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Received an ARC copy of The Hamilton Affair in exchange for an honest review!

The Hamilton Affair Review

By: Rae

“It would be hard… to imagine why men once walked willingly to their deaths in defense of honor, a treasure that modern society valued very little.” – Elizabeth Cobbs, The Hamilton Affair

 

In a time where titles and namesakes meant everything and a nation was on the brink of a revolution comes the fictionalized, yet true, tale of one of America’s Founding Fathers, Alexander Hamilton, and his wife. Proclaimed by reviews to be “a novel that brings to life the violent partisanship of the American Revolution – and one of our country’s greatest romances,” author Elizabeth Cobbs tackles a book filled with rich historic detail beginning with Hamilton at the age of eleven; where he is both bastard and orphan, left with nothing but the clothes on his back, a single shoe, and the memory of his strong mother. As the trials of his life are told throughout different developments, readers also meet Elizabeth Schuyler, later to become Alexander’s wife, in a duel perspective that follows her life from a young child to elderly woman. Together their voices create a love story of both country and each other.

My first confession is a lack of knowledge when it comes to Alexander Hamilton. I know the bare basics of his life and later involvement in the American Revolution. That being said, I cannot pinpoint where the fiction lies among the fact in The Hamilton Affair. My second confession comes from my lack of caring that I cannot pinpoint the fact from fiction. The novel as a whole was an enjoyable read. I laughed, cried, and hated the actions of Hamilton, Eliza, Washington, and so on. At some points I took sides because I couldn’t believe the reality of the betrayals, lies, and greed that took place. Logically it made sense – emotionally I was devastated along with the characters. Also, everyone was their own person – quirks and all! Cobbs didn’t write fill-ins or cookie cutter characters.

The treasure of the story came from the beauty of how smoothly the history weaved its story. Not only did I learn about the American Revolution but I learned about the time period as well. I got to experience the social codes, the do’s and don’ts, and the life of a people in turmoil. Lines were drawn and everyone was affected. There were a few times I got lost among the details, times I was uninterested in one part because I desperately needed to know what another character was doing, but the war depictions, Hamilton’s emotions, and Eliza’s grit made up for any parts of lagging in the plot that I encountered. Plus, I cannot forget to mention my appreciation for the romance in this book. It wasn’t overbearing and the romantic in me was sighing in content. Though, perhaps at first I was a tad suspicious from the bumpiness of Alexander and Eliza’s courtship. I wasn’t sure if Alexander really liked her, nor that Eliza was in love instead of infatuated by someone mysterious. Of course their story proves otherwise.

Overall I recommend The Hamilton Affair to someone with an interest in history, romance, turmoil, and coming of age. Cobbs didn’t disappoint… and my third confession is the admittance I joined the Hamilton craze without even realizing it.

Want to know more about author Elizabeth Cobbs? Visit her website here.

Order your copy today at your nearest bookstore!