Hand Me Down

Jun 06, 2013 Levian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Liz was a 14-years-old that spent her whole life protecting her younger sister Jaime. once a seemingly perfect family, her father started hitting their mother the moment she refused to give her money for boozes. after their divorce, her mother got together with an ex-convict that assaulted women. he continued to taunt Liz and harassed her until she was sent to live with Aunt Tammy in another town. despite being free from her stepfather's sexual harassment, Liz found it difficult to feel safe any...more

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May 07, 2013 Summer rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book tells us about the life of a young girl who always plays second to everyone in her life. Her mother is married to a sexual pervert and Elizabeth has to move out of her mother's home so the husband can live there. Her father is an alcoholic who puts his booze in front of everyone. Her sister goes to live with her father. Elizabeth moves in with her aunt and for once she knows what it feels like to be loved and cared about. SHe begins to make friends and is enjoying going to school. Her...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Patricia rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: teens and adults

Recommended to Patricia by: won from Goodreads

I received this book as a give away from Goodreads and once I started the book I couldn't put it down.

The plot and characters of the book pulled me right in their world. The main character Elizabeth has the courage of a hero. Her life as she explains it is heart breaking. She feels like she has been shoved aside by her parents; her mother choses her boyfriend over her children and her Dad chooses booze over his daughters. This is a story of great courage shown by a young women who fights to over...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Sofia Wren rated it 4 of 5 stars

1. This book follows in fine tradition of literary survivor fiction.

There is something fascinating about literary fiction focused on troubled homes. It's kindof like a trainwreck--much is constantly at stake for the main character, they make mistakes, and I can't stop watching. White Oleander by Janet Fitch and Bastard Out of Carolina are not only compelling examples of this genre, but also of great writing.

Like those two books, Hand me Down is about a young girl Liz in a bad family situation....more

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Aug 25, 2012 Bookworm rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hand Me Down was a difficult and emotional book to get through.
At the heart of this novel is fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Reid who is trying to survive as best she can in the dysfunction she is being raised in.
It was hard to read about this young girl as she goes through the most difficult years of her life, the years where she should have a strong support system and be surrounded by those who love her, just trying to find a place to call home.

Liz is forced to leave home after her mother Linda...more

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Aug 03, 2012 marg rated it 2 of 5 stars

2.5
This is a complicated book to review - it had four star potential, dipped down to three where it remained steadily, then took a really bad turn and ends with a 2. Which is to say I don't want to ignore that which the author did well, but those very strengths also highlight where she could have done better.
This is a somewhat original story of a girl whose parents have completely failed her - her father is a lying alcoholic who is abusive and manipulative, her mother was decent, it seems, until...more 2.5
This is a complicated book to review - it had four star potential, dipped down to three where it remained steadily, then took a really bad turn and ends with a 2. Which is to say I don't want to ignore that which the author did well, but those very strengths also highlight where she could have done better.
This is a somewhat original story of a girl whose parents have completely failed her - her father is a lying alcoholic who is abusive and manipulative, her mother was decent, it seems, until she met up with yet another whopping loser, Terrence, this time with a rap sheet and a proclivity for exposing himself and seducing women and girls. Lovely. Living at Dad's is not an option, but living with Terrence and Mom once Terrence is out of prison is even less ok, seeing as how Terrence is a molestor. So ninth grade Liz is bounced around from home to home ala White Oleander, where it seems that absolutely everybody is toxic and steps up to help only so they can disappoint. In the meantime Liz is concerned about younger sister Jaime who wants to believe in Dad and is also looking like Terrence's next meal.
The strengths of this book were: at times, the writing, though not nearly enough. The bond of the sisters is compelling if not always believable (there was a lot of 'I miss Jaime I worry about jaime' to convince me rather than actual actions), the struggle of a teen to be an adult while not really being one is, while overdone, always compelling and certainly made me feel bad for Liz (except when she was mouthing off and being repetitive and annoying). Ok I guess I am not having the easiest time cataloguing the book's strengths so let's jump to what I do better, the things I hated.
Mom has a sister, Tammy, who is the white hope of the book - she rescues Liz time and again - but Tammy, similar to Mom, has a boyfriend who is the opposite of Terrence in that he is educated and smart but is still plenty jerky - not only is it odd to me that both of these women are drawn to losers and seem to not care how those losers treat their daughters/niece, but what annoyed me more was the characterization. We need to know that Sam is REALLY smart phD guy so he will use every SAT word known to man in a given sentence. Guess what, grown ups who are smart don't actually talk that way. In general this book seemed like it needed to really, really spell things out so that we GOT it. And while I recognize that this is YA, I really resent the attitude that teens need to be talked down to in order to get a point across. Good YA doesn't do that, just the sub par ones do (and in truth I had hoped this one would make that cut, in the beginning it looked like it might but it's as if the author felt she couldn't trust her audience about forty pages in).
I also found the cast of nasty characters confusing and not very believable. I couldn't keep track of all the of bad adults or where they fit or why they were the way they were or how it was that no one ever called anyone out for their behavior.
The worst part though was when we had a 'I watch too much bad TV and get my writing ideas from there' show down between Terrence, Mom, Tammy, Liz, Jaime and the foster home du jour. Dear God that is some of the worst, cheesiest writing I have had the misfortune to skim through in a long, long time.
There was very little redemption in this work, and very few likable characters. Actually none because they mostly felt like well placed puppets. Ok it looks like I hated this book after all.(less)

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Jun 28, 2012 Terryann rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: advanced-copy, grownups-fiction, lj-books-reviewed, audio

THORNE, Melanie. Hand Me Down. unabridged. 8 CDs. 9 Hours. Recorded Books. 2012. ISBN: 978-1-4640-3661-3 $34.99. NF

When Liz’s mom moves her into her aunt’s house she says it is only temporary; until her husband Terrance gets out of trouble with his parole officer. Liz wants desperately to protect her sister from their predator stepfather and be with her mother, but as the months pass she slowly realizes that she may never get to go home. Liz is increasingly forgotten about as she is passed along...more

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Apr 12, 2012 Bonnie Brody rated it 3 of 5 stars

Hand Me Down by Melanie Thorne is a heart-rending story of a dysfunctional family. Liz and Jaime are two sisters and Liz has always tried to take care of Jaime, her younger sister. When their mother marries a sex offender, she chooses him over the girls and tells the girls that they have to leave the home. Thus begins their sorrowful journey of living in one house after another, with one or another distant relative, and not always together.

Their father is a drunk and has a history of physical an...more Hand Me Down by Melanie Thorne is a heart-rending story of a dysfunctional family. Liz and Jaime are two sisters and Liz has always tried to take care of Jaime, her younger sister. When their mother marries a sex offender, she chooses him over the girls and tells the girls that they have to leave the home. Thus begins their sorrowful journey of living in one house after another, with one or another distant relative, and not always together.

Their father is a drunk and has a history of physical and emotional violence. He beat up their mother when they were married and makes the girls' lives miserable. When they live with him, it is rare that they get to go to school because it is out of district and he is usually too hung over to drive them to school. Liz, who has always been an exemplary student, sees her grades going down the tubes. She realizes that college is her only way out but her grades are becoming too low.

Terrance, the sex offender husband, is not allowed to be alone with the girls but he manages to find ways to be with Liz who does her best to fend him off. She is filled with hate and rage towards him.

The author's life is similar to the story line in the novel. She states, "My mom, like my narrator Liz, married a convicted sex offender. Like Liz, I was "asked" to leave my home. And, like Liz, I was separated from my little sister at a time when we needed one another the most." The author wonders what would have been different in her life had her mother asked her husband to leave instead of her daughters. She states that the writing of this book "allowed me to forgive her and mend our relationship".

The premise of the book is very sad and it is difficult to believe the horrors that these children faced. I also find it difficult to believe that the writing of this book would allow the author to forgive her mother who ousted her from the home in favor of a convicted sex offender. While the book tells a `fictional' story, I believe that much of it could be autobiographical. The writing is confusing at times and goes into family details that could have been skipped over. I understand that this book was a catharsis of sorts and for that I give the writer kudos. However, catharsis is not sufficient to create excellence.
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Apr 30, 2012 Amanda Sledz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Just finished this one, which had the fiction writing style of a disguised memoir. It's about a girl (Liz) who suddenly finds herself without a home, thanks to her mother's decision to prioritize the needs of her convicted sex-offender husband over her children. The depiction of the family abuse history was awesomely accurate and well-handled, with the mother in particular responding with the (sadly) realistic mix of denial and self-loathing. What it was missing was insight into Elizabeth's inte...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Lydia LaPutka rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was disappointed with this book. I read the review in the paper and was interested not only by the subject matter (children being moved around due to abusive/disinterested parents) but also by the fact that some of the setting is in Utah.

As outlandish as the abuse was, sadly, I know there are parents like the ones depicted in this youth fiction. What irritated me was that too many of the incidental male characters were perverted. I didn't think that was necessary. It makes it look like the wo...more I was disappointed with this book. I read the review in the paper and was interested not only by the subject matter (children being moved around due to abusive/disinterested parents) but also by the fact that some of the setting is in Utah.

As outlandish as the abuse was, sadly, I know there are parents like the ones depicted in this youth fiction. What irritated me was that too many of the incidental male characters were perverted. I didn't think that was necessary. It makes it look like the world is full of perverts. Also, the abusive dad seemed to drop out of the story about two thirds of the way through. That didn't make sense to me especially because he was so persistent with his relationship with his girls, even after being so abusive and neglectful. Just because he was down and out didn't seem a good enough reason for him to disappear.

The ugly characters in the book were well defined by action and dialogue. Tammy's boyfriend was one of the most obnoxious. So self absorbed. But I would have liked to know more about some of the good characters like Tammy and why she didn't have children. Or Deborah who may be a bit extreme but clearly has a good heart.

But my main complaint about Hand Me Down is the writing style. The author attempts to go back and forth between the present and past, but the way she does it is confusing. I generally don't mind books written in that style (The Book Thief comes to mind.), but the way this author handled it didn't work for me.

Normally I stop reading a book that I am not enjoying, however, I stuck with it because I was curious to see what direction the author would take. Would the girls find stability? Would someone finally stand up for them? Would they stand up for themselves? Would it end neatly with a bow wrapped around it or messy with a bad outcome?

My final comment is for parents of children who read youth fiction. I do not believe in censorship, but books like Hand Me Down are a good reminder that parents need to be diligent about what their children are reading. I would highly encourage parents to read what their children are reading (I call it parallel reading) so that you can have intelligent discourse about story content. This one brings up many issues like physical abuse, sexual abuse, abandonment, alcoholism, teen drug use, religion, teen sexual activity, etc. All great topics but ones you might want to provide guidance to your child if they choose to read books with such content. It brings to mind me reading Judy Blume books "back in the day." I ate them up because they were filled with all kinds of sex, drugs, drinking, and other inappropriateness. I could have used the guidance back then. My mom was clueless as to the contents, and it was my dirty little secret! These books are great springboards for discussion on real topics and ones that SHOULD be discussed with teens as they are forming their sense of self, their views, ethics, and morals. (less)

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Jun 17, 2012 Maggie61 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: maggie-s-100-for-2012

While I enjoyed this book tremendously, it was also heartbreaking. Liz is the product of a dysfunctional family. Her mothers first husband beat them, her second husband was in jail for sexual assault and is constantly wanting to make her his next conquest. When he returns from jail, the courts do not allow him to live in the same house as Liz and her younger system. When lizs mother must choose, Liz and her sister are left homeless and at the mercy of their drunken abusive father or. Aeiousky re...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Jaime Boler rated it 4 of 5 stars

A child’s first providers and protectors are his or her parents. Or at least that’s how it’s supposed to work. In her powerful, provocative, and semi-autobiographical debut novel, Hand Me Down, Melanie Thorne chronicles the epic struggle of a teenage girl suffering from neglect and abuse, determined to protect her sister at any cost. Hand Me Down feels so real that it reads like a memoir. Thorne’s story left me indignant and emotionally spent, which is proof of the author’s skilled writing and a...more
A child’s first providers and protectors are his or her parents. Or at least that’s how it’s supposed to work. In her powerful, provocative, and semi-autobiographical debut novel, Hand Me Down, Melanie Thorne chronicles the epic struggle of a teenage girl suffering from neglect and abuse, determined to protect her sister at any cost. Hand Me Down feels so real that it reads like a memoir. Thorne’s story left me indignant and emotionally spent, which is proof of the author’s skilled writing and adept characterizations.

Sometimes family can let us down and hurt us more than anyone else can. The people who are supposed to be taking care of 14-year-old Elizabeth “Liz” Reid and her younger sister, Jaime, have failed miserably. The girls’ parents are divorced. Their father, who used to beat their mother, is a drunk.

Their mother, Linda, has been a refuge for her daughters, loving them and supporting them and providing a safe haven. As Liz tells us in her mature and sage voice, Linda “saved us from bad dreams, left the light on in our room, let us snuggle into her bed. She rescued us from the neighbors’ fighting, sang songs loud enough to drown out the woman across the landing screaming with her head out the window until her husband jerked her back inside.” Linda “protected us from our drunken father, stood her ground in the face of hurled beer cans and TV remotes, steered us through broken dishes on the kitchen floor and shattered windows in the carpet. She carried us past his sleeping body in bloody slippers, pulled us out of range of his raised fists more than once, and her bruises proved her loyalty.” Liz and Jaime “didn’t need anyone else.”

The above passage is just a sample of the abuse described in Hand Me Down. Most, if not all, of the parts are gut-wrenching and very difficult to read, as well they should be.

When Terrance comes in their mother’s life, everything changes. Terrance has a history of criminal behavior, but Linda is not deterred. Linda and Terrance marry and have a son together. Terrance ends up in prison, offering Liz and Jaime a brief reprieve. After serving his sentence, though, Terrance returns—worse than ever. Linda aims to please her husband and casts aside her daughters. Like old garments, the sisters are handed down to relatives, some of whom only continue the cycle of neglect and abuse.

More than anything else, Liz worries for Jaime, especially after the sisters are separated. She has tried to shield Jaime, but she is unable to protect her after they are split.

This upsetting novel is narrated from Liz’s first-person perspective, which elicited a visceral reaction from this reader. This story unsettled and upset me from the very beginning. Everyone who reads Hand Me Down will ache all over for Liz and will feel beaten and hurt just as she is.

Yet, not all of Hand Me Down is morose. Thorne introduces beacons of hope through many characters, most notably Tammy, Liz’s aunt, and Rachel, her best friend. Elements of humor also echo throughout the novel, just as they do in life, no matter how dire the situation.
Liz is only 14, but she seems so much older given what has happened to her. Her voice calls to mind other teen heroines, like Ava Bigtree in Karen Russell’s Swamplandia! and Susie Salmon in Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones. Thorne leaves readers with white knuckles as they wait to see if Liz and Jaime survive and even thrive.

The paperback version of Hand Me Down has a brand new epilogue not included in the hardcover edition. If you enjoy books narrated by strong teen girls, wise beyond their years, then Hand Me Down is a must read. I do warn you, though, you will become so invested in this tale that the adults in the story will infuriate you but the kids will inspire you. This is a survivor’s story.

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Mar 31, 2012 Dawn Coulter rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 30, 2011 Brittany Rehage rated it 5 of 5 stars

I don't have enough words in my vocabulary to describe how much this book moved me.

I could feel the pain Liz was going through each time I turned the page, and the anger she had at the world around her. I had more hope for her than I've had for any other character in a long time. She was such a strong character, with so much determination to not let the mistakes of those around her bring her down to their level.

I wanted to shake some sense into the adults in this book. They are flawed and not ve...more

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May 05, 2013 Kimber Burnett rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book tells the story of how many of our young girls are living today. Elizabeth plays second to most everything in her world. Her mother chooses her perverted husband over her two daughters, her father is an alcoholic that is more interested in getting a drink than he is in his daughters. When the step-father gets out of prison things get bad at home ands the sister goes to live with her father leaving Elizabeth at home. Elizabeth tries to stay with her mother for her little brother. Things...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Rachel Hanville rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, 3rd-annual-a-z-reading-challenge

I got this book for free through Goodreads First Read.

Elizabeth has spent her whole life watching out for her little sister Jaime and living with her mother. However, Jaime ends up moving to her father's to get away from having to live with her stepfather who is a sex offender. Elizabeth eventually is forced to leave her home when her mother chooses her stepfather over her and it tossed from house to house, not knowing how long she will be staying at each one.

I thought this book was very realis...more

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Dec 06, 2011 Anncleire rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, netgalley

“Hand me down” non è un libro facile, la storia è complicata, triste e così verosimile che mi ha spezzato il cuore in più punti, ma mi ha davvero colpito tantissimo.

Liz, Elizabeth, è la protagonista una ragazza di quattordici anni che convive con una situazione familiare pessima. Il padre è un alcolista, violento, sempre ubriaco che alza le mani sulla madre che ha sempre cercato di proteggere le sue due figlie Liz e sua sorella, di due anni più piccola Jamie. Dopo anni di fughe, la madre Linda l...more “Hand me down” non è un libro facile, la storia è complicata, triste e così verosimile che mi ha spezzato il cuore in più punti, ma mi ha davvero colpito tantissimo.

Liz, Elizabeth, è la protagonista una ragazza di quattordici anni che convive con una situazione familiare pessima. Il padre è un alcolista, violento, sempre ubriaco che alza le mani sulla madre che ha sempre cercato di proteggere le sue due figlie Liz e sua sorella, di due anni più piccola Jamie. Dopo anni di fughe, la madre Linda lavora in un centro che sostiene le donne vittime di violenze e si è risposata con Terrence un altro personaggio poco raccomandabile. Jamie decide di andare a vivere dal padre, anche lui risposato con una donna di nome Crystal, mentre Liz viene sbattuta da un conoscente e un parente all’altro come se fosse un pacco, finché non arriva a Salt Lake City, (il paese dei Mormoni) da Tammy la sorella della madre che l’accoglie come una figlia. La situazione sembra essere solo temporanea ma Liz sarà costretta a rendersi conto che non è più la priorità per sua madre e rimboccarsi le maniche per ricostruire la sua vita e essere felice.

Liz ci racconta la sua storia in prima persona e non lo fa in maniera lineare, ogni capitolo inizia con un ricordo e la spiegazione di qualche passaggio, il comportamento del padre, l’incontro della madre con Terrance, la nascita del fratellastro Noah che letteralmente adora la ragazza. E in ogni momento siamo vicini a Liz perché dimostra una forza straordinaria. Devo dire che la Thorne è incredibilmente brava a rendere la storia credibile, nonostante la crudezza dei temi e le disgrazie che continuano a capitare alla protagonista non si ha mai la sensazione che sia tutto costruito, falsato, le emozioni di Liz sono autentiche e viene voglia di abbracciarla e porgerle un fazzoletto, batterle su una spalla e chiederle di non mollare.

Tammy, la zia, è sicuramente uno dei personaggi che più mi hanno colpito, forse perché mi ricorda molto mia zia, o forse perché è davvero l’unica della famiglia che si preoccupa per lei, che la tratta come una ragazzina e non come un giudice o l’adulta di turno che prende la decisione giusta, protegge la sorella più piccola o si fa in quattro per mantenere una parvenza di normalità. Scappata anche lei ad un’infanzia e una adolescenza terribile, anche lei sorella maggiore che si è fatta in quattro per salvare la madre di Liz, più piccola di lei, si è costruita una vita lontano dalla California, dai ricordi, dai maltrattamenti, ma con il senso di colpa che la consuma da dentro perché pensa sempre a sua sorella e ai guai in cui continua a cacciarsi. Ma è davvero la salvezza di Liz.

Jamie la sorellina viene mantenuta all’oscuro di tutto per la gran parte del tempo. Sa che il padre è pericoloso, così come Terrance ma la madre e Liz compiono un buon lavoro nel proteggerla e nel tenerla lontana da tutti i momenti più brutti delle loro vite. Liz è lì a cullarla e a rassicurarla finché non si addormenta, cerca di farla passare incolume attraverso viaggi e trasferimenti vari, ma cade anche lei, fa scelte poco sagge e alla fine decide di rimanere in una famiglia che si prende cura di lei, anche se in maniera diversa da quella che avrebbe voluto la sorella maggiore. Ma è felice, si trova bene ed è questo che alla fine conta. Trovare il proprio equilibrio in un mondo che lentamente va a scatafascio in una famiglia in cui tutto viene prima del loro benessere. La vita a volte fa veramente schifo, ma sta a noi superare i momenti più duri, lavorare duramente per rialzarci e scappare dalle brutture.

Il padre e la madre di Liz non meritano alcun rispetto. La madre seppur faticosamente scappa dal padre che continua a sfruttare le figlie solo per ottenere denaro, non lavorare e bere fino al delirio, ma alla fine anche lei ricade negli stessi sbagli e si fida di un uomo che forse è anche peggio del primo marito. Invece di continuare a fare la madre e essere di sostegno vero per le sue figlie decide di spargerle in giro per l’America e vivere con un uomo che continuerà a farla soffrire e rimarrà sempre una minaccia, nonostante le sue rassicurazioni. Con una famiglia così disastrata sorprende scoprire che Liz è comunque una ragazza forte, con la testa sulle spalle capace di attraversare il ghiaccio e l’inferno pur di proteggere le persone che ama. E nonostante tutto non si arrende mai e continua a credere in un domani migliore.

Rachel la sua migliore amica è un personaggio importante, non solo per il sostegno che dimostra a Liz con le sue lettere e con la sua amicizia incondizionata ma anche perché aggiunge un tocco gioioso a momenti della vita di Liz in cui altrimenti non c’era un solo momento felice. Vive con il padre perché la madre, una specie di sensitiva, è volata in Europa per seguire il suo spirito, le da consigli su come purificarsi, concentrarsi sui pensieri positivi stile mantra e le suggerisce pozioni e erbe. Ma dà buoni consigli anche per Liz che ne ha un disperato bisogno.

L’ultimo che voglio citare è Dean, il compagno di scuola di Liz, che non è solo un amico, ma qualcosa di più. Con il suo accento inglese, l’aiuta ad ambientarsi nella nuova scuola, nello Utah, e con i compiti di matematica, ma anche con i rapporti con i ragazzi. Con gli abusi di cui è sempre stata vittima, Liz non è che sia proprio entusiasta dell’altro sesso, ma Dean con la sua battuta sempre pronta e la sua gentilezza riesce a vincere la fiducia della ragazza. So good.

Ci sono tanti temi importanti nel libro che va preso a piccole dosi, perché incredibilmente vero e sofferto. La storia è struggente e impariamo ad amare Liz a piccoli passi, immergendoci in un mondo di sofferenza e speranza difficile da ignorare. In uscita il prossimo anno vale davvero la pena di leggerlo.

Ringrazio Netgalley e Penguin Group (USA) per avermi permesso di leggere in anticipo una copia di questo libro in cambio di una mia recensione.
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Jan 16, 2012 Sue rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, family-drama

I won "Hand Me Down" by Melanie Thorne through the Goodreads Giveaway.What an appropriate title for such a moving novel.I can only give praise for this book.It really moved me.

This is the story of a fourteen year old girl, Elizabeth Reid,who has spent her life protecting her sister, Jaime, from her parent's neglect.It is the story of a disfunctional family, where Jaime goes to live with her father and Crystal. Their father has a drinking problem, and no time or money to invest in his daughter's...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Angel rated it 4 of 5 stars

A sad book that always reminds me why lots of people who have children really should not have had children. And, to make it even more of a "downer" realizing all of the dysfunction that exists but we just don't get to hear about it.

I am drawn to books of this subject matter and I don't know why. I just cringe when I think of all of the situations children are placed in and have to live with. It reminds me that "everything is not always as it seems."

The Penn State sexual abuse situation has just...more

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May 04, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

First, I suspect that Angela might have put this book on hold for me at the library as a joke. She knows how I detest any book that reminds me of "Bastard Out of Carolina" or the "Book of Ruth." Oprah type books that are supposed to be triumph over circumstance (but only) after focusing on the heinous types of hardship and abuse the characters are forced to endure. That being said, this book never stood a chance. "Hand Me Down" is akin to reading a watered down version of "Bastard Out of Carolin...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Elizabeth B rated it 3 of 5 stars

The stark realism of the MC's situation is heartbreaking. That alone makes this book worthy of a read. It does follow some formula fiction rules with the hard life, parental anger, etc. but it's no so dry that I couldn't overlook that and become engaged in the story. About midway through, however, the realism went away as the characters began to do the exact actions they had been preaching against for the entire novel. The ending was completely unrealistic to me with everything tied up in a nice...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Vivian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, reviewed, 4-stars, 2012-debut

When I first perused this novel while looking through Dutton’s latest catalog I was very intrigued. Melanie did an excellent job at telling Liz’s story and really making you feel for her. She really make me loathe her stepfather and mother, resent her father, and worry for her sister. The whole time I was wondering if she’d ever find a happy ending. When others would have lost hope a long time ago, Liz struggles and perseveres until the end, never giving up on her family and making the best of h...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Martha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: debut-novels

This debut novel is an emotional journey which forces its reader to face the unfortunate circumstances some children live with as the adults who should be taking care of them wrestle with their own emotional issues, to the point of ignoring the dangers their own behavior poses to their children. There are so many elements of a young adult novel here: strong, intelligent teenaged heroine, a narrative describing in a sometimes flat tone the behavior (of badly behaving) adults, and some challenges...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Caidyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I'm just going to say that the description that is given up there doesn't do it justice. The book is full of things that most adults couldn't imagine going through. It was very well written and all the characters felt REAL. Stress on the real. They felt like real people in an actual family since, let's face it, we all have family members that are a bit messed up. The story developed well and I loved how Liz gave backstories on her family which really gave the story, in a whole, more depth. I rea...more

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Feb 04, 2012 Jodi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Picture yourself a teenage girl left in the lurch by a mother who has chosen her convict husband over you and an alcoholic father who only wants you because of the extra money he’ll get for child support. Imagine how alone you would feel being shuffled from one home to the next each time being an inconvenience to the family you were staying with. Well that is exactly what Elizabeth and her sister Jaime are going through.

The girl’s mother Linda has chosen her recently released from prison, sexual...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, young-adult, personal-library

Melanie Thorne's Hand Me Down is a difficult story to read, but it's worth it. Elizabeth, the protagonist, is a teenager, but is forced to act more responsibly than even her parents. Her mother has married a convicted criminal and her father is an alcoholic. As she moves from home to home she's forced to come to terms with her family and create a life for herself.

It's a truly heartbreaking story. At times I was unsure if I would be able to finish it, partly because of the subject matter and par...more

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Jun 26, 2012 Lesley Green rated it 4 of 5 stars

This one I am starting after dinner!
Ok its 2 hrs into this and very fascinating. Wish I could stay to finish this one tonight but not gonna happen.

Lets just say how brilliant that this poor teenager has a mother that does victim assistance as a job but is married to a man that she helps people everyday from. I want to strip this mother of her parental rights myself

To be continued...

Okay done!

What a sad sad sad teenage story. My fear is that reality is this is not far off. Many moms pick their lo...more

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May 09, 2012 Laura Ashlee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, adult, crossunders, divorce, family, fiction, realistic

http://www.owltellyouaboutit.com/posts/hand-me-down/

I found this one browsing around NetGalley one day and I thought it sounded like it could be great. While I really enjoyed it, I have to warn you that it’s very emotional and sad for about 95% of the book. I had to take a short break at one point because it was sort of depressing me.

Liz is one tough girl. She tries so hard to be strong for her sister. She’s a protector and that made me love her. I was so sorry that she never got a real childhoo...more http://www.owltellyouaboutit.com/posts/hand-me-down/

I found this one browsing around NetGalley one day and I thought it sounded like it could be great. While I really enjoyed it, I have to warn you that it’s very emotional and sad for about 95% of the book. I had to take a short break at one point because it was sort of depressing me.

Liz is one tough girl. She tries so hard to be strong for her sister. She’s a protector and that made me love her. I was so sorry that she never got a real childhood though. She spent all her time sheltering her sister from the abuse going on in their house. Even though I’ve never been in any sort of situation similar to Liz’s, I had no trouble sympathizing with her. I was so angry with her mother throughout the whole book. How could someone be so blind? It’s just sad because I know that there really are people like that in the world, and those people have children that they don’t take responsibility for. Tammy was like the sun in this book. She had her flaws, but she saw through Terrance’s crap and she really cared about the safety of Liz and Jaime.

I was immediately drawn in to this story. It begins with Terrance’s release from prison and the back story is filtered in slowly throughout the book. The present circumstances are told alongside the story of how things got this way in the first place. I think this is the ideal way to tell a story like this. It begins with exciting material and stays interesting the whole time. I will say that I got a little bogged down by the melancholy subject, but that’s just part of it. It didn’t take away from the book at all.

Hand Me Down is such a perfect title. It really captures what Liz’s life has become. She and her sister a thrust out of their home and bounce through other homes like old clothes in a yard sale or something. It’s sad, but it’s such a real thing. It happens to so many kids and I think Melanie Thorne does a wonderful job of telling their story.

I was really worried about how all of this would end. For a while, I thought there was no way for them to find a happy ending. I was very satisfied though. Things worked out, but not too perfectly. There were still problems, but a lot of hope. If the characters weren’t happy, they were content to look toward the future.

In short, Hand Me Down is a serious story about a sister trying to protect her sister when she’s only a child herself. Liz is well developed and easy to sympathise with, and she’s surrounded by a couple of great supporting characters. The plot is gripping, but also very sad. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about serious social issues.

Content: Profanity, sexual references, violence

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Apr 11, 2012 Lorna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I received this book from a GoodReads Giveaway.

As the mom of two daughters, this book hit home. It reminded me that I'm a great mom! Sometimes you read a story about a kid gone bad and you wonder how the parents messed up. Hand Me Down is a book about a great kid even though her parents are trying really hard to ruin her life! This isn't the "Oh, my parents don't understand me" complaining of a teenager. This is the story of Elizabeth who is forced into the position of being the only level heade...more

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May 31, 2012 Carol rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a worthy effort by a young writer who probably has a promising future as a novelist. Despite the first person present tense which I consider somewhat awkward, the book was involving and well written. It sometimes seemed more like a Young Adult novel than a mainstream literary effort, however, possibly because the protagonist herself is a very young woman of fourteen. The plot revolves around a young girl (with a younger sister) who is constantly being confronted with the consequences of...more

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