Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict

 

Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict

I rated Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict 4 out of 5 pages. I am not typically one for historical fiction, but the description of this novel caught my eye so much I pre-ordered it from Barnes and Noble. I am happy to say I was not disappointed.

The reader follows a timeline of Rosalind, an aristocratic woman set to break into the confines of the male dominated science arena. Rosalind finds herself chasing not only the science but her happiness as she learns very fast that for her it is either the science or a family life, it cannot be both. Rosalind’s character was so well developed and clearly a woman I would want my future daughters to look up to and respect.

We are taken on Rosalind’s journey to figure out the composition of DNA. Not only does Rosalind have to contend with the science itself but she is forced to prove herself time and time again to the male dominated field, with a few men set to take her work and run with it, claiming it as their own. Rosalind throughout the adversity, remains cool, calm, and classy, remembering who she is and why she became a scientist. I admired her responses and the way she carried herself throughout the book in both her personal and professional life.

I was astonished as I wrapped up the book to read the historical notes by Marie Benedict. Rosalind worked so hard for these accomplishments, and it wasn’t until recently and, at the hands of one of the cowardly foes set to steal her work, did Rosaline get the recognition she deserved, albeit much too late.

It was clear from reading this novel that Marie Benedict did her research and really captured the essence of Rosalind and the race to uncover the composition of DNA. Sure, there was some fluff to make the book entertaining and draw the reader in, however, Marie Benedict remained true to who Rosalind was and brought her personality to each page. This was a refreshing, and at times, infuriating read that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in science, historical fiction or strong, independent women who stare down the face of adversity.