George Washington, James Madison, King George III, Abigail Adams to her husband John Adams, Thomas Paine and many other regiment leaders, judges and slaves. Thoroughly researched, this engaging novel offers readers a fresh perspective on the role the black community played during the war, including women and children. Each chapter is introduced by a quote from significant historical figures during the war that helps provide insight into the attitudes of the war: Gen. It is easy to get lost in the realistic plot where you can smell the sweat of laboring men digging trenches, hear the nearby exploding cannon balls and feel the bone-chilling cold of nights in the camps. The pacing keeps readers fully engaged. Her settings are unimaginably descriptive and believable. Laurie Halse Anderson is a skillful literary author. Her language and dialogue is exquisite. But how can you care about a nation’s freedom when the very same nation has kept you in chains? Is she even alive? And if Isabel can find her, how will they make it safely through the war between the Patriots and the British that rages on as dangerously as ever in 1781, while bounty hunters try to kidnap them at every turn! In the American Revolution, one must pick a side in order to survive. It’s been three years since Ruth was stolen from her. That dream hinges on one thing: finding her little sister, Ruth. But her dream of living not as a “runaway” but as a free person with land and a family of her own seems impossibly far away. Themes: American Revolution, Black Soldiers, Slavery, Freedom,īook Synopsis: “Freedom for one, freedom for all? That’s the question that burns in Isabel’s mind as she and Curzon forge on through chaos and fear toward the dream that’s kept them alive for so many years: freedom. I strongly suggest you read the three books in order.Īshes: The Seeds of America Trilogy, Book #3Ītheneum Books for Young Readers, Historical Fiction, Oct. Today, I am reviewing the final book in the trilogy, Ashes, but will include brief synopsis of the first two books, Chains and Forge, because it gives the reader a perspective of the revolutionary war that is relatively unknown and not talked about - the important role of black soldiers in the creation of our nation and their hopes and dreams. Although, you could read Ashes and still understand the story, you would miss the rich alternating voices of the characters Isabel and Curzon and their journey that began in 1776 with Chains and ends in 1781 with Ashes.

Laurie Halse Anderson’s Seeds of America Trilogy is one of my favorite historical fiction trilogies for tweens, teens and adults.

Ashes laurie halse anderson