Stephanie DrayBesprekingen

A historical fiction novel about the first female US Cabinet Secretary - Frances Perkins, who was the Secretary of Labor under FDR for his entire presidency. Due to her tenacity, we have Social Security, Medicare, a less than 12 hour workday, and rules around child labor, as well as safety in the workplace. I was amazed at her efforts to create a safer and more equitable environment for laborers, and to get America working again during the Great Depression. She is the architect of the New Deal. I am so glad I read this book as I learned so much about this amazing woman who put her country and her commitment to social justice above all else, while struggling with a difficult home situation-her as her husband, and later her daughter, were mentally ill.

Though this is a longer read it has a wonderful flow, taking the reader on a first-person journey through the life of Frances Perkins, a woman that I knew nothing about until I picked up this book. I truly believe this is how a historical fiction should be done! It is on the lengthier side, but it has to be with the wealth of information that it bears witness to. If the author wrote about all that Frances Perkins did within her lifetime it would be thousands of pages, so I am thankful for this condensed version, and all of the time and research it must’ve taken to write this book.

There is a lot of ground to cover and the way the author approached it was seamless, making the whole narrative feel very cohesive as we see Frances Perkins professional and personal lives fleshed out in dazzling technicolor. I’ve never really studied the political climate during this particular era, so I found a lot of the history fascinating.

I love how historical fiction gives emotion to historical facts. I’ve studied the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory disaster and what happened in those thirty horrifying minutes several times, but reading the account in this novel made the tragedy technicolor. How working conditions could be so inhumane is sickening. These businesses made people become the machines when it’s supposed to be the other way around. Also seeing the signing of the Social Security Act was truly a touching moment that really summed up everything that Frances and FDR went through together.

I hate that I did not know the name Frances Perkins before now, but I am thankful to not have to say that again. She was a trailblazer and champion that should be taught and talked about more often than she is. She ruffled feathers with her dogged determination for Jewish immigrants and fighting for her social insurance plan which would become what we now know as social security. Without her tireless efforts we would not have programs in place that have aided millions and I am so very grateful for her passion for human rights, even when it was at the expense of her own personal struggles.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the publisher through NetGalley. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own.

Funny, I wonder if there is a bit of truth in the way the "barbarians" underestimated the Romans by their effete appearance. Sadly, the tribe leaders met with maybe the least impressive, Claudius. Tragically so.

I've always found it odd that the Romans wiped out the Druid practice/religion when they pretty much left all others alone, even encouraging people to build temples in Rome to foreign gods.

Interesting the self-interest on display when the outraged Britons quake under the prospect of becoming Roman slaves when they enslave each other with abandon.

Not sure I'll finish this. It's a foregone conclusion and there is a ton of grisly action and cruelty, to be expected with war, but I'll never listen to it again even if I do get through it. Back to Audible it will go.

Ok, I made it through, but skipped over some more gratuitous passages - droning on about curses and battle blows. It strikes me, in the fierce pride of the women in the book, that the only way they can have any agency is to adopt the bloodthirsty violence made the cultural norm by men. Behaving with gentleness, kindness, compassion and compromise are all weak and despised. Why? Because they are the default position of many women? Because they don't result in absolute domination and oppression? Why do we value those qualities in humans over the others? Why are we, and by we I mean the culture as a whole and men in particular, so afraid of that other side to us? Sometimes called the feminine side, but I don't think it's that specific. It's just been nearly completely wiped out of so much of how we think of ourselves and what we consider normal and natural. Sad really. We never learn and it will be the end of us one day. And, sadly, probably all life on earth as we know it.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DETAILS:
(Available in Print: ©3/30/2021; PUBLISHER: Berkley; ISBN: 978-1984802125; PAGES: 576; Unabridged.)
(Available in Digital: Yes.)
* This version--Audio: ©3/30/2021; PUBLISHER: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group; ISBN: 978-0593346679; FILE SIZE: 689028 KB; DURATION: 24:04:06; PARTS: 22
(Not available in Feature Film or tv (yet?)

Series: No

SUMMARY/ EVALUATION:
A lengthy, captivating historical fiction novel featuring three heroines of different times; Adrienne de La Fayette ([Revolutionary wars] based on the French marchioness Marie Adrienne Francois de Noailles, Marquis de La Fayette 11/2/1759-12/24/1807), Beatrice Chanler ([WWI] based on the philanthropist, Beatrice Minerva Ashley Chanler / born Minnie W. Collins 5/7/1880-6/19/1946); and Marthe Simone ([WWII] based on a medley of actual prominent women of France in the 1940’s.)
Nearly as prominent as the characters, is the castle in Chavaniac, France, where La Fayette was born and later returns to with his wife; so, central to the La Fayettes through the US and French revolutions, it also later becomes, by virtue of a WWI philanthropist’s devotion to his reputation, central in WWI and WWII, in providing shelter and sustenance to war orphans, and strength to the women who serve them while courageously resisting the cruelty and oppression of invaders.
I found it well pieced together and captivating, and enjoyed the author’s epilogue separating the facts from the fiction and her decisions regarding the novel’s creation and direction.

AUTHOR:
Stephanie Dray: There doesn’t seem to be a Wikipedia entry to tell me her birthday, but her own website says she is an author of women’s fiction; that her award-winning work has been translated in eight different languages and tops lists for the most anticipated reads of the year. She lives in Maryland, or did when the bio was written, with her husband, cats, and history books.

NARRATOR(S):
Tavia Gilbert (Beatrice): I don’t find a Wikipedia entry for Tavia so I don’t know her birthday. Goodreads says she is “an award-winning narrator with 300 audiobooks under her belt.” IMDb says she is a “Grammy nominee, Audiobook Narrator of the Year, and winner of the Best Female Narrator Audie Award, Tavia Gilbert is a producer, writer, and acclaimed narrator of more than 700 full-cast and multi-voice audio books for virtually every publisher in the industry . . .” She did well with the Beatrice character.;
Emma Bering (Adrienne): I don’t find a Wikipedia page for Emma either, so I don’t know her birthday. Audiobookstore-dot-com says she is an Earphones Award-winning audiobook narrator and lists a few of the books she has read. I thought she did very well with the voice of Adrienne;
Rachel Jacobs (Marthe): I don’t find a Wikipedia page for Rachel. I see her own website where it says she has narrated over 100 books. She did well, with the exception that her voices for the Baroness and for Beatrice seemed intended to portray the more mature age of these characters, which seemed like a sacrifice to the emotional states the text suggested they should have been in, well particularly the baroness—for me, these voices were kind of society-mavenish and cheery sounding, like they were in the middle of hosting a grand ball.

GENRE:
Historical Fiction

LOCATIONS:
France; United States

TIME FRAME:
1770’s; 1910’s; 1940’s

SUBJECTS:
Family; Famous wars; Revolutionary war; WWI; WWII; History; Jewish; France; United States; Adrienne de Lafayette; Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafeyette; Beatrice Chanler; Willaim Astor Chanler; Chateau de Lafeyette; Orphans

DEDICATION:
“To my dad, who patiently critiqued his teenaged daughter’s first novel, and never told her how bad it really was”

SAMPLE QUOTATION:
From Chapter Two (Adrienne Paris April 1774:
“In the ancient regime into which I was born, obedience was the rule. Thus it strangely gratifying now to remember that when I was very young—before deference and duty to my father became the hallmark of my character—it was my nature to question. Indeed, when I was a little child, my long-suffering maman once jested that my favorite word was why.
But, of course, she was the one who taught me to ask . . .
It was Maman’s habit to invite my sisters and me into her sumptuous gold and crimson chambers, where, seated by the fire in her favorite upholstered armchair—the one with gilded arms and embroidered with fluer-de-lis—she instructed us with soft eloquence and a sense of justice to believe that though we were girls, we had a right to our own consciences. We certainly tried her patience in adhering to that principle in matters large and small. Little Rosalie’s violent tantrums, pretty Pauline’s aloof disdain, Clotilde’s refusal of all things feminine, and my persistence in doubt in God.”

RATING:
4 stars. Well done.
STARTED READING – FINISHED READING
1/6/2022– 1/24/2022

It's a very good book.

Not only an engrossing story, but we'll written for history buffs. I loved it.

Story of Frances Perkins who became the first woman Secretary of Labor and the first woman in the US Cabinet. A New Englander her intelligence and fortitude shined in her early resolve to do something good for others. This slightly fictionalized biography we see her experience with trying to improve working conditions especially for women and children. She witnessed the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire which strengthened her resolve. Early in her career she worked in Albany NY as a lobbyist, worked for Al Smith, and met a young FDR. There is much about her working and friend relationship with FDR.
Frances married, had a daughter and had to work when mental illness claimed her husband and he was institutionalized.
The writing style is stilted and formal of the type found in early 20th century writing.

I don't know why I didn't know more about Frances Perkins before this fictionalization of her life. Considering the time my high school history teachers spent on Alexander Hamilton, one would think the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet, who masterminded multiple New Deal programs, and was the driving force behind Social Security, deserved at least equal time. I really enjoyed this novel, which gives the reader a sense of the person Frances Perkins was as well as the struggles she faced. Overall, a great read about a remarkable woman who deserves more attention from both historians and novelists.

The battle for democracy is never done…and ours is worth fighting for - Frances Perkins

This is the most incredible story of Francis Perkins - a person who started by looking at a problem and then setting about to fix it. Her mantra was INVESTIGATE, AGITATE, LEGISLATE - something she proceeded to do from Hartley House in Hell’s Kitchen all the way to the White House. If somebody opens a door of opportunity for you, it’s the Lord’s will - walk right in and do the best you can.

I certainly know about Social Security but never knew how it came to be, or what it took to bring about such a big change. One can learn so much history by reading historical fiction, especially when it is well researched as this book is. I would highly recommend you take the time to read it.

Received through Penguin Random House, Berkley and NetGalley, these impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.

Determined to fight for child poverty, women, and safe working conditions, Frances Perkins takes a job in New York City. There, she quickly meets some of the rising politicians, activists, and writers, including Franklin Delano Roosevelt. While initially she writes off the young politician, her history and FDR’s are intertwined.

This novel was well written and engaging. I loved the character development and growth throughout the story. I also loved that FDR was pictured realistically rather than in an idealized light. The story was well paced and entertaining. Overall, highly recommended.

Frances Perkins throws herself on to the scene in NYC. She is determined to change the working conditions for everyone, including children. She has an interaction with FDR and things do not go as planned. But, their relationship, or rather, partnership helped Americans… then and now!

I love Frances and FDR’s relationship, especially at the beginning. She calls him a popinjay. How this author describes their relationship and their interactions just brings them to life in the eyes of the reader.

This book is so well researched and I learned so much. Highly recommend you pick up this book today! I had no idea about Frances Perkins. She changed so much about America.

I did fluctuate between a 4 and 5 star on this one. But, I settled on a 4 star because it does get a bit slow in places. I am sure it is because the author is writing about a real life person and wants to tell it all.

Need a wonderful, historical fiction…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

One of the reasons I enjoy reading historical fiction is that I learn more about historical figures I knew little about. Stephanie Dray's newest novel, Becoming Madam Secretary, shares the story of the life of Frances Perkins, best known as Franklin Roosevelt's Secretary of Labor following the Great Depression.

The novel opens in 1933 with the recently elected President of the United States Franklin Roosevelt summoning Frances Perkins and offering her the job as Secretary of Labor in his cabinet. Perkins would be the first woman in history to serve as a cabinet member, but that doesn't seem to persuade her to take on the role.

Perkins had prepared a list of things that she wants to accomplish if she took the job, including eliminating child labor, limiting working hours, instituting a federal minimum wage, and creating what would become Social Security. If she thought this would discourage Roosevelt, she was mistaken. He agrees to back her and she is stuck taking the job.

The book then goes back in time and we see Perkins' start, first as a graduate student in economics studying child malnutrition in Hells Kitchen in New York City. Her dedication, work ethic, and success captures the attention of others in the social work field, and she is asked to become a lobbyist with the New York Consumers League.

Through her lobbying efforts Perkins becomes acquainted with politicians like future governors of New York Al Smith and Franklin Roosevelt, and they recognize her talents and put them to good use. But being a woman in a man's world back then required a high wire act that Perkins managed to walk.

Frances also captures the attention of writer Sinclair Lewis, whose attempts to woo her are comical if unsuccessful. She does marry a man who appreciates that Frances has a career doing important work, but their union has troubled times ahead.

I found myself totally immersed in the life of Frances Perkins and I could not put Becoming Madam Secretary down. I found it reminiscent of Allison Pataki's The Magnificent Marjorie Post; both books highlighted women who accomplished so much in a time when women weren't expected to do much more than run a household.

Frances Perkins saw a need to fix major problems in this country at a most challenging time, and she was the woman for the job. Becoming Madam Secretary is an appropriate and excellent read for Women's History Month. I highly recommend it.

This was an enthralling read about an extraordinary woman, Frances Perkins. Understandably, a large part of the story focused on her relationship with FDR and the creation of Social Security. Another big part of her story hear was her marriage and then motherhood. These personal parts of her story were more emotional, but I found them moving and just as interesting. Overall, this book was well-written, and I felt Frances' frustrations, disappointments, and heartbreaks as well as her joys and triumphs. Also, I really appreciated the author's notes at the end.

This was hard to put down, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or books about strong women.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the early read.

I had heard about The New Deal and the Civilian Conversation Corp and other programs that started in Franklin Roosevelt's time as President but I have to admit that I had never heard or read anything about Frances Perkins. She dedicated her life to helping other people and was determined to make a difference when she arrived in New York City at the turn of the century. She got involved in politics and supported FDR and he nominated her to be the first female Secretary of Labor- a post she held from 1933-1945. She was a strong woman and it was amazing all of the progress she was able to make considering that she was looked down on since she was a woman.

Frances arrived in New York City determined to help improvised women and children. She had come to New York to write her thesis on child malnourishment in the tenements of Hell's Kitchen. She worked on projects like child labor and the long hours that women had to work. After witnessing the Triangle Shirt Factory fire, she worked on safety in the work place. She met many wealthy women who were volunteering to help other people and one of the people she met was FDR - who she did not like. But in 1929 when he was governor of New York, he appointed her to the role of state labor secretary and when he became President he appointed her as the first female cabinet member. During FDR's administration, Frances became responsible for the formation of the CCC's and other programs that helped the poor. She was also largely responsible for the plan to start Social Security, a program that is still being used to help the elderly today. With her husband often in a mental hospital and her daughter needing attention, she often had to make a decision whether to be a mom and wife or to attend to the president and the needs of the government. She may not have always made the right decisions where her family was concerned but she definitely made a difference in her quest to help the poor and make the work place safer for everyone.

As always with Stephanie Dray's books, the research was intensive and the story was well written. Frances Perkins was so well written that it was easy for the reader to feel like she was a friend. We not only learned about her successes in her life but also learned about her problems and the times that she questioned what was important -- her family or the people of the United States. Be sure to read the Author's notes at the end where she talks about her research.

If you enjoy reading historical fiction about strong women who made significant changes that affect us today, don't miss this chance to learn about Frances Perkins and the work she did to help the nation.

This was such a great read, the author did a wonderful job of making Frances Perkins into the amazing woman she was.
There is a lot we sure need to thank her for, Social Security, being one of the main. We probably, take a lot for granted including the labor laws, my mother told me her mom only had a second grade education, and then went to work in the factory. She witnessed the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911, which made her even more determined to make the conditions safer and shorter hours.
I am so glad I chose to read this book, such an amazing woman, she was a woman that should never be forgotten.
Be sure to read the author's notes!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Berkley, and was not required to give a positive review.

Yet another spectacular addition by Stephanie Dray to books celebrating amazing women in history. This one eloquently shares the life, hard work and challenges of Frances Perkins (1880 - 1965), the first female to serve in a presidential cabinet, that of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She served as his Secretary of Labor, a post she held for twelve years. She was a stalwart New Englander, never divulging her emotions publicly, yet driven to serve the underserved; to fight for their better work conditions and for reasonable work hours. She was tenacious, compassionate, plucky and creative in problem solving. Roosevelt admired her and demanded much of her. Together, they brought the New Deal to the American people. Perhaps her greatest achievement was helping to design the Social Security Act of 1935. She was a force with which to reckon and this book brings her story to life.

Ms. Dray is among the best writers of historical fiction out there. The research she puts into her subject matter is herculean. Her characters are well developed and exquisitely human, with all the qualities and sometimes shortcomings one might encounter. The interactions among her characters are plausible and flow naturally. To some, the list of characters may sound like name-dropping, but in fact, Frances Perkins was well connected. The book focuses upon a few of those connections and delivers the relationships beautifully. The historical notes following the story are rich and informative - definitely worth reading.

If well written and well researched historical fiction is your jam, then I highly commend this book to you.

I am grateful to Berkley Publishing for having provided a complimentary uncorrected ebook file. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: March 12, 2024
Number of Pages: 528
ISBN: 978-0593437056

This. Was. So. Good! Reading about tragic historical events is so bittersweet. On the one hand, I'm learning about a new era and meeting engaging characters. On the other, I know they're basically all going to die. It's like meeting a new friend only for them to suddenly move away, but the time I spent with this book was still so rewarding, that I recommend you read this book anyway.

My favorite stories were Dray's The Queen, Quinn's The Warrior, and Knight's The Daughters. These stories were poignant and full of soul. Dray's Cartimandua was a perfect foil to Boudica while Knight's Sorcha and Keena were the perfect vehicle to show us the infamous warrior queen. They sacrifices really sung from the page. As for Quinn, she wrote about the epic battle, which was heart-wrenching, even though I knew what was going to happen. What made it so sad was Duro and Valeria. Quinn really brought them to life. I understood and sympathized with both of them, which is no easy feat when the characters are sworn enemies. Quinn is truly masterful.

Middle of the road for me was Downie's The Slave, Shecter's The Druid, and Turney's The Son. It's hard for me to pinpoint exactly what I didn't like about them. I guess their stories felt kind of small to me compared to the ones I liked.

My least favorite story was Whitfield's The Tribune about Agricola. I found this story dragged, and I had a hard time understanding how it related to the rest of the narrative. Eventually, it made sense, but it felt very detached and slow. I think this was partially because this is one of the few stories that doesn't get split up between two perspectives, so it was a bit of a slog to get through.

If you like doomed histories, you'll love this!

Ooooh! This book was such a treat! I just loved, loved, loved it! With an anthology with different authors (most of whom I haven't read before), it can be a mystery whether every story is quality and the work as a whole is cohesive. However, I was pleasantly surprised, and I have some new authors that I MUST check out.

My favorite stories were the heiress by Sophie Perinot, the senator by Kate Quinn, and the ex-soldier by Ben Kane. These stories were so poignant to me. I've read everything by Quinn and just love her. I was surprised to see familiar characters in her story, but I got to see a side of them I haven't before. It was like meeting new friends. These characters transformed as the catastrophe stripped them down to their core values, and I loved watching these people dig deep to find what was most important to them.

Middle of the road stories included the youth at the beginning and the priestess and whore at the end. There was some growth for these characters, but I don't feel like the authors had enough time to develop them. They felt pretty two dimensional, and they didn't grow quite as much as the characters in my favorite stories. It felt more like the authors were trying to tell me they grew rather than the characters showing me that.

My least favorite story was the mother by E. Knight. Let me preface by saying I still enjoyed this story. It's sad and futile, these characters, but it didn't pull me in quite like the others. Mostly, I was frustrated with the narrators, as they dealt with the fact that they'd failed as caretakers. It's a hard perspective to write, and it showed.

Overall, fantastic collection! Can't wait to read the other two books in the series!

Ribbons of Scarlet showcases six historical women as each of them make their way in what becomes the French Revolution. All six women come from different places both in society and mentally. Some start off as optimistic. Others are bitter from a lifetime of being hungry and doubt that the revolution will bring enough change to fill their bellies. Each narrator ended up in a different place too, as the one unifying factor became the idea that no one was spared during the revolution.

I actually enjoyed a majority of the stories in this anthology. In general, I thought they were all pretty strong and compelling. My favorites were the strongest were Dray's "The Philosopher", Perinot's "The Princess", and Quinn's "The Politician". In all of these stories, you met characters who started out looking at the world one day, but by the end of their time on the page, they had become someone else. In the case of Sophie Condorcet from Dray's story, she became more optimistic by the end of her narration, which I still felt true to form since hers is the first story that kicks off the revolution. Perinot's Princess Elisabeth and Quinn's Manon Roland are almost mythical figures from the French Revolution. Princess Elisabeth is a saint while Manon Roland is a tiger mom. However, the authors do a phenomenal job painting the complexities of each woman. There are the moments when these women are weak or angry or vindictive, but they stand by their principles for better or worse. I enjoyed reading about them and understanding what motivated them, and I sympathized for them. To me, that's the sign of a truly great author, and that's why I enjoyed these stories so much.'

I also really enjoyed Kamoie's "The Beauty" and Knight's "The Assassin". These were just a smidge below my first three favorite stories. Mostly because there wasn't as many shades to these characters. Emilie from the "The Beauty" is a fascinating person, but there's never really a moment where her worldview are challenged or where she's shocked by the society around her. Having been groomed by her mother to the view the worst of society's (especially men's) impulses, she's never surprised by Robespierre's narcissism or even her lover's cowardice. While her story is very touching, I didn't feel touched in the same way. It was like reading more about someone who was stuck rather than someone who had to undergo an identity shift, compared to a lot of the other characters.

Knight's characters of Pauline Leon and Charlotte Corday were similar: they were so convinced of their ideals that nothing really shook them out of it. Even when Charlotte is getting man-handled, she's never really in doubt about whether murdering Marat was a good thing or not. Pauline gets distracted with a man, but while this physically distracts her, it doesn't mentally distract her. I had hoped to see more of her inner workings. As these two are the more violent characters in the book, I had hoped the author would delve more in their psyche that made them think that killing people (whether it's Marat or soldiers) was the best option to save France. I didn't feel like Knight went far enough with these characters.

The weakest story and the weakest character was Webb's Louise from "The Revolutionary". After reading Webb's note about how she created the character, I learned that while Louise the person existed, much of her life was shrouded in mystery and rumor, making it difficult for Webb to piece together who this person really was. All of the characters pop in and out of each other's stories, Louise most of all, and in every appearance, characters are befuddled about what Louise is thinking. It seems like no one knows what to do about Louise. Is she insane? Is she the new Joan of Arc? Is she just a victim? This indecisiveness made it difficult for the reader to understand this character's mentality and motivation. Just like with Knight's heroines, I don't think Webb went far enough with Louise. The heroine was introduced as this scrappy everywoman who just wanted to be part of something big, but she ended up sounding generic. And none of that prepared readers for the character's tragic demise. I felt like more could've been done to show Louise's instability or how all-consuming the mob mentality is. As a result, she didn't stand out compared to the other heroines.

Overall, this anthology is very strong, and it's compelling. The French Revolution and the subsequent Reign of Terror were full of tragedy and pain, but the stories here still manage to share optimistic views of love, women's rights, and democracy. Highly recommend this book for history lovers.

What a great book. I never favored one character over another as they all contributed equally to the story and made the transition between eras flow easily.

For such a large book, it was one where I would rather have sat and read it, rather than adulting.

Although fiction, I felt this book was well researched, and took me to the time and place in early American history, so seemed really authentic. I enjoyed this novel from start to finish and found I could hardly put it down. I gained a great insight to the early days of the formation of the United States and the important figures of those times.

This powerful fiction tale weaves in historical events and characters to create an exciting read. The chapters move between three different times and characters, but all are intertwined. The events and writing create a strong text that is easy to read. The women characters focus on two who were real people and one who was created as the hero of the story. The history of Lafayette and the chateau help tie the characters together across the years. An excellent read!

My book club reads a lot of biographical fiction. It’s an interesting and entertaining way to learn more about a specific time, place, and person in history. This month we chose America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. With the first person POV of the main character, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph, it explores the life of not only Thomas Jefferson’s daughter, but of his contemporaries and family members. The book begins when Patsy is a young girl and finishes with her later years. It is filled with historical detail that a history-nerd will love. The Revolutionary War and the early years of the nation are not time periods I generally read, but this book was fascinating in its portrayal of a young nation founded on high moral principles, yet in reality a democracy riddled with injustices. Slavery, the huge elephant in the room given Jefferson’s own ownership of slaves and his relationship with Sally Hemings, is a big part of the story. Patsy is definitely a woman of her time, and though she abhors slavery (as do many of her acquaintance) she is unable to affect any kind of meaningful change. In fact, those with the power to do so either were unsuccessful or left it to later generations. The authors do a good job of balancing the context of the time (slavery, limited rights of women and children) with an honest portrayal of the subject matter. This is Patsy’s story to tell, and I feel the authors allowed this incredible woman to tell it. Patsy was witness to so much — the American Revolution, formation of a new nation, the unfolding of the French revolution, the rise and fall of political factions — yet she was first and foremost a dutiful daughter, a committed wife, and a nurturing mother of many children. Her life was both extraordinary and ordinary, and the novel expresses that so well.

If you are a fan of early American history, then this book is definitely for you. My book club googled a lot during the reading of the book! We also had an outstanding discussion.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(I purchased Kindle ebook from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Love this. With ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War, I tend to find it interesting to be able to read about that time and perhaps learn more of what their lives were like. This book took place a longs ways south of where my family was at then, but still...

The rights of women then, even well born women of prominent historical figures... Not to mention the fate of Sally Hemmings.... Women are so often left out of the history books, it is nice to see their perspective, even if it isn't full of roses.

Highly recommended!

This book is historical fiction based on Martha "Patsy" Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson and their extended families. It is told from Patsy's perspective. As the daughter of Thomas Jefferson, she led a life atypical of a woman in the American revolutionary era; however, she was bound by the restrictions imposed on women of the time period where ultimately decisions were made by husbands and fathers. With so many women dying as the result of childbirth, people dying of now-curable diseases, not to mention the horrors of slavery, it made me very glad not to have lived during that time. I felt the authors did an excellent job of transporting me to the era and I learned quite a bit about how Jefferson's daughter made historical impact. The story weaves together many threads of the Jefferson relatives, giving insights into difficult personal decisions, politics of the time, scandals, marital difficulties, grief, mental issues, racial discrimination, alcoholism, abuse, and more. I appreciated the notes at the end giving details of the extensive research done, what was true vs. what was surmised, and various timeline changes made to help the story flow. My only issue with it was that it read as a romance novel, which was unnecessary in my opinion. Recommended to readers of historical fiction, especially those interested in the lives of the American founding fathers, important supporting family members, and American revolutionary and post-revolutionary time periods.