And They Called it Camelot by Stephanie Marie Thornton

"We all had our own tragedies to live. And, in the end, death would claim us all."

A well-written book, this historical fiction account of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis is, first of all, a tribute to the woman's incredible strength and resilience. I laughed, I cried, and I learned so much about Jackie while bringing to mind the little I actually remember from those years. I know that many people idolized the Kennedys and revere the JFK Presidency -- it impacted some so much that they recall exactly what they were doing when they heard that he had been shot. I was too young at the time it happened for any memories, but I know that the whole reference to the days of "Camelot" is one that has lingered over the many years since.

Told in the first person perspective, the author has given us access to Jackie's thoughts and reactions to all that transpired during much of her life. It's always hard to be accurate to history and get into someone's mind, and surely the construction has to be taken with a grain of salt. Not knowing a person intimately, gleaning detail from letters, documents, interviews, photos and footage, has to be very daunting. I found myself constantly asking, "Is this true? Is this what she really said, thought, did?' I believe that no one can ever know what really goes on in the heart or mind of another, but I feel that Stephanie Thornton presented us with a unique portrayal of a woman who valued her privacy and kept herself to herself.

Jackie wanted those one thousand and thirty-six days of JFK's Presidency to be remembered and his legacy of hope and service protected for all time. She must be forgiven for creating and curating him into a legend of epic proportions. She forgave him so much and sacrificed for his career and legacy at her own expense. Who was Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis to herself? A woman who loved a man and protected him, encouraged him, and helped him get everything he wanted. Was it worth it all -- we will never really know. I enjoyed this book and am glad that I revisited this special period in American History. The characters come to life on the pages and I will be thinking about them all for a very long time. In all, it was quite sad overall to read about the trauma and heartache experienced by this family. They gave everything they had and lost so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend. I will continue to read anything Stephanie Thornton writes!

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre -- historical fiction, bio reference to Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis