The Fifth of March by Ann Rinaldi: Book Cover

    The Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacre by Ann Rinaldi

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    Synopsis

    “Carefully researched and lovingly written, Rinaldi’s latest presents a girl indentured to John and Abigail Adams during the tense period surrounding the 1770 Massacre. . . . Fortuitously timed, a novel that illuminates a moment from our past that has strong parallels to recent events. Bibliography.”--Kirkus Reviews

    Annotation

    Fourteen-year-old Rachel Marsh, an indentured servant in the Boston household of John and Abigail Adams, is caught up in the colonists' unrest that eventually escalates into the massacre of March 5, 1770.

    Children's Literature

    Several years ago Ann Rinaldi became my favorite historical fiction writer because of her devotion to exploring the depths of female emotion while viewing history through the quandaries obscured by time. In The Fifth of March, she writes about fourteen-year-old Rachel Marsh, John Adam's indentured servant in Boston in the 1770s. Rachel becomes friends with a British soldier and she's caught between loyalty to America and to friendship. Everything comes to a head on March 5th at the Boston Massacre when Rachel's friend shoots a Bostonian. She is torn apart by her loyalties to the Adams family, her burgeoning sense of Americanism, and her bonds of true friendship. The book is part of the "Great Episodes" series.

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    Biography

    ANN RINALDI is an award-winning author best known for bringing history vividly to life. She has received numerous starred reviews and awards, as well as widespread recognition for her historical novels. Ms. Rinaldi lives in central New Jersey.

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    Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacreby Anonymous

    Reader Rating:

    June 01, 2008: Rachel Marsh works as a servant to John and Abigail Adams in Boston during the early 1770s, during the tense period surrounding the Boston Massacre. She admires them greatly, but falls in love with Matthew Kilroy, a British soldier who kills an American in the Massacre. She is surprised when Matthew is accused of participating with soldiers and firing upon a mob of citizens. Rachel can't decide where her loyalties lie, she is continually caught in the middle of the friction between the troops and the colonists. She meets many people in which influence her to find where she belongs and what she believes. She struggles to find a solution of how to respect everybody around her and stand up for what she believes in. The protagonist of the story is fourteen year old Rachel Marsh who moves into John and Abigail Adams' household to work as a servant. She cares for the kids and venerates the Adamses. Rachel is a very cryptic girl and has trouble dealing with whom her loyalties should be with and often wavers between them. Over time Rachel evolves into who she thinks she should be. Matthew Kilroy is a British soldier who was put into the war to pay off his brothers gambling debt, he didn't want to be a soldier. He realizes that though he doesn't want to be in this position, he has to do his job. He is very responsible and caring. When the soldiers arrived in Boston, in jaunty attire, he stood watch in front of the Adams household, where he meets Rachel. He immediately admires her and they become close. His feelings amass for Rachel and becomes very fervent with her. He and Rachel wrangle often, but they fall in love. John Adams is a well-respected lawyer from Braintree. He is very congested with all of the work he has to do and is asked to defend the British soldiers following the Boston Massacre, and he accepts. John is said to be a turncoat because of this. John is very enterprising and resolute and his stance is strong. John Adams' wife is Abigail Adams. Abigail is a very strong and caring women. John and she had 2 children and have another in the novel, but the baby has trouble breathing and dies. Following this detriment, Abigail becomes laggard and feels great anguish. She also has premonitions that bad things will happen even after that baby's death, and then the Boston Massacre occurs. She is belittled by many people after her husband decides to defend the British soldiers, but she is independent and isn't affected by this treatment. ' 'Why do the soldiers call us American? I've always thought of myself as a loyal British subject, when I've thought of the matter at all.' He 'Henry Knox' mused for a moment. 'So have we all, Rachel,'he said sadly,'but perhaps it is time for some new thoughts, then.' 'I wouldn't know where to start,' I said. 'What is a plain American, without the British in front of it?' 'Perhaps,' he said,'it is time to find out.' ' This passage is very important to understanding the novel and to understanding Rachel. In this quote, Rachel is in a bookstore owned by Henry Knox, a friend of the Adamses. Since the British soldiers have been in Boston, they have started to call the citizens 'American'. They have never seen themselves as just 'American', but instead 'British American'. Rachel finds it difficult to understand and is not used to this, neither is Henry. But, he suggests that maybe they should accept this and call themselves this, he says that it is time to find out what makes them 'American' and to...

    Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacreby Anonymous

    Reader Rating:

    February 12, 2003: This was one of my VERY favorite books last year. It was very good. I recommend this to everyone!