Customer Reviews

In My Father's House (Point)

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

W0W! I'm currently studing the Civil War and let me just say... this book really blends in right with the time period! Its really just a great book for anyone to read, even without the intention of learning a little bit about the Civil War *2 thumbs up!*

I am a female... and I wanted to say that this book showed me the civil war from a perspective I'd never seen before. It wasn't all history like a school book or something; most of it was plot, but it was educational and a lot of fun to read!

In My Father's House follows a young Southern girl, Oscie Mason, as she lives twelve years of her life, plagued by the Civil War.

It all starts when Oscie's mother, Virginia, marries Will Mclean. Oscie does not like him, mostly because she is unwilling to allow her beloved father to be replaced. She is disrespectful and rude to him as often as possible, and the two fight with each other constantly, even when Oscie is only a little girl of seven.

But when Will Mclean buys a new slave, Mary Ann, Oscie is enraged. Oscie quickly finds that Mary Ann is evil, practicing voodoo, and is sure that she is set to curse the family. Meanwhile, talk of war is raging like wildfire.Will Mclean, or "Daddy Will" as the girls have come to call him, hires a yankee teacher, Button, to tutor the girls. Oscie grows attached to Button, and they become fast friends.

One night in January, upon the arrival of one life, another in the family is lost. This is the first tear in the family, and one in the many heartbreaks of Oscie herself.

This is a fabulous book. I could not put it down, and was finished with it in a matter of days. You have to be a mature reader to really enjoy the story though. Another Rinaldi triumph.

This was the first Ann Rinaldi book I have read. I was immediately drawn to the characters and Ms. Rinaldi's wonderful talent for storytelling. She carefully built and detailed the relationship between the heroine, Oscie Mason, and her step-father, Will McLean, and how their relationship changes as a result of the War between the States and Oscie's growing to adulthood. I was fascinated by the little known fact that the Civil War started and ended on the property of the McLean family. I would highly recommend this book to any high school American history class. Ann Rinaldi has brought history alive again.

Ann Rinaldi puts forth nothing but her best in all her books, especially In My Father's House. Rinaldi's main character is Oscie. She is young, free-spirited and interesting. Oscie is trapped between her world of luxury down South and the war taking place on her front lawn. This book is full of excitement, danger and sadness. Evertything from sisters drowning, war happening and Oscie's tutor causing a riot because she was from the North is right in the pages of this wonderful book. I loved it! It was suspenceful, sad , happy,and interesting all at the same time. It tells a lot of truth about the Civil War. If you are a big fan of Gone With The Wind it is inevitable that you will enjoy In My Fathers House by Ann Rinaldi.

In My Father's House documents the life of Osceola (Oscie) Mason, and what happened to her family after the marriage of her mother to Will McLean with the impending Civil War. At seven, Oscie does not like her new father, and has no problem letting him know it. However, she learns to love her new stepdaddy as the years pass. Oscie witnesses her sister dying, a new brother being born, a first love, and war coming to her beloved Manassas. Will McLean then moves the family to Charlottesville, to keep them away from the battle. The home is only temporary, and soon the family moves to Appomattox, where Will McLean is sure the war won't disturb his family. Along the way, Oscie is considered the head of the family and deals with unruly slaves, disgruntled townspeople, and the occasional beau. The war of course finds the McLeans in Appomattox, and the bloodiest war is ended in their front parlor, along with the book.
Besides the fact that seven year old Oscie talked and had the maturity well beyond her years, there was nothing really wrong with the book. Many books are written about the Civil War, but not about Will McLean, who could actually be indirectly responsible for starting and ending it. The book kept me reading, and, like all of Ann Rinaldi's books, I LEARNED something. Well done.

In My Fathers House was a very enjoyable read. Oscie Mason is a headstrong young girl growing up around the time of the American Civil War. She lives in Manassas, Virginia. Her father has died and her mother is remarrying. Her new stepfather, Will McLean, and Oscie are constantly at battle. With the tension growing between the South and the North, this novel brings in a historical aspect to an exciting and gripping story. The characters are developed well, so the reader is drawn into the plot. I felt like I could relate with the characters. There are also personal conflicts as the characters struggle with themselves, what is right, and romance. A slave named Mary Ann causes many problems in the household, and Oscie is determined to get rid of her any way possible. With the oncoming war, Will McLean wants to move his family away from danger. They move to a quiet town called Appottomax. I found this book very pleasing and hard to put down!

In My Father's House was the first book I read by Ann Rinaldi. It got me started on a long string of her books. This book is about a strong-willed young girl named Oscie Mason who happens to be the only one in her family who has the guts to stand up to her strict step-father. And yet, even though they have their fights, it seems that there is a mutual respect that they gain for each other in the end. There is a strong flow of romance throughout the book, (which is ALWAYS good) and I enjoyed the Civil war setting. It depicts the tragedy of the deaths of the war well and throughout the story, the war seems to follow Oscie wherever she goes. So between the war going on outside, there is a war going on in her household and it becomes Oscie's job to hold everyone together. I loved this book, I definitely believe that you will too!

This is one of the best books written to explore the youth and the civil war. Few people realize the impact it had on the adolescence of the time. This book lets the reader see the turmoil teenagers go through normally, and then accurately depicts the added stress of one of the country's most significant eras. It also teaches many lessons necessary for getting along with people you may not like and adapting to change. This is definitely one of her best, seconded only by Time Enough For Drums.

Ann Rinaldi is one of my favorite authors. All of her books are very good, and teach the reader about history. This novel was especially historical. In My father's House was about the McLean family who lived in the house at Bull Run, which was the narrator's father's house, and then later moved to a house in Appomattox Court House. Bull Run was the first major battle of the civil war, and General Robert E. Lee's surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant took place in the study of the McLean's house in Appomattox Court House. I was so interested while reading all about the characters lives, and then thrilled at the end to realize that it was all true. I think that one of the best parts about Ann Rinaldi's books is that at the end of them she gives a brief summary of what is true and what is fiction. It was just incredible at how accurate the whole book was to the history, and how interesting the character's lives were throughout the war. I loved the novel In My Father's House!