For Lamb by Lesa Cline-Ransome - Book Review

For Lamb by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Publication Date: 10th Jan 2023

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

4.5 Stars 

One Liner: Touching, moving, and bittersweet 

*****

Lamb lives with her mother and older brother in Jackson, Mississippi. It’s the 1930s, and being Black means keeping their head down and staying quiet to avoid being lynched by white people. Lamb’s mother is a talented seamstress and a closet lesbian. Lamb’s brother, Simeon, is an intelligent and studious boy with dreams to go to the North and live a free life. 

Lamb, true to her name, is a sweet and naïve girl with a beautiful voice. She is often the peacemaker between her mother and brother but loves them dearly. Her friendship with a white girl results in a series of events that put an end to everything. This story can end in only one way. 

The story comes in the first-person POV of six characters, with Lamb and Simeon getting a major share of the chapters. 

What I Like:

The blurb says, ‘Told with nuance and subtlety, avoiding sensationalism and unnecessary brutality…’, and I agree. The book doesn’t resort to graphical and prolonged descriptions of violence. It provides enough information and leaves the rest for the readers to comprehend. 

The beginning is slow and takes its own time. However, it picks up pace after the first quarter. I like the unspoken bond between Marion, Lamb, and Simeon. It’s like hard candy. Tough on the outside, warm and loving on the inside. 

The title makes sense as the plot comes together in the latter half. The author’s note provided more information. Don’t skip the note in this one. It’s a must-read. 

While Lamb and Simeon are sweet and loving characters, I got hooked by Marion’s attitude and approach even before I read her POV. There’s something about her that isn’t immediately apparent to the reader. I also wish I could know more about her childhood (a novella about it, maybe?). 

Marny’s character is well-crafted. She is what a white, young, bookish girl would be. Sweet and a little rebellious, but not strong enough to take a stand when things get worse. Nor capable of looking at things from another perspective and realizing what her actions finally led to. 

Lamb’s character arc is tentative but steadies in the second half. Her desire to have a friend even at the risk of being targeted for it, her hope to yearn for a better life, and the struggle to stand up for herself without hurting her mother and brother are heart-touching. 

The contrast between Simeon and Marion’s characters and the insights from Chem and Chester make the book a compelling read (despite the lack of a proper setting). 

What Could Have Worked Better for Me:

The book is tagged LGBT+, and I was curious to see how it would be explored in such a setting. But this is a pretty minor aspect of the book. We know it’s there but doesn’t, as such, affect the plot. I’d love to see at least another chapter dedicated to exploring the character’s emotions. 

I see the reason for the first-person POV of so many characters, but not all of them are impactful. A limited third-person POV would have given the same since a couple of characters get no more than 1-3 chapters to present their side. 

While the blurb is true to the story, I would present this more as the story of Lamb’s family and the social dynamics during the 1930s. Interracial friendship is the trigger that changes everything, but it is not the sole focus. In fact, this comes quite late in the book, so expecting friendship to be the central point can affect the reader’s experience. 

To summarize, For Lamb is a poignant book that presents racial injustice with sensitivity. It is written for the YA audience but works for adults too. I know I’ll be reading more books by her. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Holiday House, for the eARC.  

#NetGalley #ForLamb 

***

P.S: Mine is an ARC, so the formatting was off and messy, which made it hard to follow the changing POVs. This shouldn’t be a problem with the final copy.