Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict
Audio book narrated by Elizabeth Sastre
(10 hrs 50 mins) (2020)
I have read other books (and seen films) about both Churchill and his wife Clementine before; this is one I listened to just recently as audio book.
Looking up the author, I find that Heather Terrel (or Heather Marie Benedict Terrell), born 1968, is an American novelist and lawyer, using Marie Benedict as pen name for some of her novels. Her speciality seems to be "fictionalized biographies". Lady Clementine is one of those; and it is the only book by this author that I have read so far.
Lady Clementine is not only a fictionalized biography, though, but a "fictional autobiography". I found it engaging and easy to read/listen to, and I don't doubt that quite a lot of research must have gone into writing it. But at the same time, I felt that I had to keep reminding myself throughout that this is not actually an autobiography written by Lady Clementine herself, but a book written by someone else, "speaking on her behalf" so to say. Which means that it's not easy for the reader/listener to be sure how close the author has managed to come to the real lady Clementines feelings, or her influence on her husband in various political situations. So while I don't hesitate to recommend this book as a very interesting read, I would also recommend readers to keep the "fictionalization" in mind.
Thank you for this very interesting review, Monica. I am now drawn to find out more about the author and her work, last but not least because she was born the same year as myself.
ReplyDelete(Auto)biographies always interest me, even if - especially if the subject is no longer alive - I already know how the book will end.
Meike, I'm tempted myself to try some more book by the same author, for comparison.
DeleteFictionalised history is interesting, but, as you say, it's important to remember that it's not historical fact.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of this one!
ReplyDelete"So many books, so little time..." ;-)
DeleteI will read most anything by or about Winston Churchill and Clementine. I read a biography by his daughter, among many I enjoyed.
ReplyDelete