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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
I have greatly enjoyed all of the books in the Seeds of America Trilogy, and Ashes was no exception. I was so excited to finally finish the journey of Isabel and Curzon. There were times where the pacing of the book felt a bit off to me, especially toward the end, but the journey kept me captivated.
Mostly good. I learned a lot, but as with the other books in the series, I felt like the first half was slow and debated whether I even wanted to keep reading. Then, by the end, I wanted to know more about what happens next. Shines a light on how terribly Black people were treated in the Revolutionary era, while allowing for a glimmer of hope.
adventurous
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
I really wanted to give it a five, but I felt like it ended so abruptly on me. And I love Isabel and curzon but it seemed too neat, the tension of the first two books wasn't there and the poetic aspects were less for me (although I love what Isabel said about the nature of loving).
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
“Ashes” by Laurie Halse Anderson ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
“Ashes” is the final chapter in the Seeds of America trilogy about an enslaved girl, her sister, Ruth, and her friend Curzon during the American Revolution. This novel centers around the Battle of Yorktown—and yes, Hamilton was stuck in my head for the entirety of the 272 pages.
This novel is definitely my least favorite of the trilogy. I think there’s a lot of mischaracterization with Isabel and her struggle to get her sister back. I also don’t really like the representation of disability in this novel when it comes to Ruth’s epilepsy and lack of education. I think it could have been handled a bit better. The depiction of the Siege of Yorktown, however, is done really well.
✨SPOILERS✨
My biggest gripe with this novel has to be the end. The novel is titled “ashes” and yet we don’t really get to see the ashes that the war creates. There is one chapter—the final chapter—where Curzon becomes disenfranchised with the Continental Army because of their ability to re-enslave any person who fled to the British during the conflict.
It is not enough to highlight the atrocities committed towards enslaved peoples during this time. It is a wasted opportunity to not hold those men accountable for the atrocities they inflicted on runaways after the war. As well intended as this series was, Anderson (being a white woman) didn’t go far enough to justify her telling a black story. I would have liked to have seen at least an epilogue if not a few more chapters on the end of the war.
There’s just a lot left to be desired.
Wonderful end to this terrific trilogy about the Revolutionary War. What a fascinating, dramatic, tragic and exciting time in our history. Anderson weaves a rich story with wonderfully developed characters. She has painstakingly researched this time period in order to tell a very truthful tale of former black slaves and how they journeyed through this tumultuous time and war. The main characters of Isabel, Ruth and Curzon have a lot of depth and I really felt I knew their character through her writing. While I learned a lot about the birth of our nation (I love the excerpts of letters, diaries etc. she uses at the start of each chapter) I was also always engaged and entertained.
Enjoyed the conclusion for this trilogy. I liked the idea throughout the book of having to decide a side. It is interesting to figure out what you think is right and what will be better for your future.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This series should be even more popular with the popularity of Hamilton right now. A great end to a great series. Full review to come on Lisa Loves Literature soon.