This novel had what I most enjoy in novels - a suitably complex plot, realistic emotional motivations, a main character who is interesting and appealing. And there is the clever interaction of the novel "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", the real-life Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain, and the supposed real characters upon which Twain's novel was based. Ms. Hart handles it all with great skill and paints a picture of America around the time of the Civil War and the years thereafter that is appealing and lifelike. Thumbs up! ( )

This is definitely cut from a different cloth than Tom Sawyer (more serious than whimsical), but I feel that Lenore did a wonderful job with bringing Becky's character to life. What was even more interesting is that Lenore chose to include Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain) into the cast of characters who ran around with Tom and Becky. He would then go on to write and publish Tom Sawyer based off those escapades, but according to Becky, he got the facts all wrong!

If you enjoy reading stories set in the Civil War era, the West and its mining frenzy, women dressed up as men to enlist, or obviously a Tom Sawyer fanatic, then Becky is perfect for you - a unique retelling or continuing story of a well-known character and her desire to find her place in the world as well as her heart. ( )

I was disappointed with this novel, a historical what-if based on the Becky Thatcher of Twain fame. I'm familiar with other alternate history novels and I thought I'd enjoy this more but what turned me off was the plot jumping around from her childhood to later periods in her life -- it was just difficult for me to read and enjoy the story.

I must admit that I am a sucker for a good companion novel. Last year, I read Finn by Jon Clinch, which was a story about Huck Finn’s infamous father. My latest read was the feminine side of this group of friends – a story about Becky Thatcher, Tom Sawyer’s sweetheart. In Becky: The Life and Loves of Becky Thatcher by Lenore Hart, Becky got her voice and opportunity to set the story straight.

I loved and hated men, lost and found them, tried and failed to tempt them away from their own destruction. I’ve been the cause of more than one death. I’ve been a friend and enemy and fiancée, wife and mother and widow. I’ve killed in a fight, and longed to do murder once or twice at home. I’ve taught, mothered, soldiered, mined and even written for the newspapers. But I was never the weeping little ninny Sam Clemens made me out to be in his book .

And with this statement, Becky began her story as a complex, multi-dimensional character, dead set about shaking this timid image that Mark Twain described in his novels.

The story opened as Becky’s husband, Sid, was about to leave for the army during the late months of the Civil War. This began Becky’s adventures as she chased her husband into the wilds of Missouri in an attempt to bring him home. She disguised herself as a soldier to accomplish this mission and was involved in skirmish or two. Once reunited, the couple decided to move to Nevada to escape the war atrocities as home – thus, beginning another set of adventures for Becky as she moved West.

Hanging like a web over all of these stories were Becky’s feelings for Tom. Tom and Huck were minor characters in this book, and Hart added different perspectives to these famous boys (who are now men in this book). Tom was self-absorbed and restless, always caring for his childhood sweetheart despite his lack of commitment to her. Huck was Tom’s loyal companion – raw, impatient, cunning and unforgiving - but I felt that Huck had more sense than his reckless friend. In addition to Tom and Huck, Hart added Sam Clemens, who came across as imaginative and scheming, eventually betraying his friendship with Becky when he published his books.

With all of these males in her life, one can see how Becky did not grow up to be a “weeping little ninny.” However, I think Hart tried too hard to prove Becky was as strong as her male counterparts. The killings, the soldiering, the wearing of pants, the lying, the adultery – it was a tad too much. Women can be strong without acting like men.

Despite this small criticism, I enjoyed Becky and highly recommend this book to lovers of Tom Sawyer stories, Civil War fiction and tales about women’s lives in history. ( )

"I see in the newspaper that he's dead now, gone with Halley's Comet. Mark Twain always said he'd leave when it returned--the same comet that streaked across the skies on the day of his birth."

And so begins the story of Becky Thatchers life, told from her side of things. For who knows ones life better than themself? Mark Twain may have been a good story teller, but he didn't have all the facts, and many of those he did have he changed to suit his own purposes. It would seem that Becky was far from the typical frail southern belle she was made out to be.

Starting her tale in 1910 after reading about Twains death, at age 72 Becky knows some will wonder why she feels the need to "set things straight". While those of us who "know" her and everyone else from Twains books may have no real need, she needs to do it for herself if no one else.

Well written and captavating, Lenore Hart takes us "back" in time to the now "grown up" Becky who tells us the story of her life. We read of her joys, her sorrows. The mistakes she made in life and the things she did because they seemed the right thing to do at the time. Interspersing Beckys take on the events of her childhood with the "present", we watch a woman who grows to be a woman of her own, and she started the journey when she was a teen.

Even if you're not a great fan of the Twain books this is a worthwhile read. It stands well on it's own even for someone like me who has long forgotten many of the details of the Twain books.