Review: Lady Clementine

Title: Lady Clementine

Author: Marie Benedict

Publisher: 7th January  2020 by Sourcebooks Landmark

Pages: 336 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: historical fiction, 

My Rating: 3.5 cups

Synopsis:

New from Marie Benedict, the New York Times bestselling author of The Only Woman in the Room! An incredible novel that focuses on one of the people who had the most influence during World War I and World War II: Clementine Churchill.

In 1909, Clementine steps off a train with her new husband, Winston. An angry woman emerges from the crowd to attack, shoving him in the direction of an oncoming train. Just before he stumbles, Clementine grabs him by his suit jacket. This will not be the last time Clementine Churchill will save her husband.

Lady Clementine is the ferocious story of the ambitious woman beside Winston Churchill, the story of a partner who did not flinch through the sweeping darkness of war, and who would not surrender either to expectations or to enemies.

My Thoughts

I absolutely loved Marie Benedict’s previous books (found HERE) so I was excited to begin this story. Marie is once again to be commended for bringing to our attention the fictional lives of very real women who made valuable contributions to society. This book is a realistic fictional retelling of the life of Winston Churchill’s wife, Clementine. 

‘Political wives are seldom seen and rarely heard ... But I long for a more substantial part than my predecessors and contemporaries have modeled, and Winston encourages me—no, demands—that I assume a significant mantle, no matter how unusual.’

Clementine Churchill was obviously a fascinating woman based upon the amount of research that has gone into this book. If even half of what is written is to be believed, Clementine was far more than just a wife to one of England’s all time most powerful men. Wife, mother, confidante and if she had anything to do with it, a far greater contributor to the fate of many that any history book records. 

‘I know that they will see Winston’s hand on the pen that scribes history. But, I wonder, will they see that my hand has also been on the pen all along?’

Like Marie’s other novels, this is a compelling look at not only Winston and Clementine’s personal lives but also their very public one - there is much going on here - so much so that large jumps in time take place. This  I felt was detrimental to the depth of the story and also providing a strong affinity with the main characters - overload on facts and less emotion were present due to the approach in writing. Whereas in previous books I felt Marie got the balance right, this one is a little off. At times filled with much war/political tactics it can become a bit repetitive and monotonous. Also, I did not particularly like Clementine - strong willed and forceful (at the neglect of her children) but I tired of reading her constant justifications of actions. Perhaps a sign of women of that era needing to prove herself, but did not make for good reading. 

Marie presents the very best and worst of Clementine, leaving the reader to draw their own conclusions. Undoubtedly a women who, much like the other women Marie has selected, deserves far more credit than she is given. All up, a fascinating account of another remarkable woman whose contributions and part played in the history of the time deserves recognition. 

‘My dispositive decision was and had always been Winston, and the expansive, unorthodox life I’ve shared with him was the exact one I was meant to experience.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.