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Brooklyn Rose: A Young Adult Historical Novel About Coming-of-Age and Romance in 1900 Brooklyn
It's 1900, the dawn of a new century, and fifteen-year-old Rose Frampton is beginning a new life. She's left her family in South Carolina to live with her handsome and wealthy husband in Brooklyn, New York -- a move that is both scary and exciting. As mistress of the large Victorian estate on Dorchester Road, she must learn to make decisions, establish her independence, and run an efficient household. These tasks are difficult enough without the added complication of barely knowing her husband. As romance blossoms and Rose begins to find her place, she discovers that strength of character does not come easily but is essential for happiness.
Writing in diary form, Ann Rinaldi paints a sensual picture of time and place--and gives readers an intimate glimpse into the heart of a child as she becomes a woman.
Writing in diary form, Ann Rinaldi paints a sensual picture of time and place--and gives readers an intimate glimpse into the heart of a child as she becomes a woman.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
12 people are currently reading
723 people want to read
About the author
Ann Rinaldi
69 books986 followersAnn Rinaldi (b. August 27, 1934, in New York City) is a young adult fiction author. She is best known for her historical fiction, including In My Father's House, The Last Silk Dress, An Acquaintance with Darkness, A Break with Charity, and Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons. She has written a total of forty novels, eight of which were listed as notable by the ALA. In 2000, Wolf by the Ears was listed as one the best novels of the preceding twenty-five years, and later of the last one hundred years. She is the most prolific writer for the Great Episode series, a series of historical fiction novels set during the American Colonial era. She also writes for the Dear America series.
Rinaldi currently lives in Somerville, New Jersey, with her husband, Ron, whom she married in 1960. Her career, prior to being an author, was a newspaper columnist. She continued the column, called The Trentonian, through much of her writing career. Her first published novel, Term Paper, was written in 1979. Prior to this, she wrote four unpublished books, which she has called "terrible." She became a grandmother in 1991.
Rinaldi says she got her love of history from her eldest son, who brought her to reenactments. She says that she writes young adult books "because I like to write them."
Rinaldi currently lives in Somerville, New Jersey, with her husband, Ron, whom she married in 1960. Her career, prior to being an author, was a newspaper columnist. She continued the column, called The Trentonian, through much of her writing career. Her first published novel, Term Paper, was written in 1979. Prior to this, she wrote four unpublished books, which she has called "terrible." She became a grandmother in 1991.
Rinaldi says she got her love of history from her eldest son, who brought her to reenactments. She says that she writes young adult books "because I like to write them."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
June 16, 2009
After reading this, I hastily re-read The Last Silk Dress to make sure that my fond memories thereof weren't just a case of 8-to-15-year-old me being TOTALLY WRONG. Happily, I can continue to see my young self as a prodigy. The Last Silk Dress is great (although I will say that the 15-year-old and the 22-year-old making out while undermining the Confederacy is way, WAY creepier now). Brooklyn Rose, on the other hand, is really... not good.
Item 1: This time, the 15-year-old actually is married to the 30-year-old. The major conflict of the novel involves the husband basically trying to trick Rose into acting like a grown-up, thereby explicitly acknowledging that she's not. Meheuggh.
Item 2: Even discounting the ick factor of the above, can you really write a book about being married semi-against your will at fifteen without mentioning sex at ALL? It's not like Ann never got the Talk from her mama (her character Susan in TLSD knows about brothels and mistresses and at one points asks her own brother if he shagged the half-sister help before she was shipped North). Furthermore, Rose and off-putting older husband ARE havin' it: she's pregnant for the second half of the book. But she hasn't had the baby when the book ends (!), so the actual realities of childbirth -- you know, something that might be interesting and relevant for readers -- are a thematic no-go. Actually, the whole book is.
Item 3: I'm pretty sure that young ladies didn't still say "this day" for "today" in 1900. There are a bunch of other similar diction/tone issues. Rinaldi, there are actually different time periods in American history. It's crazy.
Item 4: The story is almost uncannily boring. In theory, there's a ton of human interest in the story of a sociosexual arrangement that's foreign to modern readers. But if you don't actually talk about what it's like to, whoops, be married as a kid, then no. What does happen is just pure syrup. Plucky young wife lifts neighborhood wretches out of poverty and gloom and wins over disapproving older wives! Mothers-in-law are the worst, especially those from France!
I didn't realize until I wrote this how much I disliked this book, both on its own demerits and as a Rinaldi effort. Mew.
Item 1: This time, the 15-year-old actually is married to the 30-year-old. The major conflict of the novel involves the husband basically trying to trick Rose into acting like a grown-up, thereby explicitly acknowledging that she's not. Meheuggh.
Item 2: Even discounting the ick factor of the above, can you really write a book about being married semi-against your will at fifteen without mentioning sex at ALL? It's not like Ann never got the Talk from her mama (her character Susan in TLSD knows about brothels and mistresses and at one points asks her own brother if he shagged the half-sister help before she was shipped North). Furthermore, Rose and off-putting older husband ARE havin' it: she's pregnant for the second half of the book. But she hasn't had the baby when the book ends (!), so the actual realities of childbirth -- you know, something that might be interesting and relevant for readers -- are a thematic no-go. Actually, the whole book is.
Item 3: I'm pretty sure that young ladies didn't still say "this day" for "today" in 1900. There are a bunch of other similar diction/tone issues. Rinaldi, there are actually different time periods in American history. It's crazy.
Item 4: The story is almost uncannily boring. In theory, there's a ton of human interest in the story of a sociosexual arrangement that's foreign to modern readers. But if you don't actually talk about what it's like to, whoops, be married as a kid, then no. What does happen is just pure syrup. Plucky young wife lifts neighborhood wretches out of poverty and gloom and wins over disapproving older wives! Mothers-in-law are the worst, especially those from France!
I didn't realize until I wrote this how much I disliked this book, both on its own demerits and as a Rinaldi effort. Mew.
July 9, 2013
Let me start by saying that aside from all the other things that bothered me about the book, my main complaint is that it is just really really dull. There is no real plot, nor any particularly interesting events. A fifteen-year-old girl is simply jotting down her thoughts in a diary from 1899 -1900, during which time she marries a wealthy man more than twice her age and moves far away from her southern family. (It's important to note that although the "ick factor" of this marital situation is bothersome to us, the author based this book on her own grandparents, and indeed this kind of thing was certainly more common and accepted at the time.) The epistolary style (here done through journal entries), can be one that is difficult to pull off, and Rinaldi doesn't really succeed here. The writing style is choppy and overly-simplistic, and Rinaldi uses the very lazy device of dropping in random historical facts here and there to pad out the story. (Some people called the Wright Brothers are trying to fly! Brooklyn's baseball team wins "something called the pennant"! There was a train crash!) The diarist rarely connects these events to her own life, other than to ask her husband if he would ever fly in a plane (Why, of course he would, if it would help him get around faster! This is an anachronistic view of flying - at the time, it was a novelty, and no one really imagined it would have impacts on the way we travel now.)
In fact, this book is full of anachronistic behavior on some levels, and on other levels, it tries to set its character too far back in the past. Take a look at books set at the same time or just a few years later, such as the Anne of Green Gables books or the Betsy-Tacy books; the characters in those books (written much closer to the actual time period, too) don't talk in a stilted manner or behave like this protagonist. On the other hand, I find it really really difficult to believe that Rose, coming from her Southern plantation post-Civil War life, would find it so easy to automatically stand up for every black person she sees or hears about just because "we've always lived with the Gullah". That is another extremely simplistic view of a very complicated situation, and simply not believable.
What we all really want to know, after reading the book teaser, is how a 15-year-old girl adjusted to being married (regardless of the age of her husband) and living in a completely different place. After all, she moved from the rural south to the urban north - yet we mostly just hear that she "misses home dearly". Well, duh. But from the Author's Note, we know Rinaldi's grandmother, on whom the story is based, must ultimately have adjusted well and become very comfortable in her community. Why not explore that, aside from a few feeble stabs at charity? (Can someone please tell me why the Needlework Society had to raise money for that old man to go visit his family in the South? Rose's husband is a freaking millionaire. Why didn't she just buy him a ticket!) Her husband in this book is fairly dismissive of the problems of this little girl who has become a wife, and Rose herself sometimes seems on the verge of trying to understand her own situation better, but then she just goes and bakes a Connecticut Pie and nothing interesting happens.
As for the mother-in-law, Charlotte - here's another interesting conflict that completely loses its teeth in the way Rinaldi handles it. Charlotte herself makes little sense (why would a high society women bake her own "French tarts"? That kind of woman didn't even go into the kitchen itself; she made the housekeeper come to her!) And then, because of the abrupt ending, we learn nothing about whether Rose comes to deal with her stepmother or how Charlotte influences her life, if at all.
I could go on and on, I'm beginning to realize, about all the problems I had with this book, but at this point, my review is going to be longer than the book itself. I'll just finish by saying this - quality historical fiction for children and adults is available in abundance (I've read my fair share of it). This book, however, is not a good example of quality historical fiction, or even of quality writing. Very disappointing.
In fact, this book is full of anachronistic behavior on some levels, and on other levels, it tries to set its character too far back in the past. Take a look at books set at the same time or just a few years later, such as the Anne of Green Gables books or the Betsy-Tacy books; the characters in those books (written much closer to the actual time period, too) don't talk in a stilted manner or behave like this protagonist. On the other hand, I find it really really difficult to believe that Rose, coming from her Southern plantation post-Civil War life, would find it so easy to automatically stand up for every black person she sees or hears about just because "we've always lived with the Gullah". That is another extremely simplistic view of a very complicated situation, and simply not believable.
What we all really want to know, after reading the book teaser, is how a 15-year-old girl adjusted to being married (regardless of the age of her husband) and living in a completely different place. After all, she moved from the rural south to the urban north - yet we mostly just hear that she "misses home dearly". Well, duh. But from the Author's Note, we know Rinaldi's grandmother, on whom the story is based, must ultimately have adjusted well and become very comfortable in her community. Why not explore that, aside from a few feeble stabs at charity? (Can someone please tell me why the Needlework Society had to raise money for that old man to go visit his family in the South? Rose's husband is a freaking millionaire. Why didn't she just buy him a ticket!) Her husband in this book is fairly dismissive of the problems of this little girl who has become a wife, and Rose herself sometimes seems on the verge of trying to understand her own situation better, but then she just goes and bakes a Connecticut Pie and nothing interesting happens.
As for the mother-in-law, Charlotte - here's another interesting conflict that completely loses its teeth in the way Rinaldi handles it. Charlotte herself makes little sense (why would a high society women bake her own "French tarts"? That kind of woman didn't even go into the kitchen itself; she made the housekeeper come to her!) And then, because of the abrupt ending, we learn nothing about whether Rose comes to deal with her stepmother or how Charlotte influences her life, if at all.
I could go on and on, I'm beginning to realize, about all the problems I had with this book, but at this point, my review is going to be longer than the book itself. I'll just finish by saying this - quality historical fiction for children and adults is available in abundance (I've read my fair share of it). This book, however, is not a good example of quality historical fiction, or even of quality writing. Very disappointing.
May 28, 2011
Good story. Although is is based on the author's grandmother (age at marriage included) I found that part rather hard to swallow, and the ending was unsatisfyingly abrupt.
December 30, 2011
alyssa pagan
December 29 2011
Brooklyn Rose
The main character is Rose. She lives some where in the south and marry’s a fifty year old man. Rose is 14. She has mom a dad a sister and a little brother. Her sister has married just a few days before her. Her sister is now expecting a baby as for Rose as well.
Rose’s husband is another main character. He is a 50 years old man. He owns a silk store . He has a younger who owns the store as well. They are billionars.
The main conflict is that Rose meets this guy at a party and Rose really likes him. But this girl at her school tells her that he owns her family’s morgage. So she marrys him so wont harm her family.
The main problem is that she starts to love with him. But she doesn’t want to because she thinks he holds her family morgage. So she tries not to love him. Rose tries to put him to a test to see if really loves her. so she runs away and see if tries to find her if not shell go home to her family.
I think the lesson in the story is that love is not perfect. That loves has no age. You can love some one what ever age it doesn’t matter what age.
The story was in the late 1800-1900. Somewhere in the south. In the beginning it take place in the south then more in middle and end it took place Brooklyn.
Rose lives with her mom, dad, sister and little brother. In the south. Her sister marry’s some guy and at her party she meets a guy. And a few weeks later she gets married . Her sister comes back and hears that there will be another wedding and its her sisters.
Rose marries the guy and sees that he is really good to her. One day when her husband was at work she went out side at the garden to plant stuff. She saw this girl planting and Rose asked, “ do you work for us”, and she said “No”.
Rose is pregnit and her husband is very happy. She puts him to a test and runs away. To see if he really loves her. She waits and waits and finally he comes really angry and tells her what is wrong with she says nothing and go back home that was the end.
The major turn point is that Rose tries not to love him. But at the end she learns how to love and have a baby and live a happy life.
The conflict does get solved because she doesn’t care anymore if she has a husband that is 50 years old. She loves him and that is all that matters
December 29 2011
Brooklyn Rose
The main character is Rose. She lives some where in the south and marry’s a fifty year old man. Rose is 14. She has mom a dad a sister and a little brother. Her sister has married just a few days before her. Her sister is now expecting a baby as for Rose as well.
Rose’s husband is another main character. He is a 50 years old man. He owns a silk store . He has a younger who owns the store as well. They are billionars.
The main conflict is that Rose meets this guy at a party and Rose really likes him. But this girl at her school tells her that he owns her family’s morgage. So she marrys him so wont harm her family.
The main problem is that she starts to love with him. But she doesn’t want to because she thinks he holds her family morgage. So she tries not to love him. Rose tries to put him to a test to see if really loves her. so she runs away and see if tries to find her if not shell go home to her family.
I think the lesson in the story is that love is not perfect. That loves has no age. You can love some one what ever age it doesn’t matter what age.
The story was in the late 1800-1900. Somewhere in the south. In the beginning it take place in the south then more in middle and end it took place Brooklyn.
Rose lives with her mom, dad, sister and little brother. In the south. Her sister marry’s some guy and at her party she meets a guy. And a few weeks later she gets married . Her sister comes back and hears that there will be another wedding and its her sisters.
Rose marries the guy and sees that he is really good to her. One day when her husband was at work she went out side at the garden to plant stuff. She saw this girl planting and Rose asked, “ do you work for us”, and she said “No”.
Rose is pregnit and her husband is very happy. She puts him to a test and runs away. To see if he really loves her. She waits and waits and finally he comes really angry and tells her what is wrong with she says nothing and go back home that was the end.
The major turn point is that Rose tries not to love him. But at the end she learns how to love and have a baby and live a happy life.
The conflict does get solved because she doesn’t care anymore if she has a husband that is 50 years old. She loves him and that is all that matters
March 1, 2010
When Rose Frampton begins a diary on her fifteenth birthday in December of 1899, she doesn't expect her life on a South Carolina plantation to change much, although she is excited about the approach of a new century. And she certainly doesn't expect to marry yet. But Rene Dumarest, a wealthy silk importer twice her age, proposes marriage -- and believing it will help her family's finances, Rose accepts. Now she must leave her home to travel north to Rene's home in Brooklyn. Rose must adjust to being mistress of her own home, to being a married woman, when in many ways she is still just a child.
This book is another excellent history novel by Ann Rinaldi, based on the life of her grandparents, Rose and Rene. Rose was an excellent character, and the author really showed how she was caught between girlhood and womanhood. I also loved how this book was written in the form of a diary. I highly recommend this book to Ann Rinaldi's fans, and to teen readers who historical fiction in diary form.
This book is another excellent history novel by Ann Rinaldi, based on the life of her grandparents, Rose and Rene. Rose was an excellent character, and the author really showed how she was caught between girlhood and womanhood. I also loved how this book was written in the form of a diary. I highly recommend this book to Ann Rinaldi's fans, and to teen readers who historical fiction in diary form.
April 22, 2020
I loved this book as a kid, and rereading it as an adult, it made me kind of feel icky. First of all, I *know* IRL the author’s grandmother married her much older husband at 15, but like.....ROSE IS 15?!!! Squicked me out for real.
I love how Rose befriended Bridget and Mr. Cutler and Charley, and I wish there was more of that in the book. My big issue with the book is that Rene treated Rose like a child basically all throughout (I mean, CAUSE SHE IS A CHILD for fucks sake) and I....found myself a little bored at times by this rich white girl.
I do have fond memories of the book from childhood, so that’s why I’m giving it 3 stars. I love the journal format, and I was a big Ann Rinaldi reader back in the day :)
I love how Rose befriended Bridget and Mr. Cutler and Charley, and I wish there was more of that in the book. My big issue with the book is that Rene treated Rose like a child basically all throughout (I mean, CAUSE SHE IS A CHILD for fucks sake) and I....found myself a little bored at times by this rich white girl.
I do have fond memories of the book from childhood, so that’s why I’m giving it 3 stars. I love the journal format, and I was a big Ann Rinaldi reader back in the day :)
March 20, 2017
Potential here, but not developed enough to make the characters or places real. A young adult version of marriage at age 15 and households at the turn of the century. This author underestimates her readers.
October 29, 2024
The more Ann Rinaldi I read, the more her writing disappoints me. Brooklyn Rose had the potential to be a charming and interesting historical novel, but several recurring flaws render it unsuitable for a thoughtful young adult audience or a library that aims to provide living books and quality historical fiction.
The book centers around Rose Frampton, a young Southern belle who, in 1900, enters into a marriage of convenience with a wealthy, older man named Renee. Rose is innocent and idealistic, hoping that her mother is right and that love will grow with time. The story unfolds through her diary entries as she adjusts to life in Brooklyn, New York which is the center of her husband’s business affairs. Renee, who is kind, gentle, and generous, dotes on Rose, but the differences in their ages and maturity levels is obvious and it is very hard to see a partnership between them.
Though the historical setting initially draws you in, Rinaldi’s use of modern expressions breaks the period feel, creating jarring anachronisms that detract from the novel’s authenticity. The language lacks richness and complexity, which may appeal to a younger audience on a surface level but ultimately underserves the depth that historical fiction readers expect.
Beyond these stylistic issues, the plot is poorly constructed. For example, early in the story, we hear of a plague sweeping port cities, but this detail is soon abandoned. We meet a cast of characters, including Rose’s family and the Irish servants, yet none of their arcs develop in meaningful ways. In fact, I even wondered if the plague would show up in their stories somehow, but that was not the case. Even Rose’s prized horse, a symbolic connection to her Southern roots, is mentioned as shipped to Brooklyn but then simply disappears from the narrative. These plot holes create an experience that feels disjointed, superficial, lacking direction, and lacking any real storytelling.
Sadly, there is an undercurrent of adult themes, presented in a way that feels inappropriate for the intended teen audience. First, we have a small line about how Renee’s kisses make her feel in her body. Then, she tells her journal how tender and loving Renee is and how it was easy to “give herself to him” on their wedding night and how that has created new intimacy between them. Rinaldi could have approached Rose’s coming-of-age journey through emotional development, yet she bypasses this in favor of superficial interactions and just enough veiled comments about sexual intimacy to make a young reader curious.
Most concerningly, Rinaldi hints at deeper marital issues that our young readers do not need to be exposed to. Rose tells us again and again that Renee doesn’t tell her many things about himself, his past, or his family, revealing a lack of emotional intimacy between them. I thought that this might be a plot point that would resolve in her coming-of-age story, but that never really happens.
Additionally, she tells us how Renee routinely calls her “child” and treats her as one. Kind as he is, he doesn’t really respect her as an equal or something other than a favorite pet. And, when Renee’s mother’s arrival brings a bizarre level of conflict to Rose’s new life, Renee is unwilling to defend his young wife, and this worsens Rose’s confusion, culminating in an illogical scene where she runs away to test her husband’s love.
Overall, Brooklyn Rose seems to lack a clear purpose. The writing feels overly simplistic, the historical elements are thinly developed, and the themes are ill-suited to a young readership. While I wanted to like this novel, Brooklyn Rose ultimately feels like a quickly assembled tale without the substance that would make it memorable. For libraries seeking compelling historical fiction for young readers, this book falls short on many fronts.
The book centers around Rose Frampton, a young Southern belle who, in 1900, enters into a marriage of convenience with a wealthy, older man named Renee. Rose is innocent and idealistic, hoping that her mother is right and that love will grow with time. The story unfolds through her diary entries as she adjusts to life in Brooklyn, New York which is the center of her husband’s business affairs. Renee, who is kind, gentle, and generous, dotes on Rose, but the differences in their ages and maturity levels is obvious and it is very hard to see a partnership between them.
Though the historical setting initially draws you in, Rinaldi’s use of modern expressions breaks the period feel, creating jarring anachronisms that detract from the novel’s authenticity. The language lacks richness and complexity, which may appeal to a younger audience on a surface level but ultimately underserves the depth that historical fiction readers expect.
Beyond these stylistic issues, the plot is poorly constructed. For example, early in the story, we hear of a plague sweeping port cities, but this detail is soon abandoned. We meet a cast of characters, including Rose’s family and the Irish servants, yet none of their arcs develop in meaningful ways. In fact, I even wondered if the plague would show up in their stories somehow, but that was not the case. Even Rose’s prized horse, a symbolic connection to her Southern roots, is mentioned as shipped to Brooklyn but then simply disappears from the narrative. These plot holes create an experience that feels disjointed, superficial, lacking direction, and lacking any real storytelling.
Sadly, there is an undercurrent of adult themes, presented in a way that feels inappropriate for the intended teen audience. First, we have a small line about how Renee’s kisses make her feel in her body. Then, she tells her journal how tender and loving Renee is and how it was easy to “give herself to him” on their wedding night and how that has created new intimacy between them. Rinaldi could have approached Rose’s coming-of-age journey through emotional development, yet she bypasses this in favor of superficial interactions and just enough veiled comments about sexual intimacy to make a young reader curious.
Most concerningly, Rinaldi hints at deeper marital issues that our young readers do not need to be exposed to. Rose tells us again and again that Renee doesn’t tell her many things about himself, his past, or his family, revealing a lack of emotional intimacy between them. I thought that this might be a plot point that would resolve in her coming-of-age story, but that never really happens.
Additionally, she tells us how Renee routinely calls her “child” and treats her as one. Kind as he is, he doesn’t really respect her as an equal or something other than a favorite pet. And, when Renee’s mother’s arrival brings a bizarre level of conflict to Rose’s new life, Renee is unwilling to defend his young wife, and this worsens Rose’s confusion, culminating in an illogical scene where she runs away to test her husband’s love.
Overall, Brooklyn Rose seems to lack a clear purpose. The writing feels overly simplistic, the historical elements are thinly developed, and the themes are ill-suited to a young readership. While I wanted to like this novel, Brooklyn Rose ultimately feels like a quickly assembled tale without the substance that would make it memorable. For libraries seeking compelling historical fiction for young readers, this book falls short on many fronts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2024
I was looking for a quick and easy read and this was it! It was ok! Not my favorite read but definitely not the worst!
May 19, 2014
So I read this when it came out, and for the life of me could not remember what it was until last night in a grand epiphany it came to me: Brooklyn Rose! Surely I can find it again and have reviews help me remember just what drove me to it in the first place.
And, reading the other reviews, I've got to say that yeah, I definitely remember being dissatisfied and a bit weirded out by this plot.
And, reading the other reviews, I've got to say that yeah, I definitely remember being dissatisfied and a bit weirded out by this plot.
April 11, 2018
"Confidence? Or love? Oh, I don't want to fall in love with him. Not yet. And maybe not ever. Still, I am feeling closer every day."
Rose is a 15-year-old young woman who is being persuaded to marry a much older man in order to help her family out financially. While she doesn't really want to marry him, she doesn't hate him, and she doesn't want her family to lose everything they have so she marries him.
Once they've gotten married and headed back to where the man lives which is Brooklyn. She tries to find where exactly she fits into his new life, and what she will now spend all of her time doing. This is something she struggles with, not only because of her age but because she isn't allowed to do the things she was used to doing. She couldn't garden or ride horses much because now she was a lady in a big city and had to follow society rules.
Overall I really didn't like this story. Between rose being a child bride and then actually getting pregnant, but none of that actually being talked about. Plus add in all the other little things that just never got explained, it was a very frustrating read. We never get to know much about Rose's new husband besides the minimum and anytime it felt like we were going to the subject was changed. I would have felt better about this book if it had actually talked about the repercussions of being a child bride and getting pregnant so young instead of just making everything seem so happy and like it would all be okay because he husband was so much older and knew what he was doing.
Rose is a 15-year-old young woman who is being persuaded to marry a much older man in order to help her family out financially. While she doesn't really want to marry him, she doesn't hate him, and she doesn't want her family to lose everything they have so she marries him.
Once they've gotten married and headed back to where the man lives which is Brooklyn. She tries to find where exactly she fits into his new life, and what she will now spend all of her time doing. This is something she struggles with, not only because of her age but because she isn't allowed to do the things she was used to doing. She couldn't garden or ride horses much because now she was a lady in a big city and had to follow society rules.
Overall I really didn't like this story. Between rose being a child bride and then actually getting pregnant, but none of that actually being talked about. Plus add in all the other little things that just never got explained, it was a very frustrating read. We never get to know much about Rose's new husband besides the minimum and anytime it felt like we were going to the subject was changed. I would have felt better about this book if it had actually talked about the repercussions of being a child bride and getting pregnant so young instead of just making everything seem so happy and like it would all be okay because he husband was so much older and knew what he was doing.
June 22, 2016
So I stayed up until 3am reading this...the night before my high school graduation, no less. But it is just completely addicting! I picked Brooklyn Rose up from the library yesterday afternoon, just on a whim because I saw it and the plot intrigued me. Note, this is definitely not the type of book I usually go for...the diary, historical type...but I was looking for any books worth reading since I'll soon be on summer vacation and will have a lot of time available. Anyway, I love it! Although the age gap between couples is a bit weird, Rose is a pretty mature and able character so she is well suited for Rene in my opinion. Her influence on her community is impressive, and she is so realistic in her emotions and concerns. I felt I could totally understand her and was proud of her many stands and progressive acts. Not to mention, Rene is pretty cool himself...French, rich, respectful of women and their ideas, kind, loving, intelligent. Ummm, can such a guy even exist? Haha. But really, this book is short and sweet. And I'm really loving that this author is from central Jersey too, AND that this book is based on real-life events and people. I mean how cool?! So, pretty much, I recommend this book :)
August 3, 2013
Brooklyn Rose is a story told in diary format about the author's grandmother. Rose is a 15 year old southern girl, and doesn't want to ever leave her family. She doesn't have much of a personality to speak of, and is very obedient and sweet. Unfortunately, her family has accumulated debt, and to help pay it off, Rose marries a wealthy man twice her age and moves to Brooklyn.
Once there, Rose finds her housekeeper dead on the floor of her new house. She is very frightened, and her life only gets worse from there.
She is very alone, as she is much younger than her neighbors, and often plays skipping rope with her maid rather than attend "normal" meetings with the other ladies. The aforementioned other ladies refuse to accept her into their groups, and she becomes even more miserable. The book ends with a very pregnant Rose running away; only to be found by her annoyed husband, and brought back home.
Perhaps this book was written to justify the actions of the author's grandparents, maybe it was a study of sorts. Either way, the book is a quick, nice read. If you condone pedophilia, that is.
Once there, Rose finds her housekeeper dead on the floor of her new house. She is very frightened, and her life only gets worse from there.
She is very alone, as she is much younger than her neighbors, and often plays skipping rope with her maid rather than attend "normal" meetings with the other ladies. The aforementioned other ladies refuse to accept her into their groups, and she becomes even more miserable. The book ends with a very pregnant Rose running away; only to be found by her annoyed husband, and brought back home.
Perhaps this book was written to justify the actions of the author's grandparents, maybe it was a study of sorts. Either way, the book is a quick, nice read. If you condone pedophilia, that is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2019
Three and a half stars
I listened to this on audiobook. The voice actor was excellent and helped to liven up the journal entries of the main character. I enjoyed listening to how life was like at the turn of the 20th century and was surprised to learn that some parts of the South took a long time recovering from our Civil War. Since this author often writes for middle schoolers and young adults (I believe this title as well), I thought it odd that she would choose to pair a 15 year old girl with a man twice her age. I know that was a common practice at that time, but for her audience, I would have avoided that in the day and age in which we live. BUT...when I learned in the end that this was semi-biographical and based on the true life story of her grandparents, I didn't object to that element of the story anymore, because that is how it really happened. She had to stay true to real life. I would have preferred her staying away from any reference to the wedding night though. Nothing detailed at all, but for the target age group, I didn't think it was necessary to make mention of it. Clean read and interesting story.
I listened to this on audiobook. The voice actor was excellent and helped to liven up the journal entries of the main character. I enjoyed listening to how life was like at the turn of the 20th century and was surprised to learn that some parts of the South took a long time recovering from our Civil War. Since this author often writes for middle schoolers and young adults (I believe this title as well), I thought it odd that she would choose to pair a 15 year old girl with a man twice her age. I know that was a common practice at that time, but for her audience, I would have avoided that in the day and age in which we live. BUT...when I learned in the end that this was semi-biographical and based on the true life story of her grandparents, I didn't object to that element of the story anymore, because that is how it really happened. She had to stay true to real life. I would have preferred her staying away from any reference to the wedding night though. Nothing detailed at all, but for the target age group, I didn't think it was necessary to make mention of it. Clean read and interesting story.
August 11, 2010
The summary piqued my interest. Not only that, but I’ve hit a point in my reading life that made me want to read historical novels – getting a feel of how much we have changed since such times.
Ann Rinaldi is a renowned author of historical novels, and in this one she delves into the past of her own family. The story sounded pretty unique, if not for its own time than for ours.
However, the thought of a fifteen year-old marrying someone who is thirty… having a baby at that age, I couldn’t believe it, and was distantly disgusted. Not overly so, because I also understand that that is what people did back then. But even so….
The ending was far too abrupt. I turned the page, expecting to know more, see more of what happened with Charlotte, but there was nothing. Nothing except and author’s note, and certainly no promise that there would be a continuation. Such a drop-off ending for a singular novel infuriates me, and was one of the reasons I gave this book the rating that I did.
Ann Rinaldi is a renowned author of historical novels, and in this one she delves into the past of her own family. The story sounded pretty unique, if not for its own time than for ours.
However, the thought of a fifteen year-old marrying someone who is thirty… having a baby at that age, I couldn’t believe it, and was distantly disgusted. Not overly so, because I also understand that that is what people did back then. But even so….
The ending was far too abrupt. I turned the page, expecting to know more, see more of what happened with Charlotte, but there was nothing. Nothing except and author’s note, and certainly no promise that there would be a continuation. Such a drop-off ending for a singular novel infuriates me, and was one of the reasons I gave this book the rating that I did.
February 16, 2009
This was different from other Rinaldi books that I have read. It is told through the eyes of a 15 year-old Southern belle who married a wealthy Yankee. She goes to Brooklyn and must grow up and learn to manage a household and servants and take her place in society all at the same time. It gives tremendous insight into the feelings and thoughts of a young girl who must learn so much so quickly. An interesting aspect of this book is that Rinaldo based it on her grandparents' story and what she pictures them as being like. She did not know her grandparents, and her personal note at the end really struck me: "If you have grandparents, get to know them. Ask them questions. And if you don't, ask others about them. For we all have a Rene and a Rose in our live. And someday you may need to know them." Makes me want to increase my efforts in family history!
March 3, 2012
This particular Ann Rinaldi book was fascinating in a different way from her others. It's a story about her grandparents, largely based in fact, like all of her books, the personal thoughts and feelings of characters being the only real thing that is fictional. Brooklyn Rose is a fast read, and an interesting one. But it is also hard to be entirely supportive of the romantic story because Rene is so massively older than Rose. He treats her like a young woman, but is always calling her "child." It's more than a little creepy; I don't care if it was okay back then. And I could not help but get a little irritated with Rose for not standing up for herself more. When Rene's mother comes into their house and takes over, pushing Rose to the side, I wanted to scream at Rose to take back the reins from the bossy old woman.
Still, I enjoyed it for the most part.
Still, I enjoyed it for the most part.
January 3, 2015
As I read this story I realized that I really don't like books writeen in a journal format. This story is all about a young southern girl who meets and marries a wealthy silk merchant from the north. After marrying him, she follows him to Brooklyn to begin their life together. While the author presents good rationale as to why Rose falls for Rene, I was never convinced as the what Rene saw in a somewhat spoiled 15 year old girl. Although it was well researched for accurate historical facts, the story ended quite abruptly without any resolutions to the main conflicts. There were many opportunities for the author to make the story much deeper and more interesting, it fell flat. I try to ready young adult fiction as often as possible so I can recommend books to my students, but I don't know that I would recommend this one
December 1, 2017
It introduces the book by telling the setting of the early 1900's. Rose's sister is getting married and soon it will be her turn to be married off at 15 years old. She's very reluctant as the man that asks fir her hand in marriage id old enough to be her father. When she learns that Rene has money and that he practically owns her father, she reconsiders marrying him. She is conflicted between what is best for her and what is best for her family. Rose and Rene move to Brooklyn, New York, where Rene conducts his silk business. Rose's role in the world shifts as she learns to live a new life as a mistress of a large Victorian estate who runs a household. Not only must she adapt to marriage and a new house, she also has to adjust to the north and her new home in Brooklyn. Over the course of the story, the reader witnesses how Rose blossoms from a child to a woman.
Read
July 25, 20112005- As a teen, I eagerly ate up Rinaldi's historical fiction novels. So recently when I found one of her books I hadn't read I was excited. However, I found this book lacking. Rose Frampton, the 15 year old main character, is based on Rinaldi's own grandmother, but she never fully materialized as a character to me. She was more like a shadowy outline that needed to be filled in. I certainly thought that the diary format would make it easier for us to get inside her head as she experienced major life changes, like her older sister marrying, and she herself marrying an older man from Brooklyn. At least it was on the shorter side.
November 12, 2007
I liked this, but, um, where's the second half of the book? It cut off with no resolutions, and that's disappointing. I'm a big fan of Ann Rinaldi's, and I think it's great that she wrote a novel about her grandparents, whom she never knew. It's just that the book was far less complex and far more lacking than any of her others. I liked Rose and Rene, was intrigued by how their marriage worked with the age difference (15 and 30), and would have liked to see more about them. I feel like it set up so many things and delivered on none.
July 21, 2008
This was a very well written and thought out story. I really enjoyed the simplicity but emotion within it. Although the story is fiction, the characters and places are real. This is the story of the author's grandmother's first year of marriage in 1900. At age 15 she is married to someone over twice her age and taken from her home in the deep South to live in Brooklyn, New York. Written in diary form, the author tells of how Rose needed to discover who she was, if she truly loved her husband, and had to grow up to become the woman she was intended to be.
June 13, 2009
Not Rinaldi's best work, but if you're looking for an authentic voice this book is the one. Based Rinaldi's grandmother's life, the protagonist, 15-year-old Rose, gets married to a man twice her age. She then moves from the South to NYC, where she is responsible for running a large household. In our modern vernacular, a 15-year-old bride is stunning. But, it wasn't uncommon at the time. Rinaldi manages to capture the difference in culture while staying true to a teenage voice. The plot is quiet, but the voice is awesome.
August 30, 2010
I enjoyed Ann Rinaldi's books when I was younger so I thought I'd pick up a couple more of hers since I love historical fiction.
I know that times were different in the 1900s and that girls oftened were married young. However, having a 30-something professing his love for a 15-year old really bothered me as did the fact that after they were married, he called her "child."
And of course, there's the ending, or lack of. The book was relatively short so why not add a chapter or two of what happened with the baby and Charlotte?
I know that times were different in the 1900s and that girls oftened were married young. However, having a 30-something professing his love for a 15-year old really bothered me as did the fact that after they were married, he called her "child."
And of course, there's the ending, or lack of. The book was relatively short so why not add a chapter or two of what happened with the baby and Charlotte?
Read
May 25, 2011Read by Jodine, Spring 2006:
"I chose the book because it looked pleasant and interesting. I found it in the youth room in the basement of Willard Library, so I could be confident that it really is "youth literature." The reading level is actually easier than I expected, so I would place it anywhere from 7th through 9th grade. Although the story deals with a semi-arranged marriage and the couple's wedding night, the language used is very appropriate and discreet. I would be comfortable letting my daughters read this book when they are in 7th or 8th grade. "
"I chose the book because it looked pleasant and interesting. I found it in the youth room in the basement of Willard Library, so I could be confident that it really is "youth literature." The reading level is actually easier than I expected, so I would place it anywhere from 7th through 9th grade. Although the story deals with a semi-arranged marriage and the couple's wedding night, the language used is very appropriate and discreet. I would be comfortable letting my daughters read this book when they are in 7th or 8th grade. "
May 11, 2012
I enjoyed this book, the only thing I didn't like was trying to picture Rene (and how to pronounce his name) because I kept imagining him as a creeper and bald.
I know that it was the time period but it also disturbed me how young she was and how old he was.
Other than that the only other thing that bothered me was that I would be reading it and he's married to her and yet your thinking "She's still a child!"
I think the age thing just kinda made it not so great, but it was a good short read.
I know that it was the time period but it also disturbed me how young she was and how old he was.
Other than that the only other thing that bothered me was that I would be reading it and he's married to her and yet your thinking "She's still a child!"
I think the age thing just kinda made it not so great, but it was a good short read.
August 6, 2013
A really good book, very quick read (I think the reading level it about a 4th grade, however THIS IS NOT A 4th GRADE BOOK) she marries a man twice her age and they talk about things probably no fourth grader should be reading. The time period is quite nice and very vintage, I ended up loving the characters (oddly enough minus the main character it's written from). I wish it went on a bit longer up through *Spoiler Alert* when she has her baby. However I feel like Ann Rinaldi just felt like writing a one-shot or something. Anyways a good quick read, I read it in about 2 hours. :)
March 2, 2010
I love historical novels. And this one was no exception. I will admit that I was a little weirded out by who the character marries, and the age difference between the two, but I also accepted that this was a story that happened over 100 years ago, so that helped a little.
I loved this story. I enjoyed the budding romance between the two characters, the story behind them, and the events that occurred around them.
I loved this story. I enjoyed the budding romance between the two characters, the story behind them, and the events that occurred around them.
May 21, 2024
Actual rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Quick review:
If I would have read this a few years ago, I would have loved it more. But reading it now, it doesn't have as much of an effect. And I admit I kinda like the ending, but I found it unrealistic. Times were different then, though, so maybe it wasn't. Book also felt short.
Review may later be changed. These are just quick notation after reading.
Quick review:
If I would have read this a few years ago, I would have loved it more. But reading it now, it doesn't have as much of an effect. And I admit I kinda like the ending, but I found it unrealistic. Times were different then, though, so maybe it wasn't. Book also felt short.
Review may later be changed. These are just quick notation after reading.
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