I was given a copy of this book on Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
My Interest

Lexington, Kentucky, is a wonderful city. The history goes back to the time when Kentucky was part of Virginia. The elite has long taken pride in the heritage. The Todds of Lexington were a big part of that heritage. Mary Todd Lincoln was one of her father Robert Smith Todd’s 16 children by two wives. Mary was a child of the first wife. Like Eleanor Roosevelt, many years later, Mary was raised in a political family, was well-educated, and expected to converse knowledgeably at the table.

Sadly, as most Americans know, Mary Todd Lincoln suffered from what today is known as Bipolar Disorder and migraines. She lost her second and third sons when they were young children. Worst of all, she was, of course, beside her husband when he was shot at Ford’s Theater.

Finally, I so enjoyed Jennifer Chiaverini’s earlier Mary Lincoln book, Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker, that I was very happy to get to read and review this new book about Mrs. Lincoln.
The Story

Mrs. Lincoln’s Sisters tells her story before and after the White House. Beginning when she was a little girl, not long before her mother’s death, the book alternates between childhood and 1875-1876 at the time of Robert Lincoln’s controversial decision to have his mother committed to a mental institution in Bellvue, Illinois. Through the story we see the development of the woman famously called “The Hellcat” by her husband’s private secretaries.

Mary, Elizabeth, Frances, Ann, Emilie (“Little Sister”) remained close throughout their long lives. All were born daughters of extreme privilege and all married well–the goal of women in that time. Emilie, famously, was the wife of a Confederate officer who had turned down a commission in the Union Army offered by his brother-in-law. Mary had hoped Emilie would live with them in the White House.

In the 1870s chapters, we see just what a struggle it was for the sisters to deal with their famous sister–especially when a meddling journalist becomes Mary’s mouthpiece giving an alternate opinion of the condition of Mrs. Lincoln in opposition to that of Robert Lincoln. Elizabeth Edwards, especially, was put on the spot in this situation.

Whether Mary was truly mentally ill enough to require commitment or whether she could have lived safely with a caregiver is not answered. Robert Lincoln, later Secretary of War and Ambassador to Britain, would be taken to task for the rest of his life for his “treatment” of his mother.
My Thoughts

This is a good and engaging novel, but to me it lacked the spark of her earlier book, Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker. Too often, especially in the pre-White House chapters, I felt I was reading sections of history books strung together. The 1870s chapters were far more readable as were the later-in-time chapters after Mary and Lincoln were married.

Jennifer Chiaverini is one of my favorite historical fiction authors, and I always enjoy how she takes real women from history and creates stories that merge their life events with historical events. Her books are well-researched and educational, all while telling a compelling story. Her latest book, Mrs. Lincoln’s Sisters, is no exception to this. I was highly anticipating this book and was so glad to get an eGalley from the publisher on NetGalley. I love stories about sisters, and with Mary Lincoln having so many sisters, this story about their interactions is a great unknown tale from history. The author does a good job of weaving a complex narrative in different time frames and explaining the different ways her sisters dealt with Mary’s temperament and frailties, even from a young age. It paints a more forgiving picture of Mary than what has been portrayed by history and provides several reasons for her mania, from her childhood as an unwanted step-child to the traumatic losses of her husband and children. This book was so engrossing that I read it in just two days! I highly recommend this book for historical fiction fans and also those who are interested in the casualties from the Civil War. While official counts only include those soldiers who died on the battlefield, I would also say that Mary should be included in any list of Civil War casualties.

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/109763797-the-history-mom
Website review: https://thehistorymom.com/2020/06/01/year-of-historical-reading-may-update/
Instagram review: https://www.instagram.com/thehistorymom/

This book wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good either. It was pretty slow in parts and had too many points of view. I love historical novels based on real people but this one just didn’t grab me that much.

This book is the 3rd in a trilogy on Mary Todd Lincoln. I have not read the other two, but I look forward to reading them. This is the first book I have read by Jennifer Chiaverini, and I will certainly take a deep dive into all of her books. I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed this book. The Author did an excellent job, bringing the reader into the pre and post Civil War era, which provided the historical backdrop to this fascinating story.

Mary Todd Lincoln attempted suicide 10 years after the assasination of her husband President Abraham Lincoln. Mrs. Lincoln suffered 4 tragic losses, the death of her husband and 3 sons, and was debilitated with grief. Her son, Robert, the only surviving son, petitioned the court to have her declared legally insane and then committed to an asylum. Mary's sister Elizabeth, compassionately intervenes and insists that Mary be released from the hospital, to live with her.

It is a sweeping family saga, told from the perspective of Mary's four sisters, Elizabeth, Frances, Ann and Emilie. They all come together to support Mary, though their sympathy wanes, as Mary struggles to navigate life after leaving the asylum. Mary feels betrayed by her son Robert, and his need to control and manage her funds and her life.

I found this to be a compelling read. The Author does an excellent job telling the tale from multiple perspectives, as well as navigating a tumultuous time period. I enjoyed the family dynamics; as the sisters debate Mary's sanity or is it a need for attention? At times, they struggle with her need for 'more' of everything and the unseemly gossip she has brought to the family legacy.

The thorny tale is emboldened with the landscape of war, and the unassuming sanctitude of 'Honest Abe' and the emancipation of slaves. This was an unexpected treasure and I look forward to reading all of Jennifer Chiaverini's books.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley and William Morrow for an honest review. Thankyou for the opportunity to read this delightful book.

https://seniorbooklounge.blogspot.com/

review // Happy almost #PubDay to #MrsLincolnsSisters by @jenniferchiaveriniauthor! Thank you to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for the free e-ARC to review. Now, when I say I love historical fiction, I am probably like most readers in the fact that I largely stick with one era in history…namely WWII. So, I was thankful for a book to get me out of that comfort zone and introduce me to another point in history that I don’t often read about.
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Things I Loved: The focus on women characters and sisterly bonds. The multiple viewpoints. The clear imagery that helped me understand the different settings in the novel. The facts related to Mary Todd Lincoln’s mental and physical health issues, wrapped up in a family drama.
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To be fair and transparent, I have not read first novel, #MrsLincolnsDressmaker, so that may impact my thoughts and review. Overall, #MrsLincolnsSisters is a slow burn - it is not face-paced and quick moving; it definitely is a family drama, driven by characters, rather than by plot. Overall, I enjoyed this read; it was refreshing to break out of my WWII comfort zone and invest in new types of stories, and characters with different motivations. However, I think I prefer more quick-moving novels and never really felt compelled to pick this book up; you’ll likely enjoy it if you typically enjoy character-driven novels, female characters, and a Civil War setting. {3/5 stars}

This is the first time I have read a Historical Fiction story about Mary Todd Lincoln. Mrs. Lincoln's Sisters is written from the sister's point of view and take us through both pre- and post-Civil war. Before reading this book I never really had an interest in Mary Todd Lincolns sisters, or what happened to Mary Todd after President Lincoln's death. However, I did not want to stop reading this book and really liked the different views of each of the sisters. I look forward to reading more books by Jennifer Chiaverini. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book for my honest review. 5 Stars!!

I am never quite sure what to make of Chiaverini's historical novels. She starts with a scrap of a story and then builds around that scrap. There is always a lot of "padding," going over a lot of the history of the time, and it fleshes out the barest scrap of story. Sometimes all this padding makes the story feel redundant.

Mary Todd grew up as a charming, privileged daughter of the South. Even as a child she assured her family she was going to marry a president when she grew up. She spent a lot of time with her oldest sister, Elizabeth, in Springfield, Illinois, where she was the belle of the ball. she did, indeed, go on to marry Lincoln, much to the consternation of her sisters.

In 1875, following Lincoln's assassination, and the deaths of her children, her only remaining child, Robert Lincoln commits her to a sanitarium. Her sisters try to figure out what to do that will help her. Some of the sisters think she deserves what she got. Elizabeth wants Mary to come live with her, and that did happen. Mary was very susceptible to charlatans claiming to help her, and this caused problems not only for Mary, but for the rest of her family.

Told mostly from the sisters viewpoint, we find she was always a difficult person. She may or may not have been mentally ill. This has never been decided. What we do know is that she was unlike any other president's wife, and even her family wasn't quite sure what to make of her.

I have mixed feelings about Chiaverini as an author. Some of her stories I love every page. Others I count the pages until the end. Not because she is not a talented writer but sometimes I feel she is too long. I fell in love with her again reading this novel. Classic Chiaverini and am excited to see what she brings next. Crossed fingers I stay in love!

I’m a huge fan of historical fiction, but I’ve never been a fan of Civil War era books. They tend to be drab and overly dramatic with under developed characters. However, Jennifer Chiaverini has won me over. From the moment you begin Mrs. Lincoln’s Sisters, you are immediately immersed in the sisters pre and post Civil War world, and you find yourself not wanting to leave.

As the book begins it immediately pulls you in as the oldest Todd sister, Elizabeth, receives news that (a little over a decade after President Lincoln’s assassination) First Lady, Mary Lincoln, has been legally ruled insane and will henceforth be committed to an insane asylum.

From there, the story unfolds, and the reader follows President Lincoln’s rise and Mary Lincoln’s fall as told through the somewhat biased and at times unkind view of Mary Lincoln’s closest sisters, Elizabeth, Frances, Ann and Emilie. We follow each sister’s point of view (switching between past/antebellum era and present/reconstruction era), and learn how Mary has come to estrange herself from each of her sisters (through her own faults) and how each sister is trying to determine the truth of Mary’s sanity. Is she exaggerating her mental illness for her own malicious devices and attention or is Mary truly suffering a “mental malady?”

As each chapter flowed smoothly back and forth between sisters, I found myself not wanting to leave each sister’s world due to how engrossed in their lives I had become, and wishing their characters had more time to speak and tell the finer details of their own lives (maybe a book on each sister is in the works?). I loved how Chiaverini fully developed the characters of each sister, and their personalities leapt off the page to the point you found yourself either arguing with their decisions or agreeing with their opinions.
Once again, I was amazed at the research that went into this novel to accurately depict the characters, times and events. Chiaverini’s has kept the truth and the rich historical detail of the times. Not to mention the attention Chiaverini has brought to mental illness.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Jennifer Chiaverini never disapp0ints with her insightful view into historical characters - especially women. Her latest is a look at Mary Todd Lincoln from the point of view of her sisters. What a novel and very personal perspective. Any woman with sisters knows that they are the ones who are aware what really makes you tick!

This book follows Mary Todd's sisters and through then a version of Mary Todd Lincoln we may not know all about. Mary has been having a rough go of it since her husband died, but is she really crazy or just starved for the spotlight again?

Her son has had no choice but have his mother declared insane and placed in a mental health facility, but is Mary really in need of that or is she upset that the limelight is off her know that her husband is dead and she is no longer the first lady?

Her sisters come together to try to figure out what to do or how to keep the attention off the family and protect them from Mary's antics. But can they really or will this put a black streak on the Todd family?

This book gives you a look into the Todd family going back and forth from when they were kids all the way up to the present every other chapter is the present while the other chapters were in the past. You learn more about the family than you probably know, and how Mary Todd was determined to live her life regardless of whether or not she was insane.

It was a great period piece for those who want to learn more about the famous first lady and her family. It was riveting to see how the family overcame so much and was able to carve there mark on history. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can't wait to see what the author comes up with next.

A strong piece of historical fiction by Jennifer Chiaverini. I learned so much about Mary Todd Lincoln and am inspired to read more. The writing was beautiful and so well researched. It does read a bit more like a journal entry or an article than a novel.

This book was very well written. Within the first few chapters I wanted to get a history book and discover more about the sisters and find their real faces in history. The author writes three distinct personalities and history and this engaging story becomes more alive because of that.

Fans of Chiaverini's Mrs. Lincoln books will be pleased that Mrs. Lincoln's Sisters are joining the collection! In May, 1875, Elizabeth Todd Edwards has just learned that her sister, Mary Todd Lincoln, the former First Lady, has been found insane. Her only surviving son has agreed that she will be admitted to a psychiatric institution for her own safety. Of Mary's many sisters and step-sisters, Chiaverini focuses on Elizabeth, Frances, Ann, and Emilie. We will view Mary's life through these sisters to become aware of the many events and strained relationships Mary experienced. The failed associations may be the result of her personality, family and step-family during her formative years, various family members choosing to serve on opposing sides of the war, the assassination of her husband, and the deaths of her sons. She suffered so much loss throughout her years. As the author has so thoroughly researched her previous Mrs. Lincoln books, the reader will benefit from her thorough research for this offering also. Chiaverini has written the perfect combination of historical fiction based on facts in this stand alone addition to her repertoire.

3.5 Stars

Mrs Lincoln's Sister is an interesting historical fiction story by Jennifer Chiaverini.

Like other historical fiction books based upon real life people, I struggle at times with letting my mind wander, wondering how much is real and how much is fiction. Of course, I assume any of the narrative is fiction, but I constantly wonder if the details are real. That is distracting, although it did result in me googling more about these people.

That said, this story is very interesting as it deals with Mary Todd Lincoln's fate, all told through her sisters' eyes. To say that Mary was troubled is fact. The story about her situation, as told in this book, is heart-breaking and very troublesome. Personally, I knew nothing about Mary's life following the assassination of her husband. Thus, I am happy to have found this book.

The author excels in writing about this time period. Both her language and her descriptions are well representative of the time period. She definitely manages to draw the reader into the way of life at the time.

The author uses flashbacks to alternate with "present" events, all to develop Mary's personality, and to show what brought her to the time when her problems with her son evolved.

I definitely enjoyed reading this book, but I did find it drawn out and slow at times, thus resulting in a lower rating from me.

Overall, Mrs Lincoln's Sisters is a good way to learn more about Mary Lincoln and her family. Jennifer Chiaverini definitely gifts the reader with an intriguing and interesting tale.


- Will update with blog post on release day!

MRS. LINCOLN'S SISTERS is the second book (not of a series) Ms. Chiaverini has written about Mrs. Lincoln through the eyes of another. I have not read the first book, MRS. LINCOLN'S DRESSMAKER (2013), about the friendship of Mrs. Lincoln with her dressmaker Mrs. Keckley, a former slave. Mrs. Keckley is introduced in this book, as are countless other historical characters.

Written with chapters alternating between their present time (1875-1876) each sister (Elizabeth, Frances, Ann, and Emilie) tell their story in a timeline of historical events. This beautiful fictional depiction of the life of Mrs. Lincoln throughout her life allows the reader to more fully understand her suffering. Ms. Chiaverini's meticulous research for this book of historical fiction is evident when compared to other books, as well as the play The Last of Mrs. Lincoln by James Prideaux (1972).

I am now compelled to read more about Mrs. Lincoln, through non-fictional as well as historical fiction text.

A wonderful premise, but ultimately I felt that the style of storytelling, namely, the author's habit of telling rather than showing, made the plot very slow-moving and unexciting. Each sister basically retold Mary Todd's life, and what little dialogue there was felt stilted and awkward, with the characters spouting historical facts in an unnatural manner. This book did, however, move me to find a biography on Mary Lincoln and learn more about her early life before she became a First Lady.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
3.5 stars
I had previous heard about how the many losses Mary Todd Lincoln had experienced had taken a toll on her mental health, leading to contention between her surviving son, Robert, and herself. But I knew nothing about her own family, much less how they felt while all this was going on. Mrs. Lincoln’s Sisters attempts to provide their perspectives, and I think it does a pretty good job.

There are some great conflicts brought up, both in the 1870s arc surrounding the scandal concerning Mary’s mental health and their growing concern of what to do, and the years leading up to it, highlighting their formative years, including glimpses of Mary’s marriage to Lincoln and road to the presidency. Differences in political beliefs also see the family divided on different sides of the war, which made the situation in the 1870s arc much more tense.

However, given that the average reader is likely only getting to know Mary’s large family through this book (unless they’ve read extensively on the topic prior), and the fact that the sisters are less prominent in historical records, I found their perspectives all ran together, with it being easy to forget whose perspective it was meant to be. And even the facts at the end about their families and their own death dates meant little, because they are only important to most people in relation to Mary.

But I don’t think it’s entirely a failing of the book. Even thought we only get let into her head at the end, Mary is the central character of the story and the one driving things forward, as well as why most people would have picked up the book to begin with. And Chiaverini has written several other books about Mary that I’m eager to pick up as well. So, if you enjoyed those or just happen to be looking for a new story about Mary Todd Lincoln, I recommend this one.

Mrs. Lincoln's Sisters by Jennifer Chiaverini tells the story of Mary Todd Lincoln aka Mrs. Abraham Lincoln, through the eyes of four of her sister, Elizabeth, Frances, Ann and Emilie. It is both a sweeping family saga that takes the reader through the divisiveness of the Civil War and Reconstruction, and an intimate look at how mental illness impacts a family.

The storyline begins in the spring of 1875 with word arriving that the former First Lady has been declared insane and committed to a psychiatric hospital by her son, Robert, and ends after her death in 1882. The author effectively uses flashbacks to fill in the story of the Todd sisters and their ever-changing family dynamics, as well as their insights into the historical timeline which includes Lincoln's political career, presidency and ultimate assassination, as well as his role in the Civil War. I'm a huge fan of well-written historical fiction, and this book definitely falls into that category.

The author is a wonderful storyteller and obviously has a deep understanding of the people about whom she writes and the times in which they lived. Like all great historical fiction books, Mrs. Lincoln's Sisters is an enticing gateway to a greater interest in and understanding of historical characters and events. Call me a nerd, but I absolutely kept Mr. Google on speed dial while reading this book, fact-checking fairly insignificant details like what the Paymaster General does, but also reading several of Lincoln's political speeches, and learning more about Baltimore's role in the Civil War and each of the Todd sisters. I'll also admit to going through the bibliography at the end of the book, and adding several of the sources to my To Read List. Again, history nerd.

If you're looking for an intensely historical read, one that entertains and informs, one that provides insight into both the characters and the times, I highly recommend this book.

FYI Mrs. Lincoln's Sisters is a followup or companion book to the author's 2013 title, Mrs Lincoln's Dressmaker. I wasn't aware of that book prior to reading this one, but it is next up on my reading list. I'm not sure if the two are stand alone, or not.

This review as based on an advance copy read.

I loved Mrs. Lincoln’s Sisters by Jennifer Chiaverini and found myself immersed in the story-line while reading.

As Mrs. Lincoln’s Sisters begins, Elizabeth Todd Edwards receives the news that her estranged sister Mary Todd Lincoln has been declared legally insane and is being committed to a mental institution after attempting suicide. Elizabeth wants to go to her other sisters to see what they can do for Mary. She is willing to bring her estranged sister home to care for her but the other sisters are not so eager to help Mary and even think she may be exaggerating her mental illness for attention. The sisters try to decipher what is truly going on with Mary because they are receiving different accounts regarding the situation. The chapters alternate with flashbacks as the story-line mainly centers around Mary, past and present, as well as on her three sisters Elizabeth, Frances, Ann and Emilie. Many of the passages and scenes were moving, especially after the assassination. I never realized some of these sisters sided with the Confederacy and some with the Union and their brothers and even husbands died on the battlefield.

I enjoyed diving into this nice piece of historical fiction. The writing was rich and descriptive, the story flowed smoothly and I ended up googling some of it to see what was true to life or not.

I recommend Mrs. Lincoln’s Sisters if you are looking to get lost in a wonderfully written piece of historical fiction centering around Mary Todd Lincoln and her sisters. I have a non-fiction book on Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd, I need to pick it up soon.