The House of Lincoln

by Nancy Horan

Nancy Horan, author of the million-copy New York Times bestseller Loving Frank, returns with The House of Lincoln, which tells the story of Abraham Lincoln's ascendance from rumpled lawyer to U.S. President to Great Emancipator and presents Lincoln's Midwestern home as a complex third home front of the Civil War.

Rich with historical detail, The House of Lincoln is an insightful account of Lincoln's transformative vision for democracy as observed through the eyes of a young immigrant who arrives in Lincoln's home of Springfield, Illinois from Madeira, Portugal.

Showing intelligence beyond society's expectations, fourteen-year-old Ana Ferreira is offered a job in the Lincoln household assisting Mary Lincoln with their boys and with the hosting duties borne by the wife of a rising political star. Ana bears witness to the evolution of Lincoln's views on equality and the Union and observes in full complexity the psyche and pain of his bold, polarizing wife, Mary. Yet, alongside her dearest friend in the Black community, Ana confronts the racial prejudice her friend encounters daily as she watches the inner workings of the Underground Railroad, and directly experiences how slavery contradicts the promise of freedom in her adopted country.

Culminating in an account of the little-known Springfield race riot of 1908, The House of Lincoln takes readers on a journey through the historic changes that reshaped America and continue to reverberate today.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Civil War, Historical, Race, Book Club, Presidents

352 pages, Hardcover

First published June 6, 2023

About the author

Nancy Horan is a writer and a journalist whose work has appeared in numerous publications. She lives on an island in Puget Sound with her husband and two sons. Loving Frank is her first novel.

Reviews

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read a few historical fictions involving Lincoln. Despite that I was interested in this book as it gives a new angle of seeing Lincoln family. It’s through the eyes of a young émigré, who with her family, was forced to leave Madeira, Portugal.

1851, Springfield, IL. Fourteen-year-old Ana with her family had to flee their island due to the religious intolerance and hardship they experienced there. In this new land, they quickly saw that with hard work they could achieve a decent living, not possible in Madeira.

Ana gets hired as help to clean and help with little Lincoln boys. She witnesses the rise of Abraham Lincoln to presidency, and his fight for equality.

With her African American friend Cal, Ana witnesses the underground railroad in Springfield. It’s a horrifying experience to leave the abuse of her island, only to witness how her adopted country is torn by slavery.

The narration is through three characters: Ana, Spencer Donnegan, a free black man, minister and barber. With his brother William, they help runaway slaves through the Underground Railroad. And Mary Todd Lincoln.

The story is steeped in historical facts, many I wasn’t familiar with. It was interesting to learn the backstory of Madeira Island and why people were fleeing it, and the little-known Springfield race riot of 1908.

Some of the storytelling is through telling, which I wished was through characters actually experiencing what was being told. We learn a lot of history and what was happening, but we don’t experience much of characters experiencing their stories.

P.S. Also, highly recommend, Loving Frank by this author.

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ana Ferreira family escaped religious persecution in Madeira, Portugal, they immigrated to the United States in 1849, and she was nine years old and couldn’t speak any English. Ana was intelligent, she picked up used newspapers, she wanted to improve her reading and know what was going on in her new country.

When Ana's fourteen she starts working for Mary Lincoln looking after her two youngest boys Tad and Willie. Abraham Lincoln was absent a lot, Mrs. Lincoln was left to hold the fort, and she felt like a woman who couldn’t manage her own home and emotions.

Ana’s best friend growing up is a coloured girl, Callie Patterson, Cal and her family are free. Cal might be free, but she faces racial prejudice every day, she carries her papers with her everywhere and one day Ana discovers people in Springfield are involved Underground Railroad and she keeps the secret.

The House of Lincoln takes readers on a literary trip through the huge changes in America, from Abraham Lincoln being a traveling lawyer living in Springfield, becoming a politician, a member of the Republican Party, his debates with Stephen Douglas, being elected as 16th president, the confederate states succeeding, the Civil War, his tragic death and Ana experiencing the racial riots in 1908.

Nancy Horan not only gives you an in-depth look at the lives of Abraham and Mary Lincoln, she explores the friendship between two young girls, what happens to them growing up, during the war and afterwards. I have always found Abraham Lincoln a fascinating man, he came from humble beginnings, he cared deeply about three things his family, America and ending slavery. Thanks to Edelweiss and Sourcebooks for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review and I'm keen to read the authors previous book, Loving Frank and four stars from me.

[Mary Fabrizio · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I'm bucking the glowing reviews here but i this book failed to engage me. I found myself skimming the pages often. Yes, I learned things from the account but there was very little character development or plot. I feel that the summary given of the book gives it way too much credit - very little is included about Lincoln himself.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The House of Lincoln by Nancy Horan is a great historical fiction that gives us a new look into the early lives of Abraham and Mary Lincoln.

I love what the author did with this book. By bringing fictional characters into a historical context, she was able to present a new view, a better understanding, and an inside peak into the early days of Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln before their trajectory takes them eastbound.

The character of Ana Ferreira gives us the mindset and the experiences of someone that is a minority, and how that reflects not only the attitudes of society as a whole at that time, but also how that angle helps focus on what was happening around Lincoln at that time in Springfield…but also more importantly, what was forming and developing within this mind as he crafts his personal beliefs and ideals on what would help found his campaign and time in office.

The full cast of characters bring a wide range of ideas, concepts, and personal experiences to the book and help give us an idea of some of the “jumping off points” of where Lincoln originated.

The blend of fiction and history brings an intellectual, educational, and entertaining experience all in one book.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Sourcebooks Landmark for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 6/6/23.

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess I’m what you call a “Lincolnphile.” I’ve read many books, fiction and non-fiction, about him and his family. My family and I have been to his library and taken tours of his home in Springfield, and stood at his final resting place. We’ve seen his monument and his Presidential box at Ford’s Theater in D.C.; gazed at his famous top hat with his fingerprints on the brim from doffing it.
The personal details, things usually considered insignificant, are what interest me most about Lincoln and his family in reading about them. So, “The House of Lincoln” was satisfying in that respect; the reader gets into the minds of major characters like Mary Lincoln and her sisters, but also “minor” ones such as Ana, their housemaid in Springfield. The author included wonderful details about the Lincoln’s lives before they were President and First Lady.
If you love historical fiction about the Civil War and the Lincoln family, this book is a must-read!

Memorable Quotes:
“I never owned a slave. Nor did my family. You people came down and invaded our land. I fought on the side of my father.”(Isaac, C.S.A. soldier.)

“She (Ana) knew he came from poor folks, as he had said so. She had heard other soldiers complain among themselves that it was the rich class of planters who wanted the war, and the poor who had to fight it.”

[Marialyce]

Giving up bc I am very disapppointed. Got to 20% and where is Lincoln?

[LeeAnna Weaver · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed Nancy Horan's historical fiction. Her novels are well-researched and full of interesting, relevant details. The author was born in Springfield, Illinois, home of Abraham Lincoln, and her bio confirms her interest in creating a Springfield in The House of Lincoln that is accurate and vivid for readers. I think she has accomplished this. In addition to several historical details about Lincoln and his family, the novel explores the large Portuguese immigrant population at the time of Lincoln's political rise and the 1908 Springfield race riot that claimed the lives of several of its citizens. I was intrigued by the relationships Mary Todd Lincoln had with her siblings, her husband, children, and the people she employed. Overall, I wanted a story that was focused more on Lincoln and his family instead of a large cast of characters who were not given enough space to be fully developed.

[♥ Sandi ❣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars Thank you to Book Reporter and Source Books for this ARC. Book published June 6, 2023.

A different take on the life of Abraham Lincoln. This story is told from the point of view of a young Portuguese refugee, Ana, who went to work for the Lincoln's as a Saturday girl. She not only looked after the children, but did some housework. As she aged she become more indispensable to Mary Todd Lincoln.

The book moves through the well known life of Lincoln, almost as an after thought. It concentrates more on his private life and how that affected Ana, his home town of Springfield and his family life in the White House. Once assassinated the story moves more to Mary, but still remains on Ana and her adult life.

Taking place in the 1840's to the 1890's the story depicts the Underground Railroad, the Springfield race riots, and the Civil War. With Illinois being my home state, I have studied a lot about Abraham Lincoln and believe that this historical fiction book was well researched. The slant of bringing in a house girl to tell the story was ingenious and made the reading from her point of view interesting.

[Maureen Grigsby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a fan of Nancy Horgan. This isn’t actually a novel about Lincoln. Instead the story circles around the Lincolns. Quite interesting and based on some historical figures.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging, insightful, and rich!

The House of Lincoln is a vivid, captivating tale that sweeps you away to Springfield, Illinois, from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s and into the life of Ana Ferreira, a young Portuguese girl who, after being hired by Mary Lincoln to help her with the children and household chores, has a first-hand view of the unfolding rise of Abraham Lincoln to the president of the United States, his subsequent assassination, the devastating consequences of the civil war, the role of the midwest in the underground railroad, and the horrific, tragic events of the Springfield race riot.

The prose is clear and precise. The characters are passionate, determined, and strong. And the plot is a fascinating tale of life, love, bravery, strength, loss, loyalty, friendship, motivation, politics, and the early battle for equality and justice in the U.S.

Overall, The House of Lincoln is a intricate, compelling, informative tale by Horan that does a wonderful job of highlighting her impressive research and knowledge of this complex, influential figure who strove during his short time in office to abolish slavery and give African Americans the civil and social freedoms they rightly deserved.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The House of Lincoln.

I loved Loving Frank, so I was excited to see this ARC was available for request.

Also, Abraham Lincoln is my favorite president.

Like some readers, I thought this was going to be about Ana and her relationship/friendship with the Lincolns, but that's only a small part of the narrative.

Told from from Ana's POV, a Portuguese immigrant, and two free Black entrepreneurs about life before, during, and after Lincoln's presidency, we see Ana grow from an intelligent, naive child to a world weary older woman who has seen more than she could ever have imagined in her adopted homeland.

I empathized with Ana's mother's struggles to adapt to a new country, its language, rituals, and customs, and her deep longing for her home country.

That's the life of all immigrant families; our parents and our grandparents', and their sacrifices allow future generations a step up in America, with hopefully better and greater opportunities.

I also liked how the author shines a spotlight on Mary Lincoln; how she was poorly treated by her only living son and society; how her grief and sorrow over her husband and three sons led her spiraling into a deep depression that may have been the reason her life ended as soon as it did.

The writing was great, but the prose was dry, the author just recounting events and facts. It lacked the warm and emotional urgency the chaotic and frenetic energy during those frightening times.

The premise is misleading.

This isn't a story between Ana and the Lincolns; yes, there is brief interaction, but The House of Lincoln is about the people in Lincoln's social circle; not the politicians or privileged society, but the everyday people who struggle to make a living and to live, during a period of great social and civil unrest (not unlike what we're experiencing now).

I appreciated the author's intensive research and the knowledge I gained from reading this, but I wish this was more about Ana and the Lincolns.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kudos to the research that Nancy Horan undertook.

The setting: "...Abraham Lincoln's ascendance from rumpled lawyer to U.S. President to Great Emancipator and presents Lincoln’s Midwestern home as a complex third home front of the Civil War" told through the voice of Ana Ferreira, an immigrant from Madeira. The account starts with Ana as a 14-year old, but ends with her in her late 60s.

Ana "...is offered a job in the Lincoln household assisting Mary Lincoln with their boys and with the hosting duties borne by the wife of a rising political star. Ana ... [witnesses] the evolution of Lincoln's views on equality and the Union and observes in full complexity the psyche and pain of his bold, polarizing wife, Mary. Yet, alongside her dearest friend in the Black community [Cal], Ana confronts the racial prejudice her friend encounters daily as she watches the inner workings of the Underground Railroad, and directly experiences how slavery contradicts the promise of freedom in her adopted country."

I learned a lot about the Lincolns and politics in Illinois--especially Springfield.

The book covered many years--from 1851-1909 [much of it in the 1860s and the aftermath of the Civil War]--but the narrative sped up by leaps and bounds the last 1/4 of the book.

I found many parallels with the present day--notably the issues of immigration, racism, and racial injustice. And--Lincoln won the electoral vote, but not the popular vote!

The writing was fine, Several phrases struck my fancy:
"...man, whose hair hung like pale corn tassels"
"...wore muttonchops that wrapped around his big head like shrubbery""
"...felt positively upholstered in its heavy cotton folds" [dress]

I learned much about the Civil War, Lincoln, politics {North vs South/slavery], secession, and politicians at the time {Stephen Douglas, Frederick Douglass, President Andrew Johnson], and even articles of clothing in the 1860s: pelisses, Bertha collar, Havelock caps. Add in Catholics vs. Presbyterians, interracial marriage, and much more--there's alot [maybe too much].The 1908 Springfield Race Riot, which was the impetus for the formation of the NAACP was also new to me.

I loved Ana's character, but found the book somewhat flat, slow, and disjointed.

3.25, commendable, but...

[Marisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The House of Lincoln is an interesting book full of little known history. First of all, the book's protagonist Ana is a Portuguese immigrant, and her story is full of poignant pieces of history that I was completely unaware of until now. Second, this book is probably the first historical fiction I've read that actually addresses Lincoln's racist beliefs (i.e. pro-colonization, the stipulations surrounding the Emancipation Proclamation, etc.) and calls them out for what they were. Third, I think it's wonderful that the book follows the characters through the Springfield Race Riot of 1908 while tying it to how it's directly affected by the Civil War and white supremacists. All of that was done really well.

That being said, I wasn't a fan of how sometimes it felt like the chapters were just summaries of what happened during the Civil War. I felt like I didn't get as much character depth as I would have liked because there were paragraphs dedicated to naming dates and summarizing events that didn't directly affect the story. For someone who enjoys a plot structure like that, though, I'm sure they'll enjoy it! I was also a little disappointed by how little of the book actually deals with Ana and the Lincolns. The Lincolns are a big part of the book, and yes, we do see Ana interact with them, but the cover, title, and blurb indicate that that will be the meat & potatoes of the book when really, it's like the middle third of the book is dedicated to it, and that's it. I'm sure people will really enjoy this book, though, and I hope to see their positive reviews!

[Tami (So far behind...) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having visited the Mary Todd House recently in Lexington, Kentucky and walking through a piece of history, my interest was peeked in "The House of Lincoln" by Nancy Horan.

First line: February 1909: Below, the men are eating turtle soup.

Synopsis: Horan's book gives us a different look into the Lincoln family and the years preceeding. during and after the Civil War via Ana, a Portuguese immigrant and servant for the family. Ana watches the evolution of Lincoln's views on equality and the Union. Helping Mary Todd Lincoln with household duties as Abraham Lincoln's political power grows, she has a unique view of the family dynamics. Ana also confronts racial prejudice alongside her friend and she watches the inner workings of the underground railroad. The reality of slavery contradicts the promise of freedom in her adopted country.

My thoughts: My first Nancy Horan book was an interesting and educational experience. This is an epic tale spanning 50 years and covering so very much ground. Its sad to think how far we still have to go as a country for everyone to be treated equally. While this isn't my normal go-to type of story, my favorite sections are the ones we get to experience life as Ana does in her new home of Springfield, Illinois. With topics of slavery, immigration, class differences, and women's rights "The House of Lincoln" is a compelling read.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for introducing me to Nancy Horan and lessor known information about an important time in our history.

[Debbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, hugely interesting, full of interesting stories of life in Springfield before, during and after the Civil War. Told through the eyes of Ana Ferreira from the time she arrives in Springfield from Madeira, as a bright young girl of 14, living in a diverse neighborhood of black and white, immigrants and of many religions. Ana’s family were religious immigrants, driven out by the Catholics when they converted. A local widow sees something in Ana, and pays for her schooling. When she completes her schooling she goes to work for Mary Lincoln, helping in the house and taking care of the Lincoln children. This gives her a first hand look into the lives and minds of the Lincoln family, who shape Ana and her views. Ana is with the Lincolns through the major times in history: Lincoln’s election to the Presidency, the Civil War and its aftermath, Lincoln’s assassination, the loss of their son Willie… The House of Lincoln is not the story of Lincoln, but of the world around him, and how he shaped Springfield and it’s citizens, and they him. A fantastic read, one that will resonate and stay with you.

[Lulu · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of this story is totally misleading. Which is upsetting, because I’ve been waiting to read this book for at least a year.

The majority of the story is told from Ana’s POV. She’s a Portuguese immigrant who worked as a housekeeper for the Lincolns on the weekend. Ana and her relationship with the Lincolns is only a small part of the narrative. She had no knowledge of the “inner workings of the Underground Railroad”, she only learned of this from a newspaper article YEARS after the Civil War ended and I never once saw where she “confronted the racial prejudice her friend encounters daily”. We do get other POVs from a number of characters in the book, but between the subplots and the huge jump in time beginning towards the middle of the book…this just didn’t work for me.

There are tons of historical facts sprinkled in regarding immigration, slavery, the Lincolns, the Civil War, Emancipation, the Springfield Race Riot of 1908…. and so this reads more like a “Who’s Who” of Springfield, IL.

I hate to say it, but over all this was dry and boring.

[Gloria ~ mzglorybe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frankly I had a difficult time staying engaged. I found it read more like a textbook or was a more educational read as opposed to entertaining.

“Lincolnphiles” that read everything about Mr. Lincoln might enjoy this more. Certainly there are a few little gems we may not have known about, but those may be the fictional side of this combo fiction/non-fiction novel about the Lincoln’s.

I found the story about the Portuguese immigrant the most engaging, but even so found the pace irregular.
I sincerely thank the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to peruse this ARC in exchange for my personal and unbiased opinions of this work.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this historical fiction novel about the times of Abraham Lincoln. The book showed how the town of Springfield, Illinois grew to the capitol of Illinois. There was also a lot of information about how Lincoln became elected and how the Civil War took place during this difficult time of slave owners vs. abolitionists. In addition, it showed how race relations continued to be challenging many decades after the Emancipation Proclamation. I really enjoyed the characters, especially Ana who worked in the Lincoln household as a caretaker for the young sons.

[Mallory (onmalsshelf) Bartel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sadly I’m DNFing this one. I didn’t realize this was going to be a coming of age novel with a lot of characters going off on side tangents. I can’t keep any character straight and that means they’re not memorable.

[Carole Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting perspective on Abraham Lincoln, his family, and the community in which they lived.

In this latest work of historical fiction by author Nancy Horan, Ana Ferreira is a young immigrant girl who is living with her family in Springfield, Illinois, in 1851. They had fled Madeira, Portugal, with a group of others when the far more populous Catholic residents there forced Presbyterian converts like the Ferreiras from their homes. The refugees initially travelled to the island of Trinidad, but were pressed into service harvesting in the sugar cane fields, a brutal and hardscrabble life. When offered refuge in the United States, they seized the opportunity and found themselves in Springfield. A very different climate from that to which they were accustomed, and a language that none initially knew, but there were ways to find work, make money, and create a new life. Ana’s father, a hard worker and optimistic by nature, searches for a new path for himself and his family, while Ana’s mother dearly misses her old home and the family whom she loves deeply but who rejected her when she embraced a new faith. Ana and her two siblings work to adapt to their new life, and Ana in particular quickly learns English and becomes her family’s interpreter and runner of errands. One day, when she and her new best friend Cal, are roaming the square downtown and go to pick up a pair of her father’s boots from the cobbler shop of William Donnegan, they encounter three nasty men who are looking for a man and think that Mr. Donnegan knows where he is. Mr. Donnegan looks at the picture they present, and says he has never seen the man. The men don’t believe him particularly, but when even a large amount of cash doesn’t sway Mr. Donnegan they leave the shop. As they do, Ana sees a pile of pelts in a corner of the shop start to slide, and a hand come out from within the pile to steady it. She and Cal are rushed out of the store, and Ana asks her friend about what just happened. Cal, who is herself part black and regularly on the receiving end of discrimination by racist members of the Springfield community, identifies the trio of men as slave catchers, refuses to say whether or not she too saw the hand, and asks Ana not to say anything to anyone about what just happened. Ana promises to stay silent. This incident, added to the occasions when she sees Cal treated differently than she herself is treated by certain shopkeepers, makes Ana aware that America does not welcome or treat all immigrants in the same fashion, and not everyone has the same pathways available to them in their pursuit of the American Dream. Ana comes to work in the Lincoln home, helping Mary Lincoln with her sons while her husband pursues his work and ambitions, and the reader comes to know the Lincoln family through Ana’s eyes.
The main character in House of Lincoln is not, in fact, Lincoln….instead, it is Ana, Donnegan, and their families and friends, as well as at times Mary Todd Lincoln and the Lincoln family. While the character of Ana is fictional, it is inspired by real immigrants from Madeira who were exiled because of their religious beliefs and found their way to Springfield. William Donnegan was real, a free African American who lived with his family in Springfield when they left Kentucky. He was actively involved in helping people fleeing slavery and oppression in the Southern states on their journeys to freedom in the North. Mary Lincoln has been remembered through history for the losses in her life (her mother, her husband and three of her four sons), from her many physical and mental health issues, and is not one of the more revered First Ladies in US history. I learned more about her, from her early life and its difficulties, to the strong bond with her sisters and the strained relations with siblings and other relatives who sided with the Confederacy. She wasn’t the easiest of women to live with, I suspect, but I developed a bit more sympathy for why she behaved as she did. As the author herself was raised in Springfield, she was able to bring to the story much of its history, including events like the Springfield Race Riot of 1908, of which I had never heard. I don’t believe I ever knew just how much of a microcosm of the divided US Springfield, Illinois, was in Lincoln’s time, a hub of the Underground Railroad as well as a place harboring many who favored the discriminatory Black Laws. Lincoln himself was certainly not born an abolitionist, but was an observer of life around him and was disquieted with many of the inequities that he saw. The story does not end with his assassination, as the lives of the other characters in the book continued onward. The Civil War, which Ana, Donnegan, their families and friends live through as do the Lincolns, did not permanently solve the problem of racism, nor is our country free of it today. But, just as there were then, there are people of all colors and from all walks of life who continue to work towards that goal.
I found the characters engaging, I certainly learned many details of that time and place with which I was unfamiliar, and would recommend this novel to anyone who has enjoyed Ms Horan’s previous titles (including Loving Frank) or who enjoy historical fiction, especially those that seek to flesh out actual historical figures by seeing their lives through the perspective of people in their lives. Titles like The Paris Wife by Paula McLain, An American Beauty by Shana Abe, and Her Hidden Genius and other novels by Marie Benedict spring to mind. Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me access to an advanced reader’s copy, in exchange for my honest review.

[Dan]

The foundational story of Nancy Horan’s The House of Lincoln is the conversion of Madeirans to Presbyterianism, then their persecution, and then their flight initially to Trinidad and ultimately to the unlikely home of Springfield, Illinois. Horan builds her novel around the struggles and triumphs of the Ferreiras and especially of Ana, their middle child, as the family accustoms itself, with mixed success, to life in mid-nineteenth century Springfield. Ana’s recognized as an especially clever and responsible girl, finds a patron for her education, and works weekends in Abraham and Mary Lincoln’s home.

Horan structures Ana’s story around the Lincoln homestead and Mr. Lincoln’s growing political prominence and eventual election to the presidency, the resulting Civil War, emancipation struggles, and the Ferrieras’ varying paths to assimilation into Springfield society and culture. There’s romance, there’s heartbreak, there’s disappointment, and there’s a family finding its way to stability.

Blink once when reading The House of Lincoln and a reader might only see a saccharine tale of immigrant success. Blink twice and a reader might find that Nancy Horan confronts the sadness, the loss, and the disappointments inherent in Ana’s life and the lives of her family. Death is death, even if for a worthy cause like the Civil War. Loss is loss, even if the Madeira left behind was a Madeira eager to rid itself of Presbyterians. One of the small rewards of The House of Lincoln is Horan’s portrayal of the limits of Ana’s childhood friendship with Cal, an African American girl, and Ana’s ongoing guilt and confusion about Cal’s rejection of her.

Nancy Horan suffuses The House of Lincoln with warmth and humanity. Even characters who make cameo appearances are well drawn. President Lincoln’s path to the presidency and his fraught family life may be well tread ground, but Horan gives us a new and affecting frame through which to view it.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy.

[Gerry Durisin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy Horan's new novel, The House of Lincoln, is a fictionalized re-telling of the life of Abraham Lincoln and the history of the town of Springfield, Illinois, where he lived and started his family prior to being elected 16th President of the United States. The novel spans some 60 years, and focuses on three families, two real and one fictitious: the Lincolns; the Donnegans, a family of free blacks who were active in assisting those who escaped from enslavement to move north; and the Ferrieras, a fictional family inspired by the lives of Portuguese religious exiles from Madeira who emigrated vis Trinidad to Springfield, Illinois, in 1849. Springfield itself, growing from a small village to a bustling city and the state capital, is also a major character in this novel, and a locus of events that the author uses to highlight the conflicting opinions and feelings of both white and Black people, and the events those opinions and feelings caused, both before and after the Civil War. The novel culminates in the true story of the Springfield Riot of 1908, when a white woman's false claim that she'd been raped by a Black man sparked riots in which white people burned and looted in a section of the city largely populated by Blacks, and lynched two Black men: William Donnegan, a minister, and Scott Burton, a barber. The Springfield Riot was the impetus for the formation in 1909 of the NAACP.

Horan's writing powerfully humanized Abraham Lincoln and his family, transforming them from iconic historical figures into real, relatable individuals, with flaws and foibles, but also great capacity for growth and change. Without lengthy descriptions of battles and strategies, she also brought home the suffering experienced by Civil War soldiers as well as the families who waited for their return. And her use of Ana Ferriera as a central narrator/observer of all these events gave these events a striking perspective from the viewpoint of a naive and idealistic young girl coming of age in a tumultuous time in our history. Very well done!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing a free eARC in exchange for an objective review.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for this advance reader copy of The House of Lincoln in exchange for a fair review. This review appears on Goodreads.
I am always looking for Historical Fiction about topics beyond WWII - as it seems there are so many of those right now. Here is one that is beyond what we know about Lincoln and the Civil War, and includes an immigrant family, and a free black family living in Springfield Illinois during the time of Lincolns rise to the office of the President of the United States. Its also an exploration of Mary Lincoln struggling with her own grief over losing her children and her split family - half being abolitionists and half on the side of the confederacy.
This was a terrible time in our nations history and sniffed of current affairs. We are still grappling with the way our country was ripped apart and gingerly stitched back together during the Civil War. There's a warning of what happens when one group's ideas are thrust upon another's - something that a war wouldn't solve.
I liked the characterization, setting and the way the plot moved. I learned a lot about the Lincoln Family and the climate of the nation in the pre-war days. Honestly what I didn't care for was the description of the race riots in Springfield in the 1900s. I understand it is important to Springfield's history, but for the purposes of this book, I felt like the book came to an easy and logical conclusion only to launch the reader into some shocking information that took place 50 years later. I was 100% going to do this in book club but now not so sure. I think book club would enjoy discussing the origins of the civil war and the Lincoln family, and maybe even immigrants during that time, but the race riots is far too much to chew on - the ending actually kept me up last night which is not usually how books end for me.
4* for the book itself. I enjoyed it until the race riots. I do not like how the book left me feeling though.

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary ARC of this wonderful novel based on fact from Netgalley, the author Nancy Horan, and publisher Sourcebooks-Landmark. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read The House of Lincoln, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. As fiction based on fact, this book is a perfect accompaniment to all that we have read about the life of Abraham Lincoln. We see life from the viewpoint of his household, both in Springfield, Illinois, and Washington DC, through the eyes of his wife Mary, and the composite character of their various house helpers over the years. It is an image that rounds out the picture of the life of Lincoln more completely. Yes, he was important and necessary in the development of the US as we know it. He was also a good father, a compassionate and responsible husband, and a good neighbor. We certainly need more like him, in both our neighborhoods and in the government.

pub date June 6, 2023
Reviewed on April 10, 2023, at Goodreads and Netgalley. Reviewed on June 6, 2023, at AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, and Kobo.

[Margot · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nancy Horan clearly did a lot of research for this book. I did not know much about the Springfield race riot or that it inspired the establishment the NAACP. However, if you are looking for good historical fiction with characters that you actually get to know and care about, skip this one. I was especially disappointed in her portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln. There was so much there to develop and Horan just scratches the surface of her character. The reader also learns next to nothing original about Lincoln himself.

[LAErin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars … the house of Lincoln, yes, but even more so the city of Lincoln with its contradictions and catastrophes

[Kathy Rhode · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars
Enjoyable historical fiction focusing on some of the people surrounding the Lincoln family in Springfield. Begins before Lincoln was president to the early 1900’s. Focuses on a 13 year old girl who works in the Lincoln home, her black friend, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, and racial issues following the war.

[Katie Harder-schauer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really interesting look into the path that led to Lincoln in the White House, and the aftermath of that. I’ll have a more in depth review posted here after it goes live on my blog.

[Carrie Spellmeyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly, this book was very try hard for me to finish. I enjoyed the parts about Lincoln, but those were few. The history is, of course, interesting, but the plot left a lot to be desired for me.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been born and raised in Springfield, Illinois and having always had a deep affinity for Abraham Lincoln, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found it to be a truely tender, an at times harsh, and an extremely factual rendition of Lincoln's life and most importantly, his purpose.