Being a Lincoln fan I was really excited to be selected to read this Historical Fiction novel about the relationships between Lincoln and Mary Todd and Lincoln and his best friend Joshua Speed.

I found it a fascinating and thought provoking yet occasionally slow read that required persistence. But that persistence paid off with the well written descriptive narrative of Louis Bayard. This allowed me to picture the life of that era in Springfield Illinois, as if I were part of it.

I liked the back and forth between characters alternating between Mary's interactions with Lincoln and those of Joshua Speed. It allowed better insight into how the characters dealt with their feelings and relationship with Lincoln.

Overall, I would recommend this book, especially for those fans of Lincoln, and I think it would make a great Book Club Book.