I found it to be a slow burn and I couldn’t get through the book. I don’t plan on posting on any review sites.

When the Civil War cracks the country in two, First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln watches from the White House as the blows of a divided nation shake her people and her husband, President Lincoln, to their very core. As the news of wartime enter the Oval Office, Mary waits with bated breath, both for the hopes of a Northern victory as well as in distress of a bloody Southern defeat.
Mary, like many people during this time, have a family that is torn between North and South. her beloved sister Emily is across party lines, fighting for the Confederates, and Mary is at risk of losing both the country she loves and the family she has had to abandon in the tides of this brutal war.
I was really excited to try this book as I’m a huge civil war fan. However, the book just didn’t work for me. I had a hard time really getting into the POVs of both sisters, especially Mary Todd Lincoln. DNF
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Wow! I have glanced through other reviews for this author about this book and they are mixed. But I absolutely loved this book. Being a history buff and historian I found a lot of the information spot on. The book barely drags, some spots get slow like at the beginning but it quickly catches your interest. I bawled my eyes out when Emily received the horrible news and scuffed a few times at the behavior of Mary towards certain people. I'm not really a big fan of author adding events to the person's life but I also understand that spice is sometimes needed. All in all this is a great book. The author helped to draw the connect to the past and people. She painted a picture of what the war was like for both sides and also some battles.

The First Lady and the Rebel by Susan Higginbotham is set during the American Civil War and it's the story of Mary Todd Lincoln and Emily Todd Helm. Sisters divided by war and their husband's political sides. Mary Todd is the wife of President Lincoln and Emily Todd is the wife of a rebel General. This book gives a fictional account of both sisters. I've fictional story of Mary but this is the first one I've read about Emily and I really enjoyed this one.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

This one was cool because it was about Mary Todd Lincoln and her sister who was on the side of the Confederates. I thought it was a very good historical fiction novel with some good old fashioned angst.

I can never seem to pass up a title that has Abraham Lincoln in it, my favorite U.S. President. So when I saw The First Lady and the Rebel, I knew I had to read it. This book features a dual story line of Mary Todd Lincoln and her half-sister Emily Todd Helm. I knew of Emily's visit to the White House during the Civil War and her allegiance to the Confederacy because of her Confederate soldier husband. Beyond these two facts, I knew nothing else. I actually found the Emily story line more appealing since I was learning new things about her. I also felt like the author may have taken a little more liberties with her story line since there is less historical records about her life than Mary's. I liked how the chapters about Emily felt more like a fictional story because there was more dialogue and glimpses into Emily's thinking than in the Mary chapters which feel like you are reading a history book about the Civil War. After Lincoln's death, the story zoomed through the rest of the sisters' lives leaving me wanting to know more about the missing details of their post war lives. I loved how Susan Higginbotham was able two portray two strong willed women who never wavered in their affections and dedication to the men they loved even though it meant putting themselves on opposing sides of the Civil War. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. In return, I have written an honest review of my opinions of this book.

I admit, being a New Zealander, I know very little about Abraham Lincoln and even less about his wife Mary. Not even the American Civil war has figured in my education. I know there must be two sides to any war and The First Lady and the Rebel is the story of the two Todd sisters, Mary and Emily, on different sides of the war.

Mary is Mrs Abraham Lincoln and Emily is Mrs Helm, her husband, Hardin a soldier fighting as a rebel for the South.

Divided loyalties and complex family dynamics have been skillfully researched and where the fact doesn't exist (or has been destroyed over the years that have past since the 1840 to 1870 time period covered), Susan Higginbotham has seamlessly crafted the storyline.

Narration backwards and forwards between the two sisters annoyed me sometimes, as I really wanted to go further with each sister.

The book was informative and gave me my first history lesson in the divides, which I think still exist in an undercurrent today. As with any war, there is heartbreak and we loose many characters along the way. It was compelling to experience this chapter of history from the females perspective. Loyalty to your husband....even when he is no longer alive, as well as the complexities of sisterly love, make for an emotional read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the chance to read and provide my thoughts in review of The First Lady and the Rebel.

The First Lady and the Rebel

This book brought several aspects to mind that I had never considered before reading.
Firstly, I was struck with the character of Mary. Many times throughout the book I was taken aback by her words and actions. It made me wonder just how like this portrayal, she really was.? Grief will wear many faces in the loss of children, separation from family and the reality of war.

Mr. Lincoln has an endearing personality through most of the book. Again, as I read about their daily life, I had to wonder if he resembled most of the descriptions. I especially like the references to "Little Sister" and how Mary's family became his own.

The realities of war are difficult and we cannot imagine having to choose sides between the North and South; having your family on opposing sides and the threat it brought to every day life.

Much of this book was eye opening. I lost family ancestors in the Civil War and it was interesting to read these accounts.

It's clear that a lot of research has gone into this novel. There's lots of details of the battles, troop movements and the key figures of the period.
The dual narrative begins and ends with Mary and Abraham Lincoln - opening during their courtship in 1839 and ending with the end of the Civil War and Lincoln's death.
Despite being written from the point of view of the women, neither have much control over their destinies. Both follow where their husband's careers lead them.
Of the two women, I found Emily to be the most engaging. As there are fewer historical records pertaining to her life it may be that the writer had more scope for imagination when writing her parts of the story.
Mary Lincoln is less appealing. She is often selfish, rude and entitled. Her extravagance wartime is extraordinary when compared to the hardship and suffering of others the glimpse into the domestic life of an earlier White House is interesting reading and the writer brings this vividly to life.
The politics of the war is somewhat glossed over. Emily and the southern Todds own slaves yet she does not really engage with debates about the morality of slavery. The impact the Emancipation Proclamation has on her own slave, Maggie, is completely missed by Emily who seems oblivious to the changes that are coming to society as she is more focused on the day to day management of her household.
I didn't really know much about either woman before reading this book and it has certainly sparked an interest. The details of what happened after the scope of the novel show the fascinating lived both women led continued. The author includes some recommended reading if you want to find out more.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

This duel perspective novel is my first read by Susan Higginbotham. Mary Todd Lincoln and Emily Todd Helm are sisters. Both are married to important men. Mary becomes the wife of Abraham Lincoln, and Emily becomes the wife of General Benjamin Helm, a southern general.

I found this an intriguing look at the Civil War from a woman's perspective. The author begins the book by tracing both sister's courtships and marriages. The courtship of Abraham Lincoln and Mary was quite interesting as the did more discussing of politics and books then they did of Mary. I got ticked at Mary saying to herself she would prefer a little more hand holding and kissing than discussion. But once married, Abraham was always supportive of his "Molly." Both Mary and Emily were married to men who were away from them a great deal of the time: Abe because of his political life and then become president and Ben due to his military assignments.

Mary and Emily both felt conflicted throughout the war. Mary was supportive of the union, but had family in Kentucky and wanted them safe including Emily. She also had brothers and stepbrothers serving in the Confederate forces. Emily was a staunch supporter of the confederacy but was close to Mary as well as Abe. Abe even nicknamed her Little Sister. Higginbotham shows the deep angst that developed in families as they were torn asunder by opposing viewpoints. As both sisters lost their husbands, one to assassination and the other to war casualty; their later lives weren't what they hoped them to be.

Well written and very informative, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Civil War from a woman's viewpoint. The historical research was evident throughout this book. The closing information on the later lives of both Mary and Emily was very interesting.

Thank you to the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The First Lady and the Rebel is narrated from the perspectives of two sisters on opposing sides of the unfolding American Civil War as their family is divided by politics – First Lady Mary Lincoln and her sister Emily Helm, who was married to the confederate general Hardin Helm.

This was my first historical fiction read set during the Civil War and as such, my background knowledge regarding the events during this time period was limited to the basic facts. To date, most of my historical fiction picks have usually been ones set in Europe, but after reading Stephanie Thornton’s American Princess earlier this year, and now this book, I’m rather curious to expand my search for books in this genre to American history.

This book has an excellent premise, if somewhat lacking in execution. It also provided an intriguing glimpse into early American politics as Lincoln rises from the Illinois House of Representatives to the White House. This book is definitely on the heavier side, but it was interesting to see both sides of the story, from the struggles the Lincolns had to face in the early years to what it might have been like for those fighting for the Confederacy.

Though I enjoyed the story itself, I found it very hard to sympathize, much less connect, with either of the main characters – neither Mary nor Emily. Neither really developed any notable personality throughout the book. In fact, the sisters were more like bystanders to their own stories, as they never seem to really say or do anything that affects events at all. In fact, they seem very detached from the terrible events happening around them – the sole exception being Willie Lincoln’s death, where I thought the effect it had on Mary how she handled her grief was very well portrayed.

Additionally, the pacing, I felt, was extremely erratic. Some of the most notable moments are barely given a couple of pages, while others, like, dinner parties and gatherings are given too much detail, especially considering that this is a country at war. It simply dragged on and on – this book is 400 pages long, and it felt much longer. The time skips certainly did not help, and the same goes for the narration changes between chapters – events that are mentioned as having taken place in one chapter are played out in the next from the perspective of the other sister, which confused me quite a bit with regards to the timeline.

While somewhat lacking in presentation, it is evident how much research has gone into this novel, one thing I adore about Susan Higginbotham’s works, and her attention to detail is what keeps me coming back to these books. The First Lady and the Rebel was nonetheless a fascinating read and a unique perspective to read about the events of this time from. Definitely recommended for historical fiction fans!

Mary Todd Lincoln and Emily Todd Helm are two strong willed sisters who happened to marry two men of equal conviction.  Abraham Lincoln is elected to the presidency just as his nation begins to split.  Mary is in support of his views for the nation, but finds that many of her family members are not.  Emily encourages her husband, Benjamin to travel to Washington upon Lincoln's election and ask for a post within the government.  Ben finds that he respects Lincoln deeply, but does not share his views and returns to his family.  As war breaks out, Ben takes a post in the Confederate Army as Mary hopes for a speedy end to the conflict.  While the North and South are divided the sisters can't directly communicate and feel the loss of the other in their lives as each woman champions for their own victory.  
With astounding historical accuracy, the plight of the Todd family during the Civil War is brought to life.  I always love when history is told from the woman's point of view and Emily and Mary have equally interesting stories.  The point of view switches between Mary and Emily and begins with their courtships.  I did find it harder to get into the story this early, but it did give some insight into their relationship.  The pacing and interest picked up as the war began and the women were feeling the effects of having family on each side.  While there was a lot of insight in the writing as to the impacts of the war and some of the decisions that Lincoln and Helm made, I really wanted to feel the emotional connection to each of the women and their direct impacts on the War through their husbands, I felt more of just a description of what happened around them.  Overall, the strength of Mary and Emily shines through as well as their dedication to family in all forms.
This book was received in return for an honest review.

Mary has decided who she wants to marry they met at her sister Elizabeth's house. He is a lawyer and very shy with women. Mary likes to discuss politics with him . Mr Lincoln is not one for romantic gestures . she has other suitors but only eyes for Mr Lincoln . Mary and Mr Lincoln marry and he becomes president the civil war begins and she is on the opposite side of her southern family. A bit boring 😴 and slow paced. I really liked mary. #netgalley

I enjoyed this moving story of Mary Lincoln and her rebel family very much. All that I knew ábout her before reading this captivating historical novel was that she came from the South, and she suffered from mental illness. Susan Higginbotham brings her to life, and she also tells the tales of her half-sisters who actually married men who fought for the Confederacy! As Lincoln himself said, America was truly a 'house divided'.

It would have been easier to just tell Mary's story, because many readers may find it difficult to sympathize with Emily and Elodie Todd. However, Higginbotham manages to show all points of view, and she made me interested in learning more about this complicated family.

I received this free ebook from Net Galley in return for an honest review.

The Todd family had quite a number of sisters. Mary Todd married Abraham Lincoln and Emily Todd married Hardin Helm. In this story Mary, of course, is the First Lady and Emily is the Rebel.

As it was the time of the war between the north and the south, Mary and Abraham were with the side of the north and Emily and Hardin were with the south. This made the relationship between Mary and Emily very difficult but the sisters always loved each other.

When Mary first met Abraham, she wanted very much to marry him, but he was unsure of marriage as yet so it took some time to finally “bring him around.” They had 4 sons and later lost 2 of them. Abraham was a Republican and later became President.

Emily and Hardin had 3 children and were very much in love. Emily followed him as he served in the war. She and the children stayed in the homes of people who befriended them. But Hardin was killed in the war leaving Emily to care for herself and the children.

The story follows both families from the time the sisters are young until after Abraham Lincoln is assassinated, along with a summation of their lives until they died. It is a very in-depth account of their lives from year to year which also encompasses the battles and many other aspects of the war.

I have always felt that history as taught in the classroom can be very mind-numbing and boring. As such, I have felt that if students could read novels of the time period they are studying, along with class discussion, it can become more interesting with students retaining more of historical events. Although some readers may find that the length of this book and the continuous updates of the war and the Todd family relationships to be boring, I think that the author did a fine job of putting it all together. I know that the amount of research and time devoted to writing this book has to have been immense and I admire the author for her dedication. I do hope others who would like to truly learn about an important in history will invest the time in reading this book because I don’t think they will be disappointed.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Sisters Emily and Mary Todd lived through some unimaginable trials and heartbreaks, and this book humanizes them in their struggles. The story alternates from each of their perspectives, one the First Lady praying for a swift Northern victory, and the other supporting her husband, a young Confederate general. Emily is perhaps the more appealing character, but Mary is at least given a depth beyond the "madwoman in the attic" trope that is often unfairly attached to her. Fans of historical fiction will appreciate this, while Lincoln superfans probably know the story well already.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC!

American history and politics are two subjects I know very little of. So this was a good read for me. A very good one.

Dealing with a civil war on the one hand, Abraham Lincoln on the other and on top of it all the history of sisters divided by political conflict and personal beliefs. The trio came together beautifully to give you one wonderful story detailing history and a personal family saga that was wonderfully told.

The North and the South of America divided on this issue, and the war was very real with losses on every side. The Todd family had their fair share of losses and so did the Lincolns. Both from illness and the war the losses were heart breaking. The detailed history of the conflict, parallel with the story of Mary and Emily and to a lesser degree their other sisters is an excellent read.

There are details of the clan which were totally unknown to me - that Mary Lincoln was committed to a lunatic asylum by her only surviving son was hard to take. Emily on the other hand handled her sorrows in a more balanced manner despite facing more hardships than Mary did. The two sisters were a contrast to each other and this is what added interest to their story. It also points out to the fact that despite their positions, they were foremost women who were wives and mothers who sought to protect those they loved.

Susan Higginbotham is an author I respect for the research in her historical novels. I’ve read a number of them and appreciate her attention to detail.

The First Lady and the Rebel is not just a story about sisters but of a country torn apart by war. It was informative on one hand and entertaining in the other. I learned a lot. I’ve read a number of books on Mary Todd Lincoln but not from her point of view, this was a nice change. While her character wasn’t as likable as her half-sister Emily I could still empathize with her bad decisions and heartache. I liked Emily and sensed her emotional conflict more.

The story is told with alternating POV’s, both Mary and Emily, which kept me on my toes. Beginning in 1939 and without saying when it ends this book does not shine on Abraham Lincoln, but rather on his wife and her struggles during the war, her grief and loss are profound and something I was not aware of. The Todd family in the South with its heartache as well is portrayed vividly. I can’t even begin to imagine what it was like for sisters to be in that situation.

I really enjoyed reading this book, thanks to Amy at HFVBT and the Publisher (via Netgalley) for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sad to say this book was not for me. Its was a very slow start to get to know the characters and the understanding of early American politics. The author's style and flow of the book read well at times but just could not keep my attention long enough to get me fully hooked on this story. I felt the book could have been a bit shorter as some of the chapters where long. I was unable to get a good connection with some characters which did not help in my total enjoyment of the story.

Mary Todd Lincoln and Emily Todd Helm two sisters but on different sides of the civil war and troubles America. The story spans over many many years as we see the two sisters marry and grown within this time. This story is a narrated by Mary and Emily with both of them taking turns to give us their POV throughout the book.

I feel bad rating this at only 2 stars, but as someone who is well-versed in Lincoln history, this book was a bit of a slog for me, especially after just reading the excellent "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin [which much of this book felt like it was taken from]. This felt like a cross between a not-so-great historical fiction and a biography. And the author does admit to taking liberties in regards to Emily and her life, as little is known truly about Mary Todd Lincoln's sister, though it does add to the story.

IF you know little about the Lincoln's and Mary Todd and her family in particular, then this book will be a really enjoyable read for you - it is really accurate in regards to both Mary Todd and Abraham Lincoln and their courting, marriage and life both in Springfield and in Washington. It just isn't really well-written, for all its accuracy. I was bored throughout much of it and by the end, I was truly ready for it to be over. I should know better than to read a HF book about a subject I am already fully aware of.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.