THE LOST DIARY OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON

A peek into the tumultuous beginnings of one of America’s Founding Fathers.

This work of historical fiction follows Alexander Hamilton from the age of 11 in St. Eustatius on the northern tip of the Caribbean’s Leeward Islands and narrates the story of his early life before coming to Colonial America. With his mother’s dream that he eventually go to college firmly in mind, Alex navigates challenging moments of his youth, including the loss of both his parents and a daring rescue mission to free his enslaved friend, Ajax, from a brutal man. There are moments when Schiller’s prose reads a bit like a textbook, but she brings history to life in her dynamic dialogue; one such moment comes early in the story, when Alex is scolded by a tough but caring teacher who sets him on a course that will guide him through his younger years and lay a firm foundation for his adulthood. Counseling him to learn bookkeeping and read Plutarch, she says, “Alex, ’tis true you have a fine mind, possibly even a great mind. But you’re far too impulsive for your own good. You must learn to control your temper.” It’s scenes such as this, in which readers glimpse the emotional life and development of a future statesman, that make the book feel worthy. The entirely fictional story of Alex rescuing Ajax comes close to the pitfalls of a White savior narrative, but Schiller work to avoid them by treating the friendship between the two characters with respect, showing each growing and learning as a result of knowing the other. At times, the transitions between chapters feel awkward, but at others—as when Alex witnesses his first auction of enslaved people and then returns home to a joyous dinner—offer rich juxtapositions and foreshadowing.

An often engaging coming-of-age story of heartbreak, bravery, honor, and triumph.