What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell was a superb book about a young girl growing up in Post World War II America. Evie's step father is back from the war and is acting weird. He soon is receiving mysterious phone calls. Suddenly he packs the family up and drives down to Florida. They settle in Palm Beach, and soon run into a couple named the Graysons and a charismatic young soldier named Peter Coleridge. Evie is quickly smitten with Peter and does all she can do be with him. But soon, she, her parents and Peter are snarled into a tangled web of lies, deceit, and murder.
This historical piece of fiction written for young adults is filled with facts about life during and after the war. Readers get a sense of what it is like to go through this harrowing time. Young readers will identify with Evie as she experiences her first kiss and her first love. They will start to question what they would do in Evie's place. This books brings up the question of family loyalties and the bonds of friendship.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
So I'm done with my YA Lit class but still feel I would like to keep this blog running. But since this won't be graded I think I might take a looser approach to the book summary slash review. So here it goes.
Chains is a courageous tale of a young slave fighting for her life, her family, and her freedom. Isabel and her younger sister are promised freedom by their owner, Mary Finch, at the owner's passing. Unfortunately Ms. Finch's nephew has other plans for Isabel and her sister. He sells them to a rich couple from New York and Isabel's life turns quickly from bad to worse. This piece of historical fiction takes place during the Revolutionary War when slaves watched their white owners fight for their freedom and heard promises of their own freedom swirl around their heads. After Isabel's sister, Ruth has another one of her episodes (the reader is led to believe that Ruth had epilepsy) she is sold right out of underneath Isabel's watchful eye. The rest of the book is Isabel's story against the confines of her enslavement and the courageous strides she makes to free herself and save her sister. The book is left as a cliff hanger leaving the reader wanting more.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author did a lot of research previous to writing this book and the reader can tell. The life of this poor slave is described in such detail that it comes to life right off the page. I was left wanting more and will be awaiting Ms. Anderson's sequel to this phenomenal story.
Chains could be used to begin discussions on slavery, the Revolutionary War, inequality, the power of the written word (Isabel gets her courage from Thomas Pain's famous book Common Sense) and fighting against those far more powerful. It is an inspiring tale which is fast paced and draws the reader in quickly.
Chains is a courageous tale of a young slave fighting for her life, her family, and her freedom. Isabel and her younger sister are promised freedom by their owner, Mary Finch, at the owner's passing. Unfortunately Ms. Finch's nephew has other plans for Isabel and her sister. He sells them to a rich couple from New York and Isabel's life turns quickly from bad to worse. This piece of historical fiction takes place during the Revolutionary War when slaves watched their white owners fight for their freedom and heard promises of their own freedom swirl around their heads. After Isabel's sister, Ruth has another one of her episodes (the reader is led to believe that Ruth had epilepsy) she is sold right out of underneath Isabel's watchful eye. The rest of the book is Isabel's story against the confines of her enslavement and the courageous strides she makes to free herself and save her sister. The book is left as a cliff hanger leaving the reader wanting more.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author did a lot of research previous to writing this book and the reader can tell. The life of this poor slave is described in such detail that it comes to life right off the page. I was left wanting more and will be awaiting Ms. Anderson's sequel to this phenomenal story.
Chains could be used to begin discussions on slavery, the Revolutionary War, inequality, the power of the written word (Isabel gets her courage from Thomas Pain's famous book Common Sense) and fighting against those far more powerful. It is an inspiring tale which is fast paced and draws the reader in quickly.
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