Luminous Bodies: A Novel of Marie Curie

by Devon Jersild

"Devon Jersild’s beautiful novel is alchemic, bringing Marie Curie—the scientist, the lover, the mother, the immigrant, the Nobel Laureate—to life. This tense, moving, riveting story burns it’s historical fiction at its very best."
—Chris Bohjalian, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Flight Attendant and Hour of the Witch

"With a gimlet eye, Jersild . . . spotlight[s] the double standards to which male and female scientists were held and the way Curie, understandably devastated by her treatment by journalists and the public, managed to pull herself back into her research and new discoveries through the force of her will. A colorful re-creation of an incomparable life."
—Kirkus Reviews

In the popular imagination, Marie Curie was all brilliance and unshakeable drive. Luminous Bodies is a tender exploration of the vulnerable woman behind the legend.

In the vein of Georgia (Dawn Tripp) and Matrix (Lauren Groff), the narrative follows Marie from girlhood in Poland to the battlefields of World War I, focusing on her marriage, widowhood, and love affair with physicist Paul Langevin—after which she was ostracized from society and the scientific community. Haunted by self-doubt, she turned to Hertha Ayrton, the scientist and suffragist who drew her back from the brink of suicide.

How did Curie endure all this, and still achieve so much? What sustained her rich emotional, sexual, and intellectual life—and what were the costs? Jersild explores these questions in this radiant novel.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Biographical Fiction

388 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 17, 2026

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devon Jersild’s beautiful novel is alchemic, bringing Marie Curie — the scientist, the lover, the mother, the immigrant, the Nobel Laureate — to life. This tense, moving, riveting story burns hot: it’s historical fiction at its very best.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

I went into Luminous Bodies: A Novel of Marie Curie knowing almost nothing about Curie’s life, and I was quickly transported from her girlhood in Poland to her groundbreaking scientific work in Paris, and into the personal scandal of her love affair with a fellow scientist that ended up ostracising her both socially and professionally.

I really enjoy historical fiction that explores complicated women navigating their worlds, and this book does just that. While I still don’t fully grasp the science (shrug), I loved seeing how Curie balanced brilliance and ambition with doubt, mistakes, and vulnerability. It’s fascinating to watch someone so intelligent wrestle with the consequences of their choice, and also infuriating to see how differently she was judged compared to the men that surrounded her.

I also appreciated the threads about her friendships with fellow suffragettes and women in science. Those glimpses felt fresh and human, showing another side of her life beyond the lab and the headlines.

That said… I think the writing could have flowed a bit better. There were moments when I got pulled out of the story because the pacing felt uneven, or certain scenes lingered too long without adding to character or narrative momentum. But even with that, I came away enjoying it. It’s a compelling portrait of a brilliant, flawed, and endlessly fascinating woman.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I have written about women who suffered from radium poisoning, I was interested in learning more about Marie Curie, whose discoveries brought about that tragedy. The question of whether Marie felt guilt over the damage caused by her work and the lack of safety standards put in place was not really answered, but I enjoyed reading about her nonetheless.

Marie Curie was obviously a brilliant woman - the first to win two Nobel Prizes. What I liked about this novel is that Marie's attitude and that of her friends never became anachronistic, even when they were discussing women's rights and the unfairness of sexist institutions. So many modern historical novels have protagonists who sound like 21st century women transported back in time, but I did not get that from this novel. Bravo.

Most people, historically or today, are a bundle of contradictions, and I enjoyed getting to know about the thoughts and feelings within Marie that were at odds. She was a scientist who worshiped at the altar of logic, but she could not stand to be alone. She hated being judged for her sex as she was condescending toward the woman whose husband she hoped to steal. She had a great love for her family and homeland but struggled to have the same sort of relationship with her own children. All of it made Marie feel real and relatable.

A lot of the focus of this novel is on Marie's scandalous affair after her husband's death. I would have liked to see more focus on the founding of the Radium Institute and her thoughts on the effects of radium as it became clear that it was a very dangerous substance, but it was still a very compelling read about an inspirational woman. I appreciated that the author included great information on what happened to Marie and her children after the novel's end.

Thank you to NetGalley for my review copy. Opinions are my own.

[Lael Bagnall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not expecting to be so moved by a book about a very accomplished scientist! Jersild brings to life Curie’s very relatable character. Her struggles as a woman in a heavily male dominated world were beautifully woven into a story about a woman who had experienced challenge and heartbreak and betrayal in many aspects of her life even outside of science.
There is a scene between Marie Curie and her future lover’s wife that is so incredibly written with subtext that it left me breathless. I will think about that scene for a long time after finishing this book.

[Johanna Markson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Novel about Marie Curie, her scientific research and the personal scandal that rocked France and the scientific community.
A two time Nobel Laureate, Marie was a Polish woman who came to Paris to follow her dream of pursuing research in Chemistry. She fell in love and she and her husband began working with Radium based on her research. Their findings ultimately led to the invention of x-rays. Marie taught and researched in the heart of the French intellectual and scientific community at the dawn of the 20th century.
She was a passionate woman in all things, which eventually let to a scandalous affair with a married man.
The author spends a lot of time inside Marie’s head. Sometimes too much time focused on her worries and concerns about her struggles as a woman in a male dominated field and world, as a mother caught up in her career, and as a lover deeply connected to the men in her life.
That inner turmoil doesn’t take away from the fact that it was great to finally understand who Madame Curie was. Why she’s so famous for her achievements. It was also interesting to learn about her hardships. Being a woman in a man’s world is never easy.
All in all a good read.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marie Curie represented to me from what I knew of her great achievements in science all women who dared to be independent. Jerslid’s paean to Curie goes beyond that and gave me a whole new perspective to see a woman who was passionate in love and life beyond her passion for science.

This is fine and splendid historical fiction. I loved how the author brought Curie to life from her childhood in Poland to her great love for Pierre Curie and then to her scandalous affair with Paul Langevin after Pierre’s death which “strangled” her reputation. While her scientific achievements are part of the story, this book delves into Curie’s psyche and relationships - family, friends, her daughters, Pierre - to give the woman a more rounded character.

As the book shows Curie had bouts of depression but she weathered through them to pursue her scientific work. She also had loving relationships with her daughters, Irene and Eve, that helped Marie in her moments of great sorrow. She was deeply in love with Pierre too - Pierre seemed like a sweet and wonderful man - and his tragic death at a relatively young age broke her heart. Paul Langevin and his wife were to me were the vipers in her life. Langevin’s wife played the long suffering wife card which Langevin played into. Marie made a poor choice in him.

This is a character driven novel and Marie’s character is beautifully fleshed out. I enjoyed the read immensely.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Paul Dry Books for allowing me to read this fine ARC.
#luminousbodies
#devonjerslid
#pauldrybooks.

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Very interesting fictionalised account from the perspective of inspirational Nobel Prize winning Marie Curie. The science didn’t really make sense to me but it was lovely to read her potential thought processes and the amazing relationships she had with other scientists, mathematicians and figures of note at the time.

There was a non-linear narrative that would often go back in time to flashbacks of Curie’s childhood and felt slightly disjointed. These were sweet but didn’t necessarily feel coherent. Maybe they didn’t need to be logical but they did often feel random.

The book was very well-researched. I liked that the author included a further reading list that showed the main sources in case we wanted to delve deeper. It was fascinating to see the hardships and discrimination Curie faced - I now have a greater appreciation of her amazing mind and the troubles she would have faced in order to help the world progress and get the credit she deserves.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Olivia Hurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for a historical fiction, and I always find it so interesting to read a historical fiction from the point of view about a real historical figure rather than from the point of view of a fictitious person.

Marie's story was so interesting, and reading about her life outside of her scientific discoveries made a fuller picture in my mind of what she might've been like. However, I also appreciated that while there was a focus on her personal life, the novel always looped back around to how her career impacted and affected her life and choices.

I enjoyed the writing style of this book, and my only critique is that the chapters are on the longer side, which can be an intimidating factor for some readers! Overall, I would recommend this book and keep an eye out for any future releases that Devon writes!

Thank you to NetGalley and Paul Dry Books for sending me an early copy of this novel!

[Courtney Pityer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luminous Bodies is an upcoming historical fiction novel that covers the life of Marie Curie up until the events of the First World War. I will admit that before reading this book the only things I really knew about her were he achievements in the science field. This novel goes to great lengths of exploring not only her role as a scientist, but also her role as a wife and mother. I will say this novel was a very wonderful read!

This book focuses on Marie's early childhood years up to her marriage to Pierre Curie. The two had a wonderful marriage which resulted in two daughters. However, after his death she has an affair with a married man named Paul which causes some harm to her reputation. But despite this she manages to keep moving forward in her field.

Overall if you are looking for a novel that shows the human side of a historical figure this is a novel you should pick up!

[Daniela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devon Jersild manages to mingle the story of Marie Curie’s life within a romantic and dramatic novel. Although I am no fan of novels about famous people like the famous scientist, especially the first half of the book is nice to read. Jersild fills the gaps in the research with her interpretation of the romantic feelings as well as the dramatic situations. From Marie’s upbringing in Poland, a first engagement with the son of her polish employees, where she worked made over going to Paris, meeting Pierre, with the son of her polish employees, where she worked made over going to Paris, meeting Pierre, Pierce’s death, his death, falling in love with Pierre’s most left scholar pole, and all the tragedy to follow, Jersild fill the gap with emotion.
I can definitely recommend reading this, if you like fiction about famous personalities. .

[Kevin Waddell · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, I was not a big fan of this book but as I continued I came to appreciate the writing and particularly the first-person perspective of Marie Curie. The book blended the science (though I would have liked to have had a BIT more detail into her work), her family, her profession and the challenges she faced as a woman in her field and the hypocrisy the world rained on her for her transgressions (which were a surprise!) that it would not have rained on men. It was also very interesting to get a window into her rubbing elbows with the likes of Einstein and other larger-than-life scientists of the day.

[Carina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was familiar with Marie Curie’s professional accomplishments as a scientist and twice winner of the Nobel Prize, but I had no knowledge of her personal life prior to reading this book.
In all honesty I had never even been interested in her at all. But then came this book. And it all changed.
I even hesitated before I started reading wondering if this would hold my interest. My question was answered after the first couple of pages and I could not stop reading. I am in absolute awe of Devon Jersild and her skill as an author and I can’t imagine all the time she must have devoted to research to enable her debut novel’s fruition. I loved this book with all my soul.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love historical fiction, and books about famous women are limited in number and quality. I chose this book for my book club because the focus was Marie Curie and I thought the title was clever. The reviews were generally positive, and that’s how I felt as I read it. Sometimes both the pacing and story line wandered a bit. Some of the flashbacks didn’t seem to add to the story. The author made a meticulous deep dive into the sciences, with experts in multiple fields and a thorough exploration of the literature. I found her own field of science being a psychotherapist to be an interesting fact.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Devon captured the mind of a scientist so well - the dedication, the exhilaration of discovery, the creativity, the preoccupation with the subject.... The book also captures well what it was to be a woman in science, and a woman in general at a time when roles were clearly defined and women were still not able to vote. Curie was on the cutting edge in so many ways that Devon captured. At the same time, the emotion in the telling is clear and you understand what it meant for Curie (although the fictional version) to love and experience loss.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This work is interesting because it represents Marie Curie as a full human being who was brilliant and at the same time made personal mistakes. In present day she would have been all over the tabloids at the same time she earned her SECOND Nobel prize. She paid dearly for going against the bourgeoisie standards of that time in addition to being a woman which made her need to fight dearly for her recognition as a scientist.

Ultimately I did not find her character compelling which is why the 3 star rating.

[Brian · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a "psycho-fiction" book about a historical figure. Most of the book is the author's effort to create the inner thoughts of M. Curie tied to events in Curie's life. Pages of inner dialogue, thoughts, and reflections that are long, boring, and repetitive. Historical fiction, of course, often includes this kind of inner reflection, but not to the extreme where the history is overwhelmed by inner psych-babbling. Although this is an attempt to pay respect, add animation, and bring vitality to this remarkable woman, it actually cheapened her.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting overview of Marie Curie's life, focusing more on her as a woman and her relationships and the roles she played - wife, mother, scientist. She also faced a lot of scrutiny due to her relationship with a married man.
This was lacking a little bit in terms of a hook, but I'm glad I read it and learned more about Marie Curie as a person.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

[JONATHAN L SMITH · Rating 5 out of 5]

A visit with pMarie Curie

A beautifully written, compassionate novel about the dedicated scientist and complex woman, Marie Curie. I felt transported back in time, as if I were sitting down to drink a cup of jam tea and share confidences with my dear friend, Marie. Through her honest perspective, Devon Jersild uncovers common ground for anyone striving to serve the greater good while seeking connection in the face of personal loss.

[Liz]

Great book. Explores the life of Marie Curie; not only her scientific achievements and discoveries but also her emotional life. As a woman she had an arduous path to recognition and rewards for her brilliance. She was also held to strict and outdated standards in her private life. Her stubbornness, innate drive and some very dear life-long friends helped her find her way when the obstacles seemed insurmountable.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5) Marie Curie was clearly a remarkable woman, and this novel provides insight into how tremendously groundbreaking her work was - especially as a woman. That said, by the end of the novel I had little understanding of the nature of her scientific breakthroughs, and I found the relationship with her lover a little heavy going.

[Dale · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book seems to have a trouble deciding if it wants to be a bodice ripper or historical fiction. Certainly, Marie Curie's affair had a huge impact on her life but the writing about the love affair seems to be tawdry rather than putting her life in context. There must be better books about this rather remarkable women than this one - at least I hope so.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have liked to learn more about her relationship to her work. Really focused on her scandal and personal life and Marie Curie is a towering scientific figure. Her intellectual side was lost in this one and that seems exactly the critique of her work in her time. She was robbed of understanding abd respect bc of her gender. Why repeat that here.

[Rachel Candelaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, both an enlightening and entertaining historical novel. I started this book with no expectations, knowing almost nothing about Marie Curie. The book offered a good mix of historical context, a basic scientific overview of Curie’s work, as well as a compelling portrait of an exceptional woman and scientist.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love learning of these amazing scientists that discovered so much before the advent of technology. Marie Curie led an incredible life and very recognized for her accomplishments but also held down by the sexism that curtailed so many smart women's ambition. I'm sorry her husband died. Her love after that caused much pain to the more traditional wife.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Luminous Bodies" is an historical novel about Marie Curie.

The focus in this novel are on Marie's childhood and her marriage to Pierre Curie.

I think it was a nice novelisation of Marie Curies life.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC.

[Sylvia. Blau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book. Extensive research. I did not understand all of the chemical aspect, but the lives of the people involved was very interesting. The book was also very well written. I recommend this book very high.

[Catherine Symchych · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know next to nothing about Marie Curie from other sources, so have to assume this book has the broad strokes of her life right. Aside from an ending that felt too abrupt, I enjoyed it all. Interesting to get a human look at such an exalted historical figure.

[Nancee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+, beautifully written

[Benzilneurosurg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent enough telling of a remarkable human being. Captured the hypocrisy of the times.

[Laura Sterkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - Marie Curie is a familiar name and yet I knew so little about her life. Interesting account.