MARIE CURIE

The life of the first female Nobel Prize winner is told in flashback by her daughter Irène.

Marie’s story picks up in 1889 when she worked as a governess for a Polish family. In the wake of a failed courtship, Marie moved to Paris, near her sister and her husband, to pursue a second degree, this time in mathematics. It was through her brother-in-law that she met Pierre Curie, who became a supportive friend, mentor, colleague, and, ultimately, a beloved spouse. Together they researched the nascent field of radioactivity, earning a Nobel Prize in physics in 1903. Along with her career ambitions and success, the book addresses struggles from the Russian occupation of her native Poland and Pierre’s tragic death in a carriage accident to the scandal of her close relationship with fellow scientist Paul Langevin. Though largely a straightforward biography, Italian author and illustrator Milani (co-contributor: Post Pink, 2019, etc.) does take some poetic license in the dialogue, including a dream sequence in which Marie converses with Pierre after his death. The tender, loosely impressionistic colored pencil and watercolor illustrations add liveliness and warmth to this recounting of a remarkable life. Though Curie is one of the rare women in science to be a frequent biographical subject, this graphic novelization of her life is nevertheless a worthy addition to the canon.

An appealing volume for graphic novel and science enthusiasts.