Author: Stephanie Dray
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Berkley
Book Release Date: 2024
Pages: 524
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: She took on titans, battled generals, and changed the world as we know it…
New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray returns with a captivating and dramatic novel about an American heroine Frances Perkins.
Raised on tales of her revolutionary ancestors, Frances Perkins arrives in New York City at the turn of the century, armed with her trusty parasol and an unyielding determination to make a difference.
When she’s not working with children in the crowded tenements in Hell’s Kitchen, Frances throws herself into the social scene in Greenwich Village, befriending an eclectic group of politicians, artists, and activists, including the millionaire socialite Mary Harriman Rumsey, the flirtatious budding author Sinclair Lewis, and the brilliant but troubled reformer Paul Wilson, with whom she falls deeply in love.
But when Frances meets a young lawyer named Franklin Delano Roosevelt at a tea dance, sparks fly in all the wrong directions. She thinks he’s a rich, arrogant dilettante who gets by on a handsome face and a famous name. He thinks she’s a priggish bluestocking and insufferable do-gooder. Neither knows it yet, but over the next twenty years, they will form a historic partnership that will carry them both to the White House.
Frances is destined to rise in a political world dominated by men, facing down the Great Depression as FDR’s most trusted lieutenant—even as she struggles to balance the demands of a public career with marriage and motherhood. And when vicious political attacks mount and personal tragedies threaten to derail her ambitions, she must decide what she’s willing to do—and what she’s willing to sacrifice—to save a nation.
My Review: Frances Perkins was the first female Cabinet member. She worked in Franklin D. Roosevelt’s cabinet throughout his term as President. She was also a member of the Democratic Party. This historical novel follows Frances Perkins’s life. Frances helps children in Hell’s Kitchen, and she befriends many famous people of her day. She happened to meet Franklin D. Roosevelt at a tea dance. The two at first did not get along, but they learned they have the same goals. She begins to form a partnership with Franklin D. Roosevelt that will last decades.
I have never heard of Frances Perkins until I read this book. She was very a fascinating woman. I liked her character. She was an advocate for women, workers, and immigrants. She also pushed for fair labor rights and social security. Yet, her life was often fraught with tragedy. Her husband had a mental illness and was frequently in mental institutions. She also experienced the loss of a child when she had a stillborn. Therefore, I empathized with her and admired her tenacity. She was a remarkable woman.
Overall, this book is about justice, love, and ambition. I thought all of the characters portrayed their historical counterparts very well. I also thought that this book was very well-written. Becoming Madam Secretary was also a very hard read for me emotionally because of the hardships she went through. It was also very slow moving and seemed drawn out. Nevertheless, it was a very poignant and heart wrenching novel. It also introduced me to an important historical figure whom I knew nothing about! I recommend this novel for fans of A Most Clever Girl, First Ladies, and A Right Worthy Woman!
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
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