The Only Woman in the Room – Marie Benedict
 2019 / 272 pgs. ( ~ 76,000 words) Historical Fiction

The Only Woman in the Room is a work of historical fiction centered on Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler, better known as Hedy Lamarr — a Jewish actress. It concentrates on her years married at 18 to an Austrian arms dealer and the wealthiest man in Austria at the time, Fritz Mandl. Her husband was abusive and obsessive, using Hedy’s fame and beauty to his advantage when hosting high-ranking officials. Eventually, as the Germans take over Austria, Hitler comes to her home and Hedy overhears details of the Final Solution. The story ends with Hedy escaping her abusive husband and fleeing to America, where she launches her acting career and invents frequency hopping.

I wish I could tell you there is more depth to the book, yet there is not. It reads like a biography, yet it is historical fiction. There is no real complexity to the narration. Even with the story of Hedy’s abusive marriage to Fritz Mandl, there is not enough to make you truly feel for her — you simply cannot form an emotional attachment to the story. It feels like you are reading a broad outline, and the vital, gritty details were never filled in. It is a very easy read and you can get through it in a few hours. After reading the book for three days, I finished it in one sitting of about two hours, mostly just to move on to the next book.

Would I recommend this book? No. I was interested in reading about Hedy Lamarr, but this book feels very empty — like too much is missing to give it a satisfying narrative. The worst part is that the book just ends with no satisfying conclusion. On my coffee scale, this lands at 2 cups — and honestly, I was being generous. It’s a light, easy read with not much to think about along the way.

Enjoy a good cup of coffee and good book!

Lopaka