The Last Runaway

The Last Runaway (2013) is the seventh novel by British American author Tracy Chevalier, whose most well-known work is her 1999 novel The Girl With a Pearl Earring, which was adapted into a film in 2003. Chevalier is known for her historical fiction that centers female characters. Upon its release, The Last Runaway received mixed reviews, though Chevalier’s research and the detail of her historical portrayals were broadly praised. Publishers Weekly called The Last Runaway a “thought-provoking, lyrical novel” (“The Last Runaway.” Publishers Weekly), while Kirkus Reviews suggested that “all of the blood and tears of the time are made polite and palatable, making quiet Honor’s story a bit too quiet” (“The Last Runaway.” Kirkus Reviews).

This guide refers to the e-book edition published by Penguin in 2017.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide reference slavery, racism and racist slurs (the book includes the n-word, which is not replicated in this guide), dubious sexual consent, deaths of family members, and violence (including racist violence and gun violence).

Plot Summary

The novel opens with British Quaker Honor Bright departing England to emigrate to America with her sister, Grace, who is engaged to another Quaker who lives near Oberlin, Ohio.