This Advance Reader Copy of the book is courtesy of NetGalley and the book’s publishers. I am not receiving any financial or additional benefit for posting this review other than the opportunity to read this book before it’s released publicly.
tl;dr Review:
Quick and easy read about an amazingly brilliant woman who history has left consigned to its footnotes for many years.
Full Review:
Since I saw that this novel was written by the same author as Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker I knew I had to pick it up. I loved that book and often tend to love books written by authors I already know.
Jennifer Chiaverini also wrote The Spymistress and Mrs. Lincoln’s Rival, both of which I also loved, so this seemed like the perfect read for me over the Thanksgiving holiday.
I didn’t realize how perfect though this book would become but I was grateful for the way it was written. Because it’s written in sort of a diary format, it allowed me to dip in and out easily.
When you’re dealing with the crazy holidays and trying to get things done, a book that allows you to step away at a moment’s notice is ideal.
The story also fascinated me because although it’s a fictionalized account, the book’s subject Ada Lovelace and her accomplishments are all real.
Ada was a brilliant woman whose life was considered tabloid fodder because her father was Lord Byron. But her intelligence was so far beyond her years and she’s been recognized as the world’s first computer programmer. All of this in the early 1800’s to boot.
If you’re looking for some dramatic tale filled with plot twists and romance and all the accouterments of a Dan Brown novel, then this is not for you.
However, if you’re looking for a fun, easy, and enlightening read about a badass woman who was way before her time, you’ll love it!
I give it 4 out 5 thumbs up.
