Set in the years shortly before, during, and after the Civil War, The House of Lincoln is a sweeping work of historical fiction that explores the impact of slavery and race on Abraham Lincoln and his rise to the Presidency and the effects of the Civil War on race relations in the years afterward.
The book is set in Springfield, Illinois- Lincoln's hometown, whose citizens teetered on between supporting slavery and abolition because of it's proximity to the Southern States. The main protagonist, Ana, is a Portuguese immigrant who moves to Springfield as a child and later works for the Lincoln family before they leave Springfield when Lincoln is elected. The story is mostly from her point of view, but also follows The Donnegans, a freed black family, as well as Mary Todd Lincoln.
The book was interesting to see the shift before the Civil War, and then during, of how President Lincoln came to support emancipation through his interactions with his free neighbors and the logic of the law and how this also affected everyday people living their lives through these historical events.

I was very much looking forward to reading this book as I loved the author’s previous book Loving Frank. This book was a bit of a disappointment. The storyline was rather jumbled and didn’t give me the story about the Lincoln’s I was hoping it would. Instead the Lincoln’s seem to just have been a placeholder to show the time in history we are dealing with. The book had very quick jumps from one time period to the next while never developing any of the characters fully where I was invested in their story.

For the book called the House of Lincoln I initially believed there would be a lot more Lincoln. Except I was pleasantly surprised to learn that instead of being a biographical fictionalized account of his life, the story is told from three different perspectives over the course of Lincoln’s career from a young upstart outside of Chicago until well after his assassination. In fact the assassination takes place off-page and is only briefly mentioned. Instead, the focus is on the effects of Lincoln’s politics on both Illinois and all of America, and the effect his death had on ending slavery.

The primary focus of the book is racism and class divisions. The scariest part of this novel is that it doesn’t feel like historical fiction. The themes and events that take place in large part echo current events happening in the U.S. so this novel could not be more relevant. We primarily get the story from the perspective of Ana, a young Portuguese immigrant who learns from outsiders exactly why her best friend is treated differently. We also get the perspectives of Spencer, a free man and pastor, who assists his brother through the Underground Railroad, and finally Mary Lincoln.

I’m by no means an expert in American history but to the uninitiated it appears to be a well-researched and well-thought out book. There are tons of historical events and people woven into the story. The author does an excellent job of creating a believable atmosphere and for the most part the language used, inner thoughts and actions taken by individuals all seem reasonable for the time period. It is both educational and entertaining.

Yay for more historical fiction being published beyond that of World War II!

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for providing a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Anna arrived in Springfield Illinois at six years old in with the help of her best friend Kelly she would be the only English speaking member of her family she practiced her English and learned the routes of the town by writing down peoples names in the places they worked in the streets they were on while running errands for her neighbors who also spoke no English one day while at the cobbler’s three rough looking men came in and only later would she learn these were slave catchers in the man fixing her dad‘s boots was a conductor on the northern railroad after the men leave she sees a man’s hand come out from under a pile of animal pelts but when she mentioned it later to her friend,Callie says say nothing and Anna takes the advice to heart. Minding her own business will come in handy because at 14 and starts working for Mrs. Lincoln although this book is called The House Of Lincoln Abraham is mostly just talked about we mainly get to know Mary Todd and her boys when I first downloaded this book I didn’t know what it was about I just knew I loved Abraham Lincoln and I figured any book about him would be a great one but I really enjoyed the sport and although it is just one authors version of what she thinks may have happened with the downward spiral of the first lady there are many things I found very interesting this is a book I highly recommend and thoroughly enjoyed I received it from NetGalley and sourcebooks Landmark but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

This book is told by Ana Ferreira who is offered a job working for the Lincolns and assisting Mary Lincoln with her sons. She and her family immigrated to the Unites States from Madeira, Portugal. While working in the "House of Lincoln" Ana witnesses Abraham Lincolns thoughts on equality and his ascent from being a lawyer to being the President known as the Great Emancipator.

When not working she spends time with her family and her friend, Callie Patterson (Cal) who is free. Through her friendship with Cal, she witnesses not only racism but the workings of the Underground Railroad.

If you are looking for a book about Abraham Lincoln, now that this book is more about Ana and her experiences and life. She worked in the House of Lincoln and knew them. She tells not only the story of her life but the story of Abraham Lincoln, the civil war, riots, racism, the underground railroad, friendship, and hardship.

I enjoyed this book and found sections of this book to be gripping while other parts were slow. I learned something new while reading The House of Lincoln. I had never heard of the Springfield race riot of 1908 that took place in Lincoln's hometown.

This book begins with Ana and her family' experiences with being immigrants and follows her and the county and the war that shaped the nation. The author shows the physical and psychological effects of war, the trauma of losing loved ones, political aspirations, racism and the fight for freedom in this book.

Well written, well researched, and thought provoking.


3.5 stars

The House of Lincoln offered so much rich history but never felt like a lecture or an encyclopedia entry, of which I'm so grateful. I've read a few of Horan's books, my favorite still being Loving Frank, but I really enjoyed this one as well. It explored Lincoln and his family through an outsider's perspective, that of Ana, a younger girl that became Mary Lincoln's helper. Though Ana came to states due to religious persecution, it was her bright and curious mind that I enjoyed.
HIstorical fiction fan will enjoy this one.

The House of Lincoln is Nancy Horan's latest historical fiction book. This time Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln are the historical subjects and the story is seen through the eyes of a Ana an immigrant from Portugal. This mechanism keeps the story fresh and introduces a new perspective for our thoughts on Lincoln.
I enjoyed this book and appreciate NetGalley and the publisher providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. The House of Lincoln is on sale now.

I love learning everything I can about US History, but history class was my least favorite subject. Since I have been reading more historical fiction books, I have learned so much. The House of Lincoln is a phenomenal look at the private and public life of Abraham Lincoln through the eyes of a young immigrant girl who worked in his household. It is also the story of the US during a time of unrest, the Civil War.



Usually, I do not read reviews before I read the book but this time I did and I saw many that said the book was good but there were flat times where it felt like a history was just being told, not lived. I have to disagree. Never did I feel like I was being told anything. I felt like I was living the lives of the characters. I was seeing and feeling the excitement of Lincoln’s life, the fear of the war, and grief over Lincoln’s death. The book moved through Lincoln’s life but even more it told of the world he was living in and the way that he was working to make it a better place.



The House of Lincoln is a great look at the history of Springfield, Illinois (I did not know there was a riot there), the history of the US during the Civil War, and the history of Abraham Lincoln.

With THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN, Nancy Horan weaves her trademark, exquisite storytelling about Abraham Lincoln and the tumultuous, divided country over slavery, politics, and identity. Told from the perspective of a close household member, the story is a noteworthy sensual immersion in another time and place and was a delightful escape. While at times it felt as if a heavy hand was forcing a point of view into injustice and hardship, but overall, it was a very enjoyable read. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

Okay, I really enjoyed this book. So unique and interesting! I have never read anything about Lincoln before, but this got my attention from start to finish!

Nancy Horan is an amazing storyteller and to present the story of Abraham Lincoln and his wife as seen through the eyes of a young immigrant in the town of Springfield, Illinois, is so powerful a story. While this is a historical fiction book, the details of the Underground Railroad, the town of Springfield, as seen through the life of Ana grabbed at my heartstrings. The thoughts of Lincoln and slavery, Mary Lincoln and her attempts to make the White House a livable habitat and the question of her psyche and the amazing story of Springfield around the time of President Lincoln’s 100th birthday makes time stand still. Thank you, NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the advance reader copy of this book; the opinions are my own but I so recommend this book and hope many book clubs will choose this book.

I've read a lot about Lincoln, so I wasn't sure if this was a necessary read. Even if you've read a lot, pick this up! It is unique, fun, interesting, and moving. I appreciated the different POVs giving this a different feel!

A Young Girl Working for Mary Todd Lincoln

Presently we are immersed in immigration in the United States. Our southern border is indicative of the many who want to enter our country and the many of Americans who do not want them.

Nancy Horan takes us back to the time before and during after the Civil War. The Ferreira family fled Portugal because of religious persecution. They only speak Portuguese. Ana, the main character in the book, arrives with her Catholic family in the mid 1800’s, and land in Springfield, Illinois.

Ana speaks English and helps her family traverse American customs while establishing a menial livelihood. The stress of a new land is difficult. As the anxiety mounts between the North and the South, Ana finds a job in the Lincoln household helping Mary Todd Lincoln. Ana is 12 years old and helps with childcare and housework responsibilities. She is a witness to Lincoln’s unsuccessful run for the Senate and his successful candidacy for President.
The one facet that I found unusual was the inclusion of the racism in Illinois from the 1908 Springfield race riot (which I did not know) and the power of the Ku Klux Klan (which I know). These two narratives emphasize the targeting of Black citizens. Mary Todd Lincoln is always a complicated person.

Like any era, it is complex. Horan’s writing shifts focus often which clouded my interpretation of our history, Ana, however, was symbolic of those times.

My gratitude to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this pre-published book.

I think this is such a unique way to look at Lincoln and the effects of slavery, diversity and how divided people were both in the north and the south. Not only on did they support Lincoln as a person and president, but how they reacted to the abolishment of slavery. I love that this book gives you three different perspectives of people dealing with this time period. I think it highlights how torn people were during this time. You have even Mary Lincoln who had family who didn’t support her or her husband, yet still they wanted to maintain their family connection. I think so many times we forget how much of a war between brothers the Civil War was. Also, I enjoyed seeing Ana’s struggles with wanting to see beyond color and continue a friendship she had as a child and realizing that the world makes it so sometimes isn’t that simple. Overall, this book is just beautiful, and it truly delves into a couple important issues that many people don’t always acknowledge when writing about this time period. I am excited to start recommending it to readers.
Thank you so very much to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

The House of Lincoln is a captivating novel that brings to life a diverse cast of both fictional and historical characters who played a pivotal role in shaping Springfield, Illinois, and the nation as a whole during the tumultuous era of slavery and the Civil War. Horan's masterful storytelling transports readers to a bygone era, where they can witness firsthand the struggles and triumphs of the people who lived through this pivotal moment in American history. With its richly drawn characters and vividly rendered settings,

(Will be published 6 June 2023)

The House of Lincoln by Nancy Horan

Books by Nancy Horan are an automatic order at Owl’s Nest Books. Her novel about Frank Lloyd Wright, Loving Frank sold several hundred copies from our tiny store, due to the handselling talent of one of our former staff — it was picked up by at least half-a-dozen local book clubs.

With the current climate south of the Canadian border, The House of Lincoln reminds us of an important part of history — just as many people out there want to push us backward as pull us forward. Lincoln was considered nearly radical when he was elected, but he was not without his own prejudices against Black people and other minorities. But what made him the man he was was that he consistently questioned his own beliefs.

Horan shows us Lincoln through the eyes of the people of Springfield, IL. Of various races and cultural backgrounds, they weave a tapestry of what the USA was like in the time just before, during, and after the US Civil War. While the book tipped a bit toward sermonizing in places, I don’t necessarily see that as a detraction — a lot of people in this world still need to hear the sermon. Canada is also very guilty of racism throughout its history, especially in our treatment of the land’s Indigenous peoples.

Definitely a recommended read.

I’ve always been interested in Lincoln and the Civil War. I was excited to read this book about Ana and her life with Lincoln family. I did think the book started out slow but then the middle part was good. The last few chapters were not quite as interesting. I still thought it was a good book.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

First let me thank the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the advanced copy. This is my unbiased review.

I’ll be honest, when I requested this book I wasn’t aware that it was historical fiction. It was only after the advanced copy came through that I came to realize that. I couldn’t have been happier. I love historical fiction and enjoy reading about Abraham Lincoln. This book was well written and really drew you in. It was one that I couldn’t put down. You felt invested in each of the main characters lives.

The later part of the book made me sad to realize that some of the same tensions that existed back there still reverberate throughout out society today.

Excellent book. Would highly recommend.

As always - this author simply always delivers! She always brings history to life in such a way that you don’t realize you are actually learning about the lives of people that affected the way we live. Great story, well written and amazing characters.

I did finish this book, but didn’t enjoy it all that much. To me it seemed a bit disjointed and I guess I kept expecting it to get better. It wasn’t what I’d hoped.

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review.