American Wife

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

What was this book about?

This is the book of an average American girl who grows up to become the first lady of the white house. The girl definitely isn’t perfect –she is even involved in a car accident in her teens that kills someone. She has now married into the powerful Blackwell family and she must learn to navigate through it and her life.

Alice Lindgren is bookish and loves being a librarian. She is the only child of her two parents and is raised also by her grandmother (who has her own secrets). So she – a staunch Democrat – never saw herself giving up her politics or her own career to be the wife of Republican politician. Yet when she meets Charlie rather later on in her life (compared to many women of the time) she can’t help but be drawn to him.

The years pass and he makes his way through the political circuit with her by his side. But it isn’t always easy.

What did you think about the book?

I was really excited when I heard about this book. It was controversial with it being loosely based on Laura Bush’s life (or at least had some similar experiences though since it is not a memoir all details/thoughts are fiction) and of course I expected some extra drama thrown in. But when it came down to reading it – I just couldn’t get that in to it.

I think part of it for me was I spent the whole time picturing Laura and George bush when they spoke or were intimate. While I appreciated the details it just wasn’t fast moving enough for me.

It is possible that at a different time it may intrigue me – but having tried two separate times to get into this book – I don’t think for me right now is it.

What genre would you consider this?
Fiction

Overall:

Question for you:
What expectations did you have of this book? Are there books that have totally exceeded your expectations? Or not even come close to them?