The Calculating Stars (Lady Astronaut Universe, #1)

by Mary Robinette Kowal

The saleslady came over to help me and we consulted on sizes and current fashion while the news continued in the background. It was like playing the fiddle while Rome burned around us.

My husband was a good man. He believed in me. And he also had a huge blind spot, because he didn’t see how people would ignore what I said until he repeated it.

Then he blew out my candle. I think he meant it to be romantic, but it left us standing in a darkness of my making.