With the presidential election now behind us, I can’t help but think about all the elections that have led up to this one. One of the books I read lately is a historical fiction novel about a past president’s daughter and the other is about an election. Here’s a look into two election-themed reads that feel top-ical to the times.
“America’s First Daughter” by Laura Kaye and Stephanie Dray is a historical fiction novel about the daughter of Thomas Jefferson.
Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph was the oldest daughter of the third president of the United States of America. She was his confidant after the death of her mother, and through her eyes, Kaye and Dray unveil the secrets of Thomas Jefferson’s personal life in a well-researched novel.
From fleeing from British soldiers to viewing the French Revolution, Martha’s life makes a uniquely patriotic story. Her worldview is shaped by the context of the burgeon- ing society that America is becoming, which made reading the book a jarring experience. This book doesn’t sugarcoat how human life was in the early American South. The American fight for democratic idealism is juxtaposed with the horrors of slavery.
This was a character-motivated book, making it personal and keeping me intrigued, but it did mean the plot was slow at times. The pacing in the beginning was at times tedious, but the middle of the story was gripping and the ending sections were even more fast-paced and riveting.
This book is a great way to explore how the United States has developed and see how different it is from where it started.
On the other hand, “Charlotte Illes is Not a Teacher” by Katie Siegel follows an election that connects to our recent one. This book is a sleuth story following former-kid-detective-now-adult-substitute-teacher Charlotte Illes. It explores unionization and election interference, two topics relevant to the current political environment. I am including it in this review mostly because it was a fun read, and fun books are more important than ever.
The story follows an attempt to sabotage someone running for reelection to the Board of Education. As the plot escalates, themes of election interference and tampering are alive and well within this book. Topics of discrimination, as well as advocacy based on sexuality are also prevalent throughout the novel. Like “America’s First Daughter,” this book was also very character-driven, but it didn’t lack in plot or pacing where the former
did at times.
Overall, I enjoyed reading “Charlotte Illes is Not a Teacher” more, but “America’s First Daughter” is more relevant. If you’re looking to dive into the political world, I recommend the Jeffersonian story, but if you are looking for a breather story that still keeps you informed, read Siegel’s. I recommend using books to stay informed about politics, but if you feel overwhelmed, read something fun instead!
