BOOK REVIEW: American Princess by Stephanie Marie Thornton @StephMThornton @berkleypub #bookbestiesamericanprincess #americanprincess #bookreview

In a powerful story of the dark and light sides of her life, the unconventional, unapologetic, and uninhibited Alice Roosevelt shines through the pages of Stephanie Marie Thornton’s American Princess: A Novel of First Daughter Alice Roosevelt. This is a story of a truly incredible woman that I admit I knew very little about before reading this book. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read about her life, because she is truly an early feminist icon if you ask me!

About the Book

A sweeping novel from renowned author Stephanie Marie Thornton…

Alice may be the president’s daughter, but she’s nobody’s darling. As bold as her signature color Alice Blue, the gum-chewing, cigarette-smoking, poker-playing First Daughter discovers that the only way for a woman to stand out in Washington is to make waves–oceans of them. With the canny sophistication of the savviest politician on the Hill, Alice uses her celebrity to her advantage, testing the limits of her power and the seductive thrill of political entanglements.

But Washington, DC is rife with heartaches and betrayals, and when Alice falls hard for a smooth-talking congressman it will take everything this rebel has to emerge triumphant and claim her place as an American icon. As Alice soldiers through the devastation of two world wars and brazens out a cutting feud with her famous Roosevelt cousins, it’s no wonder everyone in the capital refers to her as the Other Washington Monument–and Alice intends to outlast them all.

Reflection

Stephanie Marie Thornton is an incredibly talented writer, and Alice came to life through her words in this book. It would be sad to read about Alice Roosevelt from the present looking back, I think, because her life truly had so much darkness to it, particularly in her later years. But the Alice we see for the majority of the book is vibrant, stubborn, intelligent, sassy, and completely unapologetic for who she is.

Alice debuts onto the scene as the first daughter of the incredible Teddy Roosevelt at a debutante ball, where she is determined to be the most eligible debutante while still breaking all of the rules. And she certainly does that! Carrying a pet snake which she nicknames Emily Spinach, smoking cigarettes with her girlfriends, and staying out all night at clubs—Alice is everything that goes against what was proper for a woman at that time. And yet, despite her misbehavior, she is the darling of her father, the media, and the country.

Alice wouldn’t change who she was for any person, and some of the scenes we see with her and her friends and enemies were downright delightful to read! Alice does not hold back when someone has wronged her. She throws a mighty hex and an even mightier retort to those who have gone against her. What a woman she was!

We also see her struggle, though. Everything was not easy for Alice Roosevelt. The man she marries is a known philanderer, and Alice finds herself in an unconventional marriage that has love, support, and anger in equal measure. Indeed, I felt both frustrated with and in awe of Alice’s husband throughout the book. Shocked by his behavior, but then sold by the undying support he showed Alice at a time when a man with a good political career could shut down the jealous musing of the media about Alice’s life.

Through all of the laughs and heartbreak, I fell in love with Alice. She’s a woman who stands up for women’s rights at a time when it wasn’t common to do so. She is both bound by societal pressure on women, but also flagrantly disregards them. And when anyone dares to judge her for it, Alice finds a way to shut them down. She’s truly an icon, and I’m so happy I read this book!

Thank you to Berkley for my copy. Opinions are my own. I read this with a few of the book besties, and I hope you check out their blogs to see for yourself what they thought!

Berit at Audio Killed the Bookmark
Holly at Dressed to Read
Jennifer at Tarheel Reader