Review- Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

WOW!  I only got through four books during vacation, but they were amazing!  My reading time was unexpectedly limited by talkative relatives, but I am so happy with the books I chose to spend my time with.

I read Percy Jackson, books 3 and 4, and they were great- I'm getting book 5 from the library, and I will review the series at the end.

I read a Sophie Kinsella book- review to come!

And for a wild card, I picked up this book, Chains, from my library randomly.  I did not really like Speak, although I certainly agree that it's a wonderful book, so I wasn't sure that Chains would be my style either.

However, I immensely enjoyed this book.  It tells the story of an orphaned slave girl in the northeast during the Revolutionary War.  She and her younger sister are unexpectedly sold to some nuts in New York, and the events that unfold around them are astonishing.

I also liked the use of actual quotes from primary sources of the day that precede each chapter- these included letters, newspaper comments, etc.

Anderson's writing in this book is exceptional- the word choice was amazing, the imagery was rich, and the book was full of both pain and hope, with plenty of humor as well.

I would recommend this book to anyone, male or female.  5 stars- and I can't wait to read the next one in the SERIES!