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Liked It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “If you like historical fiction, this is an excellent read! The book is set just after the Revolution which created the United States, and explores the creation of the first national bank, the politics that surrounded it, and the man behind it - Alexander Hamilton. |
Didn’t Like It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “Interesting read about post revolutionary politics in america. I thought the plot was a little contrived at times, and I didn't find the characters that engaging, but there was some interesting information about the early days of the Bank of the United States and Hamilton's role in its...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“About the whiskey tax and Hamilton and the Bank of the United States. Interesting reference to johnnycake” which is corn flour and water grilled into cakes (p.130), the Caesar Code (where every letter stands for another) (p.157) and Mississippi Bubble (speculation in France that occurred about the time of the South Sea Bubble) (p.474).”
Jack R wrote this review 12 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No1 of 1 members found this review helpful“If you like historical fiction, this is an excellent read! The book is set just after the Revolution which created the United States, and explores the creation of the first national bank, the politics that surrounded it, and the man behind it - Alexander Hamilton.
Kristen R wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The author, David Liss, does an exceptional job of seamlessly combining real historical figures and events with delightful and interesting fictional ones, to create a subtle, multi-faceted plot filled with spies, double-crosses, villains and beautiful but duplicitous women.
Although the suspense and excitement builds gently and almost without the reader noticing, it does build and quite effectively too. Liss also creates a very clever ebb and flow to the story - alternating interesting descriptions of the events and people of this period in history - like what frontier life was like, and how the early days of the financial speculation industry began - with thrilling scuffles, fights and intrigues in the attempts by various opposing factions to alternatively destroy, and save the fledgling nation's tenuous banking system and financial foundations.
There are two main characters who alternately tell their version of the events and both characters are clever, sneaky, determined and likeable. But virtually all the characters who inhabit the story - whether hero or villian, and sometimes what side they are on changes without warning - are well written and fully developed, which adds to the overall quality of the plot. ”1 of 1 members found this review helpful“Interesting read about post revolutionary politics in america. I thought the plot was a little contrived at times, and I didn't find the characters that engaging, but there was some interesting information about the early days of the Bank of the United States and Hamilton's role in its establishment.
Gary F wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Told in parallel stories, it's sometimes difficult to keep the timelines straight.
If you like 18th century american politics, you might find this enjoyable. I'm sitll not sure I could wholeheartedly recommend it, though, and again, would give it 2 1/2 stars. ”
1 of 1 members found this review helpful“A gripping thriller about a plot to bring down the federalist government based on real events with two protagonists inserted into the mix. This story was told by two voices, Ethan Saunders, a former spy tarnished with the label traitor just to protect his former fiancee, but left to a life of debauchery; and Joan Maycott, widow of wrongly slain Andrew Maycott who wants to exact her revenge on those that led her husband to her fate.
clyde m wrote this review Sunday, November 29 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
It is hard to fathom that a group of people, individuals could potentially bring down a nation, but yet again the nation is in it's infancy. It is obvious when you see Ethan Saunders going to stroll in whenever he wants to see the current Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton. I mean, could you imagine people being able to just stroll into Timothy Geithner's Office, or visiting Ben Bernanke today?
Ethan and Joan do meet and kind of end up somewhere on different sides of the plot, yet have a begrudging respect for one another and acknowledge each other and their crews as patriots. The ending of this saga is a bit convoluted, but still a worthwhile read. It is a departure from his other novels, taking on big events and having real characters woven in to make it a novel of historical fiction. It is obvious through what was written that David Liss did extensive research and wove it masterfully to relevance for the reader.”
1 of 1 members found this review helpful“I enjoyed watching the novel come together, but it surely went in a roundabout way to get there. I am not a historical fiction reader, usually, but went on a library recommendation. It did interested me enough to look up some information I must have missed in history class, though.”
Kelly R wrote this review Monday, November 23 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No0 of 1 members found this review helpful“so far so good. I'm in chapter 3”
Teresita R wrote this review Friday, September 4 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No1 of 1 members found this review helpful“I really love historical fiction...this has humor, tragedy and a lot of twists and turns. Two characters lives are parralled and then entwine...couldn't put it down.”
Karen I wrote this review Thursday, August 27 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
1 of 1 members found this review helpful“I preferred A Conspiracy of Paper but a good story with a memorable character in Joan Maycott a frontier writer that knows and says what is on her mind. ”
Barbara S wrote this review Friday, August 21 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
