This isn't a bad book, at all, but it wasn't what I expected. The premise is intriguing, and is what drew me to pick it up -- a 'what-if' story about Mileva "Mitza" Marìc, Albert Einstein's first wife, and what her true contribution to his 1905 publishing of his theory of relativity might have been.

I expected the book to center on their work together. Instead, it's more of a fictional retelling of their life and marriage with the science as a backdrop and plot motivator. There is actually very little about the science, and a lot more of Mitza's internal monologue from her student days through her separation from Einstein.

The author's intent, as stated in her note, was to humanize the couple, and I think she was successful in that, overall, and treated the couple fairly. However, ultimately, the writing itself was somewhat lackluster. There are several places where she uses words that really don't seem to make sense in the context--bemused, when it really appears she meant amused, for example. And I think it was a mistake to use the first person voice in this instance. It feels unreal to me.

That said, it was okay, hence the 2⭐'s. I hope that Mitza's story is one day fully fleshed out and told well, and this book is a good start. Even if it wasn't quite what I had hoped.