Review of Hand Me Downs
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- LinaMueller
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Review of Hand Me Downs
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
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You an I, tonight!
You may forget the warmth he gave,
I will forget the light.
When you have done, pray tell me
That I my thoughts may dim;
Haste! lest while you're lagging.
I may remember him!
Emily Dickinson
- Paluk Pathania
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