Reviews - The First Gentleman

152 reviews for:

The First Gentleman

Bill Clinton, James Patterson

3.83 AVERAGE

voyeurzoya's review

4.0

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

anniecoloma's review

3.75

dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

danaisreading's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Not as thriller-y or twisty as the other two books, but still enjoyable. Having Brea Cooke be the first-person main character POV in a multiple POV book was an interesting choice for Clinton, since that's not his experience. I think it worked for the most part, but I'm sure others could pick it apart better.

I knew from the beginning that Cole was innocent. I figured out a few chapters in that it was Pearce who was responsible. It's the only way for Clinton to be able to lay out his complete vision for the Grand Bargain and to have it so that the President could get the ball rolling to put it in place at the end of the book. It's now a nice fantasy, something that will never happen, something the US could have had in the real world if some the electorate hadn't lost their senses and put a vengeful toddler back in the White House.

The whole VP having possibly terminal cancer and his CoS be hostile to the President and sent off to Berlin was very unnecessary. It doesn't add anything to the plot other than a brief moment where the reader is supposed to think Rachel Bernstein is behind everything. There were other ways to deflect from Pearce being the mastermind and have it more end up as more of a twist. Especially when the VP seems to have recovered enough to be able to have Maddy consider resigning so he could take over, and remain the VP when she got re-elected. Something either wasn't thought through, or a plot point ended up missing from one draft to the next.