Finishing Becca [Turtleback]

Ann Rinaldi (Author)

Product Details

• Turtleback
• Publisher: Demco Media (June 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 060614207X
• ISBN-13: 978-0606142076
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)

More About the Author

ANN RINALDI is an award-winning author best known for bringing history vividly to life. A self-made writer and newspaper columnist for twenty-one years, Ms. Rinaldi attributes her interest in history to her son, who enlisted her to take part in historical reenactments up and down the East Coast. She lives with her husband in central New Jersey.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great historical fiction novel from the eyes of a servent., November 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Finishing Becca: A Story about Peggy Shippen and Benedict Arnold (Paperback)

Finishing Becca was historical fiction novel from the eyes of Peggy Shippen's private servant named Becca Snyng. The novel took place in the time period of the Revolutionary war. Men were risking lives while serving their countries. Instead of helping the sickly men and her country, Peggy Shippen was being pampered by her family, servents, and friends. The whole point of Becca going to work for the Shippen's was to finish herself and find her missing pieces; make herself whole. In the end of the novel Becca learned a very imporntant lesson about her life. She realized that living on a small farm with lots of love can be much better then having all of the money in the world and not being happy. Overall, I gave Finishing Becca four stars because of the way you could see her accctually doing things. The story itself was great, it was an awsome way to learn about women's roles in the past. It was also an easy read, and a probably middle school level.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The mystery surrounding Peggy Shippen and Benedict Arnold, August 8, 2003

By 

Bethany (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Finishing Becca: A Story about Peggy Shippen and Benedict Arnold (Paperback)

Fourteen year old Becca Syng feels like pieces of her are missing. So when her mother secures her a job as a maidservant in return for lessons in french, dancing, and needlepoint, she believes that it will help her find herself. She starts working for the Shippens, a prominent Philadelphia family who has taken great pains to remain neutral during the Revolutionary War. It is Becca's job to take care of Peggy, the most beautiful, not to mention the most spoiled, out of the four girls. Becca finds herself in a world she never thought existed, filled with balls, men, and the like. After being discarded from the British Captain Andre, Peggy sets her sights on American General Benedict Arnold. They fall in love and are soon married, despite the age differences (18 to 37). Becca is soon brought into another household, filled with deception and lies. She witnesses Peggy's influence over Arnold, coaxing him to break with the Americans. She then overhears Arnold confessing to break with the Patriots, but is caught in the process. Arnold blackmails her into not telling what she's heard by saying that he will hang her stepfather for being a double agent and that he will confiscate her farm. She is also not allowed in the city for a year and is dismissed from their services. Becca then learns with the rest of the colonies about Arnold's treason, but lives with the knowledge of having the power to stop it.
I like Ann Rinaldi's books, and I don't think any of them are bad. I love how she takes people from outside the picture to witness something important in our American history (ex.Annie Brown in Mine Eyes Have Seen, Fanny McCoy in The Coffin Quilt). This gives the reader an unbiased perspective. Not only did I learn something from this book, but I enjoyed doing so. My only complaint is that Becca's character had no depth, she was just a mindless narrator giving facts about the Shippen household and later on the Arnold household. All in all, a very informative book. Another good one, Ann Rinaldi.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finishing Becca, September 15, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Finishing Becca: A Story about Peggy Shippen and Benedict Arnold (Paperback)

Finishing Becca is a historical fiction novel about a girl living during the American Revolutionary War. Becca Syng is a 14 year old girl sent to be the personal maid of Peggy Shippen, a spoiled Quaker daughter who just happens to be the most beautiful girl in all of Philadelphia. She is sent to be finished by her mother, but Becca learns much more than French, art and crewel work.

What I liked most about this book was Ann Rinaldi's ability to capture what was going on in the mind of an American colonist; and a teenager no less. Rinaldi bottled Becca's opinions, ideas, and thoughts about what her country and her country's soldiers were going through. There wasn't much to dislike about this book. Some scenes put very graphic pictures in your mind, but other than that this book is great. My favorite character in this book is Becca because she and I share some of the same characteristics. Becca is always curious and always wondering about the world around her. Just like me.

The scene that I thought was the most moving was when Becca helps one of the Shippen girls with one of her missions. This book is different to me because it is a historical fiction, but it is also suspense-mysteryish along with a touch of comedy. If you read this book, you will be entertained and you will learn at the same time.

If I could go back in time, the questions that I would ask are: Did Peggy Shippen really turn Arnold against his country? Was Mr. Shippen really all that neutral? Was Peggy really that horrible?

I strongly recommend this book because you can learn about all the bad stuff that went on behind the lines on both sides. This book is really worth reading.