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jenwinnell's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lawryn's review against another edition
4.0
LOL, I seriously thought this was non-fiction for 75% of the book and kept waiting for FDR to become a love interest. Other than that, this was an interesting read.
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. It's a hard one to rate. I had the audio version and while I kept listening I can't really out my finger on - why?
This is said by the author to be based on an American President's wife of the 20th century, her life and experiences. I actually was disappointed when I read that - I don't really want to know about a President's private life and habits. The story follows Alice from her childhood and a traumatic tragedy as a teenager through to meeting her future husband and family life, up to their years in the White House.
I can't say I preferred any one part of the story - Alice wasn't for me the most sympathetic narrator. She's a librarian (which I like! It's my own career path) who cannot forget her childhood love when she meets Charlie Blackwell, himself flawed. She's not the strongest character, you want her to stand up for herself more than she does. There's a few situations you feel you'd have handled differently. Her narration is hard to stop listening to though, I enjoyed hearing how she falls for Charlie, about her wonderful grandmother, about the ins and outs of presidential life.
It's an interesting life. Towards the end though it feels even the author might be prompting Alice to do more, to take a stand and stand up for her beliefs. I won't say what happens but Alice has the chance to influence major national policies in her position as First Lady and you do wonder just what she does with her time, how she has coped being married to a man who not only has many opposing views to her but runs for the other political party.
It's a fine line the author treads I think between keeping readers engaged with a woman who falls for, marries, and helps through elections with a privileged Republican, having been raised in a middle class liberal household. I didn't always agree with Alice's decisions and path through life. Her friendship's up and downs with a childhood friend through arguments and breakdowns for example - couldn't their issues have been dealt with?
And what is it about 'The Giving Tree' (Alice's favourite book) that means it's mentioned dozens of times? It's a book I really dislike but I don't see the relevance to Alice (she doesn't sacrifice much apart from her individuality to Charlie's presidency).
But I enjoyed peeping into her world and seeing just where her path took her.
I really didn't like Charlie very much. After the initial charming courtship phase, he's an underachieving alcoholic who bounces around various jobs and finally into politics. Especially when you learn his real-life basis.
I really liked the audio version, a very easy listen with a personable narrator, made Alice come alive, with all her good points and flaws.
Worth a read - I read it because I hear the author had been selected to rewrite Pride and Prejudice as part of the Austen Project, and I wanted to try a sample of her writing. I'll definitely be searching out her version - her writing flows well, it shows insight and portrays female characters with flair.
About a 3.5 for me so I'm rounding up as I did stay riveted through 18 discs.
This is said by the author to be based on an American President's wife of the 20th century, her life and experiences. I actually was disappointed when I read that - I don't really want to know about a President's private life and habits. The story follows Alice from her childhood and a traumatic tragedy as a teenager through to meeting her future husband and family life, up to their years in the White House.
I can't say I preferred any one part of the story - Alice wasn't for me the most sympathetic narrator. She's a librarian (which I like! It's my own career path) who cannot forget her childhood love when she meets Charlie Blackwell, himself flawed. She's not the strongest character, you want her to stand up for herself more than she does. There's a few situations you feel you'd have handled differently. Her narration is hard to stop listening to though, I enjoyed hearing how she falls for Charlie, about her wonderful grandmother, about the ins and outs of presidential life.
It's an interesting life. Towards the end though it feels even the author might be prompting Alice to do more, to take a stand and stand up for her beliefs. I won't say what happens but Alice has the chance to influence major national policies in her position as First Lady and you do wonder just what she does with her time, how she has coped being married to a man who not only has many opposing views to her but runs for the other political party.
It's a fine line the author treads I think between keeping readers engaged with a woman who falls for, marries, and helps through elections with a privileged Republican, having been raised in a middle class liberal household. I didn't always agree with Alice's decisions and path through life. Her friendship's up and downs with a childhood friend through arguments and breakdowns for example - couldn't their issues have been dealt with?
And what is it about 'The Giving Tree' (Alice's favourite book) that means it's mentioned dozens of times? It's a book I really dislike but I don't see the relevance to Alice (she doesn't sacrifice much apart from her individuality to Charlie's presidency).
But I enjoyed peeping into her world and seeing just where her path took her.
I really didn't like Charlie very much. After the initial charming courtship phase, he's an underachieving alcoholic who bounces around various jobs and finally into politics. Especially when you learn his real-life basis.
I really liked the audio version, a very easy listen with a personable narrator, made Alice come alive, with all her good points and flaws.
Worth a read - I read it because I hear the author had been selected to rewrite Pride and Prejudice as part of the Austen Project, and I wanted to try a sample of her writing. I'll definitely be searching out her version - her writing flows well, it shows insight and portrays female characters with flair.
About a 3.5 for me so I'm rounding up as I did stay riveted through 18 discs.
bethlehemiteamy's review against another edition
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
5.0
sst723's review against another edition
3.0
Rating this one at 2.5/5, but 3 on Goodreads. Great concept and very thought provoking, but way too long!!!! The bird’s eye view – it is a fictional memoir written from the perspective of Alice Blackwell. Alice Blackwell is based on Laura Bush. Since it wasn’t non-fiction, I do not think that the reader needed very detailed anecdotes. No offense to Alice Blackwell, but I don’t care about her little anecdotes, but if they were true Laura Bush stories, then yes, I want ALL of the details about one of America’s most famous families.
A bit deeper… I found myself thinking about being a woman and what that means in context of family, marriage, and society. Alice Blackwell is very much human, imperfect, has secrets, and has opinions of her own. Alice’s character and the story’s touch on American society brings light to truths about our very American culture and the way we are conditioned.
Vibe: Reads like a memoir, but is fiction. Thoughtful, detailed, and tell-all.
Describe the book in three words: Politics, Bush Family, Memoir, LONG (that’s four words, but the book is one million words, so I grant myself an extra word).
Plot: It is literally a 600 page book that takes you from Alice’s childhood through her sixties. There was no detail spared AND the book “skips” over Blackwell/Bush’s governorship. TLDR: Alice Lindgren is a normal, smart child who happens to meet Charlie Blackwell and fall in love. Before Charlie Blackwell becomes the President of the US of A (aka the George W. Bush we know and love), he is a rowdy, entitled, rich guy from Wisconsin (Sittenfeld changed the Bush’s residence from Texas to Wisconsin and their summer retreat from Kennebunkport to Door County). We learn about Alice’s upbringing, values, and culture shock when she marries into a very wealthy family. It is a well written, well told story, but I didn’t need as much of it. The author literally writes out song lyrics (pop songs from the 1970s that play at a reunion…)– I never need that level of detail.
Characters: This one had me googling Barbara Bush, Bush Family Tree, Bush Family Net Worth constantly. The parallels between the characters in the book and the Bush family are so close. For example, Charlie (George) attends Princeton (Yale) undergrad and then goes on to become a part owner in the Brewers (Rangers). It almost makes me wonder how Sittenfeld got away with writing this book. It barely feels like fiction and more like speculative gossip. Alice (Lindgren) Blackwell is a bookish girl who grows up to be a librarian when she meets and gets swept off her feet by Charlie Blackwell (our very own GWB). Alice is very likeable, reasonable, a DEMOCRAT of all things, and a calm foil to Charlie’s gregarious, high energy, stubborn, and brutally Republican-ness.
You’ll like this if you like… George W. Bush, gossip, and politics. If you read Rodham, it is also a fiction book about Hilary Clinton by the same author – she must have a thing for strong female leads. The novel was modeled off of “The Perfect Wife: The Life and Choices of Laura Bush” by Ann Gerhart.
A bit deeper… I found myself thinking about being a woman and what that means in context of family, marriage, and society. Alice Blackwell is very much human, imperfect, has secrets, and has opinions of her own. Alice’s character and the story’s touch on American society brings light to truths about our very American culture and the way we are conditioned.
Vibe: Reads like a memoir, but is fiction. Thoughtful, detailed, and tell-all.
Describe the book in three words: Politics, Bush Family, Memoir, LONG (that’s four words, but the book is one million words, so I grant myself an extra word).
Plot: It is literally a 600 page book that takes you from Alice’s childhood through her sixties. There was no detail spared AND the book “skips” over Blackwell/Bush’s governorship. TLDR: Alice Lindgren is a normal, smart child who happens to meet Charlie Blackwell and fall in love. Before Charlie Blackwell becomes the President of the US of A (aka the George W. Bush we know and love), he is a rowdy, entitled, rich guy from Wisconsin (Sittenfeld changed the Bush’s residence from Texas to Wisconsin and their summer retreat from Kennebunkport to Door County). We learn about Alice’s upbringing, values, and culture shock when she marries into a very wealthy family. It is a well written, well told story, but I didn’t need as much of it. The author literally writes out song lyrics (pop songs from the 1970s that play at a reunion…)– I never need that level of detail.
Characters: This one had me googling Barbara Bush, Bush Family Tree, Bush Family Net Worth constantly. The parallels between the characters in the book and the Bush family are so close. For example, Charlie (George) attends Princeton (Yale) undergrad and then goes on to become a part owner in the Brewers (Rangers). It almost makes me wonder how Sittenfeld got away with writing this book. It barely feels like fiction and more like speculative gossip. Alice (Lindgren) Blackwell is a bookish girl who grows up to be a librarian when she meets and gets swept off her feet by Charlie Blackwell (our very own GWB). Alice is very likeable, reasonable, a DEMOCRAT of all things, and a calm foil to Charlie’s gregarious, high energy, stubborn, and brutally Republican-ness.
You’ll like this if you like… George W. Bush, gossip, and politics. If you read Rodham, it is also a fiction book about Hilary Clinton by the same author – she must have a thing for strong female leads. The novel was modeled off of “The Perfect Wife: The Life and Choices of Laura Bush” by Ann Gerhart.
spirallingshape4385's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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
5.0
clhughes95's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
dahliarose56's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
Book on CD performed by Kimberly Farr
From the book jacket On what might have been one of the most significant days in her husband’s presidency, Alice Blackwell considers the strange and unlikely path that has led her to the White House – and the repercussions of a life lived, as she puts it, “almost in opposition to itself.”
My reactions
I was expecting a somewhat light look at a fictional first lady. What I got was every so much more – a nuanced, complex portrait of a woman who did not seek but nevertheless found herself in a very public position.
I liked that Sittenfeld takes the reader back to Alice’s childhood and introduces us to this young, quiet but inquisitive girl – an only child who lives in a small town with a loving family, including her grandmother who introduces her to the wonders of literature. We watch her grow to adolescence, make mistakes, grieve over losses and heartbreaks, struggle to achieve some independence, and find joy and fulfillment in her career as a librarian. While her life takes some unexpected turns, Alice remains true to herself, confident in her opinions, compassionate and thoughtful, but also willing to fight for the happiness she wants. She is no less strong because she is quiet. And when push comes to shove, she will stand up for what she believes is right and insist on her due.
The author’s note at the beginning tells the reader that while this is a work of fiction, the lead characters will be somewhat recognizable. And they are, but the reader should remember that this is a work of fiction – NOT historical fiction. One thing I found interesting is that I had looked at the cover of this book and assumed that this would be a story that paralleled the lives of Jack and Jackie Kennedy. I was wrong, but not at all disappointed.
Kimberly Farr does a fine job performing the audio version. She has good pacing and really brought Alice to life for me.
From the book jacket On what might have been one of the most significant days in her husband’s presidency, Alice Blackwell considers the strange and unlikely path that has led her to the White House – and the repercussions of a life lived, as she puts it, “almost in opposition to itself.”
My reactions
I was expecting a somewhat light look at a fictional first lady. What I got was every so much more – a nuanced, complex portrait of a woman who did not seek but nevertheless found herself in a very public position.
I liked that Sittenfeld takes the reader back to Alice’s childhood and introduces us to this young, quiet but inquisitive girl – an only child who lives in a small town with a loving family, including her grandmother who introduces her to the wonders of literature. We watch her grow to adolescence, make mistakes, grieve over losses and heartbreaks, struggle to achieve some independence, and find joy and fulfillment in her career as a librarian. While her life takes some unexpected turns, Alice remains true to herself, confident in her opinions, compassionate and thoughtful, but also willing to fight for the happiness she wants. She is no less strong because she is quiet. And when push comes to shove, she will stand up for what she believes is right and insist on her due.
The author’s note at the beginning tells the reader that while this is a work of fiction, the lead characters will be somewhat recognizable. And they are, but the reader should remember that this is a work of fiction – NOT historical fiction. One thing I found interesting is that I had looked at the cover of this book and assumed that this would be a story that paralleled the lives of Jack and Jackie Kennedy. I was wrong, but not at all disappointed.
Kimberly Farr does a fine job performing the audio version. She has good pacing and really brought Alice to life for me.
tmathews0330's review against another edition
3.0
Entertaining and thought provoking but the tone of distance that the narrator took with the other characters seemed to fall over into the way the book related to the reader. I struggled to connect.