Forge

This book has really good detail, but some people may not like the amount of detail. This book is about a boy named Curzon in the revolutionary war and his old master find his and say his is his slave when Curzon is a free man and he gets to escape again.

FANTASTIC way to follow Chains...a different point of view, but still keeping Isabel "alive." Can hardly wait for Ashes. I am reading these books to my fifth graders, and they can't get enough! We are engrossed in the characters, and have had amazingly mature conversations regarding the characters, setting, and history.

I loved this book because of the suspension. All I could think about was are they gonna die or not. it is a mix of love, advent, and drama. perfect for a 6th grader. you should tot's get this book. you'll adore it!

This book was written for teens, but is really great for adults as well. It presents historical fiction in an interesting and emotionally compelling way. I highly recommend reading the first book in the series, Chains, as well.

After being hooked by Chains, I had no choice but to continue the journey with the captivating characters this author conjured to cast their spell on unsuspecting readers. I highly recommend taking the journey.

You must read "Chains" by the same author to know the characters in Forge. "Chains" is our newest 5th grade Battle of the Books books in El Paso County. Both books are excellent reads for that level. Very descriptive.

The drama continues and I was sucked right into it. There is so much talk about the war, what side individuals were taking and how much longer they thought the war would last, it really all depended on who you listened to and what you really believed as to what your answer would be. I thought Curzon and Isabel were a good team when they were together but now, they are separated and Curzon has signed on to be a soldier as he feels the war would soon be over and for now at least he would have some security. War is not easy on him though as there are people who make it hard for him because of his color but he concentrates on his work and he thinks of Isabel and tries to make it through each day. Curzon really frustrated me. He signed up for the war, he knew it was going to be tough plus being of African American decent, he had to know that this might become an issue for other soldiers yet he does it anyway. What was he expecting? It didn’t take long for his past to catch up with him and although he’s enraged and feels deceived at what is transpiring there is one small glimmer of sunshine on his horizon. He only hopes that this sunshine feels the same way. Curzon can’t seem to shake his past but he sees a bright future.

What a great continuation of Chains, a novel that had Curzon and Isabel running for their lives. More drama and excitement awaited these two as they searched for Isabel’s younger sister Ruth who was taken from Isabel. I was hoping that Curzon and Isabel would stay together but that didn’t occur. I loved Isabel’s commitment to her younger sister; she was determined to protect her, so sure that her sister could not survive without her, so sure that her sister was failing without her. Dang, the war! Dang, slavery! Dang you, Laurie Anderson for writing this novel! Just when things started to turn around for these characters, it went back two steps; they never could get a break. I could feel the hope, the energy, death and disappointment bleeding out of this novel. I had to know what lies in the future for these three, I’m glad that I picked up the third book in this series, I can’t stop now.

I fell in love with strong Isabel in Laurie Halse Anderson's first book, Chains. She is a compelling, original character that, although her status as a slave, didn't accept things as they were. Living in New York City, she befriends another boy in a prison named Curzon, who together escapes to a better life. The sequel, "Forge", picks up the story, with a shift in narrators, and tells an equally compelling story of American independence mixed with slavery.

Escapaing together, Isabel quickly ditches Curzon to find her only surviving family member, younger sister Ruth. Curzon quickly finds himself enveloped once again in the fight for liberty, enmeshing himself with a group of patriots, some more accepting of his skin color than others. Bad timing. The Continental army is spending a very cold winter at Valley Forge. Everyone fights off cold, near starvation, thievery and infighting, until a surprise twist whisks Curzon away into a new set of complications I honestly didn't see coming.

For those of you like myself that adore Isabel, and may have been put off with a change in narrators, I encourage you to not to give up hope. Anderson's book is definitely Curzon's story. It ends up being interesting to view Isabel through this lad's eyes. You get quite a different sense of her, which I truly appreciate. In some ways, Isabel becomes more alive this way, more rounded, more real.

It all comes down to Halse's writing style. Brisk, extremely well researched without dwelling in period details or language that would leave the reader lost, the story moves along at a great pace. Short chapters lend themselves to building tension and drama, and make it ideal for a read aloud. The kids will relate to Curzon right away; his reduced status, in the eyes of some, make him a smart, "cheer"-able underdog. While I didn't think this at first, it was a great move to have Curzon pick up this part of the story.

In all, this series of books is a brilliant twist on an all-too-familiar story. Having African-American characters participate in a battle for freedom, in which their own freedom is non-existent, speaks volumes to the unexplored in children's literature racial conflict that is a compelling paradox to our American Revolution. In Halse's deft and skilled writing hands, it ultimately is a winner of a book all around.

This wonderful sequel to CHAINS is much more Curzon,s book (just as book one was more about Isabel.) In Anderson's rich and wonderful prose, readers follow Curzon, a black teen, who has joined the revolutionaries, and (in one main plot line) is with Washington's men at Valley Forge. This is the best type of historical fiction, penned with accuracy, yet never dull. Not only is this story readable and adventurous in its own right, but middle schoolers (or anyone) will benefit from what they absorb from the story about the Revolutionary War, prejudice, life in the colonies and much more.

About me: I'm a middle school/high school librarian
How I Got This Book: Purchased for the library a while ago, and just not getting around to reading it!

The first book in this trilogy was so gripping and ended with such a cliffhanger, we immediately began this book after completing "Chains". This book is much drier than the first. It's not nearly as interesting. I stuck it out hoping that it would get better. A little over half way through the book, things finally began to pick up, but it still never reached the depth or quality that "Chains" has. This book is written from Curzon's perspective. My girls were emotionally tied to Isabel and Anderson just didn't do a good job of making the same connection with Curzon. The book just didn't feel inspired. We included this book and the first one as part of our Homeschool curriculum while studying the revolutionary period and transitioning into studies on slavery. We will be reading the third one when it comes out, but my hopes are slightly dashed.

A WARNING: Just as in the first book, there are some mildly graphic descriptions of death and the real living conditions in valley Forge. there was an added dimension in this book also, that I feel didn't really add to the story for the age group it's intended for. SPOILER ALERT: After Curzon's master returns with Isabel to reclaim him, there are several scenes where Bellingham is "eyeing" Isabel. Descriptions that include him "watching" her work and preferring to be alone with her. Even the way Curzon describes Isabel's appearance is lustful. Because I was reading this to my Ten year olds, there were some instances where I omitted sections completely and they didn't even notice. If you're reading this aloud to younger ones, I suggest reading ahead of time to be prepared of where you should omit things. If you're assigning it to your kids, be sure they are mature enough to handle that kind of content. If they are, it can be used as a conversation opener for the gross realities as a woman in slavery.

This story continues the adventures of Isabel and Curzon, this time from Curzon's point of view. For some reason, I just didn't connect as much to Curzon as I did to Isabel in the first book. For a large chunk at the beginning of the book I kept wondering what had happened to Isabel! But Curzon himself was wondering the same thing, and he eventually found out. The circumstances that brought them back together seemed a little coincidental to me, but I can see how it was necessary for the storyline.

Anderson clearly did her research as she inserted her characters into real events in history. I love how each chapter began with a historical quote from a primary source, and I appreciated that the characters spoke with authentic dialogue for the time period.

This is a great book for young readers who are want to learn what it might have been like to live during the Revolutionary War. It brings history alive with strong characters and accurate historical details. The print version has an appendix which helps readers distinguish fact from fiction, find further resources for research, and learn the meaning of the colloquial phrases used in the novel.

The second book in Halse Anderson's historical fiction series, Forge, is told in Cruzon's point of view. While it doesn't touch much on the continuation of Isabelle's story at first, don't fret, the two will join forces once again.

After their initial escape from New York, Isabelle and Curzon find work for a few months before splitting up. Curzon, happens upon a young rebel soldier named Eben, and instinctively saves Eben when he's face to face with a Red Coat. Eben replays

Curzon with food and in turn, Curzon finds himself enlisting in the Continental Army alongside his new friend.
The details this book depicts of daily life during the Revolutionary War is stunning. Props to Laurie Halse Anderson for her deep research and ability to bring the struggles of these soldiers to life on the page. My feet ached along with the shoeless soldiers. My belly cried in hunger as theirs did. I waited patiently as they built their hut and tried to hold on for one more day through an unbearably snowy winter.

My heart sank when Curzon was forced back into slavery but it leapt when he was reunited with Isabelle. It was like riding a rollercoaster of emotion throughout the entire book. Though the journey of Curzon and Isabelle is still not over, I'm eagerly waiting in anticipation for the next book in this series, Ashes, to be released. I need to know if they'll ban together and find Ruth!
-- Reviewed by Kerry O'Malley Cerra

Absolutely loved this book and this entire trilogy! The history alone that's included is fascinating but the reader is taken onto the battlefield with the main character and other soldiers. I have a new appreciation for the sacrifices soldiers made for my freedom here in the US. Most of all, I loved the story of Curzon and Country - their trials together, their apprehensions, their fears, their emotions and their shared victories. Beautiful writing and an extremely moving story...I read this book in less than three days after reading Chains first (which I cried through SO much!) I adore Isabel and Curzon and their bravery. Can't wait for my kids to read this trilogy!

FORGE
LAURIE HALSE ANDERSON

5 Enchantments

Fifteen-year-old escaped slave Curzon lives in fear of being discovered. After a chance encounter, he finds himself a member of a battalion under the leadership of George Washington which ends up at Valley Forge. Not only does Curzon deal with hiding his true identity from the other soldiers but the harsh conditions of the war. Also he can't forget Isabel. Will they meet again? And will he survive?

This is the stunning conclusion to Chains. The rich writing, details, and setting make the reader feel as if they'd been dropped right into the middle of the Revolutionary War. I love Anderson's eye to fine details to what the soldiers ate, wore, and how they interacted during this time. Curzon's character is multidimensional. You can feel his conflict on how he feels towards a white friend he made on the battle field to the anger that his race still is considered not good enough to be free. There is one scene where he's invited to go to this one officer's home. He goes to the kitchen where he encounters some slaves. When the officer sees him there, he refuses to feed him.

What I really love about these books is how well Anderson brings emotions to the surface. I felt anger, sadness, and even horror at what Curzon sees at Valley Forge. She's able to paint a harsh, realistic picture of the numbness that must happen to someone who witnesses war.

I highly recommend this book to fans of Anderson and also to any school library. Both Chains and Forge would be great books to use in discussions of the Revolutionary War and how freedom didn't include all men at that time.

Laurie Halse Anderson is an award-winning author of Speak and Chains, which were both National Book Award Finalists. Laurie lives in northern New York, where's she's working on Isabel and Curzon's final adventure. Find out more on her blog at [...]

Kim Baccellia
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
October 2010

Summary: After their adventure in Chains, Cruzan was abandoned by Isabel and after working for a crooked boss, he must find a way to survive. As he is running away, he stumbles across a Revolutionary War battle and ends up, through a series of incidences, enlisting.

What I Think: I am a sucker for a good historical fiction novel! I think it is the best way to learn about history because it makes the reader "experience" the historical event which truly leaves an impression (much better than memorizing dates!) and puts history into perspective. Forge, just like every other Laurie Halse Anderson book I've ever read, is beautifully written and completely accessible. On top of that, it is historically accurate and informative!

Cruzon is as headstrong and brave as he was in the first book. He will do whatever it takes to be independent and free. In Forge that means enlisting in the army, which is the last thing he said he'd ever do, but it is the only option to keep from returning to servitude. Within the army, he finds allies like he's never had before, but also enemies like he has known. With his troop, he embarks on one of the hardest winters ever for American military, Valley Forge, where hardships are worse than we can even imagine!

One thing that I truly loved throughout the book is the multiple weavings of "forge" and what it means. There's the meaning as described in the Goodread's summary: "the tale of what it takes for runaway slaves to forge their own path in a world of obstacles." Then within the book, they also use it in its truest meaning: to shape metal by heating and hammering. And then of course: Valley Forge.

When Laurie Halse Anderson's novel CHAINS was published in 2008, it became a finalist for the National Book Award and won the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. The book introduced young people to an important --- and often overlooked --- chapter in American history, as Anderson told the story of the dawn of the American Revolution through the eyes of a young slave girl.

Anderson now continues this work in FORGE, the second book of what will eventually be a trilogy. Here the narrative shifts gears from Isabel to her friend Curzon, a fellow runaway who becomes separated from Isabel but finds safety --- of a sort --- when he enlists as a soldier fighting on the American side during the Revolutionary War. As one of the few black soldiers, he is disrespected --- and worse --- by some of his peers and his officers. With his customary courage, hard work and loyalty, however, Curzon gains the respect and even the friendship of many of his fellow soldiers.

All the young men's fortitude is brutally tested, however, when they are told to report to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, during the winter of 1777 and 1778. As Curzon and his comrades struggle just to survive, Anderson vividly brings to life the horrifying details of life in Valley Forge, unflinchingly documenting the hardships that most high school history books just gloss over. From surviving days without food to digging trenches in frozen ground to trudging through snowdrifts in just a pair of wet, stinking socks, Curzon's story, and that of all the men, will both repulse readers and remind them of the soldiers' remarkable fortitude and bravery.

Besides being a compelling, unfailingly realistic account of the winter at Valley Forge, though, FORGE's story also serves as a powerful metaphor: "This camp is a forge for the army," remarks one character. "It's testing our qualities. Instead of heat and hammer, our trials are cold and hunger. Question is, what are we made of?"

What indeed? Curzon finds himself asking this question and others when his past as a runaway slave starts to catch up with him. By all accounts, he should be freed; he has kept his part of a bargain that he made months earlier. But he doesn't have paperwork showing he's been freed, and if he's revealed as a runaway, hunger and cold will be the least of his problems. One beloved but complicated relationship from his past also resurfaces when he encounters Isabel once more and must deal not only with their shared and separate histories but also with his evolving feelings toward her.

Once again, in FORGE, Laurie Halse Anderson has managed to compose a historical novel that feels both entirely true to its period and completely contemporary. Curzon's voice rings true as that of an 18th-century young man, but its sophisticated narration and storytelling style introduce contemporary perspectives seamlessly in ways that will not only allow readers to reflect on their own times but also to reconsider their understanding of and approach to history. With its extensive historical notes and glossary, FORGE (like CHAINS) would be an ideal classroom companion to more traditional history-book fare, one that readers will likely relish as much for its sensitive storytelling as for its gutsy depictions.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

Imagine the soldier's moment of fear in single combat when he doesn't know whether he will be shot before he can kill the enemy loading his gun just a few feet away. Laurie Halse Anderson does a remarkable job of describing this gripping scene and of conveying other visceral details of cold, exhaustion, hunger, loss, boredom and destitution among the rebel army at Valley Forge in 1777.

The soldier's experience does not overshadow Anderson's central storyline, however, which focuses on the experience of two teenaged slaves in the American colonies. As in "Chains", She continues to challenge readers to consider that the so-called fight for freedom never included freedom for enslaved African-Americans. The details of hardship, abuse and humiliation inflicted on Curzon and Isabel by their greedy and ambitious owner build and build until we can bear them no more, and we inwardly cheer on each small step the characters take toward escape.

I liked this book more than "Chains," although I very much enjoyed the first book. I found the details of the Valley Forge experience more compelling than the details of where the pump was located or how windows were constructed in old New York City.

I also disagree with reviewers who say that "Chains" absolutely must be read before "Forge". Although some details of the relationship between the two main characters might be spoiled if "Forge" is read first, I believe the second book stands well on its own. It is not necessary to know about the first part of Isabel and Curzon's history to make sense of this second installment. And those hard-to-reach middle school boys might be more tempted to read about a soldier than they would be to read about a slave in the home of a rich Colonial family. But students who love the second book will definitely go back to read the first book on their own.

As a teacher, I like the inclusion of primary source material at the beginning of each chapter, Anderson's clear and well-written prose, and the metaphors around birds, windows, stones, seeds and the ongoing symbolism of chains and forges. For an interdisciplinary unit, students could research the life of Elizabeth Freeman, a slave in Massachusetts whose real-life experience has things in common with Isabel's initial situation.

There is a lot to like in both books. I look forward to the third volume!

This is the sequel to the amazing book Chains. Curzon is a slave, supposedly freed, who is mistreated by his boss and ends up fighting for the Revolultionary War and eventually at Valley Forge. LIke Chains, it is an eye-opening look at the treatment of African Americans during that war. It took me a bit to get into the story because Curzon was just a secondary character in Chains and I really wanted to find out what happened to Isabel, but once I got into Curzon's character, I loved the book. Can't wait for the third which I assume will be about both of them together!

PS Although girls who read Chains will like this, it is a great one for boys. And they don't need to have read the first one.

Laurie Halse Anderson has written a book that will take you back in time to when soldiers under George Washington leadership were struggling to survive the winter. The characters are facing a struggle of their own... to escape to freedom.