Sittenfeld's brave idea about the Clintons is a real fun page-turner says Sheffield book reviewer

The Clintons do meet and fall in love but, well before Bill begins his run for the presidency, they split up and send the whole world, not just their own lives, off on an alternative Back to the Future II-style timeline.

Sittenfeld’s American Wife, the fictionalised biography of Laura Bush published in 2008, is a quiet, thoughtful, but completely compelling book, and I was fascinated to see what its creator would do with this more outlandish proposition.

Rodham is a totally different beast from American Wife, though.

It took me a little while to realise that and adjust my expectations.

Where American Wife is calm and reflective, Rodham becomes more of a romp the further we get through the story.

Much of this book is pure fun and fantasy – and, once you understand that’s what you’re reading, it’s great fun.

It’s certainly a real page-turner.

From the first section on Hillary’s early life which, I understand, stays pretty true to reality, to the final section imagining an alternative 2016 US presidential election, I was gripped.

It is frustrating in parts.

The main source of frustration is that I’d imagined this charismatic, but clearly highly dodgy suitor would exit stage left from Hillary’s life after their break-up, and leave her to find fulfilment elsewhere.

It annoyed me that he continued to be a central figure in her life, and the book, hanging around like a bad smell.

I’ve heard Rodham described as Hill without Bill, but it’s not that at all. It’s Hill and Bill - she’s just not married to him.

The truth is this book isn’t attempting to be a serious ‘here’s what would’ve happened’ thesis.

It’s wish fulfilment. And I love it for that. I love that such a brilliant writer has taken on a fantasy scenario and allowed her imagination to go to town with it.

Once I got my head around the fact this is what Sittenfeld is doing, I sat back, relaxed and enjoyed myself immensely.