I decided to read Booth because it is long listed for the Booker prize and I enjoy historical fiction. Booth is about the family of the infamous John Wilkes Booth and focuses primarily on his many siblings. 

Booth’s mother gave birth 10 times in roughly as many years. As was common in the time, many of these children died. Much of the story focuses on how those losses impacted the surviving children and their mother. We learn significantly about the lives of Asia, Rosalie, and Edwin. John is mentioned here and there in passing.

This book is almost entirely factual and very little is fictionalized, mostly the details about Rosalie‘s life which are vastly missing from his historical record. 

As I was reading, I kept thinking why are we not hearing more about John Wilkes Booth? My question was answered and the brilliance of this book was revealed in the authors note at the end. Fowler explains that she wanted to write his historical account that did not center the murderer and instead focused on how his actions impacted the family. She was inspired by school shootings. In this way she shows both compassion for the family as well as culpability. 

This was more to the historical side and in that way it was not the typical fiction experience I was expecting. However I cannot argue that this was well written, extensively research, and a perspective that was missing about a man who will continue to live in infamy.