Brilliant second book in the series. Unlike other trilogies, this one does not feel like a middling book. If the author wanted to end the series with this book it would be a perfect ending. But she is not done with the Lady Astronaut.

Alternative history fiction can be tough. At times, authors just substituted how they felt about a time in history and didn't make the reader feel like it was the same history as we live in. But alt-history should always have those distasteful elements of history and here the author succeeds. She was is not only able to pull in the racist elements, dismissive attitudes, and the governments fear of the other. In fact, they are all there. Also, this book, like the first one, helps to shine a light that there were African Americans that not only helped but were the reason the space program is successful.

And then there is the image of the perfect little housewife and woman's role in this time. That is still all there. Elma, with her uncertainty, and the perfection of a delicious chess pie. Elma is the scientist and mathematician that would have been able to make the perfect case for allowing women in the space program from the very beginning. She's an aunt I would have loved to have had.

I can't wait to see her and the rest of the people in the next installment.