My first read of 2010 was the latest novel by one of my favourite authors, Curtis Sittenfeld (of Prep and The Man of My Dreams). American Wife, which is based on the life of Laura Bush, represents a bit of a departure from Sittenfeld's usual style but still contains the elements of talented authorship: developed and personable characters, vividly descriptive settings and an intriguing plot.
Sittenfeld divides her novel into four sections: The protagonist, Alice, as a child-come-teenager whose life changes after a heart-breaking tragedy; Alice as a working, single woman who eventually meets the goofy but charming Charlie Blackwell; Alice as a stay-at-home mom frustrated by her husband's childishness and his alcoholism; and, finally, Alice as a reluctant First Lady in the throes of war in the Middle East.
I enjoyed the first two sections every bit as much as Sittenfeld's other works but I found the second half of the book disappointing. Old memories keep recurring and past hurts are rehashed; the narrative becomes "skimable" and it feels like the author is simply trying to fill space. I did appreciate the perspective on the "Blackwell" (read: Bush) government, though, as Alice, a registered Democrat, provides interesting insight on an administration in which she struggles to believe.
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