Book Summary: When Isabel’s mistress and owner, Ms. Mary Finch dies, she takes comfort in the fact that she will now, at last, be free to make her own life with her younger sister, Ruth. Although she and Ruth will still be orphans, at least they will be free from slavery. Sadly, Ms. Finch’s shifty nephew, Mr. Roberts, cares only about making a profit. He refuses to locate the lawyer who drafted the documents guaranteeing Isabel. Instead, he takes Isabel and Ruth to Newport where he promptly sells them to the Locktons, a couple with secret Loyalist loyalties. At first Isabel is relieved that she and Ruth, who suffers from epilepsy, have been purchased together; even though they are still slaves, at least they have not been separated.
Upon arriving in New York City, Isabel’s worst fears about her new mistress, Anne Lockton, are realized when Anne slaps Isabel. Before this, Isabel had never known physical violence. Sadly, this begins a period of torment and abuse. Isabel does everything in her power to protect Ruth and keep her ailment, epilepsy a secret. In New York, she also learns more about the nascent Revolution from another slave, a young boy named Curzon, who wears a jaunty earring in his ear. His master is a Rebel and he encourages Isabel to spy on her Tory, or Loyalist, masters, the Locktons. Sure enough, Isabel uncovers a plot where the Locktons conspire to kill the rebel leader, George Washington. Risking her life, she reports it the Colonel Regan and asks only for her and Ruth’s freedom, but the investigation ends up being inconclusive at first, although later Mr. Lockton, along with the mayor of New York, is arrested.
Isabela endures months of torment and abuse at the hands of Ms. Lockton. Ms. Lockton’s abuse of Isabel mirrors the abuse she suffers at the hands of her own husband. Things take a dark turn for Isabel when Anne Lockton discovers Ruth taking a fit. Ms. Lockton believes Ruth is possessed and pretends to sell her. Isabel, believing her sister has been sold away from her, reacts to this tragedy with grief, and Ms. Lockton responds by beating her for her disrespect. Isabel runs for her life to Colonel Regan, who refuses to keep his promise. Ultimately, Isabel is apprehended, temporarily imprisoned, placed in the stocks, and punished by having the letter “I” branded on her cheek for “insolence.” Afterwards Lady Seymour takes her in and nurses her back to health. When New York catches on fire, Isabel saves Lady Seymour and some of her belongs from the blaze, earning Lady Seymour’s gratitude and loyalty, while simultaneously spiking Anne Lockton’s resentment of her since she knows her husband’s aunt does not approve of her.
During all this time, Isabel fights against despair and eventually finds her purpose in helping others. Although she is initially unsure of which side will give her freedom, she eventually aids the rebels again, especially after Curzon is imprisoned. She brings them food and blankets while also sneaking messages in and out of the jail cells for the Rebels. Isabel soon discovers that Ruth has not been sold; Anne Lockton only shipped her to a property in South Carolina. When Lockton threatens to follow through and sell Ruth, Isabella knows she must take action. Lady Seymour, who is at this point sick and ailing, gives Isabella her purse of coins. Isabel then busts Curzon out of jail, and together they cross the Hudson and head south to find Ruth.
APA Reference: Anderson, L.H. (2008). Chains. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Impressions: Chains is an outstanding work of historical fiction. The book offers fresh insights into a familiar historical period. I love history, and I’ve read several books on the Revolutionary War period, but I never had fully considered what it must have been like to be a slave during this tumultuous time. Isabel’s confusion over whom to trust helped me understand that loyalties where not without complications. I never knew that the British offered slaves freedom in exchange for fighting for their cause. Anderson does an amazing job of weaving in authentic details seamlessly. For example, one of my favorite aspects of the book were the descriptions of food. This was another aspect of daily life I’d never considered, small aspects of daily living that you won’t get from reading a textbook, or even, for that matter, from most adult nonfiction books. She also uses understandable language, but still manages to capture the diction of a certain time and place. I can’t remember which page it was on, but I remembering chuckling when Isabel refers to the “necessary” instead of the bathroom, which fits with the mores of the times.
I found Isabel’s strength in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds especially compelling. Anderson skillfully weaves the theme of chains throughout the book. One of the best lines that captures this theme is a little over half way through the narrative when Isabel states, “I was chained between two nations” (Anderson, 2008, p.182). Isabel’s character development is moving and realistic. We experience her protectiveness over Ruth, her longing for her mother who died of smallpox, her indignation when people-- like Colonel Regan-- fail to live up to their words. Yet, for Isabel, hope springs eternal because she refuses to let her chains and trials define her.
Like Anderson’s other work, this book is beautifully written. She does an excellent job of showing instead of telling. For example, Anderson hints that Anne Lockton is abused when Isabel notices her new mistress has a bruise on her wrist (p.18). She also complicates our understandings of characters. Anne Lockton more than qualifies as a villain, but she is also a victim of her husband’s abuse. Colonel Regan is another example of a complicated character; if the Rebels are supposed to be the good guys, why doesn’t he keep his promise to Isabel and save her from an awful punishment? For that matter, if the Rebels are on the side of right, why aren’t they offering slaves freedom and equal rights? Anderson skillfully underscores this irony and uses it to help us think of the legacy of this era on today. Anderson casts a critical eye on people who could stop unkindness, violence, or tragedy, but turn a blind eye since it is not their concern.
Anderson also has a wonderful style. Not only are images descriptive and vivid, they also evoke the psychological states of the characters at certain points of time. For example, Anderson (2008) describes her and Ruth as “little mice trailing behind dogs that were fixing to fight” (p.29). She also frequently uses resumptive modifiers for emotional effect. Anderson writes, “[Ruth] giggled, a sound like a small silver bell. A bell tolling disaster” (p.33). Also, on the same page, Anderson (2008) captures the unexpected cruelty of Anne Lockton’s first slap by comparing it to “lightning struck from a blue sky” (p.33). I marked no less than 32 striking figures of speech that caught my eye while I was reading. It would be impossible to relate them all, but I think it speaks volumes that two of these examples come from the very same page. Often, Anderson uses creative comparisons to help readers understand philosophical or esoteric political concepts by making them more concrete. She refers to New York’s shifting political vagaries by writing, “New York is a ball tossed between the Loyalists and Patriots” (p.41). Finally, Anderson frequently makes use of anaphora to create rolling cadences to build emotion, especially when Isabela is having a revelation or learning something. One example can be found in the beginning of the scene where Isabel confronts Anne Lockton over Ruth’s disappearance. Isabel states, “Madam looked down without seeing me; she looked at my face, my kerchief, my shift neatly tucked into my skirt, looked at my shoes pinching my feet, looked at my hands that were stronger than hers. She did not look into my eyes, did not see the lion inside. She did not see the me of me, the Isabel” (p.134). In this passage, Anderson skillfully ratchets up the emotional intensity of the scene, carrying us towards Isabel’s confrontation and subsequent beating at the hands of Ms. Lockton. She also conveys character development by demonstrating Isabel’s growing self-awareness and understanding of her own identity.
All in all, I loved the book. I was only disappointed in the ending and that was mainly because I did not realize that the book was part of series! Now I will have to wait for summer semester to be over before I can find out what happens next! This book has wonderful potential for cross-curricular history units, or it can just be read as an incredibly coming of age story, one that just happens to have history thrown in as an added bonus! I highly recommend this book to everyone.
Professional Review: Gr 6-10 --Set in New York City at the beginning of the American Revolution, Chains addresses the price of freedom both for a nation and for individuals. Isabel tells the story of her life as a slave. She was sold with her five-year-old sister to a cruel Loyalist family even though the girls were to be free upon the death of their former owner. She has hopes of finding a way to freedom and becomes a spy for the rebels, but soon realizes that it is difficult to trust anyone. She chooses to find someone to help her no matter which side he or she is on. With short chapters, each beginning with a historical quote, this fast-paced novel reveals the heartache and struggles of a country and slave fighting for freedom. The characters are well developed, and the situations are realistic. An author's note gives insight into issues surrounding the Revolutionary War and the fight for the nation's freedom even though 20 percent of its people were in chains. Well researched and affecting in its presentation, the story offers readers a fresh look at the conflict and struggle of a developing nation. By Denise Moore, O'Gorman Junior High School, Sioux Falls, SD
Library Uses: As I mentioned earlier, I was most struck by the different types of foods mentioned in the book. It could be fun to plan a Colonial Times fair in the library, where Revolutionary era recipes could be prepared and then sampled by visitors. Crafts might include making a corn husk doll, like Ruth’s, or dipping candles. Games could be played to “fetch” water, and perhaps students could even pose in a mock-up of stocks for funny pictures, or pose for a picture with characters (dressed up volunteers) from the book.
Another alternative might be to host a wax museum in the library. Using the book and additional supplementary sources, students could adopt the persona of a character in the book. Student would learn about that person’s life and then dress up in costume. On the night of the museum, students could stand around the outside of the library, with a paper button next to them. When visitors to the museum hit the button, students could tell a little about themselves and what their life and opinions were regarding the Revolution. This is a form of role playing that would benefit both the students posing as characters and those who press the buttons to learn more from figures. I did a history day once upon a time like this and it was an invaluable—and fun—learning experience for everyone.