This was really heavy on the scientific terms which was a lot to follow at times but overall didn’t detract from the book. I was drawn to this book because of a project I did on Rosalind Franklin for a women in STEM class I took. Her story was fascinating to me and I think Marie Benedict did a nice job of retelling her story. This is the first book I read by Marie Benedict but I’m looking forward to reading more from her!

This was a very inspiring book based on the real life scientist Dr. Rosalind Franklin. She was one of the few female scientists in her field, during an era where women were supposed to marry and have children and not much more. Who was the one that discovered the make up for DNA. She was taken advantage of and treated badly by the men in her field of work. Waltson and Crick stole her work on DNA and won the Nobel Peace Prize for it. Rosalind did not let this to hinder her work on her other projects that she would work on. Rosalind finally did get recognition for her DNA but only years after her untimely death at 38 from cancer. This book made me laugh and also cry at the very end. That to me is a perfect book to read. I felt the passion that Rosalind had for science and what could be done with that knowledge. I love to read about women who made such an impression on the human race. While most go unnoticed in the history books I think that books like Her Hidden Genius will have readers wanting to find out more information on who Rosalind Franklin was and what she did for the science community. It also reinforce that women are just as good as men if not better in what they do.

Her Hidden Genius tells the fictionalized story of Rosalind Franklin and her impactful work. That being said, go into it expecting more science and less historical fiction. Rosalind Franklin was incredible woman whos contribution to the scientific field was paramount in a time where the odds were stacked against her. Her life was defined by her passion, this causes a good portion of the book to contain scientific jargon involving the discussion of her experiments. Interpersonal relationships she had were mentioned, though her scientific work took the forefront. I felt this to be an accurate portrayal and actually think if the book focused more on her relationships it would be doing her a disservice. Yes, Franklin was a person, and like all people our interactions with others often drives our choices, but she was a scientist at heart, always working towards her next discovery. It would be helpful to go into this book expecting a more science-centric book than a historical fiction novel. See the book for what it is, a story about a woman devoted to science above all else, who persevered through every trial put fourth. Don’t expect a plot-driven novel with a bustling romance.

All of this being said, I feel it’s important to mention my background as a reader. I’m a Pharmacology and Toxicology major so while the scientific material may seem dry to most I found it really interesting, it’s actually what kept me reading. At the beginning of the book everything seemed so forced. I mean, she looked up and started to describe why the sky appears blue, but eventually when we got into Franklin’s actual work the discussion of her scientific techniques drew me in. I told myself that I would finish at least 10% of the book before I considered DNFing, but I just kept on reading. The science and crystallography techniques in the book are surprisingly detailed and accurate, so props to Benedict on that.

At first I was a bit apprehensive to the idea of a fictionalized story of Rosalind Franklin, worried she may be misrepresented, but I felt this was an honest portrayal. Benedict did her research, and it really shows. I think this book being historical fiction instead of nonfiction will ultimately lead to it reaching a wider audience, therefore educating more people on the contributions Rosalind Franklin made.

Overall, this book tells the important story of an incredible woman scientist who pushed through every boundary put in her way, and the significant discoveries she made throughout her life.

I would recommend this to: Anyone interested in learning more about Rosalind Franklin that doesn’t mind a bit of scientific jargon.

“Her Hidden Genius" dives deeply into the discovery of the physical structure of DNA and RNA, and the institutional competition that drove the research. Marie Benedict does an excellent job of making the science understandable.

The big names in physical chemistry at the time are all represented, particularly the men credited with the discovery, Watkins, Crick and Wilkins. The extent to which men “stole” the credit for Franklin’s work is still a subject of debate, but there is no doubt that she was shabbily treated by the academic institutions of the time.

Central to Benedict’s story is a romantic relationship between Franklin and her post-doc supervisor in Paris, Jacques Mering. I was uncomfortable with Benedict using this as such a large motivator for Franklin’s subsequent career decisions, although I don’t know how much is fact, and how much is fiction… a common problem with this genre to my mind.

The fictionalized history reader who knows little to nothing of the life and work of Rosalind Franklin will be fascinated by this book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Benedict continues her string of fictionalized biographies of overlooked women with this exploration of the life of Rosalind Franklin, a key scientist in the discovery of the key features and appearance of DNA, whose work was appropriated without credit by Watson, Crick, and Wilkins. They in turn won the Nobel Prize for this work without mention of her invaluable contribution to the project.

It's a fascinating look at the hurdles that women scientists have to overcome to do the work they love, whether it's misogynistic co-workers, well-meaning family, or the hazards of the heart. Readers will find themselves rooting for Franklin as she does her best to meet these challenges, but it's often heart-breaking to see the results.

Benedict's writing brings Franklin to life, but it's discouraging that she has so many overlooked women to write about and that the template she uses to tell their stories often seems to be repeated. It's still a worthwhile book to read.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC. Whenever a see a book by Ms. Benedict, I know I am going to request it and odds are I am going to really like it. She has a knack for bringing history to life in tangible way. While she admits in her author’s note at the end, she had to fill in the gaps and thus had to take some liberties, she grounds this in facts. Her historical fiction is so important because she often finds the stories of women who were unfairly maligned during their lives and she gets them out to her large reading audience. I am embarrassed to have been ignorant of Dr. Franklin before now. Can’t wait to see what is next for Ms. Benedict.

Marie Benedict has a knack for finding true stories about remarkable women who overcome all odds to succeed in a male dominated world. This book will not disappoint Ma. Benedict's fans.

I have yet to meet a book of Marie Benedict that I haven’t enjoyed and learn something from. I’m not saying that I’ve loved everyone. But I’ve always gotten something out of the read. And Her Hidden Genius is no different. This is a fictionalized account of the life of Rosalind Franklin the women who helped figure out DNA. And of course as a woman in science she was over looked and past up for credit. I’ am glad that Marie Benedict continues to bring attention to overlooked women of history.

Her Hidden Genius is a wonderful read and a learning experience. Have you ever heard of photo 51? The history of DNA is an amazing topic. This novel shares the story of Rosalind Franklin and her life in science. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
Jan 25, 2022 is the pub date.

Marie Benedict is a favorite at our bookstore and such an incredibly kind and beautiful human. Not to mention, she chooses to write about women in history that have either been forgotten or had their stories told in a different way that doesn't highlight the wonderful humans they actually were. Yet again, Marie has given us a story about a women in science who was overshadowed by the men around her, even though her contributions were much larger.

Marie Benedict shines in bringing to life the stories of strong, intelligent women who despite being largely unknown outside of their fields, made historic contributions to humanity via their work. Her Hidden Genius focuses on the life and work of Rosalind Franklin, whose scientific studies and determination led to the discovery of DNA.

Franklin's focus was on science even from a young age, much to the dismay of her family who preferred her to seek a more typical life. Her best and favorite work environment was in post-war France (1940's) where she enjoyed good relationships and no discrimination with the team of fellow scientists she worked with. She loved the camraderie of the team as well as their mutual regard for one another which allowed them to talk out ideas.

When she moved her work to a London University, however, she found the scientific climate and community there entirely different. Though assigned as the one to study DNA in the laboratory, she was constantly undermined both personally and professionally by jealous men who not only refused to acknowledge her title of Doctor, but were not above gathering information about her studies and taking personal credit for them. Though well respected and admired for her work in the larger world-wide scientific community, she received little of that respect and support where she worked.

I have read and love most of the books Marie Benedict has written. This novel, as well researched as all of her other books, is my least favorite to date. It was slower to grab my interest and dragged a bit in general. I will continue to look forward to reading each new book she writes however!

My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for permitting me to read an advance copy of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given. The book is scheduled for publication on 1/25/22.

Rosalind Franklin is known as the female scientist who played a major role in Watson and Crick’s generation of a theoretical model of the structure of DNA as a double helix. This would lead to the discovery of how DNA could be inherited, opening up the whole field of molecular genetics. For this discovery Watson and Crick were awarded the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. However, it was Rosalind, an exceptionally talented scientist who took the X-ray photos that led her to be the first to suspect that DNA was a double helix and she who made the many calculations from the data she collected that Watson and Crick used in their model. That her photo and data was shared with Watson and Crick at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge without her knowledge, leading to their discovery is one of the most shameful episodes in science. Watson himself wrote in his book, The Double Helix (pub 1968), about the discovery:

“Rosy, of course, did not directly give us her data. For that matter, no one at King's realized they were in our hands.”

Rosalind (who preferred not to be called Rosy) died of ovarian cancer at the age of 37 in 1958, was unfortunately not eligible to be nominated for the Nobel Prize as it can’t be awarded posthumously (although it remains a moot point as to whether she would have been nominated had she been alive). Instead, Maurice Wilkins, the assistant director of her department at Kings College, London, who did none of the work and likely shared Rosalind’s images and data with the group at Cambridge, was awarded the Prize alongside Watson and Crick. Rosalind’s major role in the discovery was largely forgotten as they went on to claim the accolades. As a result, Rosalind has since become a feminist icon, seen as wrongly used by the misogynist male scientific establishment of the time.

Marie Benedict, who is well known for writing novels based on historically important woman, has written this excellent account of Rosalind’s life and work. She has clearly carried out a great deal of research into all aspects of her life including her Jewish upbringing and the places she worked. The clarity of Benedict’s writing shows she has a good grasp of the science involved as she explains it simply and accessibly to highlight Rosalind’s contributions to the field, in such a way that the novel never feels bogged down by scientific detail.

She also displays a deep understanding of Rosalind the woman, exploring her life both before her difficult time in the Anglican, male dominated world at Kings, when she was at her happiest in France, making friends and enjoying the collegiality there and later when she left DNA and London behind to work on viruses at Birbeck College in Cambridge. The portrait she paints is of a complicated, driven scientist who lived for her work but also had a great love of the outdoors and made many lifelong friends, including surprisingly Watson and Crick themselves. If you enjoy reading historical fiction based on real heroines, then I highly recommend this novel.

I am so happy that Marie Benedict writes historical fiction about women who deserve more recognition and attention. I have greatly enjoyed many of her books, especially The Other Einstein, but this one was a bit more of a struggle for me, and I blame myself for lacking enough knowledge or interest in the scientific details, It is a challenge to convey the intricacies and significance of the crystallography work Rosalind Franklin accomplished, as well as the discrimination Franklin faced leading to her exclusion from scientific recognition for the DNA project. Benedict tackled a difficult subject and clearly did extensive research in order to tell both a personal and scientific story.
Ultimately, I found the story a bit too didactic, which is understandable when explaining the science. However, the inclusion of specific names and details was sometimes awkward and might have been skipped, especially concerning the occupations and charities of various family members or minor characters. Still, I would recommend the book to those with a little more scientific interest and curiosity regarding Franklin's research.

Rosalind Franklin was certainly different from most women of her time. Focussed totally on her career in science, she
escaped the demands of her family to conform to what they thought was the right way for a woman of wealth - to settle
down with a husband, to involve herself in charity concerns in which the family was engaged in for decades. They thought
her career and her achievements were second to these ideas.

Whether in London or her sojourn in Paris and back again to England she was a leader in her field and did not allow
peer pressure or the condescension of male colleagues pull her back. There were enough to support and encourage and
recognize her for what she was.

At great personal sacrifice and ultimately her untimely end, the world came to know about DNA and how it can help human
kind to a great degree. Although the subject matter did get technical, it did not take away from the interest the story
had and to the lay reader like me who read this story.

Excellent story very well told.

I had never heard of Rosalind Franklin until I read this book. Benedict has a gift for crafting historical fiction that brings formerly unfleshed women into the spotlight. Franklin performed ground breaking work on DNA. She reminded me a lot of Marie Curie, including the fact that her research and work would ultimately lead to her demise. My eyes did glaze over several times when the nitty gritty of science was covered, I was more interested in her personal story. I liked the historical note and the questions the author answered at the end.

I’m fortunate to have had a biology teacher who made sure her students knew that Watson and Crick’s work stood on the shoulders of Rosalind Franklin, and I’m thrilled that Franklin’s work and her life have been given new life in Marie Benedict’s phenomenal novel. This was a fascinating read—a perfect mix of science and relationships. I learned so much about the history of this research but also about Franklin and her colleagues as people, and just how these institutions worked at this particular time. I think this book will appeal to any lover of science or historical fiction, and it would make fantastic required reading for a high school or college science class. CW: cancer and death

My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advance reader’s copy.

I always look for anything written by Marie Benedict as I love her writing style and her take on elevating women in history that exemplify courage. In Her Hidden Genius portraying the life of Rosalind Franklin she did not disappoint.

Rosalind Franklin is a scientist who as a Jewish woman who has to go up against the male dominated field of science research. Considered an oddity because she was brilliant in Physics and Chemistry, she was considered a threat to those whose thinking that women should be at home not in the laboratory. From London to Paris, back to London, Rosalind Franklin set the ground work to discover the structure of DNA, yet her work was compromised and data was stolen, giving credit to others for this discovery. So set in her work and with an affinity for ethics, she felt to be a true scientist she could not have any interruptions in her pursuit and that meant no life outside of the lab. No husband, no children, no love life. And in her dedication and obsession, she negated the required safety protocols when working with radiation which affected her health. Only years later was she recognized for her work and the myths put forth by male scientists, that she was difficult to work with, put to rest.

Marie Benedict again gives us a glimpse into the life of a courageous woman who changed the course of history. Looking beyond the lab, she helps us discover the complexity of the woman beneath the lab coat. Given my interest in science, I loved all the details about the work in the lab and theories put forth in creating the model on DNA and then later leading to the study of RNA which seems timely today. Benedict pens a well-written historical novel that makes you rethink history and appreciate that science is a collaborative effort. This is a story of courage, dedication and the impact of one woman in science. I found it a great read.

Many thanks to #netgalley #mariebenedict #herhiddengenius for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Marie Benedict's portrayal of Rosalind Franklin in this historical fiction is a page-turner. Dr. Franklin was a genius, and so typical, even in today's workplace, there's always jealous men trying to get in the way. It made me see red as I was reading. Just let this woman do her research you bumbling fools. As a women who has been abused in engineering and archiving by peers and bosses, I can relate. Ugh, will men ever get over themselves? This is definitely a must-read book - for everyone.

I always love a good women of science novel because there were/are so many who go unheard and unnoticed. This was a slow starter for me but I am glad I kept on with it because it really was a satisfying, enlightening, and well done read in the end. A lot of the science stuff is beyond my basic understanding but it wasn't presented in a way that detracted from the reading or the story, Books like this are important and Marie Benedict has made a master class of telling women's stories. This will be a happy recommendation in my already Marie Benedict loving library system.

“Her Hidden Genius” by Marie Benedict is a historical fiction novel exploring the life of Dr. Rosalind Franklin, the British scientist that actually discovered the molecular structure of DNA before Watson and Crick. The book focuses primarily on the details surrounding her scientific research at various institutions and her interaction with her colleagues, both the camaraderie and the rivalries and prejudices she suffered as a female scientist in a male dominated field.

The scientific discussions were interspersed with descriptions of Dr. Franklin’s travels with colleagues and friends throughout Europe and the U.S., including her love of hiking and mountain climbing. The science itself, although detailed and involved, was written in such a way that it was accessible to those without a science background. That being said, the lengthy discussions of science she had with her colleagues in numerous meetings and scientific collaborations could become a bit tedious at times for those without a love or deep understanding of science.

The author has clearly done extensive research into her subject, both of Dr. Franklin and the history of DNA research. In addition, the author manages to convey the nuances of Dr. Franklin’s personality—her compassion and kindness, but also her bluntness. Through this novel, Benedict shines a light on an otherwise little known historical figure who contributed so much to scientific knowledge and who never received the recognition she deserved in her lifetime.