Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Karen Joy Fowler - 4 stars!
Junius Brutus Booth moved his wife, Mary Ann, to a secluded farmhouse near Baltimore; it was there that they went on to raise 10 children, though only 6 made it to adulthood. Junius was a Shakespearian actor who spent much of his time on the road performing and drinking. His children both loved and feared him and their family revolved around the theater. As the nation grows increasingly towards war and civil unrest, the family also fractures.
I love that the author wanted to explore the family of a notorious villain with less emphasis on the killer himself. This book explores in depth all of the siblings' lives and how the males all followed in their father's footsteps into the theater. It also delves some into President Lincoln’s life as well. It's an introspection of slavery, racism and classism - which all harken to mind the saying, The more things change, the more things stay the same. Ties to more recent political and race unrest go without saying. The book was a bit of a slow read to me but fascinating.
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