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Little Sacrifices
When the Powell family moves to Savannah Georgia in 1947, they hope against hope that they'll be welcomed. But they're Northerners and worse, they're white civil rights advocates almost a decade too early. The American South is deeply segregated.
At first May can pretend they're the same as everyone else. It means keeping quiet when she knows she should speak up, but it's worth the sacrifice to win friends. Unfortunately her parents are soon putting their beliefs into action. And when they wake to find that they're the only family on the block with a Ku Klux Klan cross blazing on their front lawn, the time comes for them to finally decide between what's easy and what's right.
At first May can pretend they're the same as everyone else. It means keeping quiet when she knows she should speak up, but it's worth the sacrifice to win friends. Unfortunately her parents are soon putting their beliefs into action. And when they wake to find that they're the only family on the block with a Ku Klux Klan cross blazing on their front lawn, the time comes for them to finally decide between what's easy and what's right.
233 pages, Unknown Binding
First published March 22, 2012
37 people are currently reading
824 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Scott
1 book9 followersJamie Scott is the pen name of Michele Gorman, who writes comedy under her own name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
July 1, 2012
I am so very, very different from May and her family. I am a born and bred Southern Georgia girl. I am a very conservative Christian, and I am very supportive of America's place in protecting the world from dictators and megalomaniacs. So, Duncan and I would have probably been debating on different sides of most political issues. I grew up in the seventies and witnessed very few incidents of racism in my county of less than 10,000 people, over 50 percent of those are black. I have seen and heard many instances of fear and misunderstanding from both races. However, in this rural area, the relationships between the races are usually respectful. However, those who live in town are not as comfortable with other races and that is where much of the fear originates.
May was a wonderful protagonist. Even though my personal beliefs are so different from her family's, I had no trouble understanding why she felt the ways that she did. I celebrated when she expressed her desire for believing in God. So many controversial issues were handled well by Scott. She certainly did a wonderful job including racism, teenaged rebellion, date rape, abortion, molestation, adoption, deception, and other issues without offending or alienating the reader.
My only suggestion for improvement would be to allow Dora Mae to be more a part of the plot. As a native Southerner, I know that the black members of our families are extremely important. Dora Mae would have been more actively involved in May's life.
This is a great book!!! I had a hard time putting it down!!!! I am sure that I will read it again and again. I look forward to more books by Scott.
May was a wonderful protagonist. Even though my personal beliefs are so different from her family's, I had no trouble understanding why she felt the ways that she did. I celebrated when she expressed her desire for believing in God. So many controversial issues were handled well by Scott. She certainly did a wonderful job including racism, teenaged rebellion, date rape, abortion, molestation, adoption, deception, and other issues without offending or alienating the reader.
My only suggestion for improvement would be to allow Dora Mae to be more a part of the plot. As a native Southerner, I know that the black members of our families are extremely important. Dora Mae would have been more actively involved in May's life.
This is a great book!!! I had a hard time putting it down!!!! I am sure that I will read it again and again. I look forward to more books by Scott.
July 8, 2012
Absolute 5-star read!!
One short week ago, I ranted to my husband about not having come across a 4½ or 5-star read in far too long. Thank you, universe, for hearing my rant and offering up Jamie Scott’s absolutely excellent historical fiction novel, Little Sacrifices!
Set in 1940s Savannah, Georgia, Little Sacrifices follows the life of May and her parents as they relocate, under duress, from the North to the South. May’s parents are outspoken integrationists who have not only instilled their beliefs in their young daughter, but also often embarrass her in the course of their endeavors. In the beginning, for May, the South is hot, humid, and completely inexplicable. Thankfully, she meets Jim, the social outcast who lives next door and is more than willing to help May adjust and navigate the treacherous waters of segregated Savannah.
I can complain about nothing in this novel...AT ALL!! So, rather than gushing all over the place for several pages about the awesomeness of this read, I’ll hit you with the highlights.
*Scott has crafted a plot that is dramatic, gripping, heavy, historical, and incredibly interesting. Fair warning, reader: this plot is not easy as it is a fictionalized account, based on detailed research, of life in the segregated South, a full decade and half before the Civil Rights movement began. Throughout the narrative, an intense tension is always simmering just below the surface and, from time to time, it breaks through the surface.
*Because of the detailed research, the setting, atmosphere, and language feels very real and absolutely believable. The reader easily becomes immersed in May’s world. One of the hands-down highlights of this book is that you do get so completely immersed in this world, then are brought right back to reality by some seriously funny one-liner that you did not see coming. Scott clearly has a knack for breaking up the ever-present tension.
*As if the main plot weren’t enough, a secondary plot is instigated by May’s penchant for snooping. Periodically, full chapters are dedicated to the unfolding and unraveling of this secondary plot line. To be completely honest, I was absolutely taken in by this part of the novel and was thrilled to see how Scott was able to eventually bring the past and the present perfectly together.
*If I had to pick a favorite part of this novel (and I would be hard-pressed to do so), the characters would have to be it. Like the setting, plot, and everything else, the characters are fully developed entities with whom the reader can connect from the earliest moments of the book. I found myself empathizing with certain characters, laughing with them on occasion, and feeling their heartache a time or two. Being able to create such fully resolved and realistic characters in a single novel is truly a great skill for an author to possess.
*Finally, the epilogue is excellent. Who writes about the epilogue, right? Well, I do when it is as good as the rest of the book. Scott used her space in the epilogue as it should be used; nearly every character in the novel is covered in the epilogue. The reader will walk away with a great sense of closure.
Bottom line: Despite the tragic nature of the time and place, this historical fiction read is outstanding. The plot is intriguing, the characters are fantastic, and the writing style is so smooth and easy that it makes getting through this novel a breeze. I can unreservedly recommend this read to adults, but would caution recommending it to a young adult reader who is on the younger end of the spectrum.
P.S. for you chick lit fans out there, Jamie Scott just happens to the pen name of chick lit author Michele Gorman :)
One short week ago, I ranted to my husband about not having come across a 4½ or 5-star read in far too long. Thank you, universe, for hearing my rant and offering up Jamie Scott’s absolutely excellent historical fiction novel, Little Sacrifices!
Set in 1940s Savannah, Georgia, Little Sacrifices follows the life of May and her parents as they relocate, under duress, from the North to the South. May’s parents are outspoken integrationists who have not only instilled their beliefs in their young daughter, but also often embarrass her in the course of their endeavors. In the beginning, for May, the South is hot, humid, and completely inexplicable. Thankfully, she meets Jim, the social outcast who lives next door and is more than willing to help May adjust and navigate the treacherous waters of segregated Savannah.
I can complain about nothing in this novel...AT ALL!! So, rather than gushing all over the place for several pages about the awesomeness of this read, I’ll hit you with the highlights.
*Scott has crafted a plot that is dramatic, gripping, heavy, historical, and incredibly interesting. Fair warning, reader: this plot is not easy as it is a fictionalized account, based on detailed research, of life in the segregated South, a full decade and half before the Civil Rights movement began. Throughout the narrative, an intense tension is always simmering just below the surface and, from time to time, it breaks through the surface.
*Because of the detailed research, the setting, atmosphere, and language feels very real and absolutely believable. The reader easily becomes immersed in May’s world. One of the hands-down highlights of this book is that you do get so completely immersed in this world, then are brought right back to reality by some seriously funny one-liner that you did not see coming. Scott clearly has a knack for breaking up the ever-present tension.
*As if the main plot weren’t enough, a secondary plot is instigated by May’s penchant for snooping. Periodically, full chapters are dedicated to the unfolding and unraveling of this secondary plot line. To be completely honest, I was absolutely taken in by this part of the novel and was thrilled to see how Scott was able to eventually bring the past and the present perfectly together.
*If I had to pick a favorite part of this novel (and I would be hard-pressed to do so), the characters would have to be it. Like the setting, plot, and everything else, the characters are fully developed entities with whom the reader can connect from the earliest moments of the book. I found myself empathizing with certain characters, laughing with them on occasion, and feeling their heartache a time or two. Being able to create such fully resolved and realistic characters in a single novel is truly a great skill for an author to possess.
*Finally, the epilogue is excellent. Who writes about the epilogue, right? Well, I do when it is as good as the rest of the book. Scott used her space in the epilogue as it should be used; nearly every character in the novel is covered in the epilogue. The reader will walk away with a great sense of closure.
Bottom line: Despite the tragic nature of the time and place, this historical fiction read is outstanding. The plot is intriguing, the characters are fantastic, and the writing style is so smooth and easy that it makes getting through this novel a breeze. I can unreservedly recommend this read to adults, but would caution recommending it to a young adult reader who is on the younger end of the spectrum.
P.S. for you chick lit fans out there, Jamie Scott just happens to the pen name of chick lit author Michele Gorman :)
November 5, 2012
Jamie Scott’s Little Sacrifices takes its fifteen-year-old protagonist, May, from the North States to the South in 1947, landing her in a beautifully evocative Savannah, Georgia, where the air is “humid and strong with the smell of green things” and the pace of life is “like a long exhale.” Suddenly there are black people everywhere and May's parents struggle to balance their Northern sensitivities with providing a living for their maid and remaining convinced no-one should need to be waited on. May makes friends with her next door neighbor, struggles to achieve her dream of being popular, and wishes her parents' subdued activism wasn't so embarrassing.
Two stories intertwine in this novel, with modern progress finding itself reflected in the past. Coming out of an earlier war, another woman loved, longed, and failed to communicate, just as May might now. Injustice in its many different flavors is tied to a past and present ways of life. Meanwhile May’s parents, advocating civil rights too soon for their neighbors' sensibilities, will need all the love that unites them as they face the violent rejection of their un-churched beliefs.
May’s coming of age is convincingly portrayed, the innocent eagerness of youth giving way to thoughtful understanding as ideals take root. Savannah Georgia’s larger past intertwines with small family betrayals, a search for roots, and, finally, a recognition of other people’s roots. Told in first person, May’s reminiscences captivate, her folly annoys, and her determination inspires. Change is possible after all. Hope is real. And the future is built on the past.
I haven’t read The Help yet though I enjoyed the movie. If Little Sacrifices is ever made into a movie I’ll enjoy that too. Meanwhile I’m really glad to have read this book, smoothly written, convincingly told, accurately researched, and pleasingly thought-provoking as it follows a year in a young girl’s life and a lifetime in maturity.
Disclosure: I received an ecopy of this novel from the author and promised an honest review. I honestly loved it.
December 9, 2012
Little Sacrifices is an extraordinary read! I have read a lot of history books about the South in the 40's and I have to say that Jamie Scott got her descriptions very accurate. I loved the back story about how the family moved from Massachusetts to the Savannah Georgia.
May has moved to Georgia from Mass with her family in the 40's. She is not so excited to be moving down south but her parents are civil right activists and very outspoken. So when they move down south they try and keep to themselves. May goes to school and makes friends and keeps her mouth shut. If she has an opinion she keeps it to herself. Then one day her parents make someone upset and they wake up to a cross burning on their lawn. The KKK is sending them a warning by burning the cross on their law. Will they heed to it or will they continue to stand up to the racists people of the town?
This story is so gut wrenching I for one do not think I could have lived in the 40's. Racism and hatred are not tolerated by me. I was raise to love everyone no matter what they are or what they have done. This is a great story about a family who stood up and made a decision to love people no matter what their skin color was.
May has moved to Georgia from Mass with her family in the 40's. She is not so excited to be moving down south but her parents are civil right activists and very outspoken. So when they move down south they try and keep to themselves. May goes to school and makes friends and keeps her mouth shut. If she has an opinion she keeps it to herself. Then one day her parents make someone upset and they wake up to a cross burning on their lawn. The KKK is sending them a warning by burning the cross on their law. Will they heed to it or will they continue to stand up to the racists people of the town?
This story is so gut wrenching I for one do not think I could have lived in the 40's. Racism and hatred are not tolerated by me. I was raise to love everyone no matter what they are or what they have done. This is a great story about a family who stood up and made a decision to love people no matter what their skin color was.
July 7, 2013
Little Sacrifices surprised me. I expected a young adult book since it's main character is the teenager, May, but it was so much more. Scott has an authentic voice in her historical depiction of life in the south in the nineteen forties. May has her own beliefs, but since she and her own family moved to the south so her father could get a job, she has suspended them temporarily. She wants to fit in and make new friends.
Many sensitive topics are touched upon in Little Sacrifices; Abortion, teen pregnancy, incest and racism but they are all handled with sensitivity and it's amazing how far we have come in our beliefs as a society since then. I was so excited for May when she decided to stand and defend her own beliefs. All in all, a fantastic story with historical elements and wonderful character development that will have you completely immersed in the secrets and plot twists of Little Sacrifices. I highly recommend!!
Many sensitive topics are touched upon in Little Sacrifices; Abortion, teen pregnancy, incest and racism but they are all handled with sensitivity and it's amazing how far we have come in our beliefs as a society since then. I was so excited for May when she decided to stand and defend her own beliefs. All in all, a fantastic story with historical elements and wonderful character development that will have you completely immersed in the secrets and plot twists of Little Sacrifices. I highly recommend!!
May 29, 2013
Beautifully developed characters and a strong social storyline combine to make this book a pure joy. May and her liberal parents move from Massachusetts to Savannah, where life, values and social mores are very different. There is a sub-story set in 1917 presented through May's discovery of a set of letters, neatly woven into the main thrust of the book. Covering a broad range of interpersonal relationships, historical facts and social commentary, Jamie Scott has produced a compelling, thoroughly enjoyable, thought provoking and memorable novel - one of very few books I am likely to re-read in the future.
April 26, 2012
Great freebie on kindle. Life in 1940s savannah with some life in the 1900s thrown in!!
July 5, 2012
A good read. Really enjoyed it. Well written
April 14, 2013
Love love loved this book. It is wonderful and should be on the best-sellers list!
March 29, 2021
In my quest to clear books from my Kindle that I have had for a few years, I picked up Little Sacrifices. I think this was a freebie.
A teenage girl gets uprooted from her life in Williamstown, Massachusetts town to move to Savannah Georgia. It is the post-WWII south of Jim Crow.
I found May to be kind of an unsympathetic character. Maybe it is because this is a young adult story. (Although other YA books I’ve read did not have such a shallow protagonist.) May is a teen more concerned with getting in with the popular kids in school and hooking up with her crush. Because she has no other choice, she is friends with a couple of kids who are not very popular. There are a few side plots that get neatly resolved and then forgotten.
A lot of the book addresses racial issues but the depictions of what it was like during those times were flat. When May’s liberal father tries to get justice for the shooting of a black man, May is shunned by her classmates and the KKK burns a cross on their lawn. But then the story jumps to the trial and it’s like none of the other things ever happened.
The last chapter is a neat and tidy summary of where everyone ends up in the future.
For me, this was just O.K. Thankfully it was a quick read.
A teenage girl gets uprooted from her life in Williamstown, Massachusetts town to move to Savannah Georgia. It is the post-WWII south of Jim Crow.
I found May to be kind of an unsympathetic character. Maybe it is because this is a young adult story. (Although other YA books I’ve read did not have such a shallow protagonist.) May is a teen more concerned with getting in with the popular kids in school and hooking up with her crush. Because she has no other choice, she is friends with a couple of kids who are not very popular. There are a few side plots that get neatly resolved and then forgotten.
A lot of the book addresses racial issues but the depictions of what it was like during those times were flat. When May’s liberal father tries to get justice for the shooting of a black man, May is shunned by her classmates and the KKK burns a cross on their lawn. But then the story jumps to the trial and it’s like none of the other things ever happened.
The last chapter is a neat and tidy summary of where everyone ends up in the future.
For me, this was just O.K. Thankfully it was a quick read.
February 16, 2023
It was a good book, but I feel like just as story lines were starting to be developed, something else would happen and that part of the story would just kind of pause.
April 28, 2024
This book is no better than “ just ok”. I wouldn’t tell anyone that they should read it.
November 12, 2012
PDF version via author for honest review
What is worse than moving away from all your friends and familiar places when you are a teenager? Having parents who don't fit in and are "before their times" with their view of things that's what. May is a typical teen who just wants to have friends to hang out with and parents that don't embarrass her every day. She hates that they had to move from her long time home all the way to another state, Georgia. She hates being the new girl and she worries that she won't make friends, especially since her parents have such strong views on things and that go against the normal views others have. They are in the year of 1947 and in a state that believes strongly in families keeping black slaves and that blacks have no rights and need to have separate places away from the whites and deserve the harsh punishments they get if they are seen to have done wrong. May's parents believe that everyone deserves a say and equal rights and they are not afraid to say so and stand up for their beliefs. It's because of this that May's family has hard times a lot and is the reason why her Father lost his job in their hometown as a teacher. Will things be different in Georgia? Can May ever really fit in and make friends and see this new city as her home? Will May's parents' views cause them harm as a family and put them in harms way with their new neighbors? What is more important, being safe or sticking up for what you know and feel is right?
This book has so much going on in it that I can't even begin to summarize in a short way. Therefore, I will hit on some main things. I absolutely loved this book! It may have had a lot going on in it, but it all just worked to a huge advantage to the book. I liked how all through the book you got the story from May's point of view, but you could tell it wasn't her point of view as it was all happening, but more her point of view as she was telling it to her kids or Grandchildren. I felt like I could see this older woman version of May sitting in a wooden rocking chair looking at her Grandchildren who were sitting on the floor cross-legged and sharing her story with them so they knew their past history and her past. May isn't proud of some of the things she did in the past, but they are part of her so she passes them on to others to learn from. I think my favorite characters were May and Jim (who is Mays neighbor and new best friend). I loved watching May grow up through the rough times and the good ones in this book. I also must say the way May's story tied into Jim's story was just amazing to me. One of those, what a small world, moments for the youngsters. As I read about May's struggles with friends, fitting in, and life in general I found myself relating to her in some ways and also feeling for her. I felt like I was hearing a story from an old friend or my own Grandmother when I read this book. The writing by the author was absolutely astounding and the characters were very well conceived and portrayed. I must also make a point to say that the epilogue was perfect for this book. The author really brought it all home in the epilogue and really wrapped up the book. When done reading there was nothing that I wondered about or felt left hanging on. Usually I admit that I feel the epilogues of books don't really add much if anything to the story, but this is NOT the case with this book. I think the epilogue sealed the deal on making it such a great read and book!
I say again, I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! This is a must read to anyone who enjoys reading. Normally I am not a "set in the past years" reader, but I am very glad I gave this book a chance because I think it was one of the best I have read. I now also have another author to add to my must read list.
5/5 Stars!!!
What is worse than moving away from all your friends and familiar places when you are a teenager? Having parents who don't fit in and are "before their times" with their view of things that's what. May is a typical teen who just wants to have friends to hang out with and parents that don't embarrass her every day. She hates that they had to move from her long time home all the way to another state, Georgia. She hates being the new girl and she worries that she won't make friends, especially since her parents have such strong views on things and that go against the normal views others have. They are in the year of 1947 and in a state that believes strongly in families keeping black slaves and that blacks have no rights and need to have separate places away from the whites and deserve the harsh punishments they get if they are seen to have done wrong. May's parents believe that everyone deserves a say and equal rights and they are not afraid to say so and stand up for their beliefs. It's because of this that May's family has hard times a lot and is the reason why her Father lost his job in their hometown as a teacher. Will things be different in Georgia? Can May ever really fit in and make friends and see this new city as her home? Will May's parents' views cause them harm as a family and put them in harms way with their new neighbors? What is more important, being safe or sticking up for what you know and feel is right?
This book has so much going on in it that I can't even begin to summarize in a short way. Therefore, I will hit on some main things. I absolutely loved this book! It may have had a lot going on in it, but it all just worked to a huge advantage to the book. I liked how all through the book you got the story from May's point of view, but you could tell it wasn't her point of view as it was all happening, but more her point of view as she was telling it to her kids or Grandchildren. I felt like I could see this older woman version of May sitting in a wooden rocking chair looking at her Grandchildren who were sitting on the floor cross-legged and sharing her story with them so they knew their past history and her past. May isn't proud of some of the things she did in the past, but they are part of her so she passes them on to others to learn from. I think my favorite characters were May and Jim (who is Mays neighbor and new best friend). I loved watching May grow up through the rough times and the good ones in this book. I also must say the way May's story tied into Jim's story was just amazing to me. One of those, what a small world, moments for the youngsters. As I read about May's struggles with friends, fitting in, and life in general I found myself relating to her in some ways and also feeling for her. I felt like I was hearing a story from an old friend or my own Grandmother when I read this book. The writing by the author was absolutely astounding and the characters were very well conceived and portrayed. I must also make a point to say that the epilogue was perfect for this book. The author really brought it all home in the epilogue and really wrapped up the book. When done reading there was nothing that I wondered about or felt left hanging on. Usually I admit that I feel the epilogues of books don't really add much if anything to the story, but this is NOT the case with this book. I think the epilogue sealed the deal on making it such a great read and book!
I say again, I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! This is a must read to anyone who enjoys reading. Normally I am not a "set in the past years" reader, but I am very glad I gave this book a chance because I think it was one of the best I have read. I now also have another author to add to my must read list.
5/5 Stars!!!
January 20, 2014
Aptly titled, Little Sacrifices is a heart-warming yet sharp novel about segregation, southern values, traditionalism and the courage necessary to stand next to your morals and beliefs.
The Powell’s move to Georgia comes as Duncan Powell’s outspoken views on equality has ostracised them from their home in Massachusetts and, through limited employment options, forced them south. As May narrates through the awkward years of adolescence spent with liberal parents in an conservative society, what this intelligent and observant protagonist delivers is a frank look at the book’s issues through a unique eye.
With more than a slight echo to Harper Lee’s child protagonist, unlike Scout Finch, May Powell is suffering from the spreading grey area of conscious delivered by adolescence. When we meet her, she is on the sidelines and trying to readjust in her new surroundings. Settling and maturing with time, she gains popularity with the debs of society and is soon facing adult dilemmas of her own. From the child who chastised her mother for continuing the employment of their housekeep, Dora – the more adult May finds herself balanced between a teenage wont for popularity and keeping true to her attitudes on segregation, equality and honesty. Gradually the steadfast ideals May inherited from her father begin to fall by the wayside, as does loyalty to her convictions. Themes Little Sacrifices appears built on.
The choice of location moves the story away from the die-hard Klan states, and into a backdrop where tolerance is expected to be met with gratitude and undoubtedly has its limit. The supporting cast of characters represent Georgia’s so-called elite and as such, the issue of racism and oppression is delivered through subtler actions and wearing well quaffed hair dos. It makes the threat to the Powells ideals greater as, until the story’s peak, it takes from them in fractional degrees. Providing conflict amongst them, when the sacrifice for morality ultimately becomes a threat to their safety, it causes them all to consider what concessions they are prepared to make for each other.
Set post-war, Little Sacrifices is about small steps. In addressing a changing world with progressive ideals and a civil rights movement that is still in its infancy, it works as an observational piece by combining powerful subject matter with sophisticated prose. Reflecting on an era and actions which many would want to eradicate from their history books, Scott’s dedication to research – supported by the help of The Georgia Historical Society – took her to contacting the Klu Klux Klan as the only resort to fill in such blank pages. A stomach-dropping task for anyone, but one which adds authenticity to the story.
Thoughtful and engaging, I immensely enjoyed how Little Sacrifices has provided a worthy continuation to the civil rights/child protagonist theme. Strong characters with their own ideals, a book with depth and beauty of language. There’s individuality and an elaborately knitted identity in it’s voice that provides pace and a thoroughly convincing read.
The Powell’s move to Georgia comes as Duncan Powell’s outspoken views on equality has ostracised them from their home in Massachusetts and, through limited employment options, forced them south. As May narrates through the awkward years of adolescence spent with liberal parents in an conservative society, what this intelligent and observant protagonist delivers is a frank look at the book’s issues through a unique eye.
With more than a slight echo to Harper Lee’s child protagonist, unlike Scout Finch, May Powell is suffering from the spreading grey area of conscious delivered by adolescence. When we meet her, she is on the sidelines and trying to readjust in her new surroundings. Settling and maturing with time, she gains popularity with the debs of society and is soon facing adult dilemmas of her own. From the child who chastised her mother for continuing the employment of their housekeep, Dora – the more adult May finds herself balanced between a teenage wont for popularity and keeping true to her attitudes on segregation, equality and honesty. Gradually the steadfast ideals May inherited from her father begin to fall by the wayside, as does loyalty to her convictions. Themes Little Sacrifices appears built on.
The choice of location moves the story away from the die-hard Klan states, and into a backdrop where tolerance is expected to be met with gratitude and undoubtedly has its limit. The supporting cast of characters represent Georgia’s so-called elite and as such, the issue of racism and oppression is delivered through subtler actions and wearing well quaffed hair dos. It makes the threat to the Powells ideals greater as, until the story’s peak, it takes from them in fractional degrees. Providing conflict amongst them, when the sacrifice for morality ultimately becomes a threat to their safety, it causes them all to consider what concessions they are prepared to make for each other.
Set post-war, Little Sacrifices is about small steps. In addressing a changing world with progressive ideals and a civil rights movement that is still in its infancy, it works as an observational piece by combining powerful subject matter with sophisticated prose. Reflecting on an era and actions which many would want to eradicate from their history books, Scott’s dedication to research – supported by the help of The Georgia Historical Society – took her to contacting the Klu Klux Klan as the only resort to fill in such blank pages. A stomach-dropping task for anyone, but one which adds authenticity to the story.
Thoughtful and engaging, I immensely enjoyed how Little Sacrifices has provided a worthy continuation to the civil rights/child protagonist theme. Strong characters with their own ideals, a book with depth and beauty of language. There’s individuality and an elaborately knitted identity in it’s voice that provides pace and a thoroughly convincing read.
August 27, 2015
4.5 stars!
Well this was quite an impressive, amazing book! If it weren't for the very slow beginning I would have given it 5 stars. A very serious book with a very serious subject matter, one that is dear to my heart - prejudice. I often say that the only people that I am prejudice against is prejudice people.
I loved that this took place in Savannah! I lived in Savannah for a couple years in the 80's. And even in the 80's it was so different than living in NY! There was so much prejudice against the blacks I couldn't stand it. I used to call my mother and cry on the phone. An activist Yankee, she could have been writing about me! Savannah is such a beautiful and historical city, its too bad there is so much hate in it. This book took place in the 40's so I am sure you can imagine. This story reminded me a little bit of The Help.
Then there is the other part of the book - a journal that takes place in the 1800's, that part is good as well! I couldn't decide which part I liked better.
Excellent character development, even in the journal. Although it was slow developing for me, but it did get there and the characters ended up wonderful! I loved them all. Even May's stuck up snobby popular friends were perfectly done. They could have been in "Mean Girls".
This book has so much - racism, scandal, suspense, warmth, acceptance, and love! Its not all just about racism either. There is an unplanned pregnancy (or two!) and a lot of teen angst. And to top it all off - a perfect ending. not necessarily a happy ending, but a believable one. In real life not all endings are happy.
I also want to say that I loved that she followed up with all the characters in the epilogue. I love when books do this - tell what happens to everyone in the future. Everything wrapped up in a bow.
Three cheers for Michele Gorman for attacking such a brave, controversial subject matter!
Thank you Michele for sending me this book for my honest review!
Well this was quite an impressive, amazing book! If it weren't for the very slow beginning I would have given it 5 stars. A very serious book with a very serious subject matter, one that is dear to my heart - prejudice. I often say that the only people that I am prejudice against is prejudice people.
I loved that this took place in Savannah! I lived in Savannah for a couple years in the 80's. And even in the 80's it was so different than living in NY! There was so much prejudice against the blacks I couldn't stand it. I used to call my mother and cry on the phone. An activist Yankee, she could have been writing about me! Savannah is such a beautiful and historical city, its too bad there is so much hate in it. This book took place in the 40's so I am sure you can imagine. This story reminded me a little bit of The Help.
Then there is the other part of the book - a journal that takes place in the 1800's, that part is good as well! I couldn't decide which part I liked better.
Excellent character development, even in the journal. Although it was slow developing for me, but it did get there and the characters ended up wonderful! I loved them all. Even May's stuck up snobby popular friends were perfectly done. They could have been in "Mean Girls".
This book has so much - racism, scandal, suspense, warmth, acceptance, and love! Its not all just about racism either. There is an unplanned pregnancy (or two!) and a lot of teen angst. And to top it all off - a perfect ending. not necessarily a happy ending, but a believable one. In real life not all endings are happy.
I also want to say that I loved that she followed up with all the characters in the epilogue. I love when books do this - tell what happens to everyone in the future. Everything wrapped up in a bow.
Three cheers for Michele Gorman for attacking such a brave, controversial subject matter!
Thank you Michele for sending me this book for my honest review!
September 11, 2013
Little Sacrifices tells the story of May, she's the one telling the reader her tale as she looks back from years in the future. Her voice therefore is sometimes older than her younger self. That did not bother me as I was soon swept up in this story of a post Civil War but pre Civil Rights era Savannah. And Savannah is as much a character in the novel as any human. (It's a beautiful city now. I'm glad I didn't see it in its run down state.)
May is a transplant to the South, her father having been run out of his teaching position "up North" for his highly liberal, progressive views for the times. Both of her parents believed that ALL people, regardless of color, should be treated equally. Dangerous thoughts for the times and especially dangerous for Southern transplants. May is a brand new sophomore in high school so she is at that age where:
her parents can be very embarrassing
she wants desperately to fit in
her social conscious is awakening
Good times for May.
Intertwined within May's story is the tale of the former owner of the home into which she has moved, Mirabelle. May has found her diary and love letters in the attic and this leads May on a somewhat dangerous journey to answer some questions. This plotline, at least to me wasn't as fulfilling as May's - Mirabelle didn't completely come to life. I suppose because she remained a diary and some letters. The mystery though was a good one.
The little sacrifices that must be made for the greater good often turn into bigger sacrifices than anyone planned on or intended. I found May to be a delightful character and Little Sacrifices to be a thought provoking and enjoyable read.
May is a transplant to the South, her father having been run out of his teaching position "up North" for his highly liberal, progressive views for the times. Both of her parents believed that ALL people, regardless of color, should be treated equally. Dangerous thoughts for the times and especially dangerous for Southern transplants. May is a brand new sophomore in high school so she is at that age where:
her parents can be very embarrassing
she wants desperately to fit in
her social conscious is awakening
Good times for May.
Intertwined within May's story is the tale of the former owner of the home into which she has moved, Mirabelle. May has found her diary and love letters in the attic and this leads May on a somewhat dangerous journey to answer some questions. This plotline, at least to me wasn't as fulfilling as May's - Mirabelle didn't completely come to life. I suppose because she remained a diary and some letters. The mystery though was a good one.
The little sacrifices that must be made for the greater good often turn into bigger sacrifices than anyone planned on or intended. I found May to be a delightful character and Little Sacrifices to be a thought provoking and enjoyable read.
August 31, 2012
This story did take me a little bit longer than usual to get into. I was not exactly sure which direction the author was going to take the story. At first I was expecting a drama filled story of an unhappy teenager, running away from home and possibly getting caught up with an older man. But after the bus ride and the conversation that she had I was warming up to the idea of it being more like a historical novel, and a coming of age story.
When May's family moves into the new house she soon discovers a journal that's been hidden of a woman who lived in the house around 1912. And we get alternating chapters between her story and May who is living there in the 1940's.
As the book takes place in Savannah, Georgia. It's told from two very different and evolving times in American History. With a huge focus on civil rights, the Ku Klux Klan and segregation in the South.
May's family moves from the North to Georgia. Which during this time period in our history had huge differences in the interactions between the races. The historical details that went into the novel were noticeably researched and greatly detailed. You can tell that there was a lot of time that went into writing the story.
With the weaving of the stories between the journal and the current time it was a nice change to go back and forth between times. Like most others have mentioned in their reviews, it's really the epilogue that pulls the story together nicely. It was a heavy (emotional) story and a great read. I ended up really loving the main character and her family.
When May's family moves into the new house she soon discovers a journal that's been hidden of a woman who lived in the house around 1912. And we get alternating chapters between her story and May who is living there in the 1940's.
As the book takes place in Savannah, Georgia. It's told from two very different and evolving times in American History. With a huge focus on civil rights, the Ku Klux Klan and segregation in the South.
May's family moves from the North to Georgia. Which during this time period in our history had huge differences in the interactions between the races. The historical details that went into the novel were noticeably researched and greatly detailed. You can tell that there was a lot of time that went into writing the story.
With the weaving of the stories between the journal and the current time it was a nice change to go back and forth between times. Like most others have mentioned in their reviews, it's really the epilogue that pulls the story together nicely. It was a heavy (emotional) story and a great read. I ended up really loving the main character and her family.
July 3, 2013
I started reading Little Sacrifices after reading an intense, YA paranormal novel. I do have to say that I rather enjoyed the relaxing, slower pace that this story had to offer me at this time. The setting of the book takes place in the South, Savannah, Georgia in 1947, and as I imagine the South being, people and events move a lot slower. I was ready for that change of pace.
As noted above, this story is a perfect fit for anyone loving The Secret Lives of Bees (loved it!) or To Kill a Mockingbird (another one to love!). I very much got that type of feeling while reading this book. Little Sacrifices has wonderful character development and is very well written. I really felt like I was there experiencing it all.
May is a spunky young lady who has been taught to do the right thing so when things don't seem 'right' to her in the South, she has a hard time being quiet. She learned this behavior from her father, so the two of them set out to try to 'fix' the South. But not without a cost, to them and those around them.
I loved the side story that we get to enjoy along with the main story of May and her parents adjusting to life in the South. May finds a journal of a women who lived in their house in the early 1900's. That woman's story gives us, the reader, an additional taste of life before our time and reminds us of how everything in connected.
I really did enjoy Little Sacrifices, a lot, and hope that Michele has more great stories to share with us. I know I will be waiting to read them!
As noted above, this story is a perfect fit for anyone loving The Secret Lives of Bees (loved it!) or To Kill a Mockingbird (another one to love!). I very much got that type of feeling while reading this book. Little Sacrifices has wonderful character development and is very well written. I really felt like I was there experiencing it all.
May is a spunky young lady who has been taught to do the right thing so when things don't seem 'right' to her in the South, she has a hard time being quiet. She learned this behavior from her father, so the two of them set out to try to 'fix' the South. But not without a cost, to them and those around them.
I loved the side story that we get to enjoy along with the main story of May and her parents adjusting to life in the South. May finds a journal of a women who lived in their house in the early 1900's. That woman's story gives us, the reader, an additional taste of life before our time and reminds us of how everything in connected.
I really did enjoy Little Sacrifices, a lot, and hope that Michele has more great stories to share with us. I know I will be waiting to read them!
November 24, 2012
The story is definitely a change of pace from the normal zombie apocalypse, murder mysteries, tales of the supernatural I can typically be found reading. The setting is Savannah in the late 1940s with the primary character a 16-year-old girl who had moved with her parents (who possessed rather radical ideas for that time - her father is a history professor with bold ideas, especially for someone newly transplanted in the deep South) from Massachusetts.
The story is actually told in first person - the teenager (May). For the most part, there is nothing extraordinary about it. However, it really wasn't a bad read. The one year covered in the book predates the height of the civil rights era, but that does tie into the book...although nearly as an afterthought, just one small part of May's life. Another side story are the love letters and diaries she finds in the house belong to the former (now deceased) resident and they eventually tie into someone May has grown close to. Teen pregnancy, sexual abuse, and abortion (of the illegal variety...remember, it was the last 40s) also have small roles in the story.
Again...not a bad read, a nice change from the norm for me. I didn't find it difficult to follow, not too many misses in editing (which I see too frequently with eBooks), despite no big plot twists, suspense, etc., it wasn't what I would call boring. I would recommend it to others.
The story is actually told in first person - the teenager (May). For the most part, there is nothing extraordinary about it. However, it really wasn't a bad read. The one year covered in the book predates the height of the civil rights era, but that does tie into the book...although nearly as an afterthought, just one small part of May's life. Another side story are the love letters and diaries she finds in the house belong to the former (now deceased) resident and they eventually tie into someone May has grown close to. Teen pregnancy, sexual abuse, and abortion (of the illegal variety...remember, it was the last 40s) also have small roles in the story.
Again...not a bad read, a nice change from the norm for me. I didn't find it difficult to follow, not too many misses in editing (which I see too frequently with eBooks), despite no big plot twists, suspense, etc., it wasn't what I would call boring. I would recommend it to others.
August 29, 2012
Jamie Scott captured the feelings of the South, mainly Savannah, leading up to the civil rights movement.
Little Sacrifices follows May and her parents move from the North to the South. Mays parents make the move difficult for May due to their outspokenness for Negro rights and other controversial beliefs. May finds herself struggling to hold onto her beliefs and still fit in with her peers.
I felt that this is a story a friend would tell me and many times had to remind myself that it was just a story, an amazing story. I could picture what Savannah was like, from the sweltering heat to the layouts of the streets.
Jamie Scott did a great job showing the the different characters felt about growing up in the South during the civil rights era. Most of the characters who grew up Southern felt that Negroes were extremely lucky with all the rights they have been given already. The Northerners, or Yankees, felt Negroes had been short changed and deserved more, but by stating these ideas were put as outcasts.
I would recommend Little Sacrifices to all my friends and look forward to more books from Jamie Scott.
Little Sacrifices follows May and her parents move from the North to the South. Mays parents make the move difficult for May due to their outspokenness for Negro rights and other controversial beliefs. May finds herself struggling to hold onto her beliefs and still fit in with her peers.
I felt that this is a story a friend would tell me and many times had to remind myself that it was just a story, an amazing story. I could picture what Savannah was like, from the sweltering heat to the layouts of the streets.
Jamie Scott did a great job showing the the different characters felt about growing up in the South during the civil rights era. Most of the characters who grew up Southern felt that Negroes were extremely lucky with all the rights they have been given already. The Northerners, or Yankees, felt Negroes had been short changed and deserved more, but by stating these ideas were put as outcasts.
I would recommend Little Sacrifices to all my friends and look forward to more books from Jamie Scott.
April 28, 2012
This book was a Fun read. I was intrigued by the subject matter and it didn't really disappoint. The book takes place (mostly) in the 1940s Georgia with the story centering around a family of a teenager who recently moved from the north after her father needed to find another job.
Overall, great story line. The characters were well planned out and had serious depth to them. The interactions and connections between all the characters was interesting and really helped drive the story forward. My only real criticism of the novel is that it almost seemed that too many topics were covered in the book. I would have liked to have had a few less with more depth to some of the larger story arcs.
Great book. I will definitely be recommending and loaning this one out to friends (as well as re-reading it in the future).
Disclaimer: I was contacted through GoodReads by the author after a giveaway and was given a copy of this book.
Overall, great story line. The characters were well planned out and had serious depth to them. The interactions and connections between all the characters was interesting and really helped drive the story forward. My only real criticism of the novel is that it almost seemed that too many topics were covered in the book. I would have liked to have had a few less with more depth to some of the larger story arcs.
Great book. I will definitely be recommending and loaning this one out to friends (as well as re-reading it in the future).
Disclaimer: I was contacted through GoodReads by the author after a giveaway and was given a copy of this book.
July 24, 2012
Little Sacrifices by Jamie Scott is an historical novel about the American South just after World War II. But it's also about a young woman dealing with life and its curve balls.
I was instantly drawn in to the story. So much so that I'd forgotten I was reading and wasn't sitting in a hot car under the Savannah, Georgia sun myself. The characters are interesting and the history was well-integrated. The dialogue was a little hard to follow at times because the characters all seem to have the same dialect and there weren't always tags in long conversation.
The voice was authentically teen. Her feelings rang true with me. But for some reason I wasn't emtionally drawn in. Nothing was plucking my heart strings. I think it's because there wasn't a unified story. There were multiple climaxes and story arcs that followed a similar theme but didn't mesh well together.
This is a book I couldn't put down, and I definitely recommend it.
I received this book from the author for review.
I was instantly drawn in to the story. So much so that I'd forgotten I was reading and wasn't sitting in a hot car under the Savannah, Georgia sun myself. The characters are interesting and the history was well-integrated. The dialogue was a little hard to follow at times because the characters all seem to have the same dialect and there weren't always tags in long conversation.
The voice was authentically teen. Her feelings rang true with me. But for some reason I wasn't emtionally drawn in. Nothing was plucking my heart strings. I think it's because there wasn't a unified story. There were multiple climaxes and story arcs that followed a similar theme but didn't mesh well together.
This is a book I couldn't put down, and I definitely recommend it.
I received this book from the author for review.
July 22, 2013
This wasn't an easy story to read it covers a lot of harsh realities that some people lived in the 1940's during a time where the world was in another war not only with other countries but a war fought against, race, skin color, hatred and religion within the time and limits of our own people.
This really was a very realistic look into the life of a teen thrown into the middle of an age old battle and how she, her family and friends fought to overcome it within the town they lived in, the world around them and with each other.
I think even though this covers some very sensitive material that won't be for everyone I think the author handled it quite well and made it very realistic. This was gut wrenching at times having to see, hear and read about the hatred that some of these people faced each and every day and those that loved them and helped them.
This really was a very realistic look into the life of a teen thrown into the middle of an age old battle and how she, her family and friends fought to overcome it within the town they lived in, the world around them and with each other.
I think even though this covers some very sensitive material that won't be for everyone I think the author handled it quite well and made it very realistic. This was gut wrenching at times having to see, hear and read about the hatred that some of these people faced each and every day and those that loved them and helped them.
April 15, 2012
I enjoyed reading this book and really liked the characters. However, I found myself wanting more. There were so many subjects in the story that I thought it was almost too full of plot twists. For example.....a family moves, daughter runs away, awol soldier, neighbor friend and his families story, teen sex, teen pregnancy, abortion, court case, cultural unrest. Any one of these could have been more detailed. It was interesting to read, but in my opinion moved too quickly through all the drama.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2012
Read on Kindle. I liked the storyline, the characters, and what the author was saying. But, when writing about pre-civil rights South, care has to taken not to blur with very well-read books. This one, to me, was well-conceived and was healthy enough with good characters and situations (if a bit cliche') to reach full gestation. But, it became the love child of The Help and To Kill A Mockingbird, with Gone With The Wind in the family tree somewhere. I do recomment it, though, it's a good read.
September 2, 2012
This was a quick read, and a great book for a loaner on Amazon. I always love historical fiction, but haven't read much about the South. I did feel like the book was a little disjointed. It could have been three different stories: about a teenager growing up with liberal parents in the divided South, about that same teenager delving into the history of a woman that lived years before her, and a civil rights story complete with Ku Klux Klan. Instead it just combined all three ideas and never really did any of them the justice it could have.
March 23, 2014
A Northern family from Massachusetts moved to Savannah Georgia in the 1940's. They find it is hard to become acclimated to the south due to differing opinions and beliefs. The story is told By May the Powell's only daughter. I would describe this book as historical fiction. The author did a fantastic job of exploring several social issues during that time period. The book flowed effortlessly and the description made you feel the humidity and see the Spanish Moss swaying in the trees. I was very impressed with the twists and turns and sub plots that blended well together.
September 10, 2013
An interesting book that explores race relations in the American south through the eyes of a teenage girl. Her discovery of abandoned love letters from decades earlier promises an intriguing exploration of family secrets but turns out to be predictable familial saga with no twists that cannot be fathomed a few chapters in advance. The 'message' of the book is in the same ilk as 'To Kill a Mocking Bird' but it lacks Harper Lee's narrative skill and depth. It's an enjoyable, easy read that toys with lots of 'big issues' but doesn't really get to the bottom of any of them.
July 21, 2012
This was a great story about a girl growing to understand and take a stand for what she believes in. I loved watching May as she matured. The characters appear as real people with real strengths and flaws and that is what made the book. My only small drawback is that the flashbacks from the letters disrupted the flow a bit, but I did like the information they contained, and am unsure how it would have been added best to the story. I would enjoy reading another book by this author.
August 4, 2012
Young adult, coming of age novel. 1940's beginnings of Civil Rights struggle in the south.
I received a free digital copy of this novel on my Kindle. This is the first book I've ever completed on the Kindle.
I might have only given the book 3 stars, but the ending was strong.
The "good guys" in this book are very modern for their time (don't believe in organized religion, lots of out-of-wedlock pregnancies, anti-establishment types). No Christians are admirable characters.
I received a free digital copy of this novel on my Kindle. This is the first book I've ever completed on the Kindle.
I might have only given the book 3 stars, but the ending was strong.
The "good guys" in this book are very modern for their time (don't believe in organized religion, lots of out-of-wedlock pregnancies, anti-establishment types). No Christians are admirable characters.
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