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Chains (Seeds of America, #1)

Laurie Halse Anderson

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Nov 18, 2013 Alua Kulenova rated it it was amazing

Laurie Halse Anderson's "Chains" has all the aspects of a wonderful novel and more. The harrowing journey of 13 year old slave Isabel is riveting, emotional, and captures the nightmarish reality of late-1700s America. This poignant novel is set during the infamous American Revolution, as Isabel seeks her own freedom in the midst of a nation doing the same. Our heroine faces societal oppression and looks it in the eye; using her deceased parent's wisdom as her guiding light. This piece peers thro Laurie Halse Anderson's "Chains" has all the aspects of a wonderful novel and more. The harrowing journey of 13 year old slave Isabel is riveting, emotional, and captures the nightmarish reality of late-1700s America. This poignant novel is set during the infamous American Revolution, as Isabel seeks her own freedom in the midst of a nation doing the same. Our heroine faces societal oppression and looks it in the eye; using her deceased parent's wisdom as her guiding light. This piece peers through the lens of American slavery and the hardships of those of colour, instead of the typical retelling of the same story. As she lives under the dictation of her cruel owners, Isabel Gardner finds a flame burning in her soul and destroys the chains that hold her back.

This novel mirrors the dark truth of American history in the form of a fictional novel that personalizes the privation those with black skin suffered. The storyline of this book is a very dark and emotional one - however, there are segments of the plot line that only scratched the surface of Isabel's feelings during emotive events. Despite the fact that this novel is written in first person, it seems as though Isabel was almost robotic during what should've been heart-wrenching. Perhaps this is just her character, as consistently throughout the book she attempts to hide her feelings to be strong for her little sister Ruth. After Ruth is "sold" to another owner by Isabel's wicked mistress Mrs. Lockton, Ruth's doll has been left behind with Isabel. After a blazing fire caused by an act of arsen upon New York by the Revolutionaries, this sentimental object was lost. I assumed that Isabel would be left in a state of desolation since she had such a connection to her sister, but Anderson did not elaborate upon her thoughts and feelings.

That being said, I found that the character development and consistency found within this novel is rare. The novel opens with a naive Isabel and Ruth after the death of their owner. Despite Miss. Mary Finch, their former deceased mistress, writing their freedom in her will, the siblings are sold to vicious Mr. and Mrs. Lockton. Throughout the book, Miss Mary Finch is mentioned multiple times, which I found to be a pleasant touch. On a much larger scale, each both minor and major event left an impact on Isabel and contributed to the development of her already prominent character. Anderson understands the depths of Isabel's mind as if she was a real person and not a figment of fiction. In 300 pages, Isabel's character only grows and matures. She proves herself as a strong, female main character. It is heavily evident that she is intelligent, fighting back and submitting to her owners when necessary. It can be understood that she knows it is better to win the war, not the battle with her master and mistress. Isabel is endowed with the ability to overcome hardships with an intense determination to solve her own problems.

During a dinner hosted by the Locktons with fellow Loyalists, Isabel eavesdrops and learns of the plan that is to bring the Patriots to their knees. With this newfound knowledge comes the realization that she may use this to her advantage and sell this information in exchange for promised freedom from the rebels. She is asked to spy upon her master and mistress, and although she is hesitant at first, the circumstances of her situation convince her to say yes. Isabel's life is one broken promise after the other; first her freedom from Miss. Mary Finch, then her freedom from the rebels, then support after being discovered as a spy. She realizes neither the British or Revolutionaries are trustworthy - and that she must depend on herself to find Ruth and free them both. This displays a strong sense of self-responsibility and the ability to be loyal to those you love. Her decisions are based on the perfect combination of heart and mind, using both her logic and gut feeling.

The authors craft and the research done to create the most historically accurate novel possible is admirable. Anderson starts every chapter with an actual quote from historical figures during the Revolution to add a hint of authenticity. The author describes events with striking detail and focuses on the even the most intricate of details, as if her words are the paintbrush strokes on a canvas. Anderson has also done extensive amounts of research to accurately portray the American Revolution in a way that is not sugarcoated for the better of Caucasians. The author has paid close attention to the speaking style of those in the 1700s, which I noted further pushed me into Isabel's world. Occasionally I will come across a novel written in 1st person that truly explores the character's mind and emotions, and this is a solid example. The passages written during intense moments encapsulates Isabel's vivid emotions in a poetic, melancholic way. The following excerpt refers to the point in time in the novel in which Isabel is to be publicly marked with a scorching hot crowbar with an I for Insolence; "The fire in my face burned on and on, deep through my flesh, scarring my soul. Stars exploded out the top of my head and all of my words and all of my rememberies followed them up to the sun, burning to ash that floated back and settled in the mud."
I found the next quote to be beyond beautiful; the quote that represents the heart of the novel. After everything Isabel had endured, she had finally realized her self worth and the fire that blazes within her. "She cannot chain my soul. Yes, she could hurt me. She'd already done so...I would bleed, or not. Scar, or not. Live, or not. But she could not hurt my soul, not unless I gave it to her.”

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