And They Called It Camelot: A Novel of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis

And They Called It Camelot: A Novel of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. Stephanie Marie Thornton. Penguin Publishing Group. March 2020. pb, 480 pp.; ISBN #: 9780451490926.

Welcome to the world of Jack and Jackie a romance beyond romance! Its a world where we see Jackies sense of humor and mostly grit. She knew what she was marrying into but she married Jack Kennedy anyway. She knew he was a womanizer but he swore she was his only woman and proved it. It reads like an intimate memoir. It brings the reader to share in her tears and deepest fears.

She met his family and got along with everyone of them. She had miscarriages and trials but kept her chin up until she had her children, Caroline and John. When she drives through Texas with Jack, we know how mind-numbing his assassination is and what it does to her. It takes her to levels of grief and yet it is her family and his that offer the support that keeps her going. Yes, it is Bobby who is there for her and gives her strength that she takes time to turn into her own. From then on, her stoicism guides her through the tragedy of Bobbys assassination.

From then on, she gets to raise her children and decides to travel to Greece. There she eventually marries Aristotle much to the chagrin of the Kennedy clan and Aristotles children. She does this for her childrens safety and it works. But marriage to Ari isnt what she had hoped and she is hopelessly entangled in a stay at home, European style marriage and it isnt until his death that she feels free.

She then has the money and the dreams to become an editor, a successful one at that. Jackie has been married three times and spends the rest of her life doing what she loves. Throughout the book she shares her love of poetry and prose in small ways with each of her families, but only after life has taught her through joys, pain and trials does she celebrate her literary life with the world.

Many readers do not know Jackies life but now they can get to know her intimately in a way that gives her reality a way to remember the days of Camelot and beyond. Wonderful historical fiction!

This book is not what I thought it would be.
I know it is a novel. It is curious that the Author takes liberties about what her main character thinks.
I do not beleive this book will be very popular. Especially with people who were alive when Jacqueline Kennedy was becoming wife to John Kennedy.
Another thing the term, Tennis Bracelet , did not come out until
1972.
Really disappointing book.
I wish the Author had done more research.
Before the Kennedys married the Beatles had not come to the US. The Beatles became popular here after Kennedy died.

Do you remember when there was this perfect present under the tree? Bright shiny paper, big bow. You were so excited waiting to open it and it turned out to be socks. You built it up so much in your head that you were disappointed. Well I was so afraid that would happen with this book. I was so excited when I saw it was coming out. Counting the days till it arrived. There was no disappointment. It passed expectations. During all this crazy times right now I became Jackie. I was the girl waiting for a phone call, I was the new mother walking after a C-Section, and I was in that convertible on that November day. Incredibly well written.

The only reason I did not give five stars is because, first of all, it is a novel. Not a bio, but the most important reason is that Mary Barelli Gallager was with Jackie Kennedy DAILY and she was never once mentioned in this book, likewise Provi Prades, who was her personal maid. Mrs. Gallager was literally on call, and CALLED, 24/7 in Jackie’s life, was with her in Dallas, went with her to the hospital when one of the babies came…I am not sure which one…she was at her side almost constantly, even when Mrs. Gallager went on one of her rare vacations, she was called by Jackie to do things for her. The fact that these two women were omitted from this book, left something to be desired for me. I do realize it was a novel, but it was hard to read some things and wonder if they were actually said, but then that is the way a novel is written and read. Omitting those two women, however, to me, was a travesty., Sue S.

I remember reading so much about Jackie Kennedy in my parents Life magazines when I was a child. We even found some when we were cleaning but the magazines were not in good condition. I wish they would have been because after reading this book I would have loved to read them. I remember during the funeral which was televised on TV John John saluting President Kennedy. This book definitely has made me want to read more about the Kennedys but than the Kennedys were always fascinating. Thankyou for writing this book.

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