In My Father's House

Rating:
Summary: *READ THIS BOOK*
Review: this book is fantastic, it's a great read, and it's also historical - so basically you're reading a really good book, and yet learning at the same time! i have 2 fav. authors - l.j smith, and ann rinaldi. this has got to be the best book i, and you, will ever read. READ IT!!
the main character, oscie, is a fantastic person, and shes an inspiration to us all. - read it! -

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Summary: Another reason why I love Ann Rinaldi's books!!!!!!!!!!
Review: I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!! Everything about it was fascinating. I've always loved history, but the Civil War never really interested me. But this book changed all that for me.It was a great book and I think that anyone who has enjoyed Ann Rinaldi's books in the past will enjoy this one. A must read for anyone who likes history. Have I gotten my point across?

Rating:
Summary: She's Doing it Again!
Review: I loved this book! Ann Rinaldi has a way of capturing people's minds without totally brainwashing them! Oscie is a strongwilled girl, who lives with her stepfather, Will McLean. Oscie suspects her stepfather of being an abolitionist, and therefore, she is rude, and hostile toward him. This book follows Oscie from when she was seven to when she was in her early twenties. I love this book, and Dear Reader, I recommend it to someone who loves some romance, with a bit of action, and lot of feeling. Ann Rinaldi deserves all the credit for this book!

Rating:
Summary: A Great Book!
Review: This was a really good book! It's about a girl named Olsie who lives during the Civil War. She has to first deal with her stepfather, Will McClean. There are rumors that he is only marrying her mother for her money. There are many more exciting events that happen in this book including the slave Marry Ann, who might be practicing witchcraft; the death of Sarah; Olsie's crush on a married soldier; Olsie's sister's bethrothal with a Yankee soldier. This is a great book to read, especially if your parents are divorced and getting re-married because Olsie has to deal with her new stepfather.

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Summary: A Civil War Classic
Review: After reading Ann Rinaldi's historical novel, In My Father's House, I was able to gain a new perspective of the Civil War and the battles fought on and off the battlefield. Oscie Mason is faced with this situation as the war begins on her front lawn of Manassas, Virginia and ended in her parlor of Appomattox. She realizes that the South will be forced to change and is troubled by the newness of adapting to this war-affected lifestyle. Her stepfather, Will McLean, knows that a New South is needed and is coming fast. He realizes he must take his family as far away as possible from the turmoil to a small town, Appomattox. This builds tension between Oscie and her step daddy, for the more Will tries the more Oscie resists to accept his care. Soon Oscie realizes she cannot escape the hardships of war, they will follow them to her family, home and soldier-won heart. Throughout this book Ann Rinaldi followed the chronology of the civil war and events that affected Oscie's life. I liked how Mrs. Rinaldi intertwined history with her characters' actions, and several times, specific events were talked about through the dialoge of the family, friends and soldiers." It hasn't been a good year for the South in spite of our victories last year at the Wilderness in May and Cold Harbor in June. I am sure you know how Yankee General Phil Sheridan stormed into the Shenandoah Valley last summer, his men burning barns filled with wheat and slaughtering tens of thousands of livestock. How can men do such things?" This helped to create a realistic Civil War setting as the civilians of the times would discuss the specific events of the war, not a summary discussed occasionally. Characters that were presented in this novel were sometimes introduced but never heard from again. Though Ann Rinaldi did tie most of the characters to the resolution, few were mentioned in the conclusion of the novel. Oscie Yankee mentor and teacher, Button, went north for the duration of the war. Letters were sometimes included between Oscie and Button that were written back and forth but I was disappointed that she did not again present herself. Various friends showed up occasionally in the book as needed to move the plot forward but never did relate back in the end. I felt certain characters were used for convenience of the particular event but never used in the close of the novel. When I finished this novel, I found myself searching for the missing end chapter. I was left hanging, as I didn't think the relationship between Oscie and Jonathan was ever brought to a close.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book.
Review: When I first read this book in fourth grade I was expecting another boring historical fiction book that makes you fall a sleep. Boy was I wrong! This book is one of my favorites. It is about a young girl named Oscie growing into an adult during the trials and tribulations of the Civil War. Her widowed mother gets remarred to a man named Will McLean who Oscie hates. He then buys Mary Ann a slave who will cause more trouble than he can imagine and brings a yankee tutor to Oscie's Virginia plantation home. A very good book, I highly recomend it.

Rating:
Summary: This book was great!
Review: I thought this book was one of Ann Rinaldi's better stories. This was a great book that I hardly could put down. I would recommend this book to anyone. I thought that the story as just enough adventure, humor, and wisdom.

Rating:
Summary: Not the best, but not the worst book.
Review: What I liked best about In My Father's House was how realistic and well described it was. I've taken American history for about 4 years, and I have learned things about the Civil War in this book, that I never learned in history class. Oscie is one of my favorite characters from any of Ann Rinaldi's books, because she stood out the most. In my memory, characters are so similar that I can't remember which one was in which book. Oscie is very strong willed, and totally different than any of the Southern stereotypes. But, even though, this book was as true as it could be, and it had great characters, it didn't have enough romance. The romance wasn't the main point of the book. It didn't have to be, but there could have been more of it. And that's why I just dropped one star.

Oscie is a Southern girl, who loves her land, her family, and her way of life. One day when she was young, everything changes when her Dad dies. So Oscie adjusts and tries to become the boss, when her Mom marries another man, Will. That's problem number one. Things get more complicated when Oscie meets Will. Oscie immediantly hates Will, and everything about him. So they have fights and Will always wins, until she gets older. Time goes by, and problems keep coming up, like Will hires a Yankee teacher, and Will who's supposed to be an abolitionist, decides to hire a slave when according to Oscie, Will doesn't know how to handle slaves. Oscie has good relationships with the slaves,

but she still considers them slaves, and that changes in the book. She starts giving them the respect that they deserve. Also, Oscie meets up with a General who she "falls in love with" even though he is married. Nothing really happens, but it gets really annoying when she starts comparing Alex - the general, with her future love. But one of the most interesting, and the more fun relationship, is the relationship that she has with her StepDaddy, Will, and that's obviously why the book is called, "In My Father's House".

Rating:
Summary: I couldn't put in down, fellow reader
Review: This book was truelly amazing, like all books by Rinaldi, in my opinion. If you like historical fiction, like me, you will be in love! The compelling story of one girls struggle through the war that tour this country in half will effect your view on everything. Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Surprise,Surprise
Review: I learned how to read at two years old. I've been reading novels since kingergarden. About 4 months ago, I discovered the talent of Ann Rinaldi. They're magnificent. I expected very little in this book, but was rewarded with a very intriguing novel about a young girl facing everyday problems. Oscie is an amazing young woman, to do things as she did, running her entire plantation alone after her father died. I have read all of Rinaldi's books, and this is one of the best. If you read this book, you will be engrossed in it as I was. If you enjoy history, I definatley reccomend this book. In My Father's house is right at the top, along with Gone With The Wind, and Scarlett. If you enjoy these writings, try Wolf by the ears, also by Ann Rinaldi.