This is perhaps Brown's most challenging book of characters. The events described in the novel necessitate a large contingent of shopkeepers, servants, politicians, cabinet ministers and officers, both British and American, not to mention wives, family members and all of Washington's social butterflies, both male and female.

Although Brown does her best to sketch these characters with memorable traits, it is sometimes hard to remember who is who. To aid this effort, Brown has included both a breakdown of the members of Madison's cabinet in 1814, and a list of the characters, which, although rather daunting at first sight, it is nonetheless very useful as an aide-memoire to the reader.

Although in some ways a minor character in this book, as he is so eclipsed by the portrait of his wife, James Madison is presented sympathetically and with a remarkably human touch. When alone with Dolley, James relaxes his...