'Rodham' is a frustrating but fascinating portrait of Hillary Clinton in an alternative world

Of the many criticisms that have been hurled at Hillary Rodham Clinton over the years, not all are fair (she is a woman, not a "wrinkled voice"), and many are outright lies (Pizzagate, for example). But even her biggest fans can't argue that the politician often doesn't seem genuine; no matter how many #throwback photos she posts on Instagram, no matter how many joke-filled tweets she repeats, Clinton has always made an inexplicable impression. Even the recent Hulu documentary "Hillary" failed to break the invisible barrier between her inner life and the person she presents to the public. So Curtis Sittenfeld's new novel, Rodham (opens in new tab), is told from the (fictional) point of view of the main heroine, who, it is assumed, is not married to Bill. Who wouldn't want to finally know what motivates the most famous and enigmatic woman on earth?"

But while the book is unquestionably compelling, it will leave you with no better understanding of what makes Hillary Hillary, Hillary.

The novel spans more than 45 years, from the protagonist's Yale Law School days to the events of 2016, and imagines a world in which Rodham (as she is called in this alternate universe) has no permanent ties to Bill Clinton, as seen through the eyes of the law and millions of Americans She is. Sittenfeld excels in this area, as she impressively does in "Prep" and "American Wife," her reimagining of Laura Bush. The author portrays the romance through both R-rated details (opens in new tab) and touching episodes (the scene where Bill defends her from her father's casual cruelty is a highlight). Ultimately, however, Clinton's consistent infidelity brings Rodham to a crossroads. Does she ignore his affairs, not to mention claims of sexual assault by his former volunteers, and continue to stand by his side while he pursues his political dreams?" or does she leave him, free of his toxic associations, but perhaps painfully, begin anew a life of permanent isolation?

Of course, the real Rodham stayed, married Bill Clinton (who has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct), had Chelsea, and achieved an unparalleled career that soared and faltered, partly due to the baggage of being Bill's wife. Whether she is happy with that choice or regrets not walking out the door in the 1970s, we will never know, but for 432 pages Rodham entertains us with its "what ifs." We watch as Rodham uses her political wits and unquestionable brilliance to go from law professor to senator to presidential candidate (I won't spoil what happens next). Like her real-life counterpart, Rodham is constantly plagued by sexist remarks and a reputation as a "hater" and continues to make mistakes, but the journey is certainly inspiring and, more importantly, entirely her own. Yes, she still makes that infamous "I guess I could have baked cookies at home" comment, but this time it is when she is defending her own run for president, not when she was a young working wife and mother. In Sittenfeld's world, Rodham, if not always in charge of her political destiny, is at least in charge of how, when, and why she pursues her dreams.

Nevertheless, even a liberated Rodham is not really liberated. Time and again, the reader is present at key moments in her life: her breakup with Bill, her Senate campaign, the death of a friend, and so on, even though the book is told in the first person. When Clinton first betrays Rodham during a summer in California, she notes her "shock and distraction," but a few pages later she dutifully details their life together in New Haven. Says Rodham, "Geography seemed to contain our grief and conflicts and leave them behind." Clinton proposes to her just before she leaves for Arkansas to begin her political campaign. Rodham declines, saying that the combination of marriage and cross-country travel is too much of a compromise, but the conflicting feelings that must be weighing on her are barely on the surface.

This problem escalates as the book moves on to her rise in Washington. In one scene, Rodham reflects on her decision to run for president "as if, on some level, she already knew it, as if she had known it all along," but we never really know what actually drove her to this goal other than its inevitability. She is fully aware that her candidacy is historic, and she talks about her gender in interviews and short tweets, but the thrill, awe, and fear that should accompany that possibility are missing from these chapters.

Nevertheless, it is hard to say how much of that distance is the novel's fault and how much is the simply undivided pragmatism of both the real Hilary and her fictional counterpart. If Rodham's experience makes her the most qualified person to run for office, what else is there to consider? "But even if the lack of insight into the subject's mind was Sittenfeld's deliberate choice (the author declined Marie Claire's request for an interview, so we can never be sure we don't know), the book suffers for it and often leaves the curious reader in the dark.

And many times the distance between us and Rodham is deeply frustrating. When she first learns of the assault allegations against Clinton, she laments how it will affect his campaign and their relationship, but barely mentions the emotional impact on her accuser and herself. In fact, it would be decades before the case surfaced again, and even then Rodham acknowledges her accuser with an indifference that has not evolved over time. The same attitude applies to race. It remains largely a mystery what Rodham's feelings were when she defeated a black female candidate in a senatorial race, despite the pleas of close friends not to run. Even in her old age, she looks back more on the loss of friendship than on the history that stopped her in her tracks. Without more insight into her mindset, Rodham portrays her protagonist as a hypocritical feminist who fights for some women out of moral obligation and not at all for others.

This novel will not change your opinion of Rodham, whether you like her or not. Treated as a fake election memoir rather than a peek into Rodham's mind, the book most certainly delivers. There are enough delightful details (galas, sex scenes, pre-2016 meetings with Trump) and powerful takeaways to satisfy any reader. But if you're hoping to discover who's behind the politicians, you're out of luck. 'You have quite an opinion of yourself for a little girl,' one man says to 9-year-old Rodham in a flashback."

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