Review of Hand Me Downs

[LinaMueller]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Hand Me Downs" by Michele Carter.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Hand Me Downs by Michele Carter is a historical fiction book set mainly in the 1950s and 1960s. As can be read on Amazon, this work is inspired by the events in the author's own family. The plot is straightforward and linear. Anna is married to Laurence, and her best friend is Cynthia. Due to a debilitating mental condition, she sees her husband and best friend have an affair and move away with their children. That's where the book's scene shifts from New York to California.

The plot becomes even more interesting when Laurence becomes a reverend. This change shocks the reader and the protagonist, who has never seen her man appear to be especially religious. The transformation will also affect younger children as the house's patriarch will become rigid and set rules extremely demanding for children living in the 1960s.

The aspect I liked the most about the book was seeing children growing up in a controlling environment by a highly religious father. Not that I agree with this approach: far from it. I say this out of intellectual curiosity. This was so contrary to what was happening in the US in the 1960s that the average reader would expect a completely different narrative. Cynthia's role in the plot is also exciting. Although she is seen by two of Anna's children as "the woman who stole Laurence," she is in many ways the voice of reasonableness inside the family facing a father who has grown increasingly extremist to the point of banning children from watching television. This aspect of the book, being so unique, was my favorite part of the book.

On the downside, the number of profane words in the book is unnecessary. I stopped counting after 30, but there are a plethora of profane words that include "f*ck," "sh*t," "bastard," and many more. Racial slurs might make sense if we consider that time a much more racist period than the United States of nowadays. Although I didn't entirely like the excessive swear words, I understand that they can be framed as "artistic freedom." That was the aspect I enjoyed the least, though.

After reading almost 500 pages, I can safely say that I enjoyed this book. Although it has some tragic and inherently sad elements, the read is light and pleasant. There's even a little humor that makes the book even easier to read. Considering that the "defect" presented in the above paragraph is subjective, I rate Hand Me Downs four out of four stars. The author successfully wrote her first work and managed to write an addictive, inspirational, and thought-provoking book. There are a negligible amount of grammatical errors. I recommend this book to anyone interested in American history. Mainly those interested in the 1960s and the rise of the Civil Rights Movement.

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Hand Me Downs
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Paluk Pathania]

Despite the fact that historical fiction attracts me like a magnet, I am quite certain that the narrative appears to be so intriguing that I am already wondering as to what would have occurred next. Thanks for the review !^^

[Amanda I]

Seems like a fascinating book. I would love to see the shock and transformation.

[Nonso Ok]

A book on American history would definitely be a great read for me. Thank you for this amazing review.

[Primrose Mhlanga]

Laurence loved his wife Anna but couldn't handle being degraded and feel less like a man despite his hard work which is why fate pushed him into Cynthia's arms. She is everything that he'd dreamed Anna would've been; healthy, headstrong and the woman who wouldn't drive him as crazy as she is due to the lack of not following prescription and the doctor's orders. I think Laurence ends up taking it too far trying to prove that he's a man by becoming so religious to a point of obsession.

[EternalD]

It's deplorable how some people start using their faith to abuse and behave in an authoritarian way. I'm not going to read this book because I'm probably going to be very angry.