Honestly, I lost interest in the book during the whole Emerson and Thoreau encounter. I'm sorry to write those words - maybe it was just the wrong time for me to read this book. It felt long and wordy. I'm glad to see it's doing well. Maybe on this topic I'd have been more interested in a non-fiction version of her story.

To the extent that I adored the author’s book about Marjorie Post (5⭐️), I disliked this one. Hard to hold my interest and disliked the hyper focus on Fuller’s interest in married men.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Overall, another fantastic novel by Allison Pataki! I was not familiar with the titular historical figure prior to reading the book, but walked away with a deep appreciation for her contributions and trailblazing. My main critique, and the reason for the 4 versus 5 stars, is the slow start. Once I really got into the book, I enjoyed it - but it took some time to get there. If you pick up this book and find yourself in the same situation, stick with it. I promise it will pay dividends!

Well researched and a tribute to a woman that was truly remarkable. I had not previously heard of Margaret Fuller before reading this book and I learned a lot.
3.5 stars

✨ FINDING MARGARET FULLER ✨
Rating: 3 ⭐️ - It was ok

Alison Pataki is by far one of my all-time favorite historical fiction authors! Her SISI duology is a forever favorite and her novel on MARJORIE POST was a 5 ⭐️ read from last year! However, her latest novel about Margaret Fuller missed the mark for me.

❤️ for my LOVERS of historical fiction on AUDIO, stories of lesser known historical figures, WOMEN’S RIGHTS

❤️ I loved learning about Margaret’s life & the championing moments she had for women - being the first woman to study at Harvard, being a published author in a time women predominately weren’t, hosting women-only learning seminars, etc.

❤️ I also enjoyed learning briefly her interactions with prominent figures of the time - Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Elizabeth Cady Stanton

💔 this one just moved SLOW - I think the story could have been condensed down a bit!

❤️ given this is a thick read & on the slower side - I recommend picking it up on AUDIO!

Engrossing, intriguing, vivid, and detailed, "Finding Margaret Fuller" is a historical fiction novel delving into the life of Margaret Fuller.

Allison Pataki's writing is incredible visceral and descriptive, and I can only begin to imagine the amount of research she must have done for this novel, as I was fully immersed in the world of this book from the first page to the last. She brilliantly brings historical figures to life, seamlessly interweaves history and fiction, and I simply did not want to put this book down.

Margaret Fuller was truly a woman ahead of her time in so many ways. She stood up for women's rights and fought for what she believed in, knew and inspired many others, was unafraid to speak her mind, and did not allow others nor society to silence her. I am so glad this book was written to bring her to the forefront. I was not familiar with Margaret Fuller prior to reading this novel, but, I truly learned to much about her and the life and times in which she lived. I can't wait to do more research on my own time as well!

Many other historical figures also feature throughout this incredible novel!

I highly recommend this book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC of this novel, it is incredible! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for providing me this Digital Advanced Readers Copy of the book!

What an outstanding woman Margaret Fuller was!! She was unknown to me but I immediately connected with her as she spent time with Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne & Alcott championing women’s value and rights. A remarkable feminist in her time, whether stateside, at war, or in an Italian community, she led with compassion and fought against injustice. This was an inspiring read that illuminated the trials & tribulations of women in a world where men sought to silence them. Thanks to Net Galley and Ballantine Books for the ARC. This is my honest review.

An interesting tale, methodically told, that introduced us to a woman the world has forgotten. I found the character unusual and yet compelling, and was rooting for her through to the end. I love learning about a time in history that I don't know about, and this book delivered. A little cumbersome at times, but not enough to slow down the overall plot or desire for the character to rise up. A thoughtful and poignant novel.

Many thanks for the complimentary ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and the author/publisher.

Not connecting with this story, and I’m guessing it’s timing for me.

I loved this! It was a great homage to Margaret Fuller, someone who I had no clue about. The story was long, but I had a great time and learned a lot.

In 1836 Massachusetts, Margaret Fuller, a brilliant and bold young woman, joins Ralph Waldo Emerson's Transcendentalist circle, becoming a key figure and muse to literary greats like Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau. As she defies conventions, Margaret establishes herself as a pioneering activist and intellectual, founding literary salons, co-editing ‘The Dial’, and becoming the first woman to study in Harvard’s library. Her groundbreaking career takes her to Europe, where she becomes the first female foreign correspondent, embraces romance and revolution in Rome, and ultimately fights for Italy’s unification.

This was an interesting book. While I’ve heard of Emerson, Hawthorne, and Thoreau, I don’t think I’ve read anything they wrote. I’d never heard of Margaret Fuller, so I was eager to learn who she was and what her life was like. Honestly, although she led an interesting life, I’m not sure we would have been friends based on some of her decisions.

The book covers many years of her life, so at times it does feel as though it jumps around a bit. It is well-written and shows her friendship/relationship with her fellow writers.

Overall, it was an interesting read. I think readers who are interested in Early American Writers may enjoy it more than I did.

In her latest incredible historical fiction novel, Allison Pataki brings Margaret Fuller, a brilliant writer, thinker, and educator from New England in the first half of the nineteenth century to life. Long-forgotten despite being a strong woman and a trailblazer in several fields, Margaret Fuller is a capable, intelligent, and brilliant woman fully realized in this novel. Tracking her from Concord with her Transcendentalist friends and Boston’s salons with women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton to New York with her boss Horace Greeley as the first female foreign news correspondent and France and Italy during the unification period, this book travels the world with Margaret and changes as she does over her incredible lifetime. As complex and brilliant as her other works, Pataki has brought all of her literary skill and talent at historical fiction to this book, researching Fuller and her contemporaries to bring this massive, complex cast of historical figures to life. Margaret is the heart, mind, and soul of this novel (as she should be), and Pataki balances her with a variety of other, well-developed, and complex historical figures that emphasize Fuller’s importance to the rest of the nineteenth century, to women, and to New England while also shining in their own right.

Thank you to NetGally for giving me the opportunity to review.
"Finding Margaret Fuller: A Journey into the Lives of the Nineteenth Century's Most Compelling Feminist" by Alison Pataki is a thoughtful exploration of a remarkable woman whose influence and contributions to feminism and literature have been often overshadowed by her male contemporaries. The book delves into the life and legacy of Margaret Fuller, a pioneering journalist, critic, and advocate for women's rights in the 19th century.

Pataki's narrative is engaging and well-researched, blending biographical detail with a broader historical context to paint a vivid picture of Fuller’s life and times. The author’s thorough examination of Fuller’s writings and her role in the transcendentalist movement provides readers with a deep understanding of her intellectual and emotional landscape.

The book not only highlights Fuller’s achievements and struggles but also reflects on the societal challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated world. Pataki’s exploration of Fuller’s relationships, including her friendships with notable figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry James, adds layers to her character and reveals the complexities of her personal and professional life.

Overall, "Finding Margaret Fuller" is a compelling tribute to a significant yet often overlooked figure in American history. Alison Pataki successfully resurrects Margaret Fuller from the annals of forgotten history and reintroduces her as a vital and influential voice in the quest for gender equality and intellectual freedom.

Finding Margaret Fuller
By Allison Pataki

In the early to mid -19th century, there grew up, in and around Concord Massachusetts, a group of brilliant thinkers/writers who would later be called the Transcendentalists. Among these were such well-known names as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, Nathanial Hawthorne and others. There was also another founding member of this group, a woman thought by many of her contemporaries to be one of the most outstanding of them, Margaret Fuller. Yet, while most Americans are familiar with the works of those mentioned above, almost no one has heard of Margaret or has been exposed to her work.

This lapse is what inspired Ms. Pataki to write this outstanding historical novel about a woman who led her life as she chose, not following societal conventions; writing, traveling, participating in the Roman war for freedom from the Vatican – and always leading the way for the rights of women, non-whites, the poor, children and prisoners. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, among others, looked to Margaret as a beacon on the road to women's suffrage.

Margaret, alas, died at forty with so much to live for. But her legacy should not be forgotten. She contributed so much to advance causes and improve people's lives. As her sometime literary rival turned admirer, Edgar Allan Poe said of her: "Humanity is divided into men, women and Margaret Fuller."

Thank you, Ms. Pataki for this labor of love. Margaret Fuller deserves to be remembered.

Another winner from Allison Pataki. I loved the book about Marjorie Post and I was eager to learn about Margaret Fuller.
Written in such an easy to read format, fans of Marie Benedict will enjoy getting to know the story about Margaret Fuller - from Hollywood to leprosy.
A great piece of historical fiction.

I had never heard of Margaret Fuller (shame on me) and while it did take me a while to really get into the story it ultimately proved to be quite interesting and well written. It was both interesting and educational as I learned so much about the other authors who were her contemporaries.

Finding Margaret Fuller had such promise but I found it to be too long and honestly boring. I loved Pataki's book on Marjorie Post and was looking forward to this book. Sadly, I was disappointed.

This book! I loved The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post and as soon as I saw that Allison had a new book coming, I had to get my hands on it. I had never heard of Margaret Fuller before this book and boy did it make me want to go down a rabbit hole looking for more information on her.

I loved how Allison reimagined Margaret’s relationships with such big names like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathanial Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau. Her time spent in Concord, Massachusetts and her time spent with a young Louisa May Alcott were some of my favorite parts. She did things that women of her time never would have. She organized women’s meetings where they had the opportunity to speak their mind in ways they never would have been able to with men. She was a pioneer in the women’s rights movement. I wish she had survived long enough to march for the women’s movement in the US.

I was fascinated reading about her time in Europe and how many famous people she interacted with there also, like Walt Whitman and Frederic Chopin. It’s so unfortunate that she died so tragically and we never got to read her manuscript.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for my ARC of this book.

Margaret Fuller was many things to many people - a compatriate to Thoreau and Emerson, a literary inspiration to Nathaniel Hawthorne (Fuller was said to have been the inspiration for Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter,) and a guiding force to Louisa May Alcott. But to herself she was a woman, who wanted rights and freedoms, a woman who fell in love and bore a child amid scandal. Allison Pataki's Finding Margaret Fuller captures Fuller in all her fury and fire. In her time Fuller knew every transcendentalist and literary great and they're all in the novel, an who's who of pre-Civil War intellectual America. But Margaret Fuller is the star, a woman who educated herself, wrote America's first feminist treatise, advocated for suffrage and abolition, traveled to Italy and fought for freedom alongside her lover. Margaret Fuller may have met an untimely end, but she will live on thanks to Allison Pataki's beautiful tribute of a novel.