Finishing Becca: A Story about Peggy Shippen and Benedict Arnold [Library Binding]

 

 

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Fourteen-year-old Becca Syng does not have the happiest life in the world. Her father, a blacksmith, has been tragically dead for years, and her mother, a once-wealthy socialite, now a simple seamstress for those she was once like, has become remarried to a cold and unfeeling man named Henry Job---whom Becca can never seem to get a compliment or any encouragement from---and her older brother Blair is in the Patriot Army. And now, Becca's mother cannot afford for Becca to attend finishing school to complete her education. No, Becca's life on a farm near Philadelphia in 1778, in the midst of the American Revolution, is not the happiest.

There is only one way that Becca can complete her education, one way that she can really escape the cruel stares of Henry Job. One day, Becca's mother, while sewing the fabrics together for Quaker Mr. and Mrs. Shippen's daughters, recommended Becca to Mrs. Shippen as a maid girl for her second daughter out of four, eighteen-year-old Peggy. If Becca so works for the Shippens, then she will move into the bustling center of Philadelphia, will be paid well, and Mrs. Shippen will "finish" her, by teaching her music, dancing, and French. The deal is made: Becca shall move into the Shippens' fancy mansion estate. Becca highly anticipates her new job as maid girl for Peggy Shippen. But when she arrives, all Becca's hopes are crushed.

Instead, Becca is rather educated in treachery, cruelty, deceit. Beautiful, wealthy, and spoiled, Peggy is a conniving social-climbing girl that evilly manipulates her innocent doting father into giving her what little money he has left, passionately hates her mother for getting in the way of Peggy exploiting money out of Mr. Shippen, attends lavish balls through the night, spends money thoughtlessly, throws a tantrum at the drop of a hat, and barely acts as a modest and simple Quaker girl should. Things could not possibly get any worse for Becca, working as the personal maid girl for the domineering, luxurious Peggy... But worse they do get, indeed.

Peggy and her somewhat-beau, Loyalist Captain John Andre, who showers Peggy with gifts and gowns and jewelry and invitations to balls, have a loud, heated argument, and they never speak again. Then, the infamous Patriot Captain Benedict Arnold arrives at the Shippen house, and Becca watches, silently horrified, as Peggy Shippen coyly becomes Benedict's wife, and she masterminds one of the greatest betrayals in history.

Ann Rinaldi, one of my all-time favorite authors of historical fiction, has written yet another excellent novel set during the American Revolution, this time in Philadelphia, 1778, about Peggy Shippen and Benedict Arnold. The action of the story never seemed to lag very much at all, and Ann Rinaldi keeps the readers on their toes about what act of cruelty towards her parents Peggy will commit next in the Shippen house. This is a story not often retold in historical fiction, and you definitely do not want to miss out on Becca's extraordinary story of being "finished" by Peggy Shippen.

Highly recommended!

Finishing Becca is about a 14-year-old girl named Becca Synge in the Revolutionary War in 1778. When Becca goes to work for the Shippens and for their spoiled, beautiful daughter-Peggy, her world is turned upside down. Then she must also work for her mistress new husband, the despised by all towns-people, merciless, rich- Benedict Arnold. Becca is faced with many decisions, is she should be loyal to her family, to her country, or to her mistress. With all this in mind she must concentrate on trying to find her "missing pieces" as her mother puts it. But then she watches in shock as her Mistress-Peggy urges to turn Benedict Arnold against the Continental army and all of the Patriots, to join the British.

Fourteen year old Becca Syng feels like pieces of her are missing. So when her mother secures her a job as a maidservant in return for lessons in french, dancing, and needlepoint, she believes that it will help her find herself. She starts working for the Shippens, a prominent Philadelphia family who has taken great pains to remain neutral during the Revolutionary War. It is Becca's job to take care of Peggy, the most beautiful, not to mention the most spoiled, out of the four girls. Becca finds herself in a world she never thought existed, filled with balls, men, and the like. After being discarded from the British Captain Andre, Peggy sets her sights on American General Benedict Arnold. They fall in love and are soon married, despite the age differences (18 to 37). Becca is soon brought into another household, filled with deception and lies. She witnesses Peggy's influence over Arnold, coaxing him to break with the Americans. She then overhears Arnold confessing to break with the Patriots, but is caught in the process. Arnold blackmails her into not telling what she's heard by saying that he will hang her stepfather for being a double agent and that he will confiscate her farm. She is also not allowed in the city for a year and is dismissed from their services. Becca then learns with the rest of the colonies about Arnold's treason, but lives with the knowledge of having the power to stop it.
I like Ann Rinaldi's books, and I don't think any of them are bad. I love how she takes people from outside the picture to witness something important in our American history (ex.Annie Brown in Mine Eyes Have Seen, Fanny McCoy in The Coffin Quilt). This gives the reader an unbiased perspective. Not only did I learn something from this book, but I enjoyed doing so. My only complaint is that Becca's character had no depth, she was just a mindless narrator giving facts about the Shippen household and later on the Arnold household. All in all, a very informative book. Another good one, Ann Rinaldi.

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5.0 out of 5 stars very educational! awesome book.
Finnishing Becca is the story about a girl named Becca Syng, who comes to be a hand maiden to Peggy Shippen. Read more

Published on May 2 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars A Most Exciting Historical Novel Ever!
Ann Rinaldi sets up a rich and interesting background in her novel. This story takes place in the 19th century. Read more

Published on Jan 1 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars Great example for a historical fiction.
I thought that Finshing Becca by Ann Rinaldi was a very interesting book. It was a great example of a good historical fiction novel. Read more

Published on Oct 27 2002

4.0 out of 5 stars The Dragon Lady
This book was only pretty good. It's only my second Ann Rinaldi book, but this one wasn't as good as An Accouintance With Darkness. Read more

Published on Aug 26 2002

2.0 out of 5 stars A good topic, poorly executed
I purchased this book because I was reminded of a favorite from my childhood, Peggy by Lois Duncan, which is no longer in print. Read more

Published on Feb 11 2002

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Find!
I really enjoyed this book, even though when I went back and read it again it was a little boring. The characters are fun and mysterious. Read more

Published on Feb 7 2002 by Elizabeth Adams

4.0 out of 5 stars Read!
Before i read this book, I never thought I would get so interested in the American Revolution. Everybody in my class had to read a Revolutionary War Novel. Read more

Published on Jan 19 2002

4.0 out of 5 stars Finishing Becca
I think that the book Finishing Becca by Ann Rinaldi is very interesting. Ann makes you feel as if you were there experiencing what Becca was. Read more

Published on Dec 19 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT!
This is a wonderfull book! It really makes you feel as if you are in the 1700's with Becca, a ordinary farm girl, serving Peggy Shippen. Read more

Published on Jun 14 2001

3.0 out of 5 stars Suspenseful, Yet Slow
In the suspenseful novel, Finishing Becca, author Ann Rinaldi entails an intriguing fictional tale with informative historical information. Read more

Published on May 1 2001 by August

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