The Breakthrough: A Novel

by Aurelie Thiele

The wife of a French scientist felled by a stroke must fight alone to save her husband's reputation when rumors begin to circulate about his work. She gave up on her dreams decades earlier while he chased a breakthrough that would make their sacrifices worthwhile and vindicate them for moving far away from relatives - but now that the breakthrough has happened at last, it might be taken from them. She crosses paths with a journalist trying to use her husband to become famous, a nurse more than willing to bend the rules, a graduate student bearing a grudge... and her own son, who has had a serious falling-out with his parents. While the task of protecting her husband's good name is becoming more formidable by the day, could her estranged son provide the help she needs?

The theme of the novel is the mesmerizing quest for new knowledge that ultimately may not justify the personal sacrifices researchers make to advance science. More broadly, it is about the personal costs that come with trying to follow one's dreams away from family.

262 pages, Paperback

First published December 12, 2013

About the author

I write historical fiction about power, politics and art with strong female leading roles.

Some authors I like include Ha Jin, Czeslaw Milosz, Dinaw Mengestu, Lynne Olson, Claire Messud, Jennifer Haigh, Julie Orringer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I live in Dallas, TX.

Reviews

[Laura Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well known MIT scientist is felled by a stroke. According to his students he "deserved" the stroke because he was a slave driver. The man is maligned by the press and his wife is left to save his good name and reconcile him and his son. She ends up being the hero of this story. The writing is excellent and well organized. It is a story I might not have normally picked up but am glad I did. Looking forward to the author's next book.