Module 6: Chains

Module 6

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

This is a historical fiction novel set at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. 13 year old Isabel and her younger sister Ruth are slaves who have just been sold to a wealthy loyalist couple in New York City. Isabel befriends another slave named Curzon who tries to convince her to spy on her new owners for the rebels. Isabel refuses at first, determined to stay out of trouble to protect herself and Ruth, but when Ruth is sold to punish Isabel she agrees to aid the rebels.

Citation

Anderson, L. H. (2011). Chains. New York, NY: Atheneum Books.

My impressions:
This book was a National Book Award finalist in 2008. It is a fantastic, engaging historical fiction novel. The characters are well formed and believable. The main character is a teen girl, but there is a lit of action in the story to engage boys as well. This is the first book in a series, and the end of the book has a bit of a teaser for the next book, but the major storylines are resolved and the book stands alone just fine. 

Excerpt from a review from the Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy

Anderson quickly establishes for the reader that Isabel is much more than the world perceives her to be. While white colonists view her solely as a piece of property, incapable of complex thought or understanding, Isabel is incredibly smart and resourceful. In fact, she uses these low expectations to her advantage.

Recruited early upon her arrival to New York by another slave named Curzon,

Isabel, despite great fear, becomes a spy for the Patriot army against her new Tory owners. Since no one thinks she is intelligent, and no one believes she pays any attention to what is going on in the house beyond her own duties, Isabel becomes a

fly on the wall, gathering information about plans to recruit more Loyalists with monetary bribes as well as plots to assassinate George Washington, without anyone

suspecting her.

Walsh, A. (2009) [Review of the book Chains, by L. H. Anderson]. Journal Of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 53(3), 263-265. Retrieved from EBSCOhost

Idea for use in a library

This would be good in a book talk with a selection of historical fiction books.