Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #115575 in Books
• Published on: 2004-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780152050788
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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From Publishers Weekly
Historical events aren't as neat and tidy as they appear in history books, nor are they dissimilar from modern happenings (i.e., the Rodney King case), as Rinaldi ( A Break with Charity ) ably demonstrates in this painstakingly researched tale told by a young servant in colonial Boston. Rachel is 14, bound as a nursemaid to the children of John and Abigail Adams, at whose house she sees many of the town's "movers and shakers" (one of the book's few faults is its jarringly anachronistic language). When British troops are sent to Boston to keep order, Rachel--despite her increasingly anti-Royalist sentiments--takes pity on Matthew Kilroy, the young sentry posted at the Adamses' door. Their relationship gradually blossoms, but Rachel, who has embarked on an ambitious program to educate herself and who rightly fears "getting into circumstances," refuses to demonstrate her affection in more than verbal terms. Lonely, frustrated, underpaid and reviled by the citizenry he was sent to protect, Matthew explodes during a riot on March 5, 1770, after which he and his fellows are tried for murder and manslaughter in the deaths of five colonialists. How Rachel acts according to her newly awakened social conscience and sense of self-worth makes for engrossing and educational reading. However, readers may object to Rachel's sense of guilt over Matthew's sexual frustration, and to her pronouncements on "good breeding." Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9-Through the eyes of Rachel Marsh, an indentured servant in the household of John Adams, Rinaldi shows readers the events leading up to the Boston Massacre. Rachel is an orphan in search of a "place," and in the course of her duties as nursemaid to the Adams's children, she comes in contact with many of the movers and shakers of colonial Boston. She also meets a young British soldier who ultimately will stand trial for his life as a participant in the massacre. The story moves along briskly, and details of life in 18th-century Boston are woven into the narrative. The political unrest, the differing views of the patriots and loyalists, and the constant threat of mob violence are also well portrayed. An author's note provides an interesting glimpse of the way a historical novel is constructed. However, Rachel's reaction to being disowned by her thoroughly nasty Uncle Eb is difficult to credit, given her earlier decision to cut him out of her life. Equally murky is her relationship with Private Kilroy; readers will readily understand his frustration. In the end, readers may be carried along more by the drama of the historical events than by the vacillations of the heroine. Entertaining, but not compelling.
Elaine Fort Weischedel, Turner Free Library, Randolph, MA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 7-12. Rinaldi's latest historical novel, which takes place in 1770, is told from the point of view of 14-year-old Rachel Marsh, an indentured servant in the household of John Adams. Rachel feels lucky to have the position, believes she is well treated, and greatly admires Abigail and John Adams. Although not political herself, she worries about friends who support rebellion and have told her that a time will come when she will have to take a stand. It is only when she meets Matthew Kilroy, a young, argumentative British soldier who has been sent to Boston as part of a peacekeeping force, that Rachel begins to question British domination of the colonies and to see herself as an American. When Matthew is arrested for his part in the Boston Massacre, Rachel, who's convinced he's caught up in a political war not of his making, defies convention and the Adamses' wishes and visits him in jail. Although the act costs her her job, she knows she has done the right thing. Rinaldi provides a vivid picture of colonial life and the pre-Revolutionary War period, including the disagreements among various American factions and the frightening actions of mobs and British retaliation. Because the issues she raises--the role of peacekeeping forces, the use of violence to achieve political goals, and the courage required to take a stand--are as significant today as they were at the time, this will be a wonderful selection to use in language-arts and social-studies classes. Chris Sherman

Customer Reviews

BULLSEYE!! GREAT BOOK!!
Read this, and you'll feel sooo smart...trust me! I was TEACHING MY HISTORY teacher about the Boston Massacre after I was done! This was my very first Rinaldi book, and for a while it was my favorite book in the world! This entriguing story got me hooked on reading. I got up to 10,000 pages in 4 months. Yep, it'll get you started! But anyways, Rachel Marsh is a humble nanny to the children of John and Abigail Adams. Everything in her life is comfortable...the home is nice, the children are wonderful, and she is treated by her emploers much better than a simple servant. Then, they come. One day, fleets of British troops invade Boston, and that's where Rachel meets and befriends Private Mathew Kilroy. After the Boston Massacre happens, Rachel must make a descision...break off her friendship with Mathew and remain with the Adams, or continue to be his friend and be fired! This story is so real, it almost depresses you in the sad parts. I really loved this book, and would HIGHLY RECCOMEND it to anyone!

Pretty darn good for historical fiction
Because I was reading another of Ann Rinaldi's books in English class (Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons), I decided to give some of her other books a try. The first one I picked up was The Fifth of March, a story of the Boston Massacre.

The Fifth of March follows the story of young Rachel Marsh, a teenage indentured servant in the home of John and Abigail Adams. Rachel is a loyal servant, but what she wants most in the world is to have a Place, like the women she admired have. Living in Boston, a rebellious city, during the years preceding the Revolution, Rachel had a lot of oppurtunities to make opinions about political situations. Many of her friends are Patriots, but Rachel also befriends Matthew Kilroy, a private in the British army. Rachel is forced to make many life-changing decisions throughout the course of the novel, and that is what makes the book so interesting. It's not all facts that I could recite straight out of my history textbook, but it has an interesting plot that keeps you interested in the story.

Don't get me wrong, as far as I could tell, the events in this book match up perfectly with history (and believe me, I know enough about the American Revolution to last a lifetime). Rachel Marsh herself was a real person, according to the author's note. And another thing that says wonders about the author: I am currently reading another of her novels, taking place in the same time period, and the stories are completely different. Ann Rinaldi has an extrodinary gift for writing about history in an interesting way, and I reccommend this novel to all!

A good Revolutionary War romance
Ann Rinaldi is coming to dominate the historical romance field for young adults. Her novels always find the heart of the matter, regardless of the period. "The Fifth of March" is no exception, as it places young Rachel Marsh in the middle, between the Patriots like her employer John Adams, and her young love, the British soldier Matthew. The outcome is taut with excitement. My only complaint, and that is as a teacher and not a reader, is that the history isn't quite detailed enough. The issues driving the Boston Massacre aren't laid out as clearly as I would like them to be, but the story is good enough for me to ignore that complaint. A good, romantic read for young lovers of history.