Review: In My Father's House - Ann Rinaldi

In My Father's House by Ann Rinaldi

Genre: YA, historical fiction

Published on November 1, 1994

Published by Scholastic

Pages: 336

Read From: 9.5.12 - 9.7.12

Review

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Cover Blurb: It’s very dated; I wish they would start revamping the covers of Rinaldi’s older books. Everything about it screams cheap paperback - one of the those books old ladies always read.

What I Liked: Oscie at times is a real brat, but for the most part she really is only trying to help and do what she thinks it right, and she is overall a strong protagonist. I liked McLean half of the time, and the other half I didn’t, which I actually liked, because it allowed me to better understand how Oscie felt about him.

What I Disliked: Nothing.

Believability: As always, Rinaldi has done her research, and she does a splendid job with believable accents and portraying the undoubted confusion that some people felt over the war.

Writing Style: As noted above, Rinaldi writes convincing accents, and her style flows nicely and engagingly. Though there is no definite “super-objective” in the storyline, I did rather like how the story followed Oscie’s life to the end of the war. For a “life-time” novel, it was one of the better ones I’ve read.

Content: None.

Conclusion: I tend not to like Rinaldi’s older books as much; they don’t usually have as much of a storyline as her newer ones. But I did ultimately think this one was very good, and yet another very interesting look at the Civil War.

Recommended Audience: Historical fiction fans, and Ann Rinaldi fans. I would say that this would appeal to girls more than guys simply because not a whole lot happens in it. Appropriate for any age.