Hamilton and Peggy!: A Revolutionary Friendship

Reviewed by: Cidney Mayes - Memorial Middle School Library, South Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: May 16, 2018

Review

Peggy Schuyler is a spirited and gutsy young woman, who often feels overlooked in her family as her two older sisters Angelica and Eliza often take the spotlight. Peggy feels even more overshadowed when she receives a letter from George Washington's aide-de-camp Alexander Hamilton, who writes to Peggy to enlist her help in courting Eliza. This romance is set against the backdrop of the Schuyler home, where Peggy eavesdrops on her father and his wartime involvement with American Revolution. Peggy longs to have a more active role in spying for the Revolution and aides wherever she can, by opening sealed letters in such a way as to disguise that the letter was ever open, to once meeting a spy for her father in the market. Steadfast throughout the novel is Peggy's role as a caretaker and the loyalty between the three Schuyler sisters.

Elliot's novel is based upon meticulous research, and the afterword provides much information on the letters and documents she used to write Peggy's story, though the title of the novel is clearly inspired by Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical Hamilton. Language in the book is modern, apart from the letter excerpts that begin each chapter which are included with original spellings. The action is fast paced, and will leave any fan of Hamilton the musical satisfied. Recommended for grades 9 and up.

Overall Book Score: very good