The Traitor's Wife: A Novel

This book was a good read loosely about the story of Peggy Shipton and Benedict Arnold told as a fictional, maid, Clara serves their family. The history is there and had me looking things up as I read to see the whole real story, but of course since it is fiction, there are liberties taken and embellishments added. Overall a good entertaining slice of history. I went in search of another book by this author.

I was quickly intrigued with this historical novel. From its first pages I was swept up in the story even though the ending was known. The characters were endearing, if a little stereotypical. A good novel always makes me want to learn more, and this one did. An enjoyable read.

The book starts out slow but gets better the further you get into the story. The last 50 pages are the best in my opinion. I did not like Benjamin Arnold's wife at all. She was a self-centered and vile person. When she slapped her maid in the face, I so wanted the maid to slap her back. I wish she would have been punished for all the bad she did in her life.

Anybody who likes history and studied the complex period of time when United States were fighting to establish Independence would know the names of the people who fought side by side with general Washington. Between them was a general, a war hero Benedict Arnold. A man who by his bravery lead soldiers to winning in a couple of crucial for a young Republic battles. He also was the one who fed and paid his soldiers. No money where provided by a young Congress and General Washington Government. The novel gives us an insight into his complex life, his marriage to a young and beautiful Peggy Shippen. Peggy an ambitious and ruthless Philadelphia socialite was a royalist, her devotion and aspirations was to be a part of an English aristocracy. She skillfully uses her husband's financial problems, Congress never approved amount to be paid back to the general. His name never signed to the Declaration of Independence and Peggy playing on all unrealized ambitions, manages to get her husband to cooperate with her old fiends from British army. There is a very interesting character of Clara, a maid to a demanding and selfish Margaret. As far as Peggy is concerned Clara is a nobody, so when circumstances call for it Clara is summoned to accompany her mistress and general to a meeting with a British spy. Clara is bright and is the very best of a human being, she is all her mistress is not, calm, hardworking, loyal and no longer naive. Years spent with Peggy taught her something. She plays along with the demand of joining the spy by a long river trip. But Clara finds a way to notify her fiancee, who is not far in the army fighting on on a side of a republic and general Washington about the plans of now a traitor general and his wife to give up without a struggle fort of West Point, and a plan to kill general Washington while he visits West Point. So the intrigue grows, but at the end the traitors lost. One can admire the historical research Alison Pataki has put into writing. Of course its a fiction, but all the characters existed in history and at that time the writer is describing. Novel is written quite skilfully, may be sometimes a degree of predictability is there, but its not sliding down in generalizations. The conflict of real people, who even at their worst still have a second side to their story is there. The reader easily can have moments of sympathy with either side. I can recommend that as a pleasurable reading to anybody who enjoys reading as an entertainment, but and meantime gets more knowledge about that very important time in a life of young republic.

The book was good; it was not the best historical fiction I’ve read, but it was a nice, easy read. I think a high schooler whose interested in history could read it, for example. I say that the book was good, not great, because (1) it was written from the POV of a fictional maid, not really the traitor’s WIFE as the title suggests. I would have liked it much better if it was through Peggy Arnold’s eyes, I think. And (2) like I said earlier, I think a high schooler could easily read it (the discussion questions at the end are very good for high schoolers, for example). Not that I don’t like YA novels, I absolutely do! I read them all the time! (I work with high schoolers.) IF THEY’RE VERY WELL WRITTEN. To me, Peggy Arnold (or Peggy Shippen, before she got married to Arnold), reminds me SO much of Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter (sorry, I’m a Potterhead). (She’s also a complete Sytherin through & through.) In the beginning, like Draco, she is a spoiled, rich girl, used to getting anything she wants. However, unlike Draco, she NEVER grows up! She’s still a spoiled, rich “teenager”, who never learns her lesson! I like my characters who learn & grow in the books I read. Also, I think the author spends too much time on young Peggy Shippen. At times, I got so annoyed with her, that I almost put down the book. The “We get that she’s a spoiled, rich girl, now move on please”, kind of feeling. I would have liked it better if we’ve gotten more of her marriage to Arnold & what that was like, again, from her POV.

I gave this novel 4 stars for the history and how it was woven into a fictional novel. While interesting, the writing itself is a bit amateurish in many places. I think the author didn't quite know how to handle certain scenes that a more experienced writer would have. Peggy Shippen was in fact a spoiled brat. While she apparently did have a ladies maid at one time, her name and that of other servants are unknown. The author wrote in the voice of the maid and where she falls down is in specific scenes like the one where Peggy and John Andre leave a party to 'make out' in the middle of a field, in plain view. She was wearing a huge headdress with elaborate styling. How would a lady of that era lie on her back in the open while her lover had his hand up her skirt?! I doubt it but the author seemed unable to figure out how the maid could have found her otherwise. What really annoyed me was when Peggy dressed her maid like herself (and looked like her sister...really??). She and Arnold took her with them to a rendezvous with Andre in Arnold's first attempt at being a spy. I couldn't figure out why they did this as it added nothing to the story. I think the author didn't know how to write it without the maid's presence, which is ridiculous. There were also some descriptions that were bad, period. I don't think the author either had a good editor or just didn't listen to suggestions.Overall, a good story, if not great writing. I would still recommend this book for the historical detail, which is based on fact.

If you enjoy American History this book is well written - although classed as a novel, this is based on a true story.

I loved this book! The characters at times were slightly one dimensional, but all in all an exciting read and a great insight into the tumultuous times. If you love historical fiction, give this a read!

Great holiday read.

nice little book, enjoyed it.

regarding the traitors wife book its very interesting and worth reading. I would recommend it to anyone as it takes you back in time..