Historical Fiction -- 2 1/2 stars
A fictionalized telling of the life of Varina Howell who, as a teenager, became the wife of Jefferson Davis who was to become president of the Confederacy. Much of the book focuses on the aftermath of the South's failed war, though Varina's younger life is exposed in flashbacks. It was surprising to find how much time the couple spent apart-- circumstances, according to preserved letters, brought about mostly by choice. Their emotional detachment is a metaphor for the entire book which is written in a dry, dispassionate style that fails to reveal who either of these people really were. Interesting for the history revealed, but not particularly captivating.
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