Reread August 2023

Still wonderful. Still love it. Doing a reread just reminds me how much this whole series has my heart.

***
Original Review

This is potentially my favorite series of all time, culminating in Long May She Reign which might be my favorite book of all time. I think it's absolutely wonderful and terribly underrated. It doesn't sound like my kind of book necessarily because I do tend to prefer more down to earth realistic situations, but White makes this a down to earth. All the characters feel like real people. No one is particularly evil, just sometimes teenagers can be jerks. None of it ever hits too hard on melodrama. She manages to take this almost absurd sounding situation and make it real and relatable.

Another thing that I don't always appreciate is humor. I'm terrible at humor in books. It goes over my head and just feels flat or awkward. But this book is hilarious. Meg's dry sense of humor (and to be honest her whole family's) is fantastic. This is probably one of the only books to actively make me laugh out loud.

And beyond her humor, Meg is a fantastic main character. She's interesting and intelligent and bratty and wonderful. She might be my favorite character of all time. Beyond the story, Meg is what makes this book. If there was a book about her going to the grocery store, I'd read it. And it would probably be hilarious. She's such an insightful person and reading this as a teen, she definitely made me think a lot. Meg holds nuanced political views, having grown up in politics, and it's a major focus of the book. The political atmosphere isn't just the backdrop, it's a part of the story and Meg herself. Even as an adult, while I don't struggle to keep up with her, it's a book that keeps you on your toes. It's always denser than I expect it to be. Not in a bad way, but it's not a book you can just sit back and enjoy. Meg is smart. Her family and friends are smart. And you have to put in some effort to keep up with them. Which I adore.

The family relationships are also something I thoroughly appreciate in these books. It feels like a real family. Meg and her brothers have the funniest relationship, constantly bickering and name calling, but in a lighthearted way. They poke fun, but always get called out when they cross the line. Meg has issues with both of her parents, particularly her mother as the president, but it's a loving family at the end of the day. They deal with their issues and I love it.

The last time I read this I gave it 4 stars, and I think I did that because of how short this book. It's not even necessarily the length, but it does feel like it happens too quickly. There's a lot that isn't explored, from the campaign to the press to Meg's outside life. It felt a bit lacking in that regard. Part of that is definitely because I can't help comparing it to Long May She Reign, which at 700+ pages, has a lot more time to explore the rest of the world. This first book feels like it's scraping the surface of what it could be. But that doesn't take away from how much I love it for what it is. 

Some small things I appreciate that deserve a mention: That the female president is unapologetically feminine. She hates blazers, preferring dresses. She's a little vain about her appearance. She likes fashion. And she's a good president because literally none of that matters to her job. That Meg's family isn't touchy feely or very open with their emotions, but it's clear they love each other. That this book manages to be so politically focused without ever coming across as preachy or condescending.

It's just wonderful. Beyond wonderful, if I'm being honest. I honestly can't recommend this book enough, and I could probably gush forever about everything this book does well. My favorite author, my favorite series, please go read it because it deserves so much more attention than it gets.