Chains is a tale of freedom written by Laurie Halse Anderson. It tells the story of orphans Isabel and Ruth living in the middle of the American Revolutionary War, America’s fight for freedom and independence. The novel is told from Isabel’s point of view.

Isabel and Ruth are both slaves and at the start of the novel their previous owner, a generous woman called Mary Finch who had promised them freedom upon her death, is dead and the girls are attending her funeral. It turns out that the lawyer who wrote their owner’s will has gone to Boston and so Mary’s nephew, who is taking care of her estate, does not believe them and he takes them away to be sold.

‘ “The girl is lying, then,” Mr. Robert said. “She knows the lawyer is absent and her cause cannot be proved. The sooner I’m rid of her, then better.” ’

They are sold to the Locktons, a Loyalist couple who believe their rightful leader is the King. The Locktons aren’t nice people and are very cruel to Isabel: they change her name, hit her and Mrs Lockton even tells Isabel she has sold her sister, Ruth.

‘I pushed her hand away and wiped off the flour. “Where is she? What did they do to her?”[...] Becky studied her shoes again. “Sold” ’

The novel is written in the first person and gives you an in-depth look into Isabel’s mind. I liked that it was written this way but I did not like some of the wording Isabel used such as ‘Remembery’ and ‘brainpan’. I think it makes Isabel sound more immature and childish.

 I liked Anderson's use of similes and metaphor; it is very original and unlike other books in that it shows the originality of the main character.

‘Strangest of all was the hive of bees that had taken up residence inside of me’

In this quotation she is having trouble remembering what has happened. Six days before she was branded with an ‘I’, for Insolence, on her cheek. She had run away in search of her sister who, she had been told, has been sold.

I really enjoyed the novel and was gripped throughout. What I most liked was how Anderson had taken a historical incident such as the Slave Trade and added emotion and showed us the feelings of the people who had experienced it, not just facts and figures. Also she shows the hypocrisy of the rebellious Americans who want freedom themselves yet they own another human being. One of the rebels who have been imprisoned with a friend of Isabel tells his sergeant that the slaves shouldn’t have the same rights as him.

‘ “She bought food for the black boy Sergeant” he complained. “T’aint right for the slave to eat while we starve” ’

I give this book 9/10 and will definitely be reading the sequel, Forge.