deedireads's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.
TL;DR REVIEW:
Booth is part historical fiction, part family saga focusing on the family of John Wilkes Booth. I felt pretty neutral about it, but definitely recommend audio over print if you read it.
For you if: You like a deep, historical character study of a large cast.
FULL REVIEW:
Booth was my final read from the 2022 Booker Prize longlist. I went in knowing that it was everyone else’s least favorite by far, so I was determined to find some good in it. And while I definitely didn’t love it, I did find that good!
You may be wondering, “Does the world really need a book about John Wilkes Booth?” — and you’d be right to. Karen Joy Fowler felt the same way but was fascinated by the rest of the Booth family (who were not on the side of the Confederacy, politically), so she set out to write a book about them.
My enjoyment here was entirely thanks to one piece of advice that I now pass on to you: Listen to this book on audio instead of reading it in print. The audio moved along at a pace that was perfect for multitasking (cleaning, driving, etc), whereas if I had tried to sit down to read these 500+ pages, they definitely would have been a slog.
I was most drawn to the POV chapters belonging to the two sisters. One, perhaps my favorite, was nearly 100% constructed from scratch — KJF oculdn’t find much about her, except that everyone called her “poor Rosalie” and it listed scoliosis on her death certificate. I actually wish this book had had a slightly tighter focus on the women of the Booth family rather than trying to encompass everyone; I think that would have been more impactful.
All in all, I feel pretty neutral about this one. Definitely worth reading to finish out the 2022 Booker list!
TL;DR REVIEW:
Booth is part historical fiction, part family saga focusing on the family of John Wilkes Booth. I felt pretty neutral about it, but definitely recommend audio over print if you read it.
For you if: You like a deep, historical character study of a large cast.
FULL REVIEW:
Booth was my final read from the 2022 Booker Prize longlist. I went in knowing that it was everyone else’s least favorite by far, so I was determined to find some good in it. And while I definitely didn’t love it, I did find that good!
You may be wondering, “Does the world really need a book about John Wilkes Booth?” — and you’d be right to. Karen Joy Fowler felt the same way but was fascinated by the rest of the Booth family (who were not on the side of the Confederacy, politically), so she set out to write a book about them.
My enjoyment here was entirely thanks to one piece of advice that I now pass on to you: Listen to this book on audio instead of reading it in print. The audio moved along at a pace that was perfect for multitasking (cleaning, driving, etc), whereas if I had tried to sit down to read these 500+ pages, they definitely would have been a slog.
I was most drawn to the POV chapters belonging to the two sisters. One, perhaps my favorite, was nearly 100% constructed from scratch — KJF oculdn’t find much about her, except that everyone called her “poor Rosalie” and it listed scoliosis on her death certificate. I actually wish this book had had a slightly tighter focus on the women of the Booth family rather than trying to encompass everyone; I think that would have been more impactful.
All in all, I feel pretty neutral about this one. Definitely worth reading to finish out the 2022 Booker list!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Alcoholism
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Racism
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Beautiful writing as always from Fowler! It could be slow at times and I had to really pay attention otherwise I’d get confused about what was happening. The first and last thirds were the best parts of the novel, the middle slumped a little making it difficult to pick up again. But as I said, Fowler’s gorgeous writing has a way of pulling me back in (and marking plenty of passages along the way).
The characters are complex and well written! I didn’t always like them but that’s what made them more interesting at the same time.
The characters are complex and well written! I didn’t always like them but that’s what made them more interesting at the same time.
The story is told in alternating chapters between three of the Booth children-Rosalie, Edwin, and Asia-plus chapters about Lincoln’s rise to power and other historical tidbits to add context to the story. Overall an enjoyable story about a family that despite having an infamous member also isn’t very well known.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Slavery, War, Grief, and Racism
Moderate: Infidelity, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Child death, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, and Animal death
lcg527's review against another edition
challenging
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Well written and researched. This was very informative on the Booth family and it really captures the home life and upbringing of John Wilkes Booth. I just couldn’t stay interested at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Alcoholism
Moderate: Racism
shearfeather's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: War, Violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
mysterymom46's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Murder, Pregnancy, and Mental illness
Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Child death, Death, Infertility, Slavery, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body shaming, Death of parent, Infidelity, Medical content, and War
Minor: Ableism and Sexual violence
Spoiler
several mentions of mobs and rioting; bigamywrestleacademic's review against another edition
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, War, Alcoholism, and Infidelity
amykwrites's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Grief
Moderate: Misogyny, Murder, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Child death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Mental illness
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, War, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Classism, and Blood
ghoulscoutcamp's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Alcoholism, and Child death
Moderate: Infidelity, Pregnancy, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, War, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Violence, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief
Minor: Racism and Homophobia
oceanwriter's review
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
When I first saw the cover of this book, I wondered why a book about John Wilkes Booth would don imagery of flowers and birds. I never thought much of the name 'Booth' past John Wilkes. I never questioned where he came from. It wasn't until I was over halfway through the book that it occurred to me that the Booth Theatre in New York is named for Edwin Booth, let alone the two had any relation. Even though this is a fictionalized take on the Booth Family, I learned a great deal.
I'm a sucker for slower-paced, character-driven historical fiction like this. The story mostly centers on Rosalie, Edwin, and Asia. They all have distinct personalities and perspectives that make the story rich from start to finish. The writing is lovely and sad rolled into one. I liked Rosalie the best with Edwin not too far behind. Lincoln is also inserted throughout the story, though it is usually brief. It adds a good build-up to his fate.
I do wish that authors would refrain from inserting modern-day politics at the end of books — especially in fiction which this book ultimately is. I've complained about this in too many book reviews these past two years and I'm weary of it. I'm sure I'm not only speaking for myself when I say that I read to escape current events. Nothing spoils a book I so thoroughly enjoy quicker than a politically charged author's note whether I agree with what's being said or not. I will not deduct a star from this as at least the story itself remained intact, but I can only wish that authors would consider the type of alienation these messages bring on. In my experience, it almost always ends up being hypocritical to the content.
I'm a sucker for slower-paced, character-driven historical fiction like this. The story mostly centers on Rosalie, Edwin, and Asia. They all have distinct personalities and perspectives that make the story rich from start to finish. The writing is lovely and sad rolled into one. I liked Rosalie the best with Edwin not too far behind. Lincoln is also inserted throughout the story, though it is usually brief. It adds a good build-up to his fate.
I do wish that authors would refrain from inserting modern-day politics at the end of books — especially in fiction which this book ultimately is. I've complained about this in too many book reviews these past two years and I'm weary of it. I'm sure I'm not only speaking for myself when I say that I read to escape current events. Nothing spoils a book I so thoroughly enjoy quicker than a politically charged author's note whether I agree with what's being said or not. I will not deduct a star from this as at least the story itself remained intact, but I can only wish that authors would consider the type of alienation these messages bring on. In my experience, it almost always ends up being hypocritical to the content.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Child death, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Murder, Animal death, Infidelity, Slavery, and Racism
Minor: Chronic illness and Animal cruelty
jessgreads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
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.
See more reviews at: https://jessgreads.wixsite.com/website
"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."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Alcoholism, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Racism, Slavery, Murder, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Infidelity
Minor: Ableism, Racial slurs, Animal cruelty, Classism, Abandonment, Animal death, Child abuse, and Chronic illness