This has to be the most unique historical fiction I’ve reviewed. You’ve all heard of the stage musical Hamilton, and probably most of you have either seen it live on stage or on TV. The musical 19 has a similar feel.
Here’s some info from the press release:
Delving into the contentious nature of the suffrage movement, the book highlights the marginalized roles of these women and focuses on the remarkable contributions of underappreciated figures such as Alice Paul, Carrie Chapman Catt and Ida B. Wells. Spanning the life of Alice Paul’s entrance into the suffrage movement in the early 1900s through to the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, the musical chronicles the sacrifices and setbacks faced by suffrage luminaries. The racially diverse cast brings a contemporary spin to historical events.
I was excited to listen to this, but I was puzzled about how it would work. The key was not to expect a typical audiobook. You are listening to a musical with the help of stage directions and a narrator. It worked well. I found it very entertaining and educational, which is exactly what I look for in historical fiction. Like Hamilton, it the fun and humor balance very serious historical occurrences. For instance, President Wilson says, “Mansplaining, mansplaining, mansplaining…” You may not have read in the history books that Wilson was late jumping on the suffragist bandwagon. That, along with other issues with his policies, helped to elected Warren G. Harding once women were voting in 1920.
I recommend this, 5 stars! Scroll down to listen to a clip.
Reviewed by Cindy Thomson, Novel PASTimes
Book and lyrics by Jennifer Schwed and Doug Bradshaw | Music composed by Charlie Barnett March 2024 | Through the 4th Wall | Musical Theater / Historical
Audiobook, ISBN: 9798218392208
Officially launched in 2014, Through the 4th Wall has endeavored to excite and challenge audiences with the fantastic, the unexpected and the thought-provoking. TT4W is an award-winning theater, film and media company that creates, writes, directs and produces its own original works. Principals Jennifer Schwed and Doug Bradshaw are playwrights, filmmakers and multimedia storytellers. Past projects have spanned media and genres such as, “Jules & James,” a serialized audio drama podcast and multimedia story; “A Dream Within A Dream,” an immersive play about the mad genius of Edgar Allan Poe; and “The Upside of Iris,” an enchanting and whimsical story about a girl who sees the world upside down, produced as an animated ebook. These past artistic ventures have garnered both critical and audience acclaim. TT4W looks forward to introducing audiences to “19: The Musical,” a story 100 years in the making.
Social Media: Facebook: @19TheMusical | Instagram: @19_themusical
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