What Became of Her [Paperback]

M. E. Kerr (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 5, 2002

What became of Rosa Fitch?

In Serenity, Pennsylvania, everyone wondered what would become of Rose Fitch, and then they forgot about her, the way you put bad news out of your head. But Rose never let herself forget about them...and now she's back. She's rich. She's bought a house she calls Peligro. With her is her niece, Julie, and a companion, Peale, who's almost human. He's two feet tall, made of leather, and known for his tailor-made clothes, his handmade shoes...and his way of bringing bad luck. But nobody told that to fifteen-year-old E.C. Tobbit....

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

M.E. Kerr is one of the 10 big names in young-adult fiction, and she has written many highly praised books, most notably Gentlehands and Deliver Us from Evie. What Became of Her, Kerr's 12th teen novel, is a big, sprawling saga of two intricately related generations in the ironically named town of Serenity. At the center of the story is the fabulously wealthy Rosalind Slaymaster, who has left her ranch in Texas to return to the family mansion called Peligro, or Danger. There she entertains lavishly, exerting her will over the town where she was humiliated as a girl. As the teenage Rose Fitch she was taunted for her stutter, her innocence, her work at the Dare funeral home, her mentally handicapped father. As Rosalind Slaymaster, she is tough and tall in her jeans and boots. Still, she is strangely attached to a two-foot leather mannequin she calls Peale--and is harsh and cold with Julie, the teenage girl she has adopted to keep the doll company. On another level, 16-year-old E.C. Tobbit and his light-fingered friend Neal form an alliance with Julie that undercuts and is linked to the events of the previous generation. A scorecard of characters helps, but teen readers who are willing to pay attention will be rewarded with many "Aha!" experiences in this challenging but ultimately satisfying novel. (Ages 12 and older) --Patty Campbell --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

In a starred review, PW called this tale of a once ostracized teen, who returns to her hometown the richest woman in Bucks County with a chip on her shoulder, "a seductive, psychologically riveting story." Ages 12-up.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (February 5, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064472108
• ISBN-13: 978-0064472104
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,371,591 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the epitome of rich storytelling, July 5, 2000

By 

Sarah Pitre (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What Became of Her (Hardcover)

The premise of the book immediately intrigued me: a wealthy widow whose best friend is a 2 foot leather doll? And everyone just accepts this? I just had to read this book!

I discovered that this intriguing idea is just one of many plot lines interwoven in this rich, detailed and complex story. This isn't one of those novels you can bring to the pool and just sort of read-- if you aren't paying attention, you will miss out!

The book encompasses the past and present of several families in the town of Serenity. The first person narration is excellent- the angst and curiousity of Edgar is real and fresh. As he unravels the history of Rosalind Slaymaster, her doll Peale and her niece, Julie, he discovers things about his own family and friends.

If you are like me, you'll try to figure out things before they happen... but usually Kerr manages to stay one step ahead, creating a book full of surprises, humor and sadness.

As always, Kerr has presented readers with an intelligent, real and "different" sort of novel that promises a rich reward for those who pick it up and give it their full attention.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Totally weird- L.M.G., September 15, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: What Became of Her (Hardcover)

This book was totally different from anything I've ever read because the topic was so unusual. A lot of the characters in the book took an important part in the story, but the main character was E.C. Tobbit. He was a good student, sort of shy. He didn't have many friends and liked to make jokes and make people laugh. He liked to write and was basically a normal kid.

The story takes place in a quiet town named Peligro. At least it was quiet until Mrs.Slaymaster,a rich, snobby woman moved into town. She had a niece named Julie, and she and E.C. hit it off right away. E.C.'s only and trouble-making friend Neil and Julie also hit it off, and the three become best friends. One night E.C. discovers Mrs. Slaymaster's old diaries and finds out how bad and embarrasing her life was and why she hated her hometown. That's when the trouble with Neil and Mrs. Slaymaster started. Neil gets caught stealing in her house and gets arrested. Mrs. Slaymaster plans to leave to get her niece away from them. Everything seems to fall apart when E.C. realized he could lose his two best friends, and he takes matters in his own hands to try to make things right.

You shouln't read this book if you can't stand waiting and the suspense this book holds. It seemed to me that the author just seemed to make the plot more interesting and long, and I just wanted to know what would happen. It was all worthwhile in the end, though.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What Became of Her, January 28, 2001

By 

Janelle "janelle767" (AB, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What Became of Her (Hardcover)

What Became of Her was a bittersweet story of three teens- EC, the narrator, a boy who is expected to be rational; Neal, the odd boy with a background littered with losses and trouble;and Julie, the sheltered, 'underveloped' girl who falls for Neal. This story became stories within a story- Julie's 'Aunt's' life growing up in this small town, teased because of her innocence; of EC and the family life he leads;Neal and the suicide of his dad;Julie, who needs to find something within her; and Peale, the doll who is the center of the Aunt's life. A beautiful, well written story- if read between the lines, you realize with age may come wisdom, but that doesn't make any of life's decisions any easier.