From the celebrated author of The Secret Life of Bees and the forthcoming novel The Book of Longings, a novel about two unforgettable American women.Writing at the height of her narrative and imaginative gifts, Sue Monk Kidd presents a masterpiece of hope, daring, the quest for freedom, and the desire to have a voice in the world.Hetty “Handful” Grimke, an urban slave in early nineteenth century … urban slave in early nineteenth century Charleston, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. The Grimke’s daughter, Sarah, has known from an early age she is meant to do something large in the world, but she is hemmed in by the limits imposed on women.
Kidd’s sweeping novel is set in motion on Sarah’s eleventh birthday, when she is given ownership of ten year old Handful, who is to be her handmaid. We follow their remarkable journeys over the next thirty five years, as both strive for a life of their own, dramatically shaping each other’s destinies and forming a complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement and the uneasy ways of love.
As the stories build to a riveting climax, Handful will endure loss and sorrow, finding courage and a sense of self in the process. Sarah will experience crushed hopes, betrayal, unrequited love, and ostracism before leaving Charleston to find her place alongside her fearless younger sister, Angelina, as one of the early pioneers in the abolition and women’s rights movements.
Inspired by the historical figure of Sarah Grimke, Kidd goes beyond the record to flesh out the rich interior lives of all of her characters, both real and invented, including Handful’s cunning mother, Charlotte, who courts danger in her search for something better.
This exquisitely written novel is a triumph of storytelling that looks with unswerving eyes at a devastating wound in American history, through women whose struggles for liberation, empowerment, and expression will leave no reader unmoved.
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An amazing book. I always feel that I’ve learned something new when I read her books. Who knew about the Grimke sisters Sarah and Angelina. They were ahead of their time. Believing that slavery was evil and that it needed to end now. They were abolitionist but also believed in equality for all. The amazing thing was the research that was done for this book. The letters, the pamphlets, the quilts that are on display. A must read.
Outstanding
This is one of my favorite books. Well-written with developed characters, entertaining and a delightful read.
I loved this book. It haunted me. You could feel the pain of its characters and also feel the joy of each character. Sue monk Kidd is one of my favorite authors.
Set in the early 1800’s it follows the life of a Charleston woman from age 11 until old age as well as the slave girl given her on her 11th birthday. Historically accurate and base on real people it show not only the struggle of slavery, opposition to slavery, and of women in this era. Still haunts me today.
Enjoyed this book
If you are a fan of beautifully written strong female characters than this is the book for you. I didnt realize it is loosely based on two real sisters who existed during slavery and their lives growing up to be abolitionists. There are so many strong women in this book and it will break your heart and empower you all at once, Sue Monk Kidd never fails to amaze me!
This book is written in a style that I love. It switches from one character to another in the same time. So that you get an idea of the way things effect different people, and how those people affect different things. Love this book
Great storytelling through the eyes of female slave & female slaveholder. Not your typical tale. Excellent reading!
This was a awesome read, hard to put down. A great way to learn some history & yet feel like a novel does. This is my third book by this author, money well spent for sure.
A recent book trend is to take a small piece of history and create a story around it. I have read and enjoyed several books based on this concept. This one was quite good, and often you get not only an enjoyable read but a taste of actual history that sometimes leads to a bit more learning about the factual subject as well.
One of my favorites. Don’t let the title scare you away, it is a poor choice for such a well written book. Truly enjoyable.
Great historical fiction which brings the issues of slavery to life among blacks and whites.
I mistakenly purchased the Kindle sample instead of the full book and gave a cry when there was no more to read.
Amazing book, loved it
One of my favorite books in the last few years.
Until I was finished with this book I didn’t dream that the characters were real people. Some were made up but many were real. Amazing story telling with complex characters that really kept me riveted. Highly recommended.
Very good! Enjoyed the characters and storyline!
Another alternating first person chapter story, based on real people, that worked up to a point. The Charleston set chapters were absorbing, dramatic, and riveting, not so much the Quaker/Pennsylvania ones. Nevertheless, I will probably recommend this to my book group for discussion.
One of the best historical fiction books I have read in years.