A review by lucieloureads
Democracy: An American Novel by Henry Adams

4.0

Picked up at the Last Bookshop in LA, based simply on it's title, and modern classic distinction, I'm glad to have done so. Brilliant character study of the Washington archetypes, as told by the perspective of newcomers to DC; the widow Mrs Lee and her sister Sibyl. The female characters all had strong agency and were multifaceted which I enjoyed. Everyone was shown to be flawed and employed different techniques in seeking power and influence. Written and published anonymously in 1880, the deceits and power struggles of government remain as prominent and important as ever. By it's conclusion I enjoyed the steady build up I had previously questioned, as it justifies the actions of Ratcliffe and Mrs Lee. I wish I hadn't read the Introduction by Arthur Schlesinger Jr. first as it gave away the entire plot.