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kelly_e's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Title: Take My Hand
Author: Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: April 12, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Delicate • Devastating • Illuminating
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Montgomery, Alabama, 1973. Fresh out of nursing school, Civil Townsend intends to make a difference, especially in her African American community. At the Montgomery Family Planning Clinic, she hopes to help women shape their destinies, to make their own choices for their lives and bodies.
But when her first week on the job takes her along a dusty country road to a worn-down one-room cabin, Civil is shocked to learn that her new patients, Erica and India, are children—just eleven and thirteen years old. Neither of the Williams sisters has even kissed a boy, but they are poor and Black, and for those handling the family’s welfare benefits, that’s reason enough to have the girls on birth control. As Civil grapples with her role, she takes India, Erica, and their family into her heart. Until one day she arrives at their door to learn the unthinkable has happened, and nothing will ever be the same for any of them.
Decades later, with her daughter grown and a long career in her wake, Dr. Civil Townsend is ready to retire, to find her peace, and to leave the past behind. But there are people and stories that refuse to be forgotten. That must not be forgotten.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Take My Hand was one of my 12 recommendations from 12 friends for 2023, and one I was most looking forward to after so many glowing reviews from trusted historical fiction readers. Honestly, I am not sure 5-stars is nearly enough for this powerful and emotional book.
One of the things I appreciate most about historical fiction is how it allows the reader a glimpse into history through so many different lenses. Although Take My Hand is a fictionalized account (based on true events), the writing and characterization brought everything to life. Told in dual timelines and exploring the haunting history of eugenics, this novel is incredibly well-written and eye-opening. The characters were three dimensional and I was sucked into their lives from the very start. There were moments of pause, there were tears, there was anger - it was just an incredible reading experience. Yet knowing this happened, and continues to happen, is so unsettling.
Take My Hand will be easily be finding its way onto my forever shelf, as well as my year-end 2023 favourites list! It's a novel offering another much needed layer to the discussion of reproductive rights and justice. It is sure to spark discussion, raising moral and ethical questions. I will be thinking of this one for a long time to come. So far my friends have been hitting it out of the park with their recommendations.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• historical fiction lovers
• fans of Necessary Lies
• bookclubs
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Our bodies belong to us. Poor, disabled, it didn't matter. These were our bodies and we have the right to decide what to do with them."
"There is no greater right for a woman than having a choice."
"I had never known that good intentions could be just as destructive as bad ones."
Author: Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: April 12, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Delicate • Devastating • Illuminating
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Montgomery, Alabama, 1973. Fresh out of nursing school, Civil Townsend intends to make a difference, especially in her African American community. At the Montgomery Family Planning Clinic, she hopes to help women shape their destinies, to make their own choices for their lives and bodies.
But when her first week on the job takes her along a dusty country road to a worn-down one-room cabin, Civil is shocked to learn that her new patients, Erica and India, are children—just eleven and thirteen years old. Neither of the Williams sisters has even kissed a boy, but they are poor and Black, and for those handling the family’s welfare benefits, that’s reason enough to have the girls on birth control. As Civil grapples with her role, she takes India, Erica, and their family into her heart. Until one day she arrives at their door to learn the unthinkable has happened, and nothing will ever be the same for any of them.
Decades later, with her daughter grown and a long career in her wake, Dr. Civil Townsend is ready to retire, to find her peace, and to leave the past behind. But there are people and stories that refuse to be forgotten. That must not be forgotten.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Take My Hand was one of my 12 recommendations from 12 friends for 2023, and one I was most looking forward to after so many glowing reviews from trusted historical fiction readers. Honestly, I am not sure 5-stars is nearly enough for this powerful and emotional book.
One of the things I appreciate most about historical fiction is how it allows the reader a glimpse into history through so many different lenses. Although Take My Hand is a fictionalized account (based on true events), the writing and characterization brought everything to life. Told in dual timelines and exploring the haunting history of eugenics, this novel is incredibly well-written and eye-opening. The characters were three dimensional and I was sucked into their lives from the very start. There were moments of pause, there were tears, there was anger - it was just an incredible reading experience. Yet knowing this happened, and continues to happen, is so unsettling.
Take My Hand will be easily be finding its way onto my forever shelf, as well as my year-end 2023 favourites list! It's a novel offering another much needed layer to the discussion of reproductive rights and justice. It is sure to spark discussion, raising moral and ethical questions. I will be thinking of this one for a long time to come. So far my friends have been hitting it out of the park with their recommendations.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• historical fiction lovers
• fans of Necessary Lies
• bookclubs
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Our bodies belong to us. Poor, disabled, it didn't matter. These were our bodies and we have the right to decide what to do with them."
"There is no greater right for a woman than having a choice."
"I had never known that good intentions could be just as destructive as bad ones."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Infertility, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexism, Classism, Grief, Racism, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Death, Suicide, and Abortion
Moderate: Sexual assault, Death of parent, Genocide, Car accident, Child death, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, and Mental illness
Minor: Terminal illness, Cancer, and Sexual content
adoptioncarriewnettles's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Medical trauma, and Racism
Moderate: Abortion
brianareads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma
Moderate: Classism, Ableism, and Racism
Minor: Abortion
ethans_reading_corner's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism
mezzythedragon's review against another edition
informative
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
There were some pacing issues, but all in all, compelling historical fiction with regards to medical racism and eugenics against Black people.
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism
Eugenics, forced sterilizationrileyeren228's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
pellepanda's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Medical trauma, Abortion, Classism, Death of parent, Racism, and Ableism
Moderate: Ableism, Cancer, Car accident, and Child abuse
liamliayaum's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content warnings: ableism, abortion, car accident, forced sterilization, racism, sexism
Civil Townsend is a freshly graduated nurse back in her home town of Montgomery, Alabama in 1973 working in a federally funded women's health clinic. One of her tasks is to administer birth control, namely in the form of the Depo-Provera shot to young women. The first family she visits are the Williams, who are living out in the country in what amounts to barely a shack. Civil meets Erica and India, who are thirteen and eleven, respectively, and gives them the shot then learns neither of them have gotten their period yet or sexually active. As she learns about some questionable actions concerning the Depo-Provera, Civil fakes give the girls the shots. Civil soon finds herself in a roller coaster ride to try and make wrongs into rights.
The story takes place in parallel timelines, one in 1973 and one in 2016. Civil reflects on her painful past and comes to terms with everything that happened. In the present, Civil is a mixture of ashamed, inwardly reflective, and resolute. In the past, Civil is guilt ridden, full of fight and love, and seeking out ways to make things right. Her voice is raw, emotional, and gut-wrenching.
Ultimately, this novel delves into the outright horror of the forced sterilization of poor Black people (with mentions of other populations across the United States also being affected) without the proper explanations or ability to make their own decisions without feeling coerced. The betrayal of the government and the not so blatant racism and sexism, barely a year after Tuskegee Syphilis experiments.
An undercurrent to that is the guilt of those involved, both who knew and didn't know fully what was happening. The character of Civil shows us that humanity is innately flawed and mistakes happen. Civil tries to move forward and seems to keep making missteps. Civil's own torment adds to the gut wrenching and emotional pulls on heartstrings that is not only our history, but also a potential future. In the end, it's also a reminder that even those with the best intentions can make a mess of everything.
Civil Townsend is a freshly graduated nurse back in her home town of Montgomery, Alabama in 1973 working in a federally funded women's health clinic. One of her tasks is to administer birth control, namely in the form of the Depo-Provera shot to young women. The first family she visits are the Williams, who are living out in the country in what amounts to barely a shack. Civil meets Erica and India, who are thirteen and eleven, respectively, and gives them the shot then learns neither of them have gotten their period yet or sexually active. As she learns about some questionable actions concerning the Depo-Provera, Civil fakes give the girls the shots. Civil soon finds herself in a roller coaster ride to try and make wrongs into rights.
The story takes place in parallel timelines, one in 1973 and one in 2016. Civil reflects on her painful past and comes to terms with everything that happened. In the present, Civil is a mixture of ashamed, inwardly reflective, and resolute. In the past, Civil is guilt ridden, full of fight and love, and seeking out ways to make things right. Her voice is raw, emotional, and gut-wrenching.
Ultimately, this novel delves into the outright horror of the forced sterilization of poor Black people (with mentions of other populations across the United States also being affected) without the proper explanations or ability to make their own decisions without feeling coerced. The betrayal of the government and the not so blatant racism and sexism, barely a year after Tuskegee Syphilis experiments.
An undercurrent to that is the guilt of those involved, both who knew and didn't know fully what was happening. The character of Civil shows us that humanity is innately flawed and mistakes happen. Civil tries to move forward and seems to keep making missteps. Civil's own torment adds to the gut wrenching and emotional pulls on heartstrings that is not only our history, but also a potential future. In the end, it's also a reminder that even those with the best intentions can make a mess of everything.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Sexism
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Abortion
kaseybereading's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Abortion, Racism, Mental illness, Car accident, and Medical trauma
lvr105's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Infertility, Medical trauma, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Mental illness, and Abortion