Take My Hand

It is Civil's determination and resilience that imbue the book with undeniable power and grace. I cheered out loud! * Bonnie Garmus, author of Lessons in Chemistry * An impressive arrival . . . This is a book about choice, freedom and forgiveness, that pulls threads of history together, and in doing so, catapults its ideas forward . . . As with all good historical fiction, Take My Hand speaks to the now' * Irish Times * Soon-to-be classic . . . shot through with spirit and hope, it's one hell of a book * Stylist, The fiction books you cant miss in 2022 * Extraordinary and powerful . . . a must-read * Prima * Compelling . . . A gut-punch of a book, heartrending and suspenseful in turn * Irish Examiner * An utterly gripping tale from start to finish, Take My Hand is storytelling at its finest. -- The top 30 books that everyone will be reading in 2022 * Glamour UK * Delicate and poetic, Dolen manages to fuse beauty and tragedy in her work, which makes her a masterful storyteller and gifted writer. In this story, Dolen speaks eloquently for those who, in being denied the right of having a choice and agency over their bodies, have lost their voice. This haunting tale, captured through the lens of an unforgettable narrator and a cast of memorable characters, will stay with you for a very, very long time * Nicole Dennis-Benn, author of Here Comes the Sun * When you know Dolan Perkins-Valdez is writing a book, you know that it is going to be a spectacular thing. And that is the case with Take My Hand. Conveyed as softly as a familial conversation, this is a work that makes difficult things endurable. Perkins-Valdez relays untold pain honestly, astutely, but most of all, gently, like a sage would. That is another way of saying that she crafts this book with great truth and wisdom. As a result, Take My Hand is the kind of rare, elevating, illuminating, useful art that we would all do well to grasp for dear life. * Robert Jones, Jr., New York Times bestselling author of The Prophets * In her newest novel, Dolen Perkins-Valdez probes the many ways institutional racism and classism inflicts lasting scars, especially on young Black women - and the grace, courage, and love needed to begin to heal those wounds. Deeply empathetic yet unflinching in its gaze, Take My Hand is an unforgettable exploration of responsibility and redemption, the dangers of good intentions, and the folly of believing anyone can decide what's best for another's life * Celeste Ng, bestselling author of Little Fires Everywhere * A wonderful novel. Moving, powerful and completely absorbing - I cared deeply about all the characters and rooted for them to the last page * Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of The Last Act of Love * Inspired by a real life case, this is the story of two sisters aged 12 and 14 who were sterilised without consent in Alabama in 1973, a case that shed light on a shocking chapter in American history * Good Housekeeping, The books we're looking forward to in 2022 * A deeply moving novel about a reprehensible time, Dolen Perkins-Valdez writes with such shattering eloquence that Take My Hand is impossible to put down. I have absolutely no doubt that this is a story that will stay with me for a very long time * AJ Pearce, author of Dear Mrs Bird * Arresting, horrifying, heartbreaking and utterly immersive. It will make you want to scream at the sky * Kirsty Capes, author of Careless * Take My Hand is a gem: one of those rare and beautiful novels that walks the balance beam of heartbreak and hope. Dolen Perkins-Valdez can breathe life into history through fiction that adds deep and profound meaning to the past - and makes its relevance to the present meaningful and clear * Chris Bohjalian, bestselling author of The Flight Attendant and Hour of the Witch * Dolen Perkins-Valdez is a brilliant writer in a class all by herself. I love her voice and how she makes the past feel immediate and relevant, because it is * Terry McMillan,

Dolen Perkins-Valdez is the New York Times bestselling author of two previous novels, Wench and Balm, though Take My Hand is her first to be published in the UK. She is an Associate Professor at American University and lives in Washington, DC with her family.