Customer Reviews

Brooklyn Rose

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When Rose Frampton begins a diary on her fifteenth birthday in December of 1899, she doesn't expect her life on a South Carolina plantation to change much, although she is excited about the approach of a new century. And she certainly doesn't expect to marry yet. But Rene Dumarest, a wealthy silk importer twice her age, proposes marriage -- and believing it will help her family's finances, Rose accepts. Now she must leave her home to travel north to Rene's home in Brooklyn. Rose must adjust to being mistress of her own home, to being a married woman, when in many ways she is still just a child.

This book is another excellent history novel by Ann Rinaldi, based on the life of her grandparents, Rose and Rene. Rose was an excellent character, and the author really showed how she was caught between girlhood and womanhood. I also loved how this book was written in the form of a diary. I highly recommend this book to Ann Rinaldi's fans, and to teen readers who historical fiction in diary form.

What causes two people to fall in love? In Ann Rinaldi's Brooklyn Rose, a young girl living at the dawn of the 20th century searches for the answer to this question.

Rose Frampton, though only fifteen years old, must marry a wealthy New Yorker and leave her family home in South Carolina to live with him in Brooklyn. She shares her thoughts about love, life, and growing up in a series of diary entries.

Based loosely on the lives of the author's grandparents, Brooklyn Rose offers readers a glimpse into the heart of a girl on her journey to womanhood. All of the characters are well rounded and presented in a believable manner. Brooklyn Rose could easily be mistaken for a real journal.

Brooklyn Rose is a straightforward and uncomplicated read. Honest and introspective, the only potential fault with the book lies in its length. It is short, and ends on a somewhat inconclusive note. But the story itself is rich enough to compensate for this minor weakness.

Armchair Interviews says: Ultimately, this book is the perfect gift for any girl on the path to maturity. What makes people fall in love? This reviewer recommends a curious reader pick up Brooklyn Rose and find out for herself.

I enjoyed Brooklyn Rose quite a bit. I loved the premise that the characters were based on real people from Rinaldi's life, and I think she brought them out in believable, entertaining ways. Rose is a bright, charming young girl and I found her reasons for marrying to be forthright and true to life at the time. Comparing this book to earlier Rinaldi works, it's *almost* as good, but still lacking in that little extra spark which keeps me turning the pages feverishly. I can still recommend this one highly, however.

I enjoyed Ann Rinaldi's books when I was younger so I thought I'd pick up a couple more of hers since I love historical fiction.

I know that times were different in the 1900s and that girls oftened were married young. However, having a 30 ...more I enjoyed Ann Rinaldi's books when I was younger so I thought I'd pick up a couple more of hers since I love historical fiction.

I know that times were different in the 1900s and that girls oftened were married young. However, having a 30-something professing his love for a 15-year old really bothered me as did the fact that after they were married, he called her "child."

And of course, there's the ending, or lack of. The book was relatively short so why not add a chapter or two of what happened with the baby and Charlotte?

I loved it. I got it yesterday afternoon and had it read in tow hours! I wouldn't call it Ann's best but still worth priase. The book is based on Ann Rinaldi's grandparents whom she never meet. The story is told through the eyes of Rose, a fifteen year old girl who enjoys very much being a child. Rose watches her sister Heppi get married and dreads the thought of it happing to her. But on the night Heppi's engagment is announced Rose's father introduces her to Rene Dumarest, a weathly silk merchant. Though Rene is twice her age Rose is still attracted to him and fears that her sister and schoolmate may be right about Rene wanting to marry her. And when he does indeed ask her to be his wife she plans to refuse until her schoolmate tells her that Rene holds the morgage to her fathers home and farm. In order to save her father finacially she marries Rene and moves with him to New York were her first day is less than injoyable and dead woman is found in the kitchen. Through plenty of trials and errors life begins to settle into a steady pace until Rose disovers she is pregante and that her mother in law is a terrible prick. In the end all's well that ends well.

The year is 1899. Rose Frampton has lived in Beaufort County, South Carolina since the day she was born. As the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, Rose has always enjoyed the finer things in life, and been rewarded with an excellent education. While Rose has not developed many friendships with people aside from her family, and the workers around her home, she has come to love South Carolina, and would never want to leave the remote little town for something unknown to her. But, sometimes, you don't have a choice.

Fifteen-year-old Rose has never seen herself as a young beauty. Instead, she has always fawned over her older sister, Heppi. Heppi has always had a long line of suitors banging down the door to spend time with her; and it's no surprise. Heppi is lovely in ever way; which is why she is destined to marry well. When a rich stranger from New York City named Rene begins spending time with Rose's family, Rose pays little mind. After all, Rene is in his thirties, and is a Yankee. Unlike Rose, however, Rene sees no problem in the age difference, and is soon falling in love with Rose. They are quickly married, and before Rose knows what is happening, she has been swept away from her beloved home and family in South Carolina, and is now living in a lavish Victorian estate in Brooklyn, New York. As a mere child, Rose is confused at how to run a successful household, and finds herself stumbling over the simplest of tasks. Luckily, Rene is a kind man who is patient and loving in everything Rose does. The rest of the neighborhood women are not. Rose is viewed as a youngster, and the much older neighborhood women do not take kindly to her presence. As an individual interested in both activism and volunteer opportunities, however, Rose refuses to let the women walk all over her; and begins proposing different charity events to her neighbors, hoping that they will assist her in making the world a better place. And, as Rose becomes more comfortable in her living situation, she finds that, even when things get tough, all it takes is one person to make a difference.

Ann Rinaldi has a knack for penning historical novels that put the reader into the same era and location as the main character. BROOKLYN ROSE is no exception. Rose is a delightful character who warms your heart from page one. The descriptions of her life in South Carolina, and the time she spends with her horse, and family bring to life the close-knit environment young girls held with their parents and siblings back in the late 1800's. When Rose makes her way to New York City, however, the reader is given a different glimpse into Rose's personality. She is less cheery, and more self-conscious of being the mistress of her own home, and creating a happy life for Rene. Yet, even with adjustment difficulties and problems with some of her neighbors, Rose's bright outlook on life never wavers. As a woman of privilege, Rose is determined to be involved in philanthropic work, and to provide a better environment for those who are less fortunate than herself. This trait alone makes Rose a beautiful person, and an appealing character. Her relationship with Rene doesn't hurt much either. The two have such a loving marriage that they appeal to you wonderfully as a couple. Rene's ability to make Rose feel stronger as an independent woman is quite unexpected, but delightful, nonetheless. The sprinkling of New York City history throughout the story is an added bonus, and the descriptions of buildings provide a wonderful glimpse into the New York City of 1899 and 1900. One of Rinaldi's sweetest smelling books.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

This book is a great book for girls of all ages. It is about a girl named Rose who lives on a plantation in South Carolina. Her sister gets married and moves away from home. Rose's parents want Rose to marry to. Rose later hears from a girl at her school that her parents are in great dept and the man that wants to marry him owns her family. She marries the man to save her family and moves to brooklyn. When they arrive in their new home Rose decides to make breakfast. When she walks into the kitchen the housekeeper is dead on the ground.
Rose becomes friendly with most of the neighbors except one and she learns to like Brooklyn. She fears that she is growing to love her husband, which is not why she married him. Rose becomes pregnant.
When his mother comes to visit Rose feels very out of place. Her mother takes over the household and bosses not only Rose around but she bosses Rose's servents too. Rose decides to run away and see if her husband comes to look for her because if he really loves her he will come for her.
This is an amazing book by Anne Rinaldi. She puts past events in a girls life but she is also telling the story of her great grandparents!

I absolutely LOVED this book; however, I found one problem with it---it's too short! I would've loved to read at least a hundred pages more.

Ann Rinaldi is a favorite author of my middle school girls. And they LOVE this book. Rinaldi books regularly get passed around among them. Even though most of Rinaldi's books are around 300 pages, the girls fly through them. Whenever Brooklyn Rose finds itself back on the shelves, I plan to pick it up and read what is fascinating them. Until then, though, I thoroughly enjoy watching them get excited about Brooklyn Rose.

The book is about a fifteen year old Southern girl (year 1899) that gets married to a wealthy man twice her age, then moves up North. Rose needs to get used to running her own household, while struggling with the fact that she misses her home(island off of South Carolina) and her family.