Half Life by Julian Cantor

A unique "what if" look at the life of Marie Curie. Most historical fiction looks at the life of a famous person or time and fills in the blanks but this unusual story is told in alternating chapters of the life Marie Curie had as a scientist and discoverer of radium alongside her husband Pierre along with the imagined life she would have possibly had if she had married her childhood sweetheart and stayed in Poland. Would she have gone onto do great things if she had married for love and became housewife Marya Zorawski? I considered Madame Curie to have had the best of both worlds. She fulfilled her dreams of becoming a scientist and married a man she loved dearly who appreciated her mind and her heart. For fans of the numerous historical fiction books that highlight the strong woman behind the famous man.  3 1/2 stars