Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⬜
Title: Booth
Author: Karen Joy Fowler
Genre: Historical Fiction
Setting: Maryland, USA
Month Read: April 2022
Book Type: Hardcover
Publication: 2022
Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons
Pages: 470
*Book of the Month Selection
TRIGGER WARNING-
Death / Harassment / Murder / Treason / Alcoholism / Neglect
"This is a good reminder that no one in the world is a reliable source for their own story."
No Spoiler Summary:
Booth is a multi-generational tale of the Booth family, starting with Junius Brutus Booth and his family in England, and working their way to America, where Junius and his wife have several children, including the most infamous Booth, John Wilkes Booth. The book takes you through the generations, ultimately leading you up to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and a little beyond as you follow John's siblings.
Review:
I'm SO glad I listened to the amazing reviews for this and added it to my last box. I think this book was absolutely incredible, if slow at times, and I loved getting to learn about a period of history I like a lot, but from a vastly different perspective than I thought I was getting myself into. The most incredible part about this book is that it's not told from John Wilkes Booth's perspective, which I sort of assumed it would be in- but mostly his siblings in a split narration.
The amount of research that seemed to have gone into making this book must have been SO much work. I constantly felt like I was *right there* in Maryland, in California, in Panama- during each year, and in each different character's eyes. It was absolutely amazing how real it all seemed, especially for a 470 page book.
I really loved the characters, and watching them grow from small children into adults was very cool to me. Each child was so distinctive in their narrations, you never had to turn back to see who was speaking in each chapter, and I really appreciated that because you don't always get that in a book that has several different narrators that switch POV's pretty frequently.
I also loved that you sort of know the huge huge plot point, but you weren't necessarily just waiting for that one thing. There was so much else in this book to keep you occupied, it didn't really matter how long it took to get to the assassination, because you were so engrossed in the rest of the stories being told simultaneously. I don't want to give anything away, but the drama was *high* on and off the stage for most of the book. As an actor, I also really loved how accurate the stage and acting elements were in this book. I was surprised to see how famous the Booth family was for acting, because you don't really learn that anywhere else.
I would highly recommend picking this up if you're a fan of historical fiction, split POVs, or if you're into the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. It was such an interesting story, and really different from a lot of historical fiction out there lately.
Recommendation:
The Godfather by Mario Puzo
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Hear me out on this one:
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
"In his speech, he warns of two possible threats to the republic. The first is found in the lawless actions of the mob, the second in the inevitable rise someday of an aspiring dictator. The greatest peril will come if the mob and the dictator unite."
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