A review by serendipitysbooks
The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict

emotional informative reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

 The Only Woman in the Room is historical fiction based on the life of Hedy Lamar. I was heavily invested in the first section which focussed on her relationship with Austrian arms dealer Friedrich Mandl. Plenty of tension due to domestic abuse and the rise of Hitler, especially given her Jewish ancestry. I was less interested in Hedy’s Hollywood years but wished for more detail on her inventions, especially the radio guidance system for torpedos. My mouth hit the floor when I read why the Navy wasn’t interested. “I must admit it would be hard for us to sell our soldiers and sailors on a weapons system created by a woman. And we’re not going to try.” A pity there wasn’t an author’s note indicating whether or not that was an actual quote. 
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