I was in my teens the first time I heard of Ethel Rosenberg, back in the early 90’s, living in France. I was studying McCarthyism in History and reading The Bell Jar at the same time, and wondered why this woman had been executed for something that she may or may not have done. I didn’t really study the topic in depth after that though, but was really interested in reading this biography of Ethel Rosenberg, written by Anne Sebba, especially as it focuses on Ethel, rather than Ethel and her husband Julius together.

It’s a really good read too! The author does a real deep dive into Ethel’s life, providing an in-depth view into her youth and her upbringing, and then transitioning into her life as an adult, the choices that she makes, and her love and unwavering loyalty to her family. I especially appreciated how the author shows Ethel the human, the real person, the mother, the wife, the daughter, the young lady who would teach herself music and singing and acting… Something that is so often pushed to the wayside whenever the name Ethel Rosenberg is mentioned.

This biography is well-researched and well-written, it can be a little dry at times, but for the most part it flows very well, and captures the reader’s attention to the end.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.