This is a wonderful story of two women growing up in pre Civil War South Carolina, one (Hetty "Handful") is a slave, the other (Sarah Grimke) a woman of privilege. When, on her 11th birthday, Sarah is gifted Hetty as a personal maid, ideas and plots were set in motion that would change the life of both of those women.
I am so disheartened reading this story that people were ever treated as the slaves in the south were. I had a visceral reaction to each of the punishments that were described in this book. Oh how I want to believe that this is just fiction not history...
I have been trying to pinpoint exactly what kept me from a five star rating on this book, The writing was lovely, I adored the characters of Hetty and her slave family, and the end left me wondering about the future for all of the characters involved. I think it was parts of Sarah's story that got a little muddled near the middle that lost a little bit of the complete wow factor on my end...but looking back through the plots I couldn't point to one specific part of the book that I thought should be eliminated in favor of another.
I can see why this was chosen for Oprah's Book Club 2.0. It is a beautiful tale and really shows the heart of those who go through and are stronger for their own oppression. Do yourself a favor and pick it up when it becomes available on January 7th.
Goodreads rating: 4.5 stars (oh how I wish there were a true half rating.)
Date completed: December 25, 2013
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