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A review by bookedbymadeline
When I First Held You by Anstey Harris
emotional
hopeful
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
Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the eARC!
I was pulled into the novel right away! It was set around an interesting time period I haven’t read about before (1960s climate activists in UK). I enjoyed the switching POVs, mostly set in the present but also giving us glimpses of the past.
When I First Held You has heartbreaking themes and difficult topics on forced adoption, grief, healing, and hidden pasts. The novel touches on the harm that adoption can cause and the trauma that adoptees experience from their adopted families when adoption is used to “replace the kids the parents couldn’t have.”
Although these are emotional and at times difficult to read, the writing was so beautifully done. I loved each of the characters, crying and holding out hope through the unraveling of their stories.
What made the book even more eye opening and heartbreaking was knowing that Harris based this book on her own story and family history. I think she did a wonderful job of giving a voice to the many women and children involved in the cruelty of unmarried mother’s homes during the 1960’s (as well as hopefully healing her own wounds through her work).
When I First Held You has heartbreaking themes and difficult topics on forced adoption, grief, healing, and hidden pasts. The novel touches on the harm that adoption can cause and the trauma that adoptees experience from their adopted families when adoption is used to “replace the kids the parents couldn’t have.”
Although these are emotional and at times difficult to read, the writing was so beautifully done. I loved each of the characters, crying and holding out hope through the unraveling of their stories.
What made the book even more eye opening and heartbreaking was knowing that Harris based this book on her own story and family history. I think she did a wonderful job of giving a voice to the many women and children involved in the cruelty of unmarried mother’s homes during the 1960’s (as well as hopefully healing her own wounds through her work).
I highly recommend this if you aren’t one to shy away from difficult topics and enjoy beautiful, lyrical writing! This is definitely a fave for the month and helped me get out of my reading slump.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Police brutality and Pregnancy
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, and Confinement