Customer Reviews

Time Enough for Drums

5 star:		(124)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm 15 years old, I've been reading Ann Rinaldi's books for at least five years, and I have to say that this has been my favorite. I got it yesterday and finished it within three hours - it was that good. Time Enough For Drums is one of those books that just grabs ahold of you and never lets go.

Most of Ann Rinaldi's main characters are strong-willed, outspoken young women, but I am constantly surprised at Ms. Rinaldi's ability to add new facets to the girls' personalities. Jem Emerson is no exception. She is sassy and willful to a fault, but is usually saved from getting herself into real trouble by the fact that the people around her genuinely love her for her good heart. I'm a fan of a good romance too, and the love story in the book is very satisfying. Anyone who has read a lot of Ann Rinaldi knows that the endings of her books don't always turn out exactly the way we want them to, but I was happy with this one, even though it was a little sad. Ms. Rinaldi is very realistic in her approach on the American Revolution and although the book is not graphic it makes no attempt to portray war as something better than it really is. Jem and the people close do suffer as a result of the war, but they are better people because of it.

This book would be a great gift for someone interested in American History or someone just looking for a good read.

I've always loved Ann Rinadli's books, but found most of them quite depressing. Her "Quilt Trilogy" was a real downer, and "The Secret of Sarah Revere" never seemed to stop making it's characters miserable. Miserable or not, however, there was one strong point that kept me reading - well-developed, interesting characters and plots that equal no other. Nowhere else, truly, have I ever read stories as intriguing and exciting as the novels of Rinaldi. It was this that drew me to this book.

Unlike her other works, this book is actually quite a happy one in places. Although the subject (the Revolution) isn't exatly joyful, Rinaldi writes it so well that you can't help but be interested even when it gets sad. Not sad enough to turn me off, though!

The plot is far from simple: Jem is a teenage girl at the brink of the Revolution, caught up in her family's ideals and aspirations of freedom and independence. Jem's free-spiritedness often gets in the way of her being a true adult, something she longs for even when acting juvenille. (It is this, the flaws Rinaldi gives to her characters, that make it that much more interesting). Although educated and good-looking, Jem's tutor John Reid (a former lover of her silly and shallow older sister) is a constant thorn in her side. Not only is he super-conservative, he's also a Tory - a person loyal to Britain - with strong ties to England and the King. Or so she thinks! Several interesting plot twists make this book fun as well as insightful, and the romances are so down-played and work so well into the story that the book seems more and more like historical fiction of the best kind and less like the common historical teen romance you most often see today.

A keeper!

I recently became aware of the many historical fiction books by Ann Rinaldi and was looking at the recommendations on Amazon to choose one to read. I clicked on 'Time Enough for Drums' and knew I just had to read it when I saw all of its rave reviews! Well, here's another one:

Jemima Emerson is a free-spirited, strong-willed girl of fifteen when talk of the Revolutionary War reaches her hometown of Trenton, New Jersey. Jem is a Patriot and is strongly against the British and their king, George III. She is also strongly against her private tutor, John Reid, who is a devoted Tory and is intent on keeping Jem under control and sculpting her into a young lady (The very last thing on Jem's mind!). As the war begins to take shape, Jem's older brother joins Washington's army, her younger brother wants to with all his heart, her mother sews for the soldiers and writes essays promoting the Cause, and her father, a merchant, refuses to stock British imports in his store.

The American Revolution is very much a part of the Emerson family's lives, but Jem is tired of spending long hours each day with her tutor when she could be riding her horse, visiting her grandfather, or helping the Cause. Lessons become more intense after John Reid is put in a position where he almost has to admit defeat and failure in keeping Jem under control and educating her.

One day Jem discovers a huge secret about John that puts his life in peril and forces him to trust her. The secret gives Jem newfound respect for him and causes her to view him in a different way. Eventually this respect turns into admiration and then into love, which is mutual between Jem and John.

When the war comes directly to Trenton, John Reid and Jem's younger brother leave to take part in the fight for independence. With the British occupying their town, Jem finds herself being faced with hard choices and forced to grow from girl to woman in a matter of several days. Through it all Jem remains true to herself and learns many valuable lessons about life and war. She has seen many awful for things for someone so young, but she has managed to learn something from each experience. At the war's end Jem emerges as a wise and spirited young woman with bright plans for the future and a new approach to life.

'Time Enough for Drums' was a wonderful book and definitely one of the best I have read. I loved Jemima's strong and willful character and the book's historical setting. Historical details were beautifully woven into a captivating plot that made me feel connected to the characters and the time. I know this is a book I will read over and over again, one that has found a special place in my heart.

I teach eighth grade language arts. I only have seven copies of this book in my classroom, and I am so happy that to know that it will no longer be an out-of-print book. I can't wait to order more copies. Every student who reads this book loves it. It generates excellent discussions about many topics: the Revolutionary War, gender issues in the 1700's, sibling relationships, and others. Some of my students have even read this book in one evening. This book is fantastic!

This is the best of all Ann Rinaldis books (I have read all of them). This book has the most interesting characters and a great plot. Everyone will enjoy Jem and her tutor and what happens between them. I have read this book probably 15 times and never get tired of it. The hints of romance and interest to this book. It teaches you about history without making you ever feel like you were in history class.

This is an amazing book! I have read it at least 4 times and is now reading it for a 5th time. This is my favorite out of all of Ann Rinaldi's books. I love this book and I am possitive you will too.

This book is great! It was the first Ann Rinaldi book I ever read, and I loved it! I've read many other Ann Rinaldi books since, but this one stands out. This is definitely worth your time!

I first discovered "Time Enough For Drums" when I was 11 years old. I love it even more now, nearly ten years later, than I did then. Even being young adult fiction, it's a wonderfully written book that is historically acurate in its telling. This book was one of the reasons I became interested in historical fiction at a young age. It is a tale of war, of family, of alliances and perception - it is also a very sweet tale of love.

Time Enough For Drums is a book that young and old alike will enjoy. I could read the entire canon, and still it draws me back. Do yourself a favor and pick this book up.

I have read this book five times. It gets better every time. John Reed is a wonderfully developed character. The historical facts about Trenton and the love story makes TIME ENOUGH FOR DRUMS a great book. I wish the book was longer or had a sequal. The book seems very realistic. A book for all teenagers! I highly recommend it.

Romance, tragedy, and life lessons are all wonderfully displayed in this novel, set during the period of the Revolutionary War. TIME ENOUGH FOR DRUMS, by Ann Rinaldi, is the story of Jem, a rebellious Patriot teenage girl, whose family is torn apart by the war. Her father is persecuted for not selling tea, her mother has a war "secret" of her own, the war beckons both of her brothers, and on top of all that, she clashes with her Tory tutor. Through the ups and downs of her life, Jem learns some important life lessons the hard way but comes out on top, and learns that people are not always what they seem. The reader learns that there is always, "time enough for drums." This novel keeps you wanting to know more and more about Jem and what is going to happen next in her life. It is also an additional bonus, how Ann Rinaldi uses accurate historical events, to base her book upon. If you love to be entertained while you read, than this book is definitely for you!