Book recommendation: The Other Einstein, by Marie Benedict

I don’t know about you, but I always find it a bit odd to read a fictional story about a real person. It’s not that I don’t like the stories, exactly. In fact, sometimes I really enjoy them.

Take The Other Einstein, by Marie Benedict, as an example. I definitely enjoyed reading this novel, and I’d recommend you check it out–so much so that I’m giving away a copy of the book. You can enter the giveaway here!*

Once you’ve had a chance to enter, let me tell you a bit about the novel.

Mileva “Mitza” Marić, Albert Einstein’s first wife, was a brilliant woman in her own right. In The Other Einstein, author Marie Benedict explores the possible reasons why Mileva didn’t reach the career potential she strived for during her student days.

There were a lot of things I liked about this novel, starting with Mileva herself. She’s a very likable character. She also sacrifices a lot throughout the course of the novel, and it would be hard not to sympathize with her.

Perhaps my favourite aspect of The Other Einstein, however, is the writing. The style and voice are simple, in a way, but beautiful. And they both flow so well. It was easy to fall into the words and get lost in reading this one.

*Please note that this giveaway is open to residents of Canada and the U.S. only. Click through to the giveaway to see the full Terms and Conditions.

Goodreads summary

A vivid and mesmerizing novel about the extraordinary woman who married and worked with one of the greatest scientists in history.

What secrets may have lurked in the shadows of Albert Einstein’s fame? His first wife, Mileva “Mitza” Marić, was more than the devoted mother of their three children—she was also a brilliant physicist in her own right, and her contributions to the special theory of relativity have been hotly debated for more than a century.

In 1896, the extraordinarily gifted Mileva is the only woman studying physics at an elite school in Zürich. There, she falls for charismatic fellow student Albert Einstein, who promises to treat her as an equal in both love and science. But as Albert’s fame grows, so too does Mileva’s worry that her light will be lost in her husband’s shadow forever.

A literary historical in the tradition of The Paris Wife and Mrs. Poe, The Other Einstein reveals a complicated partnership that is as fascinating as it is troubling.