For Lamb
| Modern Age |
|---|
 For Lamb
|
| Content Warning |
|---|
| sexual assault, lynching |
American History > Modern Age > African American History
An interracial friendship between two teenage girls goes tragically wrong in this powerful historical novel set in the Jim Crow South.
For Lamb follows a family striving to better their lives in the late 1940s in Jackson, Mississippi. Lamb’s mother is a hard-working, creative seamstress who cannot reveal she is a lesbian. Lamb’s brother has a brilliant mind and has even earned a college scholarship for a black college up north-- if only he could curb his impulsiveness and rebellious nature.
Lamb herself is a quiet and studious girl. She is also naive. As she tentatively accepts the friendly overtures of a white girl who loans her a book she loves, she sets off a calamitous series of events that pulls in her mother, charming hustler uncle, estranged father, and brother and ends in a lynching.
Told with nuance and subtlety, avoiding sensationalism and unnecessary brutality, this young adult novel from celebrated author Lesa Cline-Ransome pays homage to the female victims of white supremacy.
Emily's Review
This novel broke my heart. At its core, it's a story about a mother's love for her children.
Marion wants nothing but the best for her two children, and in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1940s, that means keeping them safe. But when Lamb befriends a lonely white girl against her better judgment, it sets off a terrible chain of events. Told from multiple perspectives, this story packs a powerful punch that will leave you feeling all of the emotions.
This book left me feeling so angry, sad, and frustrated, but also hopeful. The characters are made to go through so much. This is the important history people need to learn. The 1940s was not that long ago. I won't lie - it's ugly. It is the kind of history that makes you furious. But that is why it is important to know about it. I appreciated that the author did not hold back - this story is dark.
The characters are rich and dynamic, and I found the writing to be beautiful. Despite being told from several different perspectives, I found it easy to switch back and forth. The audiobook is fantastic as well, as it has a full cast.
Because of the subject matter and how dark the story gets, I recommend this one for ages 15+
Other Similar Books
Other suggestions on the subject of Jim Crow.
- Ophie's Ghosts (by: Ireland, Justina, MG, UMG)
- For Lamb (by: Cline-Ransome, Lesa, YA, A)
- The Reformatory (by: Due, Tananarive, YA, A)
- Ring Shout (by: Clark, P. Djeli, A)