Curzon isnt as fully realized here as Isabel was in Chains, resulting in a less-cohesive and -compelling whole. He finds necessary food and shelter as a private with the Continental army, and through Curzons eyes, Anderson re-creates pivotal historical scenes, including the desperate conditions at Valley Forge.

After a narrowly successful escape from Manhattan, former slaves Isabel and Curzon separate, and Curzon is once again on the run. This time, though, her central character is male, and the heartbreaking drama shifts from Chains domestic town houses to graphically described bloody battlefields. (9781416961444).Īnderson follows her searing, multi-award-winning novel Chains (2008) with this well-researched sequel, also set during the Revolutionary War and narrated by a young African American. A good match with Russell Freedmans Washington at Valley Forge (2008). Not only can this sequel stand alone, for many readers it will be one of the best novels they have ever read.

Weaving a huge amount of historical detail seamlessly into the story, Anderson creates a vivid setting, believable characters both good and despicable and a clear portrayal of the moral ambiguity of the Revolutionary age. When he is enslaved again and meets up with Isabel, he and she must once again take liberty into their own hands and find a way to escape. Passing as free, he joins the Continental Army at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-78, where, against the most desperate of circumstances, he forges a friendship with fellow soldiers. Now, in the second of the planned trilogy, Isabel goes her own way, and 15-year-old Curzon takes over as narrator. She lives in Pennsylvania, and you can follow her adventures on Twitter or visit her at the end of Chains (2008), Isabel rescues her friend Curzon from Bridewell Prison and rows away from Manhattan in their escape from slavery. Chains also received the 2009 Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, and Laurie was chosen for the 2009 Margaret A. Two of her books, Chains and Speak, were National Book Award finalists. Her work has earned numerous ALA and state awards. Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times bestselling author known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity.

Seeds of america trilogy