From the critically acclaimed author of The Widow’s War comes a captivating work of literary historical fiction that explores the tenuous relationship between a brilliant and complex father and his devoted daughter—Thomas Jefferson and Martha Jefferson Randolph.After the death of her beloved mother, Martha Jefferson spent five years abroad with her father, Thomas Jefferson, on his first … his first diplomatic mission to France. Now, at seventeen, Jefferson’s bright, handsome eldest daughter is returning to the lush hills of the family’s beloved Virginia plantation, Monticello. While the large, beautiful estate is the same as she remembers, Martha has changed. The young girl that sailed to Europe is now a woman with a heart made heavy by a first love gone wrong.
The world around her has also become far more complicated than it once seemed. The doting father she idolized since childhood has begun to pull away. Moving back into political life, he has become distracted by the tumultuous fight for power and troubling new attachments. The home she adores depends on slavery, a practice Martha abhors. But Monticello is burdened by debt, and it cannot survive without the labor of her family’s slaves. The exotic distant cousin she is drawn to has a taste for dangerous passions, dark desires that will eventually compromise her own.
As her life becomes constrained by the demands of marriage, motherhood, politics, scandal, and her family’s increasing impoverishment, Martha yearns to find her way back to the gentle beauty and quiet happiness of the world she once knew at the top of her father’s “little mountain.”
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Well researched and beautifully written, this captivating novel tells the remarkable story of Thomas Jefferson’s daughter caught up in two families’ secrets. Highly recommended.
A different era.
An interesting, easy to read, informative biography of the of Martha Jefferson Randolph. The book gives a glimpse into another time, when women ran the the house and had little control of their own lives. The men decided and the women looked the other way and tried to smooth everything over.
Thoroughly enjoyed learning more about historical figures I thought I knew.
I love reading and learning more about Thomas Jefferson and this book did not disappoint.
I really like this author. She makes history jump alive especially as to how women of varying classes of society lived in the early days of our republic. There are strong criticisms of this book on Amazon. Yes, the book deals with slavery. How could it not given the period. The author is hamstrung by writing about real characters from history so do not shoot the messenger just because you don’t like the message. I did prefer The Widow’s War to Monticello but I think that is because her imagination was given free rein and not limited by being about actual historical figures. I plan on working my way through all of this author’s books. That is how much I like her writing style.
I loved the premise — it is historical in a special sort of way.
A little dry at times, but it gives the reader much to think about.
I learned a lot of history in an easy to enjoy book
It was a good book that revealed the hardships of the time even for the quote, wealthy. The life of Thomas Jefferson as told by this oldest daughter. I found it to be interesting and informative.
Great mixing of known historial events and the literary license of the conversations that took place. I loved it!
This book brought the Sally Hemings part of Monticello to life. It was beautifully written, I almost felt like I was watching their life from afar. I now am looking forward to a return trip to Monticello with a different viewpoint and some sadness for the lives that were treated unjustly during that time.
An interesting story of the life of Thomas Jefferson’s daughter, Martha. It speaks of issues that surrounded slavery during that time.
I LOVE historical fiction and have read several biographies of Jefferson and Sally Hemmings. However, MONTICELLLPO brings a whole new angle to these lives as it is told by Jefferson’s daughter, who has her own wants, needs, and relationship with her father and the problems he brings to the family’s history. Very well told and realistic to the reality of their story.
Great historical fiction read. I’ve often wondered when I’ve read of Thomas Jefferson and Sally, what his family or his close friends thought of the relationship. Although this book is based on history I could picture the conversations, settings and beliefs of the time. So many intertwined lives and rules on who you could openly love.
A great look at Thomas Jefferson and his daughter Martha.
You have to be a big fan of this era and Thomas Jefferson to enjoy this book, I think. It was quite long and somewhat dry in parts, but I read it because I DO like the era and T. Jefferson. I liked it and would recommend it to history lovers.
I love Monticello, and visit often. Reading this book, I could picture the characters and knew exactly where they were describing. Great read of a amazing man and his family.
Interesting information
Having read Sally Hemmings, which is a favorite of mine, this provides a very different perspective and i love the work of this author. She manages to make the smallest details of life come alive against the backdrop of such a historic time.
Well-written historical fiction