This novel by Sue Monk Kidd tells the story of Sarah Grimké and her slave Handful who lived in early 1800's Charleston, South Carolina. Sarah was born into a world of Southern privilege where slavery was as common as it was expected. On Sarah's eleventh birthday her mother presents her with a gift--Handful, her very own slave. Sarah was the outcast of her family and held very progressive ideas, including the thought that slavery was wrong and slaves should be equal to whites. The novel switches between Sarah and Handful's point of view over the years and tells their intertwining stories where each woman attempts to find her place in the world. If you enjoy historical fiction, this is a book that will grab hold of you from the start.
I was interested to learn that this story was somewhat based in reality. Sarah Grimké was a real woman who was far ahead of her time in thoughts on slavery and women's rights. It was a very good read that I found hard to put down. Recommended for adults and young adults.
