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A review by liamliayaum
Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
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