Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker

Author: Jennifer Chiaverini
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Group, 2013
Pages: 384
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: In a life that spanned nearly a century and witnessed some of the most momentous events in American history, Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley was born a slave. A gifted seamstress, she earned her freedom by the skill of her needle, and won the friendship of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln by her devotion. A sweeping historical novel, Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker illuminates the extraordinary relationship the two women shared, beginning in the hallowed halls of the White House during the trials of the Civil War and enduring almost, but not quite, to the end of Mrs. Lincoln’s days.

Review: Although a work of fiction, Elizabeth Keckley was a real person and confidante to the First Lady.

I can appreciate the research that went into writing this novel, but out of 384 pages, I was bored nearly to tears for about 275 of them.

When the author was writing about Mrs. Keckley, Mrs. Lincoln, and Abraham Lincoln, and nuances of their relationships, the story flowed nicely and was actually interesting. However, she spent far too much time discussing details of the Civil War that only detracted from the story line. Such details are not relevant to this particular story.

Had Chiaverini stayed on task this would have been a more compelling, note-worthy read. Disappointing.

NOTE: Chiaverini also wrote Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule, which I really enjoyed. That novel mentions Elizabeth Keckley, the subject of Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker.