Hold You Down

I read this book in about 36 hours. It displayed the black family, the relationships of mothers and their sons and the sacrifices we’ll make for our children, and most of all forgiveness. This book was absolutely amazing and I hung on to EVERY word. Thank you Tracy Brown for sharing your gift!

This book was pulling at my heart strings throughout the whole read. One of the best books I’ve read. I’ll never forget the things i could relate to, and the things i empathize with so deeply. It is written well and thoughtfully played out.

For the first book of the year this was a gut wrenching and tearful read. From the first chapter it was a downward spiral hitting the characters with trauma after trauma. The book ended with little relief, however it is the discussion at the end of the book that is most interesting to me, this idea of playing the role you are assigned. We have all assigned titles to ourselves and others, “bad boy,” “girl next door,” “responsible,” “risk-taker,” and it is easy to let those titles become your identity. We see this so clearly in this book, that everyone was given a title and everyone assumed their role no questions asked, and the book climaxes when roles are reversed. I think it’s speaks to the reality of the situation that people multifaceted, we are not just one title, playing one role. I believe Tracy Brown is suggesting characters that play one role have a very narrow life, it may be happy and enjoyable but it is nothing compared to the possibility of what it could be. However, when roles are reversed and your identity extends to include an action so “off-brand” for you the impact can detrimental on your life and others in either a positive or negative way. For characters this change proved to be the “leveling of the playing field” her characters needed to persist.

I’ve been a fan for yeaarsss. Read every book. This one did not disappoint. My only complaint is I wish it didn’t end.