel is not religious, it hinges on a religious theme, the resurrection from the dead, but the novelist means something very specific by this thematic moment—when Isaac Newton is raised from the dead, it is by the alchemical magic of the legendary Philosopher's Stone which grants immortality to those who wield it. Newton's death and symbolic resurrection are a sign that the novelist feels Newton has earned his seat in the hall of fame, having discovered something new for all mankind, a sign not of his religious goodness but of his academic contributions.
