A review by alexisdpatt
Ashes by Laurie Halse Anderson

adventurous challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

“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.