Marshmallow reviews Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson

A few weeks ago Marshmallow reviewed Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, the first in the author’s Seeds of America trilogy. Today she is writing about the second book in the series: Forge, first published in 2010.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like historical fiction books or emotional roller coasters, or if you have enjoyed reading other books by Laurie Halse Anderson, then this might be the book for you.

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Curzon is a soldier, but some people don’t see him that way. He is a runaway slave during the American Revolution and has signed up to fight for the Patriots until the end of the war. Life for him is dangerous as he is posing as a freed man. If the wrong people find out the wrong things about him and his past, he would lose his newly gained freedom. Unfortunately, because of his skin color, some of his fellow soldiers do not treat him well. One in particular, named John Burns, is a constant menace and a thorn in Curzon’s side. 

Curzon is a character we met before in the first book of the trilogy, Chains. There he was serving as a slave for a Mister Bellingham, who would enlist Curzon’s help to further the Patriot cause. Then, Curzon met Isabel, the narrator of that book, who, together with her sister Ruth, was also a slave. Curzon and Isabel escaped together after Ruth was sold away by Isabel’s evil “owner” Mrs. Lockton. Afterwards, Isabel wanted to try to find Ruth, but Curzon suspected that she was dead. Isabel and Curzon eventually split, and Isabel would not stop looking for her sister. Curzon then enlisted in the Patriot Army. 

In this book, Curzon and the other soldiers in the Patriot Army must endure the dangers of the Valley Forge. They face starvation due to shortages in their supplies and the freezing cold that could steal their health, their limbs, and their lives. Curzon starts to make friends with some of the other soldiers, one being Ebenezer Woofruff. Ebenezer is trusting and has a kind nature, especially after Curzon saved his life (which led to Curzon’s enlistment). At Valley Forge, Curzon and his fellow soldiers struggle to build a hut or cottage to shelter in during the winter. The conditions are rough; their breakfast, lunch, and dinner consist only of water and fire cake, made of water and flour. But even in these harsh times, Curzon still thinks and worries a lot about Isabel. Time passes and he begins to miss her, even though he does not want to. 

Valley Forge is full of surprises and old acquaintances began to appear. Curzon’s old “master” Bellingham comes to Valley Forge with Isabel in tow as his slave. Bellingham practically enslaves Curzon once more, and he is separated from his friends. Isabel and Curzon are mutually unhappy with each other, but their situations are bad so they eventually come together and try to work together again to regain their freedom.

Marshmallow’s Review: I found Forge to be a very interesting and very well written addition to the Seeds of America trilogy. Narrated from the perspective of Curzon, this book in some ways complements the story of Chains while it continues it. I recommend having read the first book, but (unusually) I think Forge could be read and understood without it as well.

The author does a great job of setting up and developing the time period displayed in the books. The characters are all very human, and their suffering and emotional distress are very impactful to the reader. This book continues to deal with the atrocious practice of slavery and shows the impact that had on the slaves through these characters. The injustice and inequity of slavery and racism is important for people to remember, realize, and recognize as part of American history.

Reading Forge can be a very good way for people to learn about these times. I would highly recommend reading this book for the historical content and for the character development, plot, and overall story. 

Marshmallow’s Rating: 100%.