Alex and
Elizahas taken the world by storm. Whether the play by Lin-Manuel
Miranda or the novels by Melissa De La Cruz, people are craving
for more information about the Founding Father Alexander Hamilton
and his wife Eliza Schuyler. The first in the series,
Alex and Eliza, and its sequel, Love & War,
emphasizes the romance more than the historical, as the author
brings to life the love story of these two Revolutionary figures.
Melissa
wants to emphasize, “Alex is a creation based on an
historical figure. I consider him someone I made up from the
real person. These are characters. They may be historical
figures, but they are also characters of my imagination. I
think that Alexander Hamilton never went by the name ‘Alex.’
There is no way Eliza would call him ‘Alex’, and
more likely called him Mr. Hamilton till the day he died.”
In
the first book, Alex and Eliza,the plot spans the
years from when they first met in 1777 to their marriage in
1780. Because there is not much information about Eliza, the
author had to take liberties to construct a story that was
somewhat accurate, weaving together fact and fiction.
Hamilton
is seen as a smitten dashing knight who sweeps the princess,
Eliza, off her feet. But it is also a Prince and the Pauper
story since Hamilton was an orphan who did not have a name
or financial means. The bright, ambitious, but penniless Hamilton
is drawn to practical Eliza, falling deeply in love. His prestige
comes from being the aide-de-camp to General George Washington.
Eliza
is seen as a strong-willed, sharp-tongued, sarcastic, and
intelligent woman. She wants to marry for love, not prestige
and wealth, but will not go against her parent’s wishes.
A book quote shows how powerless women were during those times,
“It is a cliff, a drop into some unfathomably deep and
foggy abyss… a shipwreck.” Yet, in the end, love
wins out, and her parents accept Hamilton as a suitable husband.
She
wanted to write it as a perfect American fairy tale. "Elizabeth
(Eliza) was the princess coming from one of the most prestigious
and richest New York families. Then there was Alexander Hamilton,
a handsome, brilliant, brave, and charming war hero who had
no name and no money. I thought about how someone like him
could marry someone like her.”
Readers
will get a glimpse of the time period: how they dress, eat,
and live are described in great detail. For example, a scene
in the book has Eliza helping to inoculate Washington’s
troops with a smallpox vaccine. Fiction, Eliza did not have
a hand in it, while, the truth is that the soldiers were inoculated.
Another factual scene has a description of Eliza’s dress,
with “skirt, underskirt, petticoat, slip, and ankle-length,
form-fitting pantaloons.”
Melissa,
“I am fascinated with the time period including the
architecture, dress, and what they ate. What I wanted to do
is find the facts and then incorporate them into scenes of
the books. I myself tried to understand who they were, how
they lived, and how they partied. I enjoyed finding the details
that helps to bring this story to life.”
The
second book in the series, Love & War, by Melissa
De La Cruz has the Revolutionary War still prominent, although
it is coming to an end. This story shows the struggles of
early married life as Alexander Hamilton is trying to make
a name for himself to prove himself worthy, while Eliza is
trying to make her way into high society.
The
story delves into the same problem many young couples face,
even today, how Alexander Hamilton has a burning ambition,
and Eliza is trying to find her place in this world. At first,
he was off to war, leaving his newly wed bride with her family,
and then at the war’s conclusion he starts up his law
practice, spending long hours, and basically neglecting his
wife
Unlike
the first book, this one does have more of a balance between
romance and history. It delves into the topics of unemployment,
financial crises, and the political divide. As a lawyer, he
took on many loyalist clients, arguing for reconciliation
and challenged the laws that penalized them. The story touches
on the three views of political thought for this young nation:
Hamilton believes in a strong central government; Jefferson’s
belief is a middle ground of limited government except for
national security, and those like Governor George Clinton
who wants each state to have absolute control. With a quote
that is relevant today, the author shows the divide among
Americans, “We will only stand if we learn to accept
and even embrace each other’s differences rather than
allow them to divide us.”
The
case he argues is based on many similar cases. "I found
out he became known after the Revolution as someone who defended
those loyal to the Crown. After the War, many wanted to take
the Loyalists’ property and position. He had the foresight
to know that to be the United States of America everyone had
to be a part of this country.”
Readers
get a glimpse into the real personality of Eliza. How Hamilton
is growing to depend on her as his psychological anchor, where
she views his enemies as hers. There is a fictional scene
in the book where she calls out Governor Clinton as she defends
her husband, “This man whose hand I hold and whose ring
I share put his life on the line for this country over and
over…” This is a very similar tone to what actually
happened when she told former President James Monroe, “If
you come to tell me you repent, that you are sorry, very sorry,
for the misrepresentations and the slanders and the stories
you circulated against my dear husband…”
The
dialogue in this novel creates an atmosphere that fluctuates
between joy and anger whether between husband and wife, or
between the three Schuyler sisters. It delves into how each
must face their trials and tribulations.
Because
the play implies an attraction between the oldest sister Angelica
and Hamilton, “I wanted to write my own vision. I have
a sister and thought ‘no way would she like him in a
romantic way.’ They were sisters who loved one another.
Angelica adored Eliza. In this story, I do not have Angelica
and Hamilton attracted to each other in that way. I remember
telling people that Lin-Manuel is not a girl with a sister
or he would know it just would not happen. I do not think
Angelica would ever do that because she took the role of older
sister seriously. Of course, he was close to the sisters,
but in a brotherly sort of way.”
These
books are charming and interesting. The two characters have
a voice and a personality that are engaging. Hopefully, people
will be drawn to find out more about the early history of
this great nation.
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