Mary
By: Janis Cooke Newman
The Mary in this case would be Mary Todd Lincoln, our nation’s first First Lady and a character far more compelling than my high school history classes ever implied. A historical novel I picked up after my last positive experience, I was excited to start this one, thoroughly curious to read about this woman who was declared insane in her final years.
Oddly enough, I found the book to be much more interesting after (spoiler alert) the assassination of President Lincoln. Which was odd, as I really hoped to find their courtship and early years intriguing. Yet I found myself being annoyed by Abraham, frequently wondering what it was she saw in the man. We saw him through her eyes, yet I didn’t feel they were the love struck eyes of the in love wife that she claimed to be. Her eldest son Robert however, was a very clear character who I alternated between hating and pitying (which is, I believe how Mary herself felt throughout the novel).
The framing device of the book is that while committed, Mary decides to write down her memoirs. I suppose this could explain why in some segments, it really feels as though we’re being told that Mary is a martyr, being mistreated by the men around her. Then in others, she seems to be openly explaining her flaws, sometimes unaware that she’s even describing flawed actions.
Though with all the grief that woman suffered, with how many sons she lost and being there in Ford’s Theatre – can we deny her a little insanity?
A good book, though it may fall short of great. And now, for my favourite part of historical fiction…researching the truth to see how much of the book was based on fact, how much was hearsay and how much was good old fashion artistic license.
Oddly enough, I found the book to be much more interesting after (spoiler alert) the assassination of President Lincoln. Which was odd, as I really hoped to find their courtship and early years intriguing. Yet I found myself being annoyed by Abraham, frequently wondering what it was she saw in the man. We saw him through her eyes, yet I didn’t feel they were the love struck eyes of the in love wife that she claimed to be. Her eldest son Robert however, was a very clear character who I alternated between hating and pitying (which is, I believe how Mary herself felt throughout the novel).
The framing device of the book is that while committed, Mary decides to write down her memoirs. I suppose this could explain why in some segments, it really feels as though we’re being told that Mary is a martyr, being mistreated by the men around her. Then in others, she seems to be openly explaining her flaws, sometimes unaware that she’s even describing flawed actions.
Though with all the grief that woman suffered, with how many sons she lost and being there in Ford’s Theatre – can we deny her a little insanity?
A good book, though it may fall short of great. And now, for my favourite part of historical fiction…researching the truth to see how much of the book was based on fact, how much was hearsay and how much was good old fashion artistic license.
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