When more and more women are running for President, and there are more women in power than every before, it is important to look to history for stories of great women from our past. One of these is Martha ‘Patsy’ Jefferson, the daughter of Thomas Jefferson, who served first as his constant companion after her mother’s death and then as his First Lady during his tenure in the White House. Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie dramatize Patsy’s life in a fascinating historical fiction novel titled America’s First Daughter.
It is clear from the first page that Dray and Kamoie did hours of research in writing this novel: much of the dialogue is taken directly from historical letters between the Jeffersons and their cohorts. The depth of detail creates a rich and three dimensional world, and Patsy is a fully realized, sympathetic character written with depth. Depending on your opinion of Thomas Jefferson, it may be a pro or a con that the novel presents the former President in a less than flattering light, but it does give dimension to a person who is usually only known as a Founding Father. The text is dense but a quick read, and very readable despite the historical dialogue. For those interested in a somewhat unknown figure in American history, check out America’s First Daughter for a somewhat dramatized but highly accurate and compelling account of Patsy Jefferson’s life.
Review by Shannon Wood
Adult Services Librarian
Nordonia Hills Branch Library
