The Bibliophile's Bookshelf

Title: Hamilton and Peggy!- A Revolutionary Friendship

Series: Standalone

Author: L.M. Elliott

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age

Rating: 3 stars

Review:

Peggy Schyler has always felt like she’s existed in the shadows of her sisters: the fiery, intelligent Angelica and the beautiful, sweet Eliza. The three of them have a magnetic pull- they are stronger together than they are alone. But it’s in the throes of a chaotic war that Peggy finds herself a centralized figure amid Loyalists and Patriots, spies and traitors, and friends and family. Charming, quick-witted, and clever beyond compare, Peggy is determined to use her talents to make her own mark on the Revolutionary War. When a flirtatious aide-de-camp, Alexander Hamilton, writes an eloquent letter to Peggy asking for her help in wooing the earnest Eliza, Peggy finds herself unable to deny such an impassioned plea. A fast friendship forms between the two, but Alexander is caught in the same war as her father, General Phillip Schyler, and the danger to all their lives is real. Everything is a battlefield- from the front lines to their carefully coded letters- and Peggy must put herself in harm’s way to protect the people she loves. But will her bravery and intelligence be enough to keep them all safe? – Summary from inside flap

This book was incredibly well researched, which was almost a detriment. I didn’t know how well researched this book was going in to it, so while I was reading it it felt like a recitation of facts. The way the facts were shared was nice and not too hard to digest, but it didn’t necessarily feel like a story.

My biggest complaint was the title- Hamiton and Peggy!: A Revolutionary Friendship. Hamilton really wasn’t in the book all that much, and there really wasn’t much of a relationship between the two of them. I liked the story, but I was expecting Hamilton to be in the book and them having more of a relationship. It would have made more sense for the book to be called And Peggy! or the Schyler Sisters, or something like that.

I really enjoyed how Peggy’s relationship with her sisters and her dad was shown. In many things I have read about Hamilton and the Schyler’s, their relationship’s among themselves aren’t gone into very much detail. I especially loved Peggy and her dad’s relationship. He trusted her and included her in important matters, which may not be super accurate, but I liked it.

Sometimes, Eliza came off as delicate and unintelligent. I know she was a sweet person, and I know it was probably unintentional, but I didn’t love how Eliza was depicted.

I do feel like I got a new understanding of the Revolutionary War. While this didn’t read like a story it was easier to read than a history textbook. It was especially nice to get to know about the youngest Schyler sister.

Hamilton and Peggy! was an informative and incredibly well researched historical fiction book. It offered a new perspective and understanding of the Revolutionary War and the Schyler family. The book didn’t always feel like a story and Hamilton wasn’t a big part of the book, though I still thoroughly enjoyed the book.