Customer Reviews

Cast Two Shadows: The American Revolution in the South

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When my eighth grade English teacher told my class that we had to read a historical fiction book for a book project, I thought I was doomed. I didn't particularly want to read a book about boring history. I searched and searched everywhere for an exciting book that I would like and finally I found the book Cast Two Shadows by Ann Rinaldi. I had heard Ann Rinaldi was a terrific writer, so I thought I would give this book a try. I am very glad I picked this book because it is definately not just a boring historical book.

The book took place in Camden, South Carolina, just after the Revolutionary War had arrived there. It is about a fourteen-year-old girl named Caroline Witaker and how her world has been turned upsidedown because of the war. Her Patriot father who is the leading rebel in Camden has just been taken off to jail by the British and her brother is off fighting for the British on the opposite side of the war. Her best friend has just been hung by the British and her sister has fallen in love with the British officer who took over Caroline's house. Throughout this book, Caroline is forced to face conflicts within herself and make tough decisions that will impact her life and the life of her family forever.

I enjoyed this book very much and thought it was certainly worth my time. The beginning was a little bit slow and kind of confusing, but once I got past the first few chapters, the story got really exciting and it didn't want to put it down. The book had a good plot, was very interesting, and actually helped me learn a lot about our country's history without it being boring. It taught me so much about the Revolutionary War that I probably would have never known and it helped me to understand what life was like back then. Another thing I liked about it was that it put me in the place of Caroline Witaker and made me feel like I was her. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good historical fiction book or even just a good leisure book.

"Cast Two Shadows: The American Revolution in the South" was another great novel by Ann Rinaldi, and a very good novel on the Revolutionary War!

Caroline, 14, lives with her mixed Patriot/Loyalist family in South Carolina around 1780. Her life begins to change drastically then; her friend, Kit, is hanged for trying to attack Cornwallis, her father is in jail for being a Patriot, her brother, who was at war, needs her to help him, Loyalists are taking over her home, her sister is getting to be friends - very good friends - with a British soldier, and she's also beginning to know her slave grandmother.

This book told a good story, with quite a bit of truth in it, about the interesting times of the Revolutionary War. I'd definitely recommend it for anyone ages 12 and up wanting an exciting read! I'd also recommend "A Wolf by the Ears" and "Time Enough for Drums", two other novels by Rinaldi, and definitely the movie "The Patriot" as it is about some of these very places, people, and events mentioned in this book.

When reading literature on the American Revolution, it is rare to find a book placed in the southeast during that time period. Even more rare is a book dealing with a mixed race family of the time. Ann Rinaldi covers both topics well in her book Cast Two Shadows. The protagonist, Caroline, is a girl of both African and white descent, with a slave mother and white father. Her father's white family embraces Caroline as a daughter when her slave mother disappears, under strange circumstances.

When Caroline is fourteen, the Revolutionary War comes to the South. Her family's home is invaded by British soldiers, and Caroline, her mother, and her sister are put under house arrest. Her brother Johnny and father are away, fighting on opposite sides of the revolution. Johnny is Loyalist, the father, a Patriot. Word reaches the household that Johnny has been wounded. Caroline is released from house arrest to "fetch her brother home." Accompanying Caroline on her journey is her slave grandmother Miss Melindy. Caroline rarely speaks to her grandmother and has no idea how to deal with being in the woman's presence. On the course of the journey, her grandmother begins to tell her stoires, and Caroline learns about her heritage, her family, and why her slave mother disappeared. When Caroline returns home, many thigs have changed, and she is not the same person who started the journey. The book deals with the subject of mixed slave/white families very well. The Revolution is also covered well, with the focus on how the British soldiers treated families in the souhteastern part of the country and what resulted from the invasion. This is a great book to read for an unusual look at the American Rwvolution, and a side of the war that is often overlooked in history books.

Cast Two Shadows is an amazing book, quite possibly Ann Rinaldi's best. The story of the American Revolution in the south, this book is a definitely not a dull example of war fiction. Where many books are set in New England, and the characters all face similar problems, Rinaldi has created a unique novel about a young girl's inner conflict as well as the one in the world around her. You will be drawn in by the unique characters, and the vivid descriptions of a South Carolina plantation. Some of Rinaldi's books are tough to follow, as she attempts to explain events that, without prior knowledge, are hard to understand. Cast Two Shadows, however, portrays historical events with ease. The plot moves swiftly, without a boring moment, as you follow fourteen year old Caroline's struggle to understand the war, her family, and herself. 282 pages of adventure and heart-felt emotions, Cast Two Shadows is a historical novel everyone should read.

This book was probobly one of the best novels I have ever read. It is historical fiction, so you benifit by learning new facts about the American Revolution, without boring yourself to death. The devestating circumstances that the Whitaker family have to deal with are vividly described by the author and will bring tears to your eyes. The realistic 1700's drama is a real page-turner. I would reccomend this book for a young adult. Overall, Cast Two Shadows is a brillant work by Ann Rinaldi.

I've read almost all of Ann Rinaldi's Historical Fiction books, and so far I can say, any Ann Rinaldi is a good Ann Rinaldi. her name is a guarantee that is it a super-good book! Cast Two shadows is my number 2 favorite Ann Rinaldi Book. Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons is definitely the best. ( I sent a copy of it to Ann Rinaldi, and she autographed it for me!!) If you've read any of her others and liked them, you will love this one! (sorry if I'm to excited, but I really, really love her!)

Caroline Whitaker is the daughter of a slaveowner and the granddaughter of a slave. After having grown up with her white famnily she must take a trip with the grandmother she never knew. Meanwhile you are also learning of the revolutionary war and the affect it had upon the south as most of the traditional stories are placed in New England or the middle colonies. I guarantee you will love it.

I love all of the Ann Rinaldi books I've ever read. This one is great too. I'm a teacher and as I read it I was coming up with all kinds of ways I could use it in the classroom. It's worlds better than reading about the Revolutionary war in text books.

Ann Rinaldi has written many books dealing with the civil and revolutionary wars, but not as many of them are from the south. This one is and she wrote it and handled it beautifully. Another well written well studied page turner has come out of her type writer and we all benefit from it. I promise you'll like this book.

Because of my interest in the South during the Revolutionary War period, a librarian mentioned this book to me. It's considered a "young adult" story, but it is certainly worth reading and the history it supplied was exactly what I was looking for.

CAST TWO SHADOWS takes place in South Carolina and details the privileged life of 14-year old Caroline Whitaker. Caroline, the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner has been very fortunate and up until now, has had a wonderful life. Now, that life has abruptly changed because of the Revolutionary War. Since her father is a Patriot and her brother sided with the British, Caroline's feelings are conflicted. To make matters even worse, the British hang her best friend and she is a witness to the horrible spectacle.

The title is also a reference to Caroline's situation in life. Raised as the daughter of a white family, she has to recognize her other shadow. Her grandmother, Miz Melindy is a slave on the plantation. Faced with hardships, Caroline's learns to confront life and trust her instincts. She also learns to understand the two very different sides of her background. This book is filled with interesting characters, both real and fictional.

CELIA GARTH is another wonderful book that takes place in South Carolina during the Revolutionary War.