Book Review: The Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacre

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

Rating: PG

Recommended for: Ages 13 and up

 “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

 This is the fourth Ann Rinaldi book that I have read, and it is one of the best of the four. I love that in her books she takes people who were real and the events of the time and makes an interesting story out of it.

Writing: 4/5

 The writing is interesting and puts you into the story. She was good about how she put the history into the story and if it dragged a little, it wasn't very much. You get into the main character's head and the story is told by her. I don't know what reading level it was, but I do think that it probably should have been a little higher.

Setting: 5/5

 All of this book takes place in Boston. It starts out before the Boston Massacre by at least a year, maybe more, and ends after the soldiers' trial. I think that it was pretty accurate, there were the mobs that would go through the streets and the soldiers that came to Boston. There were also some famous people like John and Abigail Adams. At the end of the book there is an author's note that says what is real and what she made up.

Plot: 4/5

 The story was about an indentured servant to the Adams living in colonial America. The story follows how she wants to learn and decides what kind of person she wants to be. She also becomes friends with a British soldier. The soldier wants to be more than just friends while the main girl just wants to be friends. There is kissing once and some insinuations that some people want and think that something more will happen. Her uncle also says that her mother was pregnant before she got married.

Characters: 4/5

 The main girl starts out unsure of herself and slowly grows throughout the course of the book. She does make mistakes and doesn't always listen. There were a couple things about Abigail Adams that I didn't think would be completely accurate but for the most part the Adams seemed to be like the people I learned about. There are some other characters that are all different, like a soldier who is upset about his past, Jane who is friends with some people in the mob, and Henry Knox the friendly bookseller.

 I enjoyed this story and I would recommend this especially if you love this time period.