I never wound up reading this book but I heard good things about it. It sounds along the lines of Lessons in Chemistry which I was not a fan of.

Her Hidden Genius continuesMarie Benedict’s genre of hard-working, intelligent women whose discoveries and contributions to science are thwarted, stalled, and attributed to their male counter-parts. Benedict captures the frustration and helplessness of scientists being the wrong gender. A worthwhile read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful historical fiction book by Marie Benedict - 4.5 stars!

Dr. Rosalind Franklin defied expectations all her life - born into a wealthy family, she was expected to marry well and spend her life giving back to the community. But she was a scientist through and through, and became a pioneer in DNA research. She had to fight not only her family expectations, but her male colleagues who never gave her fair due, and instead tried to take credit for her work. Her work ended up taking her life at the age of 37 from cancer due to radiation exposure.

This was a fascinating look into the science of what makes us us, discovered by a woman mostly forgotten by history.. Dr Franklin literally devoted her life to her work. It's sad to read how she little was known of radiation effects at that time, and any possible worries easily dismissed. It's also a look into how Jewish people were treated after the end of WWII. Every time I read historical fiction, I just pray that we can do better going forward.

Her Hidden Genius tells the story of Rosalind Franklin, a very talented scientist who flourished in her career while working in Paris, but had a very different experience after returning to England, where she was devalued by her male counterparts.

I had never before heard of Rosalind Franklin, but I wasn’t shocked to hear of the lack of respect she received from her English counterparts, given that scientific fields were considered “men’s work” during this time period. I was, however, disappointed to read that credit for her instrumental role in important DNA discoveries was usurped by the men with whom she worked, and it was done with seemingly no thought as to whether it was right or wrong to take credit for her work themselves.

This book was not as compelling as many other Benedict books. In fact, it was quite repetitive at times. That being said, I do appreciate being made aware of someone who most certainly deserves recognition for the ground-breaking work she performed in the field of DNA research.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

You can’t miss with this author. Strong research, strong female role models and a readable book. Recommend as books for 15-20 years olds as well as the general public library reade.

This was a fabulous book. It was enjoyable and had wonderful pacing. I would read this author again. I would recommend this book to others.

Absolutely adored this book. Having the ability to make such a prominent name in history (and science) become someone who feels relatable on a personal level, is a wonderful talent. I enjoy all of Marie's books and look forward to each new one.

This one sadly did not work for me. I would try something else by Marie Benedict, but I found the characterization fell really flat and I couldn't get attached to anyone.

I absolutely love historical fiction books but unfortunately I really did not enjoy this book. I found the plot weak and couldn’t engage with any of the characters.

Watson and Crick have been the names most associated with the discovery of DNA. However, it was only recently that the key contributor to the discovery was Dr. Rosalind Frankline. Finally recognized for her brilliant research, author Marie Benedict brings her story to life through a fictional story, Her Hidden Genius.
Benedict tells the story for Dr. Franklin from a first
person perspective. Dr. Franklin finds camaraderie in the "labo" a research facility in Paris, France. An expert on x-ray crystallography she works well with her team. When a professional colleague gets too close, she returns to England and King's College. There she finds more opportunities for discovery, but a far less collegial environment. It is here she makes several breakthroughs in the structure of DNA. Here she takes her famous Photo 51 which is the first image ever taken of the double helix of DNA. When a rival group breaks a "gentleman's agreement", the research is used by Watson and Crick who publish their own paper detailing "their breakthrough".

Benedict adeptly captures the toxic competitive and sexist academic research environment. One can see very similar actions happening today. Revelations from the Me Too movement demonstrated how many women are kept out of science fields by domineering and abusive men. Benedict attempts to fill in the gaps of some disputed facts. Watson and Crick had the research, they stated it was public, but who created the research? Dr. Franklin did. The story of course then takes a tragic turn as Watson and Crick go on to win the Nobel Prize for their discovery and Dr. Franklin dies of cancer. Even though the narration and dialogue can be very wooden at times, Benedict unveils a very relatable and compelling story to unearth this hidden genius.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rosalind Franklin is on the forefront of discovering the structure of DNA, but she is a female scientist and has always been on the outskirts with her collogues. That is until she is moves to Paris just after WWII to work with them using X-ray machines to push her research forward. She even discovers the helix shape of DNA, but her work is stolen by a male coworker who takes credit for the work, including winning a noble prize. This is a love letter to a woman who changed our world but was greatly denied the credit, until now.

I am a huge fan of Marie Benedicts work and her dedication to bringing real women of history to the forefront. That being said this one was a struggle for me. It gets very bogged down in the scientific jargon and I kept finding myself losing interest. Kudos to Benedict to be able to write about all of that which must have taken a world of research. I am glad Franklin's story is out there and I will be looking forward to the next women Benedict honors.

Dr. Rosalind Franklin is a women who wants to work with other scientist who value her opinion and she is on the brink of discovering how DNA works. Her field is dominated with men who have egos and dismiss her contributions. Her family is not thrilled with her work in science, but she is determined.
As she discovers the double helix structure of DNA, her research is stolen by her male counterparts. I love how bold Rosalind is and how she will move to another facility if she is not valued or respected.
I enjoyed that this book explored her scientific career and the possibility that some of her research with the X-ray crystallography contributed to her early death. This novel would be wonderful for those who love Science and those who are determined to accomplish their dreams even with many setbacks. I adore Marie Benedict’s work and cannot wait for what is next.

Another hit by Marie Benedict. Love learning about these overlooked women who left their mark on our history.

Marie Benedict writes about woman who deserve to have their voices heard and their stories told. They are important to the world I loved this novel because k learned as I REad

🔎 As with all Marie Benedict books, I was quickly asking myself, “Why have we never heard about this amazing woman before?” Benedict finds these brilliant women who’s contributions in their fields were so significant and yet sadly are widely unknown.

Rosalind Franklin is no different - a brilliant scientist desperate to unlock the secrets of DNA and RNA during a time when women were not generally accepted in the male dominated scientific community. She was truly a visionary, pioneering the use of X-ray crystallography to photograph the structure of the components of a chromosome. So why is the double helix associated with Watson and Crick, the Nobel Prize winners? *sigh* Unfortunately, it’s a tale as old as time. As we learn, Dr. Franklin discovered the structure and Watson and Crick used her work when they wrote their paper announcing ‘their discovery.’

Rosalind’s unwavering determination to her craft is inspiring and heartbreaking.

Thank you for sharing this important book with me.
I really enjoyed learning about this story.
Very well written and interesting!
THANK YOU

I love that Marie Benedict continues to bring stories of unsung women to life.
She writes in a very easy to read style and her stories are compelling.
I look forward to her next book.

The story of Rosalind Frankin is unbelievable in what she accomplished and terribly sad what was taken from her. The author breaks down Rosalind's discovery of DNA into very readable terms, which to me is a remarkable feat

Besides her genius, what's captivating to me is the time she lived in. Born in England's aristocracy where women didn't pursue careers in 1940's, she overcame social and cultural issues of her time. A truly remarkable woman and read, especially how men hid her genius.

DNF

While I enjoyed Marie Benedict's writing, as I have with other books she has written, I could not get past the storyline. I was excited to read a fictionalized tale about Rosalind Franklin, a woman who has been largely overlooked by history or at the very least who lost credit due to male-dominated society. She is such an important figure in science. However, I ended up putting down this book after Part I, because I was rather disgusted by how Benedict decided to portray her life. Specifically, the entire first part of the book is about a completely fictional love affair with a superior. I feel like Benedict is choosing to ignore Rosalind Franklin's career, journey, and achievements, and instead, spending time on her relationship with men. I understood that this being a fictional version of her life, and therefore, Benedict took creative liberties. But the feminist in me was just too disappointed to continue.

Another great book by Marie Benedict of a unsung hero of the scientific world. We shouldn't be surprised that ego and machismo interfere with scientific discovery and cooperation among peers. Marie does a great job telling the story of Rosalind Franklin.