Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

[Luann]

I just finished Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, and wow! It was well-written, well-researched, and definitely deserving of the awards it has received. It was very different from Speak since it is historical fiction, yet equally well done. When I had finished, I felt like I had experienced Isabel's life along with her - and a very tough life it was as a slave in New York during the early part of the Revolutionary War. I highly recommend it! The story will be continued in a second book which isn't out yet called Forge.

And now I look forward even more to reading her other historical fiction book Fever 1793 - which is on our poll as a group read for next month. (Hint, hint) :)

Have any of you read Chains? And if so, what did you think?

[April]

I have not read it, but I really want to read it. I just took a class on the American Revolution, and we learned how contrary to The Patriot (Mel Gibson film) most slaves fought on behalf of the British because of Lord Dunmore's proclaimation. So as a historian, I definately want to read this book for historical accuracy, and also because I do think the Revolutionary War is interesting.

[Luann]

I love the fact that she chose to set it during the Revolutionary War. Most books dealing with slavery, if they are set during a war, are during the Civil War.

You really should read it, April. She shows how conflicted some of the slaves are (including the main character) with choosing which side to support. Many of them really didn't get to choose - or if they had an opinion, they weren't allowed to show it. They just had to go with whichever side their master was on. In fact, many of them were required to fight in their master's place.

[Kathleen]

The American Revolution is also another reason I really liked it (aside from Anderson's writing). Like I mentioned before, in that respect it's like Octavian Nothing, but (strange, just realized they're both by writers named Anderson) Octavian has such a weird premise. It also delves some into the science and technology at the time, whereas Chains (like FEVER 1793) deals with it from a more domestic standpoint. Whatever that means. I could just be spewing, but I guess the intimate family relationships, the family mythologies, and the fact that it's so much in the "women's sphere" leads me to say that.

[Luann]

That's interesting that Octavian Nothing deals with slavery and also the Revolutionary War. I'll have to add it to my list. Since it was a Printz honor winner, I'd read some summaries and reviews, but hadn't made that connection. It seems like it deals with a lot of other things as well. Some people loved it and some people didn't.

[Mandy]

I just read this book and also thought the insight into the Revolutionary War was interesting. Seeing it from Isabel's point of view was very different from what I've always heard in history class, because my classes have always focused on the colonist's point of view.

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner)]

Just read this book and absolutely LOVED it! Glad I went to her Forge tour signing near me so I could pick up Forge and meet her! She is so much awesomeness!

[Mandy]

I just finished Forge today ( I listened to both books on audio and they were great!) I can't wait to see how she wraps up the story.

[Kristen]

I just read Chains as well and really enjoyed it. I met Laurie at a conference this year and she was great. Definitely a recommended read!

[Jen]

Loved Chains and met Laurie at BEA last year to pick up an ARC of Forge. I have to admit, I didn't like Forge as much as Chains - I thought the beginning was slow and I didn't like the change in POV. Can't wait for the next installment!