About the Book
Inspiring historical fiction based on the real life of Bertha Benz, whose husband built the first prototype automobile, which eventually evolved into the Mercedes-Benz marque.
“Unfortunately, only a girl again.”
From a young age, Cäcilie Bertha Ringer is fascinated by her father’s work as a master builder in Pforzheim, Germany. But those five words, which he wrote next to her name in the family Bible, haunt Bertha.
Years later, Bertha meets Carl Benz and falls in love—with him and his extraordinary dream of building a horseless carriage. Bertha has such faith in him that she invests her dowry in his plans, a dicey move since they alone believe in the machine. When Carl’s partners threaten to withdraw their support, he’s ready to cut ties. Bertha knows the decision would ruin everything. Ignoring the cynics, she takes matters into her own hands, secretly planning a scheme that will either hasten the family’s passage to absolute derision or prove their genius. What Bertha doesn’t know is that Carl is on the cusp of making a deal with their nemesis. She’s not only risking her marriage and their life’s work, but is also up against the patriarchy, Carl’s own self-doubt, and the clock.
Like so many other women, Bertha lived largely in her husband’s shadow, but her contributions are now celebrated in this inspiring story of perseverance, resilience, and love.
My Review
While I don’t read historical fiction on the regular, I tend to say yes when the book revolves around a strong female. When I realized I had no idea who Bertha Benz was and her involvement in Mercedes-Benz, I was curious to meet her. It was interesting to learn so much about the world of invention in the 1800s in Germany, getting to know Bertha’s husband, Carl Benz, and his dreams of building a horseless carriage. Bertha had a fire inside her from a young age, when she found a note from her father in the family bible after her birth saying, “unfortunately, only a girl again.” Determined to make something of herself, she finds herself drawn to Carl and his passionate work ethics. The husband and wife team work together, often with Bertha being behind the scenes. It was inspiring to watch their relationship, Bertha’s drive, and what they went on to create with what became the Mercedes-Benz empire. While there were a few passages that got a little long and drawn out, I was still invested in the story and would recommend giving it a read.
4 stars
