Chains - Historical Fiction

Bibliography

Anderson, Laurie Halse. 2008. CHAINS. Audiobook narrated by Madison Leigh. Grand Haven: Brilliance Audio.

Plot Summary

            Laurie Halse Anderson’s CHAINS is set in New York, 1776 and early 1777, at the outset of the American Revolution. Isabel and her sister Ruth are African American slaves who were promised freedom in the will of their mistress Mary Finch; however, upon Mary’s death her nephew Mr. Robert Finch sees more profit in selling Isabel and Ruth to the Lockton’s, a Tory couple who support King George IV. Isabel is approached by a fellow slave, Curzon, and offered her freedom by the Patriots if she will spy on her master, but soon it becomes clear to Isabel that the Lockton’s know she is a spy for the Patriots and she is to be sold, so she develops a plan to escape to New Jersey with Curzon, and at this point, the book suddenly ends. The reader learns that CHAINS refers not only to the chains that bind slaves to their masters, but also the chains that bind a nation to another nation; both seek freedom and a release from those chains, but it is uncertain at the end of the story if either Isabel or the country will receive that precious freedom.

Critical Analysis

            Laurie Halse Anderson’s written depiction, and Madison Leigh’s audio portrayal of the characters, is in depth and realistic. Through characters such as Isabel, the Lockton’s and various Rebel officers, the listener is given a glimpse of what New York City was like at the outset of the American Revolution. The characters all speak with an authentic voice, and their radically different lives and points of view are shown expertly. Isabel in particular is a character that truly represents the time. Anderson’s descriptions of slavery show the drudgery, uncertainty and abuse that slaves suffered at the hands of their masters. While perhaps not a character many young readers could identify with, Isabel still fittingly represents the idea of fighting for what is right despite overwhelming hardship. This idea is represented not only by the slaves, but also by the American colonists fighting for freedom from King George IV.

 Nothing in the storyline is glossed over. The listener experiences not only what slavery was like, but also what it was like to live in a city under siege during a war. It is the little details that Anderson adds that make the book so believable. Details such as the Revolutionary army charging into people’s homes and removing any lead fixtures to melt down for ammunition. Leigh gives voice to these events in a dramatic, emotional way. Through her we experience the characters outrage, fear and uncertainty as the Revolution erupts around them and their lives are thrown into chaos.

          Anderson provides the readers with the setting in several ways. First it is described, not only in words, but through the characters. When Isabel and her sister Ruth first arrive in New York, from a farm in Rhode Island, Isabel describes her impressions of this new city. Through Isabel’s eyes the listener experiences the unfamiliar setting of a large city, with its many streets and tall buildings. Another way Anderson shows the setting is through quotes at the beginning of each chapter. These quotes are all from letters and other documents of the time that were written by people who figured prominently in the Revolution, such as John Adams.

Listeners should take notice of the fact that this book concludes with a cliff hanger ending. Isabel has helped Curzon escape from prison, and both have crossed the Hudson River into New Jersey. Here, abruptly, the book ends. The reader does not get a resolution to either Isabel or the Revolutionaries dilemma. To find that resolution readers must go on to examine Anderson’s sequel FORGE.

          The CHAINS audio book was unabridged and downloaded, through Audible.com, to a Kindle. It was performed by one individual, Madison Leigh. The different characters were identifiable through changes in the tone, depth and pitch of Leigh’s voice. The sound quality was excellent and there was no background noise or static to mar the recording. Sound effects such as city noise, cannon fire and other war related noises were incorporated. These sound effects added a further dimension of reality. Overall, the listening experience was enjoyable. Leigh had a very engaging voice and reading style that kept you entertained and interested in the narrative. The introductory and closing comments were very similar, with only a few differences. Both stated the title, author copyright date and performer of the audio recording. They also both identified the publisher, Brilliance Audio, and specified that the audio recording was unabridged. The introductory comments included the book dedication, while the closing comments provided the listener a phone number and web address for Brilliance Audio, should they want more information on other audio recordings. The closing comments also included credits naming the directory, Jim Bond, and the engineer, Troy Harrison. The CHAINS audio book had the ability to absorb the listener’s attention from the very beginning. It is Anderson’s writing combined with Leigh’s narration that makes this work very appealing. The audience will be captivated.

Review Excerpts and Awards

Cybil Award Winner 2009

National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature 2008

Scott O’Dell Award Winner 2009

BOOKLIST Starred review 2008: “Anderson explores elemental themes of power (“She can do anything. I can do nothing,” Isabel realizes about her sadistic owner), freedom, and the sources of human strength in this searing, fascinating story.”

VOYA review 2008: “This exceptional book pulls in readers from the first sentence and keeps them engaged through the last with its gentle pacing and gripping portrayal of a young woman struggling to stay true to herself and fighting for her freedom in any way she can. The layers of complexity, detail, and rich imagery found within these pages allow more mature readers to delve deeply while still giving younger middle school readers a story and characters they will appreciate.”

Connections

·       Laurie Halse Anderson’s sequel FORGE, ISBN 1416961445 must be recommended so readers will be able to continue the story.

·       A project for older students would be to take some of the lesser known names mentioned in the quotes at the beginning of each chapter and research them.

·       Older students could use this book to engage in classroom debates. Relevant issues such as Patriot vs. Royalist and slavery make excellent debate topics. 

·       Laure Halse Anderson’s website provides pages for both CHAINS and FORGE. On the CHAINS page is a section entitled CHAINS: LINKS, a list of references to things like ADAM’S FAMILY PAPERS, JOURNALS OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS and CHAINS TEACHERS SECTION. On Anderson’s page devoted to FORGE the author provides a similar list of references entitled FORGE: LINKS. Also on the FORGE page is a Teacher’s Section, Bibliography and FORGE: QUESTIONS. The website can be found at this URL http://madwomanintheforest.com/historical-chains/.