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    Chains
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    Chains
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    Chains
    Audiobook7 hours

    Chains

    Written by Laurie Halse Anderson

    Narrated by Madisun Leigh

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight...for freedom. Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel. When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom.

    From acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson comes this compelling, impeccably researched novel that shows the lengths we can go to cast off our chains, both physical and spiritual.

    Winner of the Margaret A. Edwards Award 2009

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateOct 21, 2008
    ISBN9781423367345
    Author

    Laurie Halse Anderson

    Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times-bestselling author of many award-winning books including the groundbreaking modern classic Speak, a National Book Award finalist which has sold over 3.5 million copies and been translated into 35 languages. In 2023, Anderson was named the laureate of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, which is given annually to authors, illustrators, oral storytellers, and reading promoters "for their outstanding contribution to children's and young adult literature." In 2009, Anderson was selected by the American Library Association for the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature." A passionate spokesperson for the need to combat censorship and promote diversity in publishing, she has been honored for her battles for intellectual freedom by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the National Council of Teachers of English. Mother of four, grandmother of dragons, and wife of one, she lives in Pennsylvania.

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    Reviews for Chains

    4/5

    779 ratings108 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Good story about two young slaves during the American Revolution. Lots of very sad moments though. Looking forward to the next one.
    • 4/5
      If you want your kids to learn about American History, this is the book they should read! This is the first book in a trilogy about this period.Set during the Revolutionary War, the story centers around two sisters, Isabel and Ruth, sold to a couple who have pledged their loyalty to the King. While enduring horrible conditions and abuse from her owners, Isabel becomes a spy for the Patriots, in hopes of securing freedom for her and Ruth. Anderson gives readers a interesting look into what life was like when America was a newborn country. A must read for history buffs. The author really did her research for this one.
    • 5/5
      Loved this book. It is about a slave girl at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. I can't wait for "Forge."
    • 3/5
      I really enjoyed that the story did not shy away from the harsh truths that needed to be told. Some irritating repetition of phrases, but moving narration. Will definitely seek out the sequel.
    • 2/5
      I liked the time period, didn't care much for the protagonist. I felt there was inconsistency in her character. Certainly inconsistency in her owner's character. Parts were written well, then there were parts that didn't flow at all. No interest to continue the series.
    • 4/5
      An interesting and well-paced view of America on the cusp of the Revolutionary War as told through a young slave girl. Isabel and her sister are cheated of their freedom at the outset of the novel, and are sent from Rhode Island to New York. The book is jam-packed full of historical information I was ignorant of, particularly in regards to the slave trade in the northern states and treatment of rebel prisoners. Anderson has an easy-to-follow writing style so this is a pretty fast read, but that doesn't mean it lacks quality. I'm looking forward to the follow-up novel, Forge.
    • 5/5
      I learned so much from this book about the lead up to the Revolutionary War in the U.S. - from slaves as spies, to the wretched condition of prisons. This is the first book in the "Seeds of America" trilogy that follows the female character, Isabel, through deeply challenging times as a slave.
    • 4/5
      Good book, informative, liked the characters. In some places very moving.
    • 5/5
      Anderson's skills as a writer and researcher meld into this fast-paced, high interest action story of a young slave girl, Isabella, fighting for her freedom -- at the same time the United States is struggling for its own independence. Boffo ya literature and historical fiction. If this reader ruled the world, this book would be required reading for all US History students!
    • 4/5
      I think what I loved most about Chains was the fact that it opened my eyes to things I hadn't spent a lot of time thinking about before. So many novels with an emphasis on slavery seem to take place during or around the time of the Civil War. It was interesting to read about slavery during the Revolutionary War when indentured servants were also somewhat the norm. I was fascinated by how differently the two were treated despite doing the same job.

      This was an easy read as it is really a middle grade novel. I didn't enjoy the book enough to go out of my way to read the next book in the series, but I still think this book is worth your time.
    • 3/5
      I think this book would be good for 5th grade students and could be used in a social studies lesson about The Revolutionary War and slavery. This book would also be good for a social skills lesson on determination and courage. I think students would like this book because it is related to American history and it could give students the confidence to fight for something that they are passionate about, just like Isabel.This book could also be used to teach perspective. If this book was written in Mrs. Lockton's perspective, it would be a completely different book.
    • 5/5
      Because Laurie Halse Anderson is so meticulous with her research, this is quite a powerful novel. It gives us a unique perspective about the Revolutionary War and the history of slavery in this country. Just a warning , you'll want to have the sequel close by so that you can pick it up and continue reading immediately.
    • 5/5
      A girl forced to do the work of others, beaten if she does wrong. Chains is the story of Isabel a young slave trying to survive. Born in the time of the revolutionary war she is sold to a British household in the middle of thousands of patriots. Does she have the courage and the wits to survive? If living during the revolutionary war isn't hard enough Isabel and her younger sister Ruth have just been sold to a family loyal to the British king.Working in New York for a loyalist family is pretty hard when you are surrounded by patriots at all times. With work hard enough pleasing her master Isabel has no time to worry about the war. That is until she gets a very tempting offer from a patriot friend. He wants her to spy on her master.By doing this she could get in great trouble, but if she does would the patriots free her and her sister? Is Isabel's freedom a great enough price to risk getting beaten for her crimes?Read Chains to follow Isabel's story and find out if she chooses freedom over safety. Laurie Halse Anderson does an amazing job on the book Chains, it is as if thiswas not historical fiction but true events. Laurie Halse Anderson does an amazing job with describing the setting it is as if i could be in her masters house with her. Not only is Laurie Halse Anderson good at creating the ideal setting she creates imaginative characters. I feel as if after reading this I truly know Isabel and her sister Ruth and all their friends and enemies they meet along the way.Over all chains was an amazing book and i would recommend it to anyone. Laurie Halse Anderson does a amazing job on this book and if you like a book full of adventure and suspense this is a book for you.
    • 5/5
      I just loved this book and got completely lost in it, forgetting that it was YA. I thought the vocabulary was very advanced and the historical value was great.
    • 3/5
      I thought I would like this book a lot more than I did. It was a good story and I did enjoy it, but I did find my mind wandering sometimes as I read and not as excited to see what happens next. I'm happy I read it though because it is a view from this time period you don't usually see. I would still recommend this book even though it wasn't for me. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
    • 4/5
      A very interesting read because it shows the American Revolutionary War from a perspective rarely seen: through the eyes of a slave. This story is about Isobel, a young girl who is trying to care for herself and her little sister after they are orphaned and cheated out of their freedom when their owner in Rhode Island dies. The girls are sold to traitorous Tories in New York City and suffer much abuse at their hands as the Revolution crashes around them. Not a light or easy read, but a good story nonetheless. In fact, I felt like the author was holding back on the abuse because the book is aimed at younger readers.
    • 4/5
      Chains is the story of Isabelle (Sal), Izzy, a young slave girl in New England. The premise of the story is interesting. However, the book is so slow moving that I became quickly bored. I could have read the first 2 chapters and the last 2 chapters and more than understood the book.
    • 2/5
      Young adult tale of a first person account of slavery. To be honest I've read quite a few books that are far better than this one. The narration is stilted, which led me to loose interest several times.
    • 5/5
      The historical documents at the beginning of each chapter are an informative and highly interesting way to more deeply understand this important time period in our history. They provide a variety of voices and perspectives which really help bring this story to life. Much of the story is told from the point of view of Isabel, the young slave girl who spies for the Patriots in order to secure her freedom. I try to read this book with my eighth graders during the time that students are learning about the Revolutionary War in their social studies class.
    • 4/5
      Strong heroines are Anderson's subject. Isabel is a slave working for a Loyalist family during the Revolutionary War in New York. She tries to figure out how to get her freedom while playing both sides of the war. Some Patriots (revolutionaries) enlist her help as a spy. She tries to barter her access to enemy information with getting help to escape or at least find her sister who is sold out from under her.

      The history of the war and the early Republic's views on slavery are well portrayed here, and Isabel is a winning character, one whose actions will take her into a sequel.
    • 5/5
      Lots of different points of view occur in this book - Loyalist, Patriot, Slave, and Free Blacks. Students would decide how each group might define freedom and liberty - and then, based on those definitions, show how it drives the actions of the characters for each group.
    • 3/5
      Narrated by Madisun Leigh. A compelling story about Isabel, a slave sold to a British Loyalist family in New York City. Probably all the children's books I've read about the American Revolution focus on the rebels so viewing the Loyalists through Isabel's eyes is a twist. Unfortunately Madisun Leigh must have been recovering from a nasty head cold when she recorded this book; her stuffed-up pronunciation never entirely clears. The lesser quality of this production really surprised me.
    • 4/5
      In the book, Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson, the the Revolutionary War is taking place. Thirteen year old, Isabel and sister Ruth are promised freedom after their owners death. But then become property of The Locktons, a New York couple. The Locktons are very careless and have not sympathy toward Isabel and Ruth. After being sold to the Locktons, Isabel and Ruth both have to adjust quickly to the British lifestyle that the Locktons portrayed. The only friend that Isabel can make in New York seems to only be Curzon, another slave like Isabel. Curzon turned Isabel to the conflict of spying on Mr.Lockton and giving messages to the rebels in hopes of finding Ruth because Madam Lockton didn't think Ruth was old enough and fit enough to keep, so she sold her. Soon after that some conflict events occur and Isabel has to live in a place where she has no opinion and where war is happening. I liked this book a lot. I thought it was very interesting to read. I also liked this book because it brought up some historical events, like the Revolutionary War. In addition, this book shows how bad slaves wee treated and how the went from owner to owner. It was like they were treated like objects. I would recommend this book to any one, any age. This book was very educational and very interesting.
    • 5/5
      Chains is a historical novel about Isabelle, an orphaned slave girl who lives with a Loyalist family. She is asked to help spy for the Patriots. All Isabelle wants is to be free, but who will give her what she wants, the Loyalists or the Patriots.
    • 4/5
      I listened to the audio version, no complaints about that. Gave me new perspective about slavery during the Rev. War; lots of yummy details about the daily life of a wealthy Tory, the dilemma of choosing sides during the conflict, and POW conditions. While I loved the book, I have no interest in reading the sequel--one unrealistic happy ending is enough for me. Despite the implausible ending and Isabelle's almost saintly virtue, Halse Anderson's writing was pretty good in this one; many times I paused and delighted in line, an image, a paragraph.

      In considering if my grade 7&8 students will love it, I'm thinking most likely not because of the balanced proportion of detail to action...my kids at this stage are usually needing much more action and care not what the slave was cooking. It was the details, however, that won me over.

      I'll purchase a copy for the classroom nonetheless, and it'll be a great companion to My Brother Sam is Dead.




    • 4/5
      I have to admit, I was a little skeptical about this book. While I love Laurie Halse Anderson, I'm always a little dubious when white novelists take on the voice of African American slaves. But Anderson creates a strong, credible, and nuanced character in Isabel, and her depictions of the violence of slavery don't sensationalize or exploit it. Some of the alliances Isabel finds herself drawn into with those fighting on the side of independence seem a little far-fetched, but are woven into the text well. And Anderson does a great job of bringing the history of New York City during the early days of the Revolution to life. And lie armed even more from reading the Q&A in the back of the book!Warning, though: if you read this, you pretty much have to read its sequel, Forge. Which I'm off to do right now.
    • 4/5
      I love Laurie Halse Anderson's writing, and she shows how versatile she is with this book. "Chains" is a very absorbing historical fiction middle grade/young adult book. And I think making historicals for young 'uns actually worthwhile is not an easy feat.I loved Isabel, even though, sure, her character is not completely realistic. (First of all, she can read? For reals? Sorry, I don't buy it.) Though the heart of it all was to get beyond just the simple facts of Revolutionary War America and understand it from a more personal approach. I read this slowly, taking long breaks in between, because there is a lot here that is difficult and painful to read. Which, you know, is essentially the point.
    • 4/5
      I love Laurie Halse Anderson's writing, and she shows how versatile she is with this book. "Chains" is a very absorbing historical fiction middle grade/young adult book. And I think making historicals for young 'uns actually worthwhile is not an easy feat.I loved Isabel, even though, sure, her character is not completely realistic. (First of all, she can read? For reals? Sorry, I don't buy it.) Though the heart of it all was to get beyond just the simple facts of Revolutionary War America and understand it from a more personal approach. I read this slowly, taking long breaks in between, because there is a lot here that is difficult and painful to read. Which, you know, is essentially the point.
    • 5/5
      This was a fantastic read. It tells the story of a young girl who is a slave during the American War of Independence. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book! I could not put it down.A suspenseful story of a young slave girl in New York City during the American Revolution. She is bought by a Loyalist, along with her little sister, and they are plunged into the turmoil of war. Isabel doesn't know if she is a rebel or a Loyalist; she only wants to be free. I can't wait to read the sequel.