Not finishing because I want to read something light hearted not slavery in the US - there's no levity in that at all.

While I have been disappointed by other Chiaverini novels, this one was a pleasant surprise. I am writing a novel set in slave-holding South Carolina myself, so I know a great deal about this time and place; but I think Chiaverini has managed to express the tragedy of an enslaved wife and mother with particular poignancy. Joanna's story feels fresh and urgent in a way I wasn't expecting. She's a marvelous heroine. I cheered every time she found a small way to rebel. The Lost Quilter isn't perfect (it ends rather abruptly, and Chiaverini inexplicably skips over our heroine's courtship), but I enjoyed it enough that I'll be giving it a second listen. [This review also posted on Amazon.] ( )

Picked this up at the lib; didn't like the other, which revolved around quilts & quilters. This uses a quilt to tie a story together about the Civil War, a black woman trying to access freedom. Not done very well at all. ( )

“The Lost Quilter” by Jennifer Chiaverini was a good story. It was a 1850’s historian version of slavery and the Civil War. Slavery and running for freedom was the main plot as where the Civil War came in during the last quarter of the book.



Joanna was a laundress and seamstress slave and the main character of the story. She went through tremendous cruelty throughout her life. She was also an escape slave runner with determination. She labored hours after hours for her Marse (Master) Chester and his wife . She succumbed to the forces of child rape night after night from her master until she reached the age of 16. One day she fought back, struck the Master and ran for her life. At that time she figured out she was carrying the Master’s baby. She did find refuge for herself from some lovely white people. Once the baby was born and plans of her freedom had been made to travel to Canada someone in the household turned her in. She was savagely taken from the home and dragged for miles tied to a saddle neck back to her Master. The hunters had no knowledge of an infant being born. Her baby boy was left behind.



On her return home she escaped once again for one day. They caught up with her and once again dragged her back to her Master. Once home, her punishment and beating kept her in the slaves cabin for three weeks then she was forced to work in the tobacco fields rather then being placed back as a laundress and seamstress in the main house. In her mind she believed her son was taken safely to Canada and was being taken care of as a free person and she would find him later……Her master finally didn’t have any use for her and sent her to another southern state to be owned by his older brother. She fought once again while shackles were being placed on her wrist and ankles.



Her new Marse Chester was no better. However, it was his new wife and teenage daughter who labored her night and day and fought between themselves for her labor of seamstress. So, Joanna was punished whenever she tried to please one before the other. …. Joanna, still thinking of finding her son some day she got married to another fine slave and was happy when that had there first child. A baby girl. ….When Master Chester’s daughter was old enough to marry Joanna was given to the bride for a wedding gift. Joanna was once again forced to leave her husband, 2 year old baby and his family to travel farther away to be a seamstress for her new owner…..



The story keeps going on where Joanne becomes abused more and more.

Than the War started and all seamed lost for Joanna…..The story emphasizes mostly on how Joanna’s life was as a slave, her life during the Civil War and what the future held for her…. “The Lost Quilter” title I believe, was because throughout Joanna’s life in slavery she was making a quilt with symbols connecting a running path north for herself, her family and her lost son’s freedom to Canada…..A wonderful read…..


( )

Really well-written continuation to the Quilting series. It explores the story of a runaway slave who was betrayed by Sylvia's family and returned to her master in Virginia. Really heart-breaking to read first-hand how white people assumed that blacks did not possess the same depth of feeling regarding their husbands and children and so it was no big deal to split them up to make a sale. I hope we learn more of Joanna's story in upcoming books and that Sylvia learns who she should consider her great-grandparents. ( )