Review: "Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule" by Jennifer Chiaverini

This is the fictional account of the lives of Julia Grant and her slave, Jule. Julia and Jule were friends first. Growing up in Missouri, they were so close; they were called Ginger and Cream. Because Jule was a slave child in the home of Julia’s father, she eventually became Julia’s personal servant and maid. She is an integral part of Julia’s life through her marriage to Civil War General Ulysses Grant and the birth of their four children. Jule longs to be free though and resentments build until she runs away and makes a life of her own.

Ms. Chiaverini does a marvelous job of telling Julia Grant’s story. Although this is fiction, it is based on known facts and she fleshes out the details of her life beautifully and in a manner that keeps you interested and reading. You can sense the love and respect that Julia had for Ulysses. It follows her life until shortly after his death. The storyline that follows Jule is based on a few entries in Mrs. Grant’s memoirs. Although what is known about Jule is sparse, again the author does a wonderful job of weaving a story of what could have been and you want to continue reading to find out the outcome and if they ever reconciled. The story brings to light the complexities and inconsistencies that surrounded slavery.

I have always been interested in Ulysses S. Grant and found this story a wonderful tale of what his personal life might have been like. The story is well written and can be read by young and old. It is a great introduction into these historical figures and may inspire the reader to search deeper and read more about them. I highly recommend this book.