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Let me just say this right off the bat. I really liked that this book was not some story loosely based off the life of Hilary Clinton. I’m all for Hilary, but this fictional story was something all it’s own, and that made it something so much more worth reading.
A quick synopsis.
Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win by Jo Piazza dives deep into the story of a woman who leaves her high powered job in the Silicon Valley to run for the Senate during one of the most important races in quite some time (think this year’s senate race). She uproots her family from their Californian home and moves them back to her old downtrodden Pennsylvanian hometown so she can run from there.
Walsh quickly realizes how dirty politics can be, and more specifically, how dirty her opponent is willing to fight. Combining that with an apathetic husband who wishes he was back in California, the judging of the press, and the overall exhaustion of a campaign, Walsh has to decide how badly she actually wants to win.
So what did I think?
As I was describing Charlotte Walsh Likes To Win to a guy friend, his first reaction was “oh so it’s one of those books about how crappy guys are?” It’s funny, because that’s what he saw first in my description, but I hadn’t even noticed it. (Or maybe I’m just use to seeing guys in politics as crappy.) Instead, I saw a novel that exposed everyone’s flaws. A novel where everyone lies, whether it’s a little white lie or a major lie. Lies with the intention of helping someone, lies to hurt someone, and lies to hide secrets. Even the main character is lying for half of the book (don’t worry, that isn’t a spoiler).
What’s amazing about Piazza’s writing though, is that she develops her characters so well that you’re still cheering for them even when they completely mess up. You want her characters to succeed and find a way out of their mess.
What about the politics angle?
To be honest, I went into this book first because it was a Jo Piazza book. I didn’t really go in for the politics angle. For that part, I don’t really think I learned anything new. The campaign part really seemed more focused on the PR angle of everything than actual political opinions. Which honestly, was fine with me. I didn’t really expect to hear real political speeches and I didn’t have to.
Do I think you should pick up this Charlotte Walsh Likes To Win?
Yes! I don’t think there’s ever any harm in reminding yourself how hard women have it with media scrutiny, especially during political elections. It’s a reminder to really focus in on what the people are saying and doing, not what they’re wearing and what they look like. That’s something that will especially become important during the 2018 senate race this fall and something that we call need to keep in mind.
