This summer I fell back into an old obsession with the Kennedy family (and in the perfect place to do so, Cape Cod!). It all started back up when I picked up And They Called it Camelot by Stephanie Marie Thornton. This was a super interesting novel and I learned a lot about the Kennedys that I did not know before. If you're fascinated by Kennedy lore like me this is a must-read! What made And They Called it Camelot so special is that it is completely told from the perspective of Jackie. The books begins on the first night she and Jack meet at a party, and follows their whole relationship through his death, into her second marriage, and beyond.
Even though this was a historical fiction novel, I couldn’t help but feel like I was being let in on a secret. It felt like Jackie herself was letting me into this side of her life that the media hardly seemed to be able to capture. This new perspective on Jackie and Jack’s marriage was very telling, and it was honestly hard to read at some points. I found myself going through the same range of emotions that Jackie did whenever Jack cheated (often), and then came back to win her over and make empty, yet believable, promises. Reading about her miscarriages and stillborn birth was downright heartbreaking- I didn’t realize just how many tragedies happened to the Kennedy family.
This novel included a lot about Jackie’s relationship with JFK’s father, whom she nicknamed “Poppy Doodle”. I didn’t know that they were so close- his stroke and death affected her more than I think was known by the public. Something else that I learned from this novel was the Bobby and Jackie were much, much closer than I realized (and became even more so after JFK’s assassination). Thornton alludes to the possibility that they had an affair after Jack’s death, but addresses in the author’s notes that she left this very ague on purpose- because there isn’t concrete evidence that this did or did not occur in real life. Either way- the progression of their friendship was fascinating to read about and it crushed me when Bobby passed away too. I wanted to reach through the pages (and through time) and just give Jackie a big hug.
I also enjoyed learning about what Jackie did as First Lady- the impact she left on the White House and the historic preservation she put into it. It was also so lovely and cool to read about the Kennedy’s relationship to Cape Cod while being on the Cape. I had no idea that JFK installed the National Seashore! Thanks so him I was able to visit gorgeously maintained beaches all summer long. I actually visited the JFK Museum in Hyannis earlier in the summer, and it was an overall great experience. I also took a drive through Hyannisport, but of course could not get remotely close to the Kennedy Compound (but wow, is that a wealthy-looking neighborhood). The museum is very well maintained, and the “Creating Camelot” exhibit is breathtaking. The photos by White House photographer (at the time) Jacques Lowe is stunning. It was so melancholy seeing those photos of them after reading this book, both because I knew all of the misfortune that has fallen on the Kennedy family, as well as the truth behind many of those smiles. The Kennedys were not the happy, perfect family that they appeared to be. The idea of “Camelot” and media portrayal of America’s “favorite first family” is fascinating and I plan on reading a lot more on the Kennedys. In all, I highly, highly recommend this novel.
Rating: 4/5 stars
TW: loss of children, death and blood (the assassination), mental illness
xx, Lauren
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