This book was recommended to me as “engaging”. It is not. The minutiae is mind numbing. I can recommend it as a sleep aid. The narration is mediocre. It sound like reading. I do appreciate the story itself, as it seems meticulously researched. The author is not afraid to call out past critics, and supports her opinions with sources. It is a much-needed, well-researched effort to set the record straight on the character of Mary Todd Lincoln.