Kate Nicholls’s novel *The Maternal Element* sheds light on the life of Maria Mendeleev, mother of Dmitri Mendeleev, the Russian chemist renowned for creating the periodic table of elements. While Dmitri’s scientific achievements are well documented, the novel turns attention to Maria’s resilience and determination amid personal and economic hardship in 19th-century Russia.

The story begins in the Siberian town of Tobolsk, where Maria is introduced as an unusually intelligent and capable child. As a young teenager, she marries Ivan Mendeleev, a local schoolteacher. Their marriage is portrayed as affectionate and supportive; however, Ivan’s health soon deteriorates, suffering from cataracts that eventually leave him blind.

In the 1830s, shortly after the birth of Dmitri, Maria confronts a critical challenge. With her husband unable to work and provide for the family, she undertakes a daunting journey across Russia to a dilapidated glass factory once owned by her own father. Determined to secure her family’s financial future, Maria works to revive the struggling business, demonstrating remarkable resourcefulness and grit.

The novel provides a detailed and dramatized account of Maria’s efforts, positioning her as a figure whose contributions and hardships have been largely overlooked in historical narratives focused on her famous son. Through vivid prose, Nicholls highlights the social and economic obstacles faced by women during this period, as well as Maria’s steadfast commitment to her family’s welfare.

*The Maternal Element* thus offers a fresh perspective on the Mendeleev legacy, emphasizing the strength and perseverance of the woman behind the scientist’s early life.