Time Enough for Drums

I've always loved Ann Rinadli's books, but found most of them quite depressing. Her "Quilt Trilogy" was a real downer, and "The Secret of Sarah Revere" never seemed to stop making it's characters miserable. Miserable or not, however, there was one strong point that kept me reading - well-developed, interesting characters and plots that equal no other. Nowhere else, truly, have I ever read stories as intriguing and exciting as the novels of Rinaldi. It was this that drew me to this book.Unlike her other works, this book is actually quite a happy one in places. Although the subject (the Revolution) isn't exatly joyful, Rinaldi writes it so well that you can't help but be interested even when it gets sad. Not sad enough to turn me off, though!The plot is far from simple: Jem is a teenage girl at the brink of the Revolution, caught up in her family's ideals and aspirations of freedom and independence. Jem's free-spiritedness often gets in the way of her being a true adult, something she longs for even when acting juvenille. (It is this, the flaws Rinaldi gives to her characters, that make it that much more interesting). Although educated and good-looking, Jem's tutor John Reid (a former lover of her silly and shallow older sister) is a constant thorn in her side. Not only is he super-conservative, he's also a Tory - a person loyal to Britain - with strong ties to England and the King. Or so she thinks! Several interesting plot twists make this book fun as well as insightful, and the romances are so down-played and work so well into the story that the book seems more and more like historical fiction of the best kind and less like the common historical teen romance you most often see today.A keeper!

I'm 15 years old, I've been reading Ann Rinaldi's books for at least five years, and I have to say that this has been my favorite. I got it yesterday and finished it within three hours - it was that good. Time Enough For Drums is one of those books that just grabs ahold of you and never lets go.Most of Ann Rinaldi's main characters are strong-willed, outspoken young women, but I am constantly surprised at Ms. Rinaldi's ability to add new facets to the girls' personalities. Jem Emerson is no exception. She is sassy and willful to a fault, but is usually saved from getting herself into real trouble by the fact that the people around her genuinely love her for her good heart. I'm a fan of a good romance too, and the love story in the book is very satisfying. Anyone who has read a lot of Ann Rinaldi knows that the endings of her books don't always turn out exactly the way we want them to, but I was happy with this one, even though it was a little sad. Ms. Rinaldi is very realistic in her approach on the American Revolution and although the book is not graphic it makes no attempt to portray war as something better than it really is. Jem and the people close do suffer as a result of the war, but they are better people because of it.This book would be a great gift for someone interested in American History or someone just looking for a good read.

I teach eighth grade language arts. I only have seven copies of this book in my classroom, and I am so happy that to know that it will no longer be an out-of-print book. I can't wait to order more copies. Every student who reads this book loves it. It generates excellent discussions about many topics: the Revolutionary War, gender issues in the 1700's, sibling relationships, and others. Some of my students have even read this book in one evening. This book is fantastic!

I have read this book five times. It gets better every time. John Reed is a wonderfully developed character. The historical facts about Trenton and the love story makes TIME ENOUGH FOR DRUMS a great book. I wish the book was longer or had a sequal. The book seems very realistic. A book for all teenagers! I highly recommend it.