Educated, ambitious, and brilliant in a time not quite ready for her, Jessie elopes with the young explorer Charles Fremont, at the age of 17, defying the wishes of her father, the powerful Senator Thomas Hart Benton.Jessie expected a life of boundless adventure. Instead, the two most important men in her life are about to alter the course of 19th century American history–but only with her … help.REVIEWS:”Lulls the reader into forgetting this is fiction.” ~Publishers WeeklyREAL WOMEN OF THE AMERICAN WEST, in series orderLibbieSundance, Butch and MeCherokee RoseJessie
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A historical novel set in the second half of the 19th century, tells of one women’s strength and determination to bolster and promote the careers of both her father and later her husband. Told in autobiographical terms, one felt drawn into the story as Jessie Benton-Fremont determines early in her life to follow her own course. As the story continues through the ups and downs of her marriage, one could only feel for Jessie as she experiences one disappointment after the other. Nevertheless, she is a loyal supporter of her husband until the end. I found this book interesting, but it left me with a feeling of sadness as I realised that so many women throughout the years have started off their marriages with high hopes, only to come to a place where all their sacrifices appear to have come to naught. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
Jessie was a woman ahead of her time.
As the first born of Senator Benton, Jessie Ann Benton was very close to her father. In many was she was treated more like a son than a daughter. Her understanding of language, history and politics was truly outside the boundaries set by 19th century society. When, while in all-girl academy, she met Lt. John Charles Fremont she was but 16. By the time she was 17 she was married to John Fremont and by 18 she was a mother. Her walk into the pages of history had only just begun.
Jessie by Judy Alter is not just a novel, it’s a 19th century saga. Within this riveting tale, which spans the 40 years of Jessie’s life from her marriage to John in 1841 until after his death in 1881, I felt like I was living the history of America from it’s early westward expansion, through the Civil War and past the aftermath of Lincoln’s assassination.
Since I love American and world history, I truly enjoyed this book. That said, not everyone feels as I. Unless a reader enjoys autobiographical style novels that feature historical figures, this engrossing novel might not meet that readers expectations. Lastly, any life well lived is filled with both highs and lows. Also, real life rarely has the happily ever after ending of fictional fairy tales.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a historical read that’s well written, candid, respectful and clean.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
FYI: I also posted my review on Amazon (as Rural Reader) and on GoodReads.
Jessie Benton is the daughter of Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri. They live in Washington most of the time and then alternate summers between his family house in St. Louis and her mother’s family home. Jessie helps her father basically as his secretary with all of his writings. Her mother is sick so she is not around to do many duties in the house except to help make decisions once in a while. At some point and time the explorer and map maker Charles Fremont enters their lives. Jessie eventually against her father’s wishes elopes with him. Most of the book is his explorations and her going between family houses.
I am learning that this kind of book is just not really my style to read. It was an ok book. It was kind of hard to get through. It was descriptive enough it’s just the Characters were a little boring. Which I know is bad to say since some were real life people.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review. The opinions in this review are 100% my own