Oooh! I do I do I do I doooo! Hey! Ooh, I do I do I do I doo! Boy you got me helpless! Look into your eyes and the sky's the limit. I'm helpless! Down for the count and I'm drownin' in 'em
Despite the way I started off this review, I'm going to give anyone interested in reading the book a warning. You must not think of Hamilton (the musical) while reading this book. It is a lot more enjoyable when you're able to disconnect the musical and the book, because this book is not the musical and the author took her own route in how she saw the characters, all of whom are very different from the way the characters are portrayed in Hamilton.
Of course, that didn't stop me from listening to Hamilton on repeat while reading this book. Then again, I'm not sure anything can prevent me from listening to Hamilton on repeat.
I think I was mostly able to disconnect Hamilton and Alex and Eliza in my head. My main issue with this book isn't the way Alex and Eliza are portrayed, I didn't really mind that they were different from their characters in the musical. Mostly the biggest spot where my influence from the musical prevented me from enjoying the book was the portrayal of Angelica Schuyler. I guess I was just expecting more from her and just, I don't know. I didn't like how shows shown in this book.
I'm going to be honest here, for the most part I didn't really enjoy this book. It was all too cheesy. As some of you may know, I love cheesy cliche romances, which is exactly why I bought this book (plus my love for Hamilton), I didn't think I had a limit for cheesiness or clicheness in a book, but this book soared over that limit. I found myself rolling my eyes a lot while reading this book, and unfortunately, I also realized I was really only continuing reading it just so I could be done and go on to reading other books. Anyway, my point it I didn't really like Alex and Eliza very much.
The biggest thing that irked me a ton was there was nothing new about this story. It's like the author shoved the the historical characters into the TYPICAL YA formula and then published the book. Eliza, the middle sister, is better than both her other sisters, Peggy and Angelica, because she's not nearly as materialistic and she's a true woman of the revolution. She doesn't like to wear dresses because that fabric could be used for something else and blah blah blah. Honestly, it all just made me roll my eyes. A good character can still be a good character if they let themselves enjoy themselves a little. Also the book really did give the aura of oh yeah, the Schuyler sisters (WORK) are great, but Eliza is better than Peggy and Angelica. Peggy's beautiful, and Angelica is smart, but Eliza is the most beautiful and the most smart.
Then there's the whole romance with Alex, which I'll argue is instalove. And I hate instalove. Literally Alex sees Eliza and is suddenly obsessed with her. Sorry, I think love takes a little more time than that.
Also the "competition" for Eliza's hand of course has to be some sort of evil brute. He can't actually a decent guy because he's a villain! Ugh. Just no.
I'd give this book 5.5/10 stars. Its writing was fine, but I just didn't like the story. It didn't engage me, I wasn't invested in the relationship or the plot at all. We all know Hamilton and Eliza get married, like that's a very well known historical fact at this point. So the fun of the book was supposed to be the journey, but instead I was just ready to be done with the journey.
Basically what I'm saying in many words is this book just wasn't for me. I suppose if you are interested in reading a historical fiction romance, you could try this one out. Just remember to detach your thoughts about Hamilton from the book.
Synopsis:
Their romance shaped a nation. The rest was history.
1777. Albany, New York.
As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about preparing for one of New York society’s biggest events: the Schuylers’ grand ball. Descended from two of the oldest and most distinguished bloodlines in New York, the Schuylers are proud to be one of their fledgling country’s founding families, and even prouder still of their three daughters—Angelica, with her razor-sharp wit; Peggy, with her dazzling looks; and Eliza, whose beauty and charm rival that of both her sisters, though she’d rather be aiding the colonists’ cause than dressing up for some silly ball.
Still, she can barely contain her excitement when she hears of the arrival of one Alexander Hamilton, a mysterious, rakish young colonel and General George Washington’s right-hand man. Though Alex has arrived as the bearer of bad news for the Schuylers, he can’t believe his luck—as an orphan, and a bastard one at that—to be in such esteemed company. And when Alex and Eliza meet that fateful night, so begins an epic love story that would forever change the course of American history.
Well, anyway thanks for reading,
Anj
Despite the way I started off this review, I'm going to give anyone interested in reading the book a warning. You must not think of Hamilton (the musical) while reading this book. It is a lot more enjoyable when you're able to disconnect the musical and the book, because this book is not the musical and the author took her own route in how she saw the characters, all of whom are very different from the way the characters are portrayed in Hamilton.
Of course, that didn't stop me from listening to Hamilton on repeat while reading this book. Then again, I'm not sure anything can prevent me from listening to Hamilton on repeat.
I think I was mostly able to disconnect Hamilton and Alex and Eliza in my head. My main issue with this book isn't the way Alex and Eliza are portrayed, I didn't really mind that they were different from their characters in the musical. Mostly the biggest spot where my influence from the musical prevented me from enjoying the book was the portrayal of Angelica Schuyler. I guess I was just expecting more from her and just, I don't know. I didn't like how shows shown in this book.
I'm going to be honest here, for the most part I didn't really enjoy this book. It was all too cheesy. As some of you may know, I love cheesy cliche romances, which is exactly why I bought this book (plus my love for Hamilton), I didn't think I had a limit for cheesiness or clicheness in a book, but this book soared over that limit. I found myself rolling my eyes a lot while reading this book, and unfortunately, I also realized I was really only continuing reading it just so I could be done and go on to reading other books. Anyway, my point it I didn't really like Alex and Eliza very much.
The biggest thing that irked me a ton was there was nothing new about this story. It's like the author shoved the the historical characters into the TYPICAL YA formula and then published the book. Eliza, the middle sister, is better than both her other sisters, Peggy and Angelica, because she's not nearly as materialistic and she's a true woman of the revolution. She doesn't like to wear dresses because that fabric could be used for something else and blah blah blah. Honestly, it all just made me roll my eyes. A good character can still be a good character if they let themselves enjoy themselves a little. Also the book really did give the aura of oh yeah, the Schuyler sisters (WORK) are great, but Eliza is better than Peggy and Angelica. Peggy's beautiful, and Angelica is smart, but Eliza is the most beautiful and the most smart.
Then there's the whole romance with Alex, which I'll argue is instalove. And I hate instalove. Literally Alex sees Eliza and is suddenly obsessed with her. Sorry, I think love takes a little more time than that.
Also the "competition" for Eliza's hand of course has to be some sort of evil brute. He can't actually a decent guy because he's a villain! Ugh. Just no.
I'd give this book 5.5/10 stars. Its writing was fine, but I just didn't like the story. It didn't engage me, I wasn't invested in the relationship or the plot at all. We all know Hamilton and Eliza get married, like that's a very well known historical fact at this point. So the fun of the book was supposed to be the journey, but instead I was just ready to be done with the journey.
Basically what I'm saying in many words is this book just wasn't for me. I suppose if you are interested in reading a historical fiction romance, you could try this one out. Just remember to detach your thoughts about Hamilton from the book.
Synopsis:
Their romance shaped a nation. The rest was history.
1777. Albany, New York.
As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about preparing for one of New York society’s biggest events: the Schuylers’ grand ball. Descended from two of the oldest and most distinguished bloodlines in New York, the Schuylers are proud to be one of their fledgling country’s founding families, and even prouder still of their three daughters—Angelica, with her razor-sharp wit; Peggy, with her dazzling looks; and Eliza, whose beauty and charm rival that of both her sisters, though she’d rather be aiding the colonists’ cause than dressing up for some silly ball.
Still, she can barely contain her excitement when she hears of the arrival of one Alexander Hamilton, a mysterious, rakish young colonel and General George Washington’s right-hand man. Though Alex has arrived as the bearer of bad news for the Schuylers, he can’t believe his luck—as an orphan, and a bastard one at that—to be in such esteemed company. And when Alex and Eliza meet that fateful night, so begins an epic love story that would forever change the course of American history.
Well, anyway thanks for reading,
Anj
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