This Romeo and Juliet story for
Hamilton fans imagines what might have happened if Theodosia (daughter of Aaron Burr) and Philip (son of Alexander Hamilton) fell in love, despite the very public animosity between their fathers. The story starts in 1800 as Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr are running for president, and Theodosia is just 17. Since her mother died when she was young, Theodosia assumes the role of hostess at the Burr estate in New York City as her father chases political importance and staves off creditors. While Theodosia enjoys clandestine meetings with Philip, her father pushes her to cultivate a relationship with Joseph Alston, a wealthy plantation owner from South Carolina, who could sway the election in Burr’s favor and end their money troubles. Theodosia is torn between her true love and duty to her father, but the story is destined to end in tragedy.
VERDICT While the novel is occasionally slowed by the detailed accounting of the election process, overall, YA author (Becoming Jinn) Goldstein’s adult historical debut depicts an admirable heroine in Theodosia, an academic prodigy, a supporter of abolition and women’s suffrage, a dutiful daughter, and a passionate woman, that makes for an interesting reimagining of a notable historical figure.
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