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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
It's beautiful the way Anderson tied together her characters and the the historical facts. Chains was very good and I really liked Forge, but I truly loved this story. Isabel and Curzon finally find and rescue Ruth. They have risked so much to find Ruth and now Curzon wants to continue his enlistment with the continental army, to finally win Americas freedom and possibly win their personal freedom. But first they must face the battle of Yorktown. It was already during uncertain and perilous times for these characters, but you add to that a battle where many people of color lost their lives and you have a very insightful view of this period in history. This was an exciting and satisfying conclusion to the Seeds of America Trilogy
I'd like to believe that Isabel became a conductor on the Underground Railroad.
It has been far too long since I read the first two books in this series. I should have taken the time to reread them and refresh my memory of the series. That being said, this was still an amazing book. I absolutely loved it. Halse Anderson brings an authenticity to the characters that refreshes and amazes. I found myself at the end of the book wanting more and disappointed that more of the book did not appear. I highly recommend the book.
This book discussed the journey that Isabel and her companion Curzon to find her little sister Ruth who was taken from her. Once they are reunited, Ruth seems to be much more grownup and wary towards her sister. She refuses to talk and interact with her. They travel to safe places to find work, stay out of trouble, and avoid being slaves again or worse losing each other. The American Revolution brewing causes all sorts of problems for our band of travelers. I think this would be a great book to use in my classroom to show another perspective of the American Revolution. I think that too often history is only taught about one side and rarely goes into detail concerning other sides or how minorities were affected like this book does. I feel like this would give students another perspective on the American Revolution and how it affected everyone. I know it opened my eyes to the culture during this time and would do the same for students who read it.
4-5 years has passed since Forge (book 2), we find Isabel and Curzon still together with their friendship mainly intact. Isabel still has one single purpose in mind (she's so dang stubborn) and nothing will divert her from this ultimate path: to find her sister. But it has been 5 long years, her sister would have grown and what if finding her sister isn't the be all and end all she envisioned it to be? And once she finds her sister, what then?
The perspective in this book shifted back to Isabel and as I've basically jumped directly from book 2 to 3, this immediate change jolted me a bit and made the start of the book hard to follow because I keep getting confused on POV. I have to keep reminding myself for at least the first 25% of the book. In addition to that, I have to keep reminding myself that these characters are significantly older than earlier books and noting the years that passed, both Curzon & Isabel are on the verge of adulthood (about 20 & 18 or something like that).
The plot was fairly interesting but the historical setting and the themes were absolutely stunning. The second half of the book was set at the Siege of Yorktown so it's historically significant and as Isabel always thought taking sides in a war is pointless, this was an interesting development in her principles and as it's her perspective, we are treated to her thought process to get there. I'd highly recommended Seeds of America as an historical fiction trilogy (MG/YA) if you're interested in that era.
The perspective in this book shifted back to Isabel and as I've basically jumped directly from book 2 to 3, this immediate change jolted me a bit and made the start of the book hard to follow because I keep getting confused on POV. I have to keep reminding myself for at least the first 25% of the book. In addition to that, I have to keep reminding myself that these characters are significantly older than earlier books and noting the years that passed, both Curzon & Isabel are on the verge of adulthood (about 20 & 18 or something like that).
The plot was fairly interesting but the historical setting and the themes were absolutely stunning. The second half of the book was set at the Siege of Yorktown so it's historically significant and as Isabel always thought taking sides in a war is pointless, this was an interesting development in her principles and as it's her perspective, we are treated to her thought process to get there. I'd highly recommended Seeds of America as an historical fiction trilogy (MG/YA) if you're interested in that era.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Such a fantastic and important bit of historical fiction. My love for Laurie Halse Anderson knows NO bounds. She is up there with one of my favorite authors!
This series is vastly important for middle grade students. It's incredibly well done, and Anderson highlights the hypocrisy of the Founding Fathers and the Patriot Army- fighting for the freedom of America, while benefiting from its hundreds of thousands of its enslaved people, in a way that is respectful, yet strong. This is required middle grade reading, and great for adults who love historical fiction as well.
This series is vastly important for middle grade students. It's incredibly well done, and Anderson highlights the hypocrisy of the Founding Fathers and the Patriot Army- fighting for the freedom of America, while benefiting from its hundreds of thousands of its enslaved people, in a way that is respectful, yet strong. This is required middle grade reading, and great for adults who love historical fiction as well.
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
—Just finished— I blazed through this trilogy. It’s been a long time since middle grade novels held my attention like this; I found them gripping and un-put-downable. The storyline follows Isobel and Curzen, both enslaved at the beginning of the war, from 1776 Boston through Valley Forge to Yorktown in 1781. In a world where even free blacks were in danger of kidnap and enslavement, they grapple with hard questions of freedom, hope for the future, and whether or not this new country had a place for them.
Amazing research and integration into the world of the Revolution; I especially loved the primary source quotes (in a period-correct font!!) at the opening of each chapter and the detailed historical end notes. Highly recommended, though I won’t be handing these to my kiddos any time soon; they’re honest (but not overly graphic) about the realities of slavery, war, death, and disease.
Amazing research and integration into the world of the Revolution; I especially loved the primary source quotes (in a period-correct font!!) at the opening of each chapter and the detailed historical end notes. Highly recommended, though I won’t be handing these to my kiddos any time soon; they’re honest (but not overly graphic) about the realities of slavery, war, death, and disease.