Her Hidden Genius

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. This novel sets out to correct the historical record and give Rosalind Franklin a voice she was denied in her lifetime. In what ways did the book change or deepen your understanding of the discovery of DNA’s structure? Did reading from her perspective make the scientific and personal betrayals feel more immediate?

2. How does this book compare to Marie Benedict’s other works, like The Other Einstein, which also focuses on a brilliant woman whose contributions were overshadowed? If this was your first time reading her work, what was your impression of her approach to biographical fiction?

3. What did you make of the ambiguity in the novel’s final scene? How did it shape your experience of reading the novel?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. The novel contrasts the supportive, egalitarian lab in Paris with the hostile, exclusionary environment at King’s College. Have you ever experienced how much a team’s culture can affect your work and well-being?

2. Did you find Rosalind’s conviction that a woman couldn’t be a scientist, wife, and mother understandable for her time? How is the relationship between work, motherhood, and household management different for women today?

3. The novel explores mentorship through figures like Jacques Mering and Adrienne Weill. What do you think makes a mentor effective, and how does the book portray the potential pitfalls of such influential relationships?

4. Rosalind faces significant pressure from her family, who believe she should pursue charity work or a “suitable marriage” instead of a scientific career. How can expectations from our loved ones shape, or conflict with, our own ambitions?

5. When Rosalind shares her professional struggles with Vittorio, he advises her to “protect your science at all costs.” When do you think it’s important to be guarded with your ideas or work, and when is open collaboration more valuable?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The book serves as a powerful corrective to James Watson’s influential memoir, The Double Helix, which famously caricatured Rosalind Franklin. What does this story reveal about the power of narrative in shaping historical legacies, especially for women in male dominated fields? Can you think of other historical accounts that have been successfully challenged or reframed, such as in Rebecca Skloot’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks?

2. A pivotal example of institutional sexism in the novel is Rosalind’s exclusion from the all-male senior common room at King’s College. What are some modern equivalents of such exclusionary spaces or practices that can hinder professional collaboration and advancement?

3. Professor Randall frames the discovery of DNA’s structure as a “race,” a mindset that Wilkins, Watson, and Crick fully embrace. How does this competitive pressure affect the pursuit of knowledge, and do you see similar dynamics in other fields today?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does Benedict’s choice to use a first-person perspective influence your understanding of Rosalind? This narrative strategy puts us directly inside her thoughts, particularly during moments of conflict. In what ways does this intimacy challenge the historical portrayal of her as “difficult” or uncooperative?

2. Maurice Wilkins acts as a primary foil to Rosalind. In what specific ways do their contrasting approaches to science, collaboration, and ambition highlight the novel’s central themes?

3. In what ways do the laboratories in Paris, King’s College, and Birkbeck College function as more than just physical settings?

4. The motif of mountain climbing is central to Rosalind’s character, serving as her “only form of prayer.” How does this recurring motif connect her methodical scientific process to her personal sense of faith? What does it reveal about how she finds meaning and legacy outside of traditional paths?

5. Rosalind’s brief romance with Don Caspar stands in stark contrast to her earlier relationship with Jacques Mering. What does this later relationship reveal about her capacity for intimacy and her personal growth?

6. How does Rosalind’s character speak to broader arguments about gender equality and sexism in the sciences?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were a researcher in Rosalind’s supportive Birkbeck lab, what kind of contribution would you have wanted to make to the team’s dynamic or its work on the tobacco mosaic virus?

2. Imagine you’re tasked with designing a memorial dedicated to Rosalind Franklin at King’s College. You want the piece to honor not just her discovery but also her character and the challenges she faced. What symbols or elements from the novel would you incorporate to fully represent her life and legacy?

3. Rosalind chooses not to publicly fight for credit for her role in the DNA discovery. If you could have advised her in that moment, what would you have said?