Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Presidentens hustru by Curtis Sittenfeld

5 reviews

omp's review against another edition

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

The mystery of the to-be-read stack that accumulates in the corner of my office is who suggested what and why, at the moment that I purchased the book, did I think it was something I should read. American Wife absolutely falls into this category.
Did I need a fictionalized novel based on Laura Bush's life? I have no idea why, who, or where, but I read it to the end. That said, the story was best consumed without that context. The twists and turns were based on Bush's life, but it wasn't necessary to like or dislike her to appreciate the plot. It is a story of family connections and relationships and developing individual character. (But, if you have some sensitive leanings, you may want to skip this simply due to the sex. It isn't the theme, but some scenes don't shy away.)
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lindsayerin's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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emcheym's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

This book was nothing like what I thought it would be. Based on the cover, the title, and the blurb, I thought this would be a historical fiction. I thought it would be based more on the plot and character interactions. Instead, this book spent a lot of time on vulgar humor, crude language, and sex scenes. I was 18 hours into the book before her husband was finally voted into office as president, and it really skimmed over the whole process of him campaigning and his time in office. This book wasn’t really my cup of tea, and I wouldn’t recommend it.
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laurennom's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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questingnotcoasting's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I picked this up in a charity shop because I knew I'd enjoyed Curtis Sittenfeld's writing and I didn't realise until I started it that the main character was based on Laura Bush. So while I did really enjoy it, I can't help but think I might have liked it more had I not been thinking about the characters' real life counterparts, which often took me out of the story. It made for a strange reading experience and is the reason I'm not interested in reading Rodham.
I do love Sittenfeld's writing though. It's extremely readable and the story was very compelling, especially in the first three sections. I love The West Wing, so I was expecting to enjoy the final section at The White House the most but actually I felt that part of the story was the least interesting. Overall though it was an enjoyable read.
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