An Unlikely Friendship: A Novel of Mary Todd Lincoln and Elizabeth Keckley

An Unlikely Friendship by Ann Rinaldi is rather unique in that it begins with President Lincoln's assassination, focusing on his wife Mary's loss and the attempts of her friend Lizzy to get to her during the hours following. From there, the narrative splits into two very distinct tales, both of lonely young girls who grew up feeling as outsiders within their own families; finally the story rejoins the women as they meet later in life and form an odd yet strong bond. It's this particular stance to the storytelling that makes An Unlikely Friendship so personal and it's Ann Rinaldi's depth of research and gift of writing that makes it so compelling. The first person narratives of first Mary Todd and then Lizzy Hobbs Keckley show how very differently the two young women grew up, yet both were eerily similar in their immediate family circumstances. Both struggled to find her place within the confines of the family she'd been born into, and both had difficulty learning to keep to themselves. Both share stories of how they found love with members of their families yet still felt distant. Both were headstrong young women who suffered losses yet somehow remained strong; when they meet later in Washington after Lincoln becomes President, they each discover that there is a kindred spirit in the other, despite the fact that one was raised in relative luxury while the other was a house slave. Rinaldi does a splendid job of bringing both ladies to light and showing them as real people, just as she always done in her fine historical fiction. Recommended for all ages.

Mary Todd Lincoln and Elizabeth Keckley met in 1861 when Ms. Keckley, "a free black woman who had purchased her own freedom," came to the White House to interview for the position as the First Lady's dressmaker. Despite her success among Washington, D.C.'s elite, "Lizzie" never believed she had a real chance at securing the position. Little did she realize that she and Mrs. Lincoln were about to embark on a friendship that would last a lifetime. AN UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP is a unique breed of historical fiction in that doesn't follow a traditional linear model of storytelling. Author Ann Rinaldi opens by depicting the day of President Lincoln's assassination, giving us the story from both Lizzie and Mary's perspectives throughout. She then moves on to depict each woman's life from early childhood to young adulthood, each followed by non-fictional, mini-biographies of their lives up to the point of their initial meeting. Ms. Rinaldi closes the novel with a final section describing the womens' lives and friendship after they left the White House. What makes this novel such a great read is the author's careful attention to historical detail. While it's impossible to be certain of Lizzie and Mary's exact conversations and thoughts, knowing the events described have been verified - not "created" or amalgamated for editorial purposes - gives AN UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP a level of authenticity sorely lacking in most books in this genre. And while I consider characterizing the relationship between a white woman of privilege and a mulatto woman born into slavery during the Antebellum period a generous overstatement, these two women undoubtedly formed a bond that was unique to their time and place in history - a feat always worthy of consideration. Reviewed by: Cat

This book journies through the lives of two great women. It begins with the assasination of President Abraham Lincoln and shortly after goes into the life story of his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln. Rinaldi very appropriately writes from Mary's point of view as she grows from a child to a young, elegant lady. She never forgot her one wish to one day live in the White House. One can rally feel Mary's emotions through Rinaldi's writing. Lizzy Keckly comes in the second half of the book. Her life as a slave has many hardships, such as the time when her friend has to eat the heads off of worms. It is especially difficult for her because she is mulatto; torn between her white father and black family. All she wants is to buy her freedom one day. She does that as well as become Mary Lincoln's personal dress-maker. Both of these ambitious women never swayed from their goals. Mary suffered the dislikes of her step-mother to the fullest;Lizzy was tortured in her enslavement, but both fullfilled their dreams. Mrs. Lincoln held dazzling parties. Lizzy became the finest dress-maker in Washington D.C. And when they met, it led to a strong, yet unlikely frienship. I really enjoyed this book because I felt like I got to know the characters personally. They were brought to life and I related to their emotions. It also gave me a glimpse of the lifestyle back then. Even though it was historical it was very entertaining.

The stories of these two ladies, one a First Lady and the other a slave who eventually became free, is facinating. History books can be dull and boring, but not this one. Without graphic violence, their experiences in life are brought to the reader with appropriate emotion. Their friendship was unlikely, yet strong. I would recommend it to anyone who is eager to learn about this time period and the women who had the courage to changed their lot in life.

I really enjoyed this book. It had an engaging storyline and even though the facts about the story have been told before, the dialog and details are so nicely done that the story is beathed new life. I read an adult book on the same subject and I prefer this book. I would recommend this book for 9+.