Forge

(This review refers to the audiobook version of Forge)
forge - noun
1. A furnace or hearth where metals are heated or wrought; a smithy.
2. A workshop where pig iron is transformed into wrought iron.

forge - verb
1.To form by heating in a forge and beating or hammering into shape.
2. To give form or shape to, especially by means of careful effort
3. To fashion or reproduce for fraudulent purposes; counterfeit

Forge - noun
1. a valley, Valley Forge

Forge, the historical fiction novel by Laurie Halse Anderson is all of these things. Ostensibly the story of the brutal winter of 1777-1778 suffered by patriot soldiers at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, Forge is also the story of the forging of a nation. And while the nation forges ahead toward freedom, it show more forges not only weaponry and tools of war, but also tools of bondage against fellow men. And while some may forge lies and deception, the harsh Valley Forge winter is itself a forge, forging a united army of determined men (and women) who cannot be disuaded from the path to freedom.

The story begins where Chains left off. Runaway slaves Isabel and Curzon escape from New York, Isabel from household servitude, Curzon from a British prison. They travel together, forging a wary companionship, but Isabel - stubborn and defiant, is insistent on following her sister who was sold South. The more thoughtful and deliberative Curzon believes that North, towards Albany is the safest route. They part ways and Curzon survives many dangerous situations, eventually ending up with a Massachusetts Regiment at Valley Forge. The horrific conditions of the starving, freezing, over-worked, poorly clothed men at Valley Forge are better, however, than the life to which Curzon is forcibly and unfairly returned. He is warm, well-fed, and well-dressed, but he is no longer free. Eventually, he reunites with the "pigheaded" Isabel and they forge a true alliance, no longer allied by chance, but by choice.

Told in chronological fashion, each chapter beginning with a period quote relevant to the story, Forge is a perfect mix of moving historical fiction and fast-paced adventure with intrigue. Laurie Halse Anderson is in the midst of writing a YA book. If it's not the conclusion, I hope she gets back to Curzon and Isabel soon!

Tim Cain's voice has a youthful sound and a lively spirit. His is a believable Curzon. He reads Curzon's speech with the measured tones of a young man who must carefully weigh every word that he speaks. Any mistake can cause danger, even death. The voices of every soldier and officer have a distinct, though not dramatically different tone. Even the voice of Isabel is plausible. A young woman of her stubbornness and determination might be assumed to have a strong manner of speaking. An excellent performance. I enjoyed Forge even more than its predecessor, Chains.
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"This camp is a forge for the army; it's testing our qualities. Instead of heat and hammer, our trials are cold and hunger. Question is, what are we made of?"The war for American freedom is the setting for Curzon and Isabel's fight for their own freedom. They have escaped New York and their respective slaveowning masters,but while Isabel is determined to get to South Carolina to find and free her little sister, Curzon thinks it is utter stupidity to head into the waiting traps of the slavehunters betwen New Jersey and Charleston. Isabel runs away, and Curzon rejoins the Continental Army after saving a soldier's life. The Army desperately needs both soldiers and supplies as they head into the brutal winter months at Valley Forge... where show more conditions are miserable at best, and deadly at worst. With the help of the soldiers in his company, Curzon survives being without proper shelter and clothing, having to eat soup made from boiled leather, and then going without shoes in the ice and snow when his are stolen. But nothing is worse than the day the Congressional Committee rides in to see the poor conditions at Valley Forge for themselves, and Curzon recognizes his old master, Bellingham. Forced to return to slavery because Bellingham refuses to tell the truth about his promise to free him if he would enlist, Curzon discovers that the other slave Bellingham now owns is none other than Isabel, who wears a metal collar and padlock contraption to prevent her running away again. Strong characters with difficult choices, racism and prejudice of the times, great plot twists and famous Revolutionary leaders! This would be a fantastic read for any 8th grader since we are studying the American Revolution in the fall, but anyone who enjoys excellent historical fiction would like this too. It's a knockout! show less

You know, I feel like I went into both Chains and Forge feeling like they were going to be books that were good for me, "important books," and forgetting that I love Laurie Halse Anderson simply because she writes such good stories. Yeah there was crunchy goodness mixed in here with historical details that I'd never known before, particulary relating to African American experiences during the Revolutionary War, but it's also a great survival story with really engaging characters that you care about. Even with all the historical details, it's not a slow read either which is a hard thing to pull off. I'll be looking forward to the next (final?) volume.

This was a marvelous continuation of the series, told this time from Curzon's perspective. The first-hand glimpse at the hardships of Valley Forge were rivetting and accessible. I am very eager for the 3rd book to be released and learn more of the trials of Curzon and Isabel!

Okay, guys, I’m going to try to review this novel without any spoilers. I’m going to try so hard, but goodness knows, there’s so much in this novel that I’m dying to talk about.
The first thing that really needs said, is that Laurie Halse Anderson never disappoints. Historical fiction is one of my guilty pleasures. Having already read Fever 1793 and Chains (both in one sitting, no less) I was eagerly anticipating Forge. Which if you didn’t know is the sequel to Chains. The first thing I did, before I even read a page, I flipped to the back of the book to see if there was going to be another book in the series. There is!!! So now, I’m waiting for Ashes. And you should be, too!
When Chains ended, Curzon and Isabel had escaped show more their masters and had rowed to freedom, Curzon being on the cusp on consciousness in the boat. Forge picks up a short time later and the protagonist of the series has changed from Isabel to Curzon, as we find out that the two have become separated, yet again.
Curzon accidentally finds himself becoming a soldier in the 16th Massachusetts Regiment of the Northern Continental Army of the United States. Try saying that five times fast. This army, like any army is full of characters you love to love, love to hate and can’t quite figure out. I adored Eben, how could you not?
One of my favorite parts of the novel is that most of the novel takes place in Valley Forge. We’ve all heard about Valley Forge in our American history classes. But it’s always the same thing. It was cold, the soldiers starved, they didn’t have adequate clothing, etc. Forge had all the details but it was incorporated into the novel in a way that really made you think, rather than come across like the same thing we’ve heard hundreds of times. I’m a complete history nut, and even I learned some new things. Do you know how to cook a pumpkin?
Also, during the winter of Valley Forge is two reappearances. One of Bellingham and the second is Isabel. I get very involved in novels when I read. I see them play out like a movie in my head. I also react out loud to the things that I’m reading, and I often don’t realize that I’m doing it. When I read the circumstances of Isabel’s reappearance, I said something like “Oh!” of “Aww” and my boyfriend Matt, looked at me and said “Babe, you’re doing it again.” I guess my trying to read while he studies so I won’t be a distraction is off the naught.
Without spoiling the ending, I will say that the last four chapters were the best, most action-packed in the book. I love those moments. I’m going to be counting down the days until the release of Ashes. Not only am I excited for the next part of Isabel and Curzon’s stories, but I can’t wait for more about the army. I’m also hoping for a reappearance of the characters Gideon and Mrs. Cook. I’m still kind of on the fence about how I feel about Gideon, so I hope he returns. The best surprise of the novel, was the brief appearance of the charming, Marquis de Lafayette. It warmed my heart a little.
I also really loved the format of the novel. The type face and the actual pages give the novel a very antique feel. The chapters are short, a few pages at most, which makes reading it in one sitting a breeze. It also makes you feel like you’re getting somewhere if you only have a few moments to read here and there. I also love that in the heading of each chapter Anderson includes a quote, mostly from letters, about what life was like during that time in our country, not only at Valley Forge but on the issue of slavery itself. Judging by quote authorship, I sometimes wonder if Ms. Anderson will ever write a novel about Abigail Adams. How epic would that be? show less

I do like historical fiction, but I don't like excessive descriptions of suffering, hunger, and grime. (Also why I don't watch Game of Thrones, nor will I see Snow White and the Huntsman.) That said, it is incredibly interesting to read about the role of slaves during the Revolutionary War, and the irony of fighting for freedom, knowing they were not really ever going to be free. Looking forward to the next book in this series.

I loved Chains, the companion book to Forge. Laurie Halse Anderson does a brilliant job of believable storytelling, incorporating accurate historical details and giving the characters believable voices and dialog. She really brought the winter camp at Valley Forge to life for me. She brought actual people, like George Washington, into the story in ways that didn't fictionalize actual history. I hope you write more historical fiction, Laurie Halse Anderson! I listened to the audio version, and loved the voice actor's telling of the story. I could listen to Tim Cain all day, and was sorry when the book was finished. Now if I could just get more than one student in my high school to read it!