3 stars
| I received this book through Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.As far as I’m concerned, everyone should know about Victoria Woodhull and this book is a great place to start. I’ll admit, I had never heard of her before winning this book, but I am so glad that I was able to read her story and learn about the overlooked contributions she made for American citizens. The story was very interesting and Woodhull seems like a fascinating person. It is sad that her work is often missing from taught history. It’s also sad that the issues that she struggles against in the 1870’s are still issues today (corrupt government, hypocritical church members, anti-free love, comprehensive sex education). While the book is often dark and heartbreaking, there is enough sarcasm and humor to balance it out, especially in Tennie’s character. It was also cool to see well-known historical figures pop up in the text and see their roles in certain events. For me, what pushed this down to three-stars instead of four-stars was the focus on dialogue and the omission of description. The narration felt very slim in comparison to the amount of dialogue in the book. While this works at some points, the novel often feels like a lot of talking and not a lot of action. While things are definitely going on, the action kind of gets lost in all of the dialogue. Overall, a good book, especially for those interested in women’s suffrage and historical feminism. A very interesting story and a great way to learn about an underappreciated feminist and her struggle for justice. |