And They Called It Camelot

And They Called It Camelot by Stephanie Marie Thornton, 458 pages

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis is well-known for the style and grace she showed as First Lady, as well as for the strength she showed after JFK was assassinated beside her in 1963. This novel seeks to give readers an intimate view of the events of Jackie's life from the point of view of the notoriously quiet and reserved woman. Spanning the years from first meeting JFK in 1952 through settling the will of her second husband, Aristotle Onassis, in 1977, several years after his death, this is the world seen through Jackie's eyes, full of splendid trips abroad and classy designs, but also tragedy in the form of miscarriages and stillbirths, and of course the well-publicized philandering of her late husband and also his assassination.

The book aims to be intimate and emotional, but somehow misses that mark. I felt like I was reading a memoir in which the author didn't want to get too deep into emotions or linger on particular events too long. The pacing never varied, and it felt like the author just wanted to make sure she hit all the big events instead of making the reader sympathize with Jackie. It's sad really: I felt bad for Jackie the person during all of the tragic events, but the writing didn't move me to feel for Jackie the character at all.