This book was just what was needed to pull me out of a reading slump. Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation by Cokie Roberts is an account of the women who supported and helped shape the development of the democratic government in the United States. While I initially thought that this would yield minimal new information considering how heavily this period of time was covered during my schooldays I discovered just how wrong (and ignorant) I was especially in regards to the women. I realized that it had never occurred to me to wonder just how long the absences of these women's husbands were during the creation of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution (including the Articles of the Confederation), and the U.S. government as a whole. Not to mention how absolutely strong-willed and informed these women were about the affairs of state (which was beneficial as they passed on the latest news to their husbands through extensive letter writing). Best couple award goes to George and Martha Washington who were the most well-adjusted and steadfast couple of the lot. Martha went everywhere George went including Valley Forge where she was instrumental in keeping the morale of the men up (and getting them to stay at all) as well as organizing other women into organized sewing groups to keep the troops clothed. Favorite woman of the many discussed was hands down Abigail Adams who not only had the keenest mind but also the sharpest tongue. She had no problem telling John where to go and letting him know that just because he was away didn't mean that the romance in their relationship needed to suffer. In fact, theirs was the most strained relationship of all as John was in high demand and for the majority of their marriage they were separated as he worked tirelessly in his work as a member of the Continental Congress and then later as the Vice President. If you, like me, love reading about confident women and relish learning new things about a slice of history you thought you had thoroughly mapped then I must point you in the direction of Founding Mothers. 10/10

PS Benjamin Franklin was the worst.

What's Up Next: Mary B. by Katherine J. Chen

What I'm Currently Reading: Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond

**This review originally published on my old Blogger book blog on November 2012

Patriot Hearts is an ambitious bit of historical fiction blending the life stories of Martha Washington, Dolley Madison, Abigail Adams and Sally Hemmings. The book starts with Dolley Madison, alone at the White House (well, not totally alone, but away from President Madison). Knowing of the impending attack, she tries to collect the items left by past First Ladies, prefering to save the things "belonging to the country" than her own personal belongings. It's through these items from the former FLs that their stories are told.

The novel also includes a fictionalized idea of what Sally Hemmings might have been like as the lover & slave of Thomas Jefferson. Sally's part of the story has a tinge of sadness to it, but realistically I'm guessing the real life coupling between her and Jefferson was hardly as romantic as it's been made in movies and novels now.

To be honest, I wasn't blown away with this book. Hambly's talent for describing environments was there, you could tell she did her historical research, but the characters just didn't grip me the way they did in The Emancipator's Wife. The dialogue seemed more stiff here.

For me, Hambly is always first a science fiction or fantasy author. This is because the first book I ever read by her was about a dragon that falls in love with a human. Her historical fiction, however, tends to be a cut above her sf/fantasy writing, though that implies that her work in that genre isn’t good. That’s not true; her work is usually excellent, even her work in Star Trek and Star Wars is above average.

                But there seems to be a tad more passion or feeling in her historical fiction.

                Patriot Hearts is a book about the women behind the Founding Fathers. Martha, Dolley, Abigail, and Sally are the four heroines, no longer standing in the shadows of George, James, John, and Thomas. The focus is on the different types of battles and sacrifices that the women made while the men were getting the attention founding the country.

                This means that while Dolley Madison’s saving of Washington’s portrait does get attention so does her struggles with politics.

                In many ways, this book is what Abigail Adams might have been thinking when she told her husband not to forget the women. Adams’ scarf ices are brought to the forefront here as all the impact of the War of Independence on Martha Washington. This makes the book quieter in many aspects because the grand battles and politic fighting is granted a back seat while the more hidden struggles, the decisions that the women have to make to back up the power plays of their husbands.

                This conflict in the book is best exemplified by Sally Hemmings, whose place in American history is conflicted at best. Hambly does not romanticize the relationship, though undoubtedly some readers will find the relationship to be too seemingly equal or too easily started. In fairness to Hambly, this must have been a difficult relationship to deal with, and her Hemmings is always aware of status and her lack of it. This especially true in the sequence of Hemmings in France. A few reviewers have pointed out, correctly, that the physical aspect of the Jefferson/Hemmings relationship is given more focus than the corresponding relationships of the other women. I do wonder if this is because of the inequality of the relationship and showing the physically highlighted this. Because of Jefferson’s status and ownership of Hemmings and of how other slave owners treated their female slaves, Hambly might have decided to focus on the physical aspect to illustrate this. This does seem to be the class because Hemmings does deal with attempted assaults from Jefferson’s guests. This physically conflicts with Hemmings intelligence and her sense of self, further showcasing the difference between master and slave; wife and mistress; and opened and closed relationship.

                In terms of plot, the book is not as tight as Hambly’s mystery series or Homeland, but the focus is on the home front. The device holding the different lives of the women together is an invented character that may or may not be working for the British. How this plot thread is resolved is one of the more emotional parts of this book.

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