In The Runaway Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini, a runaway slave named Joanna was introduced to Chiaverini’s readers. Joanna’s bid for freedom was short lived. She was returned to a plantation in Virgina by slave catchers, leaving behind a beautiful quilt and a son. In Chiaverini’s newest addition to her Elm Creek Quilts series, The Lost Quilter, we finally learn what became of Joanna. Through old letters found by the Master Quilter Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, an old diary belonging to Sylvia’s aunt and the quilt itself, we can discover the legacy Joanna left behind.

Chiaverini’s series are a delight. Quilter or not, there is something in these books for everyone. (Okay, maybe not everyone…they are absolutely chick lit, but chick lit without gratuitous sex, bad language, questionable judgment and with a sort of refinement to them) I’ve been a big fan of the series since the first book; The Quilter’s Apprentice and I’ve really enjoyed how the author keeps the series going. Some of the novels follow individual characters, some follow the cast of characters as a group and yet other novels, like The Lost Quilter use the characters and location as a jumping off point to other characters and other times.

I highly recommend any of the Elm Creek Quilt Series, of course, if you’re not a quilter, then just read the novels, but if you’re a quilter too, you might want to check out the line of quilt project books that Chiaverini has written too. She not only uses quilts in her novels, but she also makes the quilts she writes about. That kind of authenticity is rare, and its so much fun to pick up one of her novels and see on the inside cover, artwork made up of the quilt blocks she uses in the novel. ( )

This was a satisfying addition to the Elm Creek Quilts collection of stories. Ms. Chiaverini goes back in time to tell the story of a slave in they years just prior to the Civil War. Joanna's longing for freedom, and willingness to risk everything to achieve it was inspiring and even thrilling at times. One thing that really impressed me while reading this novel is how destructive slavery is to everyone involved. Even potentially good people are corrupted by the very idea that anything they want to do to another person can be done with impunity. And having to live with such capriciousness must be hideous. While this book is by no means an accurate representation of the horrors of slavery, I think Ms. Chiaverini made this point very well. ( )

I was initially disappointed that this story was set in the 19th century, but it turned out to be one of my favorites in the series. The Lost Quilter tells the story of Joanna, the slave who was captured at Elm Creek in one of the earlier installments of the series.

Joanna's tale is riveting. Since she is a slave, always trying to escape and avoid brutal punishment, the stakes are high and suspense is constant. Joanna is very well-developed...she felt like someone I know. While I was doing other things, I kept wondering what would happen next.

So I do hope that the next quilter's book is set in contemporary times, but I enjoyed this one very much. ( )

This continues the story of the Bergstrom family, told thru stories involving quilts & quilters.

This one is the story of Joanna, a runaway slave who is captured and returned to her owner a few years before the Civil War. The story if very moving. It is told from Joanna's point of view. It was interesting to see history unfold thru her eyes. It certainly was a different view than that of other Civil War Stories. ( )

An historical novel, set in the mid-1800's, about the horrors of slavery. This is a very interesting story, but fans of Chiaverini's quilting novels may be disappointed, as there is very little about quilting in the book. ( )