Would have given it 4.5 stars. I took off 1/2 a star because it can be hard to follow some of the financial intrigue; however, that does not overshadow the enjoyment of this clever historical novel set in early post-revolutionary America. The format is creative with parallel, but off-set, narratives of the two main characters, who are well developed and evolve for the better or worse over the course of the novel. A very enjoyable read.