Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini

For some reason I have been interested in historical fiction here lately, other than my usual WWII interests. I saw that this book has mixed reviews, either the readers loved it or hated it. The ones that weren't a fan said that it was basically just boring because of all the historical background and was really just the diary of Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley retold. Because I'm so naive to the inner workings of history, especially with the government I found this book actually enjoyable. So yes, I liked Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker! My favorite parts were seeing the personal side of Mr. Lincoln, a positive light on Mrs. Lincoln, and the tale of a woman born a slave who turned into the right hand woman of the First Lady.

 

The story is told in choronological order from their first arrival to Washington D.C. A friendship quickly forms between Mary Todd Lincoln and her seamstress, Lizzie Keckly. Throught the time Mr. Lincoln is in office Lizzie creates gowns and dresses Mrs. Lincoln. She even helped comb out the President's "unruly" hair. The two women became so close that Lizzie helps Mrs. Lincoln during the loss of her son and the assassination of her husbund. The insight to these events were very heartwrenching. Later on Lizzie is encourage to write a memoir entitled,
Behind the Scenes: Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House. Following the publishication the friendship between the two women is over and the only thing the dressmaker can hold onto is a quilt she makes from the leftover pieces from her days as Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker.