Aarathi Prasad: Books that changed my life

We moved from the UK when I was small and I grew up in the West Indies. I never felt rooted anywhere, and a lot of my emotional development in those formative years came through books.

This extraordinary novel, about different generations of powerful women, the tragedies they went through and the strength they found to deal with them, captivated me.

I related to the themes of identity; what we inherit and what we make our own. 

As a science writer myself, this was my biggest influence—a brilliantly written story of people, history, and science.

All varieties of human life are here, from giants to bearded women, conjoined twins to dwarves.

We learn how societies all over the world have viewed our differences—and you find yourself effortlessly reading about things like signalling molecules without feeling you’re taxing your brain. 

By focusing on the “real” Helen, an aristocrat from the Greek Bronze Age, Bettany brings all the other guises of Helen into play.

The politicisation of her character through the ages tells us that, to have been so powerful, she must have been doing something dangerous or wrong.

Having my own daughter has made me feel even more strongly that, in terms of progress, there’s still a long way to go…

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more book features

*This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.