I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

I was not particularly interested in Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. I knew who she was and I knew a little of her life’s timeline. But the era she lived in is recent enough that the thought of a novel centered on her life didn’t quite grab me the way historical fiction set farther in the past does. However, I had read author Dawn Tripp’s wonderful novel of Georgia O’Keefe, Georgia, so when I saw Jackie on Netgalley I thought I’d give it a try.

This fictional biography is told mainly from a first person perspective, and it takes the reader deep into the mind and heart of this extraordinary woman. Occasional chapters are told in the third person from JFK’s perspective. There is a whole lot going on in the world during their courtship, marriage, and Kennedy’s rise to the presidency. The 1950s-1960s were tumultuous, world-changing decades, and the history drew me in more than I expected.

Even so, the novel keeps a tight focus on the relationship, the love story between “Jack” and “Jackie,” while the chaos of the era swirls around them. Jackie is intelligent, witty, charming, and independent—perhaps more so than her husband. He sees everything through the lens of his political ambition, even calculating when and who he should marry. Jackie knows this, just as she knows he is a philanderer. It’s painful to watch her draw back from love to protect herself from his casual cruelty, even while remaining unstinting in her support. The author’s ability to show us Jackie’s strength and vulnerability all at the same time makes this novel compelling.

Jackie’s commitment to what is right, rather than simply politically expedient, helps guide Jack’s public policy, particularly in civil rights. Her moral courage pulls JFK into taking more daring positions. And then, of course, comes the assassination. Readers watch Jackie come apart. And then, put herself back together again.

The novel is relatively long, reaching about 500 pages, and there were times when it FELT long, because the relationship was static for a time. But enough history is pulled in to keep the narrative interesting. And Jackie’s second marriage takes her and the reader in a whole new direction.

While this is a novel, and novels always require the author’s imagination, the research is meticulous and the writing so beautiful that the story is entirely credible as Jackie’s story. The heartbreak feels real.

“The world has divided my life into three acts. Life with Jack Kennedy. Life with the Greek. Life as a woman who goes to work because she wants to.”

Dawn Tripp’s portrait of Jackie is an intimate historical fiction account of a complex woman who felt deeply and passionately, loved beauty and humanity. The novel is obviously well researched but it is Jackie’s inner dialogue and feelings that are so well conveyed that makes this a must read. Thanks to Tripp’s interpretation, readers will finally feel like they understand this complex and fiercely private woman. My admiration for Jackie has grown as a mother and a woman with her own thoughts and ideas - at a time when she was expected to be the premier housewife - she was so much more.

I loved this book and I love learning about Jackie. She had a fascinating life. It was written from her point of view, and since she never publically gave her point of view it is more of a story than a history lesson. I loved the way this author portrayed Jackie to illuminate her beauty inside and out

This book is written fine, it reads quick, but I have realized the more I read about the Kennedys, I just don’t see the allure of this family. They’re not great people. I don’t think this book tells any more of Jackie’s story that hasn’t already been told in other historical fiction books.

I also found the interludes from JFK’s POV to be unnecessary.

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Jackie by Dawn Tripp is her story told through her point of view. It begins just before meeting Jack until her diagnosis. A lot of research was done to write this book. One learns a lot about Jackie her love of books and horses. Her marriage to Onassis was rocky. Her thoughts and doubts about the assassination. Then how she carried on after Onassis death. A thought provoking book. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jackie by Dawn Tripp is a historical fiction telling of the life of Jackie Kennedy. The author attempts to take us into the inner thoughts of Jackie and the story she tells feels very possible. I think my issues with this book aren't just about this specific book but rather with historical fiction that focuses on a real person and tries to tell us about their internal life. We just can't know what they really felt or thought. Instead, as I read this book I realized that I prefer historical fiction telling the true story of an incident through the eyes of a character.

Focusing more on this book, at 500 pages it would have benefited from more editing, maybe some of the poetic ponderings. Fans of Jackie will likely enjoy this book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. Jackie is available now.

This was my very first ARC and it was a good one! The amount of time and research the author put into this book was absolutely astonishing! She did an excellent job taking real facts and stories and turned them into an art of fiction. I can go on and on about this book but I I can’t think of a single negative! Well done!

I know very little about Jackie Kennedy Onassis beyond the obvious stuff in the news. I was very interested to read this book.

At first the points of view were confusing - especially on the audio version but once I got oriented it was fine.

I loved the first half of the book as she talked about her time before meeting Jack Kennedy and the lead up to his assassination. As we were getting closer to that tragic day I could feel the tension building since we all know how that turned out. I was struck by how much loss Jackie endured as a relatively young woman.

After Jack’s death the style of the book changed and I liked it less. It became more esoteric. Too much time was spent in philosophical ramblings and recitation of poetry. I found that boring and I did really want to learn more about Jackie’s life post JFK.

First 2/3 of the book a solid 4 stars.
Last 1/3 3 stars. Overall rating 3.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I read Donna Tripp’s book on Georgia O’Keefe several years ago and throughly enjoyed it, so I waited eagerly for the release of her current book titled simply Jackie. Many of my generation looked at Jackie Kennedy as a modern-day princess but at the conclusion of this book, it was clear that her life wasn’t easy at all. And Tripp cleared up the mystery of Jackie and Aristotle Onassis. I will wonder no more. This is an absolutely engaging book and it’s why I enjoy historical fiction. Recommended.

Jackie was always true to herself.

Truly enjoyable historical fiction reads like fiction, with a cohesive plot and compelling character development, and facts blended into the entertainment. Jackie definitely fulfilled all of the criteria. Without necessarily knowing which anecdotes were factual and which were created from knowledge of Jackie’s life, everything led to the development of Jackie from a young single girl making monumental decisions about how her life would go, to marrying JFK and contributing her insights to his political career and presidency, to her marriage to Aristotle Onassis, and finally her choices to continue the path of her life as she wanted to, regardless of the public’s expectations based on her previous relationships and persona.

The story also gave a glimpse into other well-known figures, like Joe (JFK’s dad) and Bobby (his brother), as well as potential impressions of other historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr.’s family and the Clintons. Overall, the book was both educational and enjoyable and earned a high 4 out of 5 stars. The book would be a good read for history buffs or fans of fiction from the era.

So many books have been written about Jackie Kennedy, but what sets Dawn Tripp’s book apart is that it’s written from Jackie’s perspective as a historical fiction piece.

History remembers Jackie Kennedy Onassis as a very sophisticated and stylish First Lady, but sometimes the legacy of her sense of fashion and glamour overshadows how incredibly well-read, eloquently spoken, and strong-willed she was. She wanted to leave a legacy of her own, and the modern White House is a reflection of her work to infuse a sense of history and grandeur into the home and bring that to the American people.

The book weaves between Jack and Jackie’s perspectives, and readers are shown a side of their complex relationship we don’t often see.

There is a certain self-aware or meta quality to some points in the book, particularly after the events of November 1963 when Jackie grapples with journalists writing about her husband’s life and tragic death, as well as media interest in her and how she is perceived. There is a passage about her boredom with a piece in The Washington Post that reads (taken from advanced copy):

“It doesn't say anything, and it strikes me then how often it's just this way with a woman's story. No one wants to know the real story-the private story-the evolution of a woman's interior life. They want events on a linear string. Some twists and turns, a little joy, a little danger, tragedy, of course, and, if there's some transgression, comeuppance. When they tell the story of a woman, they never get right up against what she might have felt and thought and seen and feared and wondered. Rather, they tell the story of what happened to her, and in the world's eyes, usually what happens to a woman is men.

“Until at a certain point, perhaps, she decides that is not what the story will be.”

Tripp actively works to tell a story that rejects this cliched telling of a woman’s story, bringing Jackie to life in a way that does involve the men in her life, but also dives deeper into her hopes and dreams, desires and fears. It makes it very clear that she was more than just a wife or companion to powerful men. She embodied femininity and motherhood and yet was also exceptionally strong with her own personal goals and aspirations.

A second passage describes a dinner party where Jack discussed his fascination with biographies as they struggle to answer the question of what a person was really like. “In history….we turn toward what was lost because we crave the dream of a world that might have been.” This sums up the long-standing fascination with the Kennedys and much of the story of the second half of Jackie’s life as she attempts to move beyond Jack and the White House. Though not a traditional biography, “Jackie” the novel does seek to answer the question of what its subject was really like, and it does so in a deeply affecting, human way.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced copy.

Jackie is a work of historical fiction that is immersive that it is sometimes hard to remember this is a fictional retelling. This book is rather long but you don’t realize because it is so good. This is the story of politics, love and betrayal. I 100% recommend this to anyone.

Dawn Tripp has written a fictional account of Jackie Kennedy Onassis that certainly feels real as you read it. I love Tripp’s lyrical, poetic writing style in descriptions of the beach and the countryside, of the settings where Jackie lived and breathed. And I loved this novel! She also includes Jackie’s thoughts and occasionally, Jack’s, making them more than figures you read about in history books. You are happy when they are and cry when they grieve. I found myself googling photos of the places described and photos and people mentioned. I have a deeper understanding of the history of the periods the novel covers. Clearly, Tripp did extensive research. She made me want to know more, more about Jackie, more about her children, more about her interests. I didn’t want this novel to end, and I will definitely read more works by Tripp!
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this advanced copy to review.

I have been looking forward to this book for a while now, as I have been fascinated by Jackie O Kennedy’s side of the Kennedy story recently after reading Diva, the novel about Maria Callas, who had been involved with Jackie’s eventual 2nd husband, Aristotle Onassis.

For the most part, I enjoyed reading this story of Jackie’s life from just before she met “Jack” to her late life all from her perspective. In the back of my mind, I always had to wonder how much was accurate and true and how much had to be taken with a grain of salt. This is not meant to discredit Dawn Tripp’s work at all, as I know she did an abundant amount of research to write the novel.

Ultimately, I found the novel fascinating and I do understand that as a fictional novel, a fair amount of deduction had to occur with liberties taking place as to what Jackie may have thought, felt, and how she may have behaved or reacted. So much was lost in terms of her personal records, and she was raised and bred in a time where women did not have the freedoms, rights, or privileges they do now. Even as a feminine revolution was taking place around her, her role as the President’s wife and as a Kennedy wife was strictly controlled BY her position. This is all so clearly illustrated in Jackie as we read her private thoughts in this novel and witness various interactions with those close to her. So many times I wondered how a woman so incredibly strong, so intelligent, witty, and truly powerful could allow such abuse, control, and disrespect. But we get a hint of what life may have been like for her and how the deep love for her children, and even her late husband, who I believe absolutely took her for granted, pushed her to hold her head high and present a strong face to the world.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House, and Dawn Tripp for an advanced e-version of this book.

I have read most everything about Jackie that has ever been published from the sublime to the silly.
Tripp does a good job of trying to elicit the voice of Jackie, with most of the book focused in her relationship with Jack.
I felt like she seemed to lose steam when it came to the Onassis years and didn’t even touch on Ari’s infidelity and the fight with Christina for the money, two key things that undoubtedly influenced the last quarter of Jackie’s life.
Jackie can never be fully figured out and that’s what keeps both readers and writers coming back for the next round of Jackie genre.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Jackie: A Novel, is written in the first person, which is probably why I didn’t enjoy it as much as I could have if it were written in the third person. As much as I love anything on the Kennedys, I had a hard time connecting with this book.

I think this book is a good introduction to younger generations who might not know anything about the Kennedy family or more specifically, Jacqueline Kennedy, who died 30 years ago. For the most part, this historical fiction novel doesn’t play fast and loose with the facts and is filled with mostly true details in the life of Kennedy and those around her. The bulk of the book is spent on the Kennedy family, naturally, with a shorter span covering her life with Aristotle Onassis. What I really wish is that someone would concentrate on Jackie O’s life AFTER these marriages, because she lived a very full life, raising her kids as a single mother, launching a successful career in publishing, and finding a companion who accepted her as she was, not put on a pedestal.

This fictionalized biography of Jackie Kennedy focuses primarily on her courtship and marriage to Jack Kennedy, but also includes her second marriage, editing career, and ultimately, her death. Using as inspiration an intimate photograph of the Kennedys taken in Hyannisport, this novel manages to be fresh and exciting. It shows Jackie's pain and anger over Jack's infidelities and suggests a deep rift that they had just begun to heal when he was assassinated.

Though I am by no means an expert, I know a fair amount about this era of American history and was interested in how the author brought real life historical figures to life (so to speak). She glossed over some more unfavorable incidents. Joseph Kennedy, Sr., for example, seemed far more sympathetic than I would have thought, while Aristotle Onassis was portrayed as even more of a jerk than I would have believed.

In any event, this is a fascinating portrayal of one of the famous marriages of the twentieth century. #Jackie #NetGalley

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for this beautiful novel. As someone who has always been fascinated by the Kennedy's, I knew I had to read this book. I had no idea that it would feel like reading Jackie's personal diary... The feelings I felt reading this.. how perfectly described the feeling of grief was depicted.. I honestly am at a loss of words... I can't say enough good things about this stunning novel.

Unputdownable!
I was totally captivated by this novel based on the life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
This richly detailed novel is well-researched and beautifully written.
Jackie is the story of a woman, deeply private, who led many lives filled with love and power, family and tragedy, loss and reinvention.
Historical fiction at it's best!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Random House for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

In her book Jackie, Dawn Tripp introduced Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in a light that I had never seen before- as an incredibly strong yet vulnerable woman who truly loved her extraordinary but flawed husband through everything. Not the Camelot legend and not a cynical tell-all, this book told a story of love, triumph, and unspeakable heartbreak that Jackie lived through, told in a believable first person. Not a perfect woman, but an intelligent and complex individual who knew how to maintain the right appearances for her husband's career, but also struggled with his infidelities and loved him and their family through it all. The research that the author did must have been extensive, because I truly felt that Jackie was telling the reader of the twists and turns her life lead her through. This is a well written book and worth the time for anyone who is interested in the Kennedy era and different points of view. I truly enjoyed it.