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A review by karaklos
America's First Daughter by Laura Kamoie, Stephanie Dray
5.0
America’s First Daughter is the astonishing fictionalized story of Martha Jefferson Randolph, daughter of Thomas Jefferson. Filled with fascinating history and family saga, this book was a joy to read. Complex characters with conflicting principles and actions will make you shake your head and want to read more.
It’s the story of a daughter and her unrelenting support and devotion to her father and his legacy at a time when women had no legal power or position. Raising a large family of her own, Martha also mothered many of her extended family members’ children under difficult living and marital conditions and constant dire financial circumstances.
The morality of owning slaves and men taking slaves as concubines was a central theme in the book. While the reality is simply awful (and hypocritical in Jefferson’s case), the authors do a fine job explaining the Jeffersons’ home life and sentiment in Virginia at the time.
While much of the story is imagined based on piecing together clues and condensed for brevity, it’s a wonderful book that will make you want to read more about American history.
It’s the story of a daughter and her unrelenting support and devotion to her father and his legacy at a time when women had no legal power or position. Raising a large family of her own, Martha also mothered many of her extended family members’ children under difficult living and marital conditions and constant dire financial circumstances.
The morality of owning slaves and men taking slaves as concubines was a central theme in the book. While the reality is simply awful (and hypocritical in Jefferson’s case), the authors do a fine job explaining the Jeffersons’ home life and sentiment in Virginia at the time.
While much of the story is imagined based on piecing together clues and condensed for brevity, it’s a wonderful book that will make you want to read more about American history.