Alice Milani’s graphic novel delves into Marie Curie’s private and scientific life

Alice Milani has published a graphic novel about Marie Curie with BeccoGiallo in 2017. The project began in early 2016 when the publisher proposed it. Milani spent extensive time researching Curie’s life, distinguishing well-documented sources from mere opinions. She aimed to avoid a didactic tone, focusing instead on emotional engagement. The book covers both Curie’s scientific work—including her isolation of radium—and her personal life, particularly her relationship with Pierre Curie. Milani consulted her parents, a mathematician and a physicist, to ensure scientific accuracy; her mother helped decipher Curie’s doctoral thesis. The artist used tempera, watercolor, pencil, and monotype techniques, the latter for scenes depicting chemical processes. Milani previously created a graphic novel about poet Wisława Szymborska. She describes both women as embodying determination and perseverance. The book is 216 pages, in color, priced at €22, ISBN 9788899016821.