Take My Hand (Review)

“Our bodies belonged to us. Poor, disabled, it didn’t matter. These were our bodies, and we had the right to “decide what to do with them. It was as if they were just taking our bodies from us, as if we didn’t even belong to ourselves.”

― Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Take My Hand

The vibe

Book / Lounge set / Teapot / Tea / Face mask / Slippers / Throw / Necklace

The review

Civil Townsend has had a privileged life as a Black woman in Alabama — raised by a doctor and an artist. In 1973, she’s just finished nursing school and started working for a clinic that delivers women’s health services to those who can’t usually afford it. Her job includes going out to a poor part of town to give birth control shots to two young girls — Erica and India. Witnessing their squalor, Civil is drawn to these motherless girls and feels the need to step outside her role as nurse to help change their lives, if only she knew how much things could change with just a few decisions.

Inspired by true events, Take My Hand portrays the intersection of two of our country’s biggest embarrassments: family planning and racism. Buckle up, because these three girls — Civil, Erica, and India — are about to rip your heart out. I don’t want to give too much away, but the issue this book shines a light on is absolutely devastating.

When I think about writing a review for a historical fiction, I really have to think about more than just the writing and the story, like I normally do. For this one, the author brings to life a little-known part of American history, and for that I am giving it top marks. Such a special novel. The characters felt so real, as did the setting. But I was slightly disappointed in the story. The book flashes between past and present — which follows Civil returning to Montgomery for the first time in 40 years. While, I enjoyed getting a glimpse at the characters and how their lives turned out, I was expecting a bit more from the present timeline. I can’t explain it other than it underwhelmed. I think I’m used to historical fiction ending with a big swell of emotion, whereas this book had emotional parts tucked into the middle of the story.

This book is very well written and made for a fantastic audiobook narrated by Lauren J. Daggett.

Buy the book for $14.