The Last Runaway

The Last Runaway: A Novel by Tracy Chevalier. New York: Dutton, 2013. 305 pages. ****

Honor Bright decides to accompany her sister to Ohio to reunite with her intended husband. It's 1850 and the voyage from England isn't an easy one and Honor soon finds herself dependent on the goodness of strangers. Honor, a quiet Quaker girl, is unprepared for the harsh weather, differences in religious practices, and life on a farm. Her strength is her fine stitches and extraordinary quilting. While valued in bonnet making, not helpful when milking cows. Honor is a strong opinionated woman, who has a very difficult time adjusting to her new life and circumstances. 

Chevalier's strength is in her research and the ability to bring a place and time alive to the reader. The Underground Railroad is a period in history that I like to read about, however, it is not an in-depth topic in this book.  It's introduced as people in a small town doing what they can to help others. Unaware of the consequences of The Fugitive Slave Law, Honor finds herself in the middle of an ethical dilemma which further isolates her from her new family.  Honor tries to fit in and to be accepted, however, I am perplexed that she arrived after her long journey and assumed that her future brother-in-law would provide for her. She didn't seem especially grateful and was unconcerned by the fact that she was adding one more person to be housed and fed during harsh times. I am a quilter, so I enjoyed the bonnet creation descriptions and was intrigued by the differences in quilt styles and fabric in the 1850s. I don't know how I missed reading this book when it was published, I enjoy Chevalier's books and like her writing style. Honor's letters home provided an insight into her thoughts and experiences. Underground Railroad and quilt enthusiasts will enjoy this story and the introduction of topics for further research.

For more information about the author, Tracy Chevalier

Historical background for the book, https://www.tchevalier.com/background

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