⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Woman and Her Stars
Penny Haw
Publication Date: March 3rd, 2026
Sourcebooks Landmark
336 Pages
Amazon | Goodreads | Bookshop.org
Genre: Historical Fiction | Women’s Fiction
This is my first book by Penny Haw, and I was impressed. This story is about Caroline Herschel and is based on a true story. Caroline is a female astronomer, and the book takes place in England in the 18th century when women didn’t have many rights and society didn’t allow them much freedom. Caroline is shy and always worries about her appearance because she has scars from smallpox. She has an older brother named William, whom she felt she owed a debt to because he saved her from a life of service.
When William becomes the King’s astronomer, he ends up in the countryside in Windsor. Caroline makes a discovery that could take her back to the life of service she was just rescued from. When she starts having an interest in astronomy, she realizes that she is good at it and smarter than she thinks.
I loved the way the author wrote our main female character. Caroline had a spirit that was way before her time. Going from a mere secretary type of job to uncovering her own discoveries was such an interesting read. As Caroline discovers things in the cosmos, she also discovers things about herself. The pacing is slow and steady, but the subject matter kept me interested throughout. I kept thinking to myself that the time Caroline was born into really wanted to keep her held back, yet she kept her head in the clouds, so to speak. Some of the technical bits about space and science went over my head, and I did have to look things up, but the fact that Caroline refused to just stay in her lane more than made up for it.
I highly recommend this for historical fiction buffs who enjoy a story with a lot of heart. My only little niggle is that I would have enjoyed seeing more of the sibling dynamic play out, but overall, this is historical fiction at its finest because it was well-researched and well-written. I really connected with Caroline’s journey. It’s always inspiring to me to read about real historical figures who defied society, especially when they had to overcome personal insecurities as Caroline did.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Leave a Reply