"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.""We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union...."
By now, we all recognize these words from the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. What do they mean to you and other Americans? Did they always seek to guarantee the rights and freedoms of everyone living on American soil? Did those who fought for our freedom from the British not see the irony of the slavery occurring on their own soil?
Isabel is a teenage slave girl living in the New York in 1776, at the brink of the Revolutionary War. For her, freedom is an unobtainable dream, stolen away by those with money, power, and a lighter color of skin. But the chains that bind Isabel to servitude cannot restrain her dreams and her iron will. She soon comes to realize that "If an entire nation could seek its freedom, why not a girl?"
Why I picked up this book: The book is part of the "We the People" bookshelf grant ("A More Perfect Union") that our library received and we are using it for our middle school book club. I enjoy the author's work, both historical fiction & realistic, so I would have eventually made my way to reading Chains.
Why I finished the book: I wanted to know if Isabel would ever break free from the Locktons and the chains of slavery. Would she get caught on her secret spy missions and what would Madam do to harm her? I was secretly plotting what Isabel could do to retaliate against Madam.
I'd give it to: readers young & old looking for quality historical fiction. Readers who aren't afraid to confront tough topics and look critically at American history, because it isn't always pretty. Sarah, who loved Fever 1793.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
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Chains: The Music Video (Fooyboys/YouTube)
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