Hamilton and Peggy!

November 1, 2017

Gr 7 Up-Margarita Schuyler, called Peggy, is the youngest of the eldest trio of Schuyler girls. Their relationship rings of the closeness of the March sisters, and Peggy is the Jo March of this family. Intelligent and fierce, she is determined to escape the shadow of her stunningly beautiful sister, Angelica, and her sweet, doe-eyed sister, Eliza. This historical novel opens in the midst of the bloody Revolutionary War. Peggy uses her razor-sharp wit and cleverness to make her mark on all those with whom she interacts, especially the young aide-de-camp Alexander Hamilton. After an impassioned letter requesting her help in wooing middle sister Eliza, Peggy and Hamilton form a fast friendship that proves most pivotal in the outcome of the Revolution. Too often her family is in danger, from Loyalists and from would-be suitors, and Peggy must rely on her talents to save the people she loves as well as the young America she believes in. The story is drawn from extensive research on each of the characters, through their letters, magazines, newspapers, and personal diaries. VERDICT Elliott has accomplished something wonderful here, and this is an absolute must-have for all middle and high school collections.-Nicole Coover-Thompson, Maine West High School, Des Plaines, IL

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2017
The story of Alexander Hamilton's romance with Eliza Schuyler as seen through the eyes of her younger sister Peggy.Set during the American Revolution, the tale offers the adventure of war, the family dynamic of sisterhood, and the drama of young love. Peggy Schuyler is a spirited young woman who feels overlooked in her large family as her two older sisters attract attention and suitors. This feeling only grows when George Washington's aide-de-camp, Alexander Hamilton, seeks her help in his efforts to woo her sister, Eliza. Their home is at the center of information about wartime conflicts in upstate New York and Canada, facilitating many cameos as well as glimpses at exchanges with the Oneida nation. In her relationships with her sisters, Peggy is supportive of the steadfast Eliza and occasionally exasperated by the more worldly Angelica. She carries out an amazing act of courage when British Loyalists storm their home looking for her father. While Elliott was inspired by Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical Hamilton, her story is based on independent research, and her afterword is as readable as the novel itself. Like many historical novels for teens, the language is quite modern, and the narrative has a fast pace.The demand for stories about the world of Alexander Hamilton shows no sign of letting up, and this entry ably feeds the need. (Historical fiction. 13-18)

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Starred review from December 11, 2017
Elliott (Suspect Red) combines a flair for fiction with masterly research to create a dense yet eminently readable story about Peggy Schuyler, third daughter of Gen. Philip Schuyler, one of George Washington’s right-hand men. Spanning the period from 1777 through 1781, as Peggy ages from 19 to 23, the book presents day-to-day life in Albany and its environs during the Revolutionary War years through the eyes of a young woman witnessing some of its most momentous events, detailing both the ordinary and extraordinary through her perceptive point of view. Well educated and sharp-witted (but feeling inferior to her older sisters), Peggy is a strong and appealing protagonist who eventually takes on a role in her father’s clandestine work as an intelligence officer. Elliott does a remarkable job of humanizing important historical figures; despite the title, Hamilton is just one of several intriguing people in Peggy’s sphere. While the extensive detail on military and intelligence operations may overwhelm some readers, the “stubborn, defiant, willful” Peggy will win their hearts as she forges on to take her place alongside her older sisters. Ages 13–up.