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For Lamb
An interracial friendship between two teenaged girls goes tragically wrong in this powerful historical novel set in the Jim Crow South.
For Lamb follows a family striving to better their lives in the late 1930s Jackson, Mississippi. Lamb’s mother is a hard-working, creative seamstress who cannot reveal she is a lesbian. Lamb’s brother has a brilliant mind and has even earned a college scholarship for a black college up north-- if only he could curb his impulsiveness and rebellious nature.
Lamb herself is a quiet and studious girl. She is also naive. As she tentatively accepts the friendly overtures of a white girl who loans her a book she loves, she sets a off a calamitous series of events that pulls in her mother, charming hustler uncle, estranged father, and brother, and ends in a lynching.
Told with nuance and subtlety, avoiding sensationalism and unnecessary brutality, this young adult novel from celebrated author Lesa Cline-Ransome pays homage to the female victims of white supremacy.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
For Lamb follows a family striving to better their lives in the late 1930s Jackson, Mississippi. Lamb’s mother is a hard-working, creative seamstress who cannot reveal she is a lesbian. Lamb’s brother has a brilliant mind and has even earned a college scholarship for a black college up north-- if only he could curb his impulsiveness and rebellious nature.
Lamb herself is a quiet and studious girl. She is also naive. As she tentatively accepts the friendly overtures of a white girl who loans her a book she loves, she sets a off a calamitous series of events that pulls in her mother, charming hustler uncle, estranged father, and brother, and ends in a lynching.
Told with nuance and subtlety, avoiding sensationalism and unnecessary brutality, this young adult novel from celebrated author Lesa Cline-Ransome pays homage to the female victims of white supremacy.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 10, 2023
32 people are currently reading
4729 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
August 14, 2024
In a Nutshell: Slow but hardhitting. This is one YA book that will work wonderfully even beyond its target age group. Good for literary fiction lovers who like character-oriented stories.
Story Synopsis:
Note: Don’t read the Goodreads blurb if you don’t like spoilers. It reveals almost the entire story!
Where the book worked for me:
😍 Have you ever experienced a book that leaves you frustrated and furious and devastated and hopeful at the same time? This book subtly churns all possible intense emotions without going over the top.
😍 While there is a lot of brutality in the book, there is nothing much on page. The author creates impact without sensationalising her writing, allowing the events to speak for themselves while also catering to its target reading segment.
😍 The personalities of the individual characters are written in a very nuanced style. Not once will you question why someone behaves a certain way.
😍 I loved the strong bond between the central trio—Lamb, Simeon, and Marion. It was heartwarming and realistic.
😍 The ending is spellbinding and shocking, while being somewhat bittersweet. There are some things settled, and some things left for us to guess. But it does perfect justice to the story.
😍 Tackling white supremacy and black lynching in a YA book isn’t an easy task, but the author goes just as dark as required. Her focussed approach makes this a good enough read even for adults.
😍 The author’s note left me stunned. The data she provides are shocking. That said, I admire her reason for choosing the names of the Black characters in this book.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
😐 There were too many first person perspectives. While they were written well, it became a bit tedious to keep switching across character voices, especially in the final quarter when the jumps happen more frequently. The first person helps us to know the characters’ inner thoughts especially in times of crisis. So this point has a positive side too. But maybe some of the minor character perspectives could have been written in third person.
😐 It was too slow. (Character-oriented books are always relatively slower, but this was even slower than usual.)
😐 The setting is somewhat underdeveloped, though I am unsure if this is because it was a YA novel. I would have loved some more insights into the town and the time period.
😐 Unlike what the blurb suggests, the LGBTQ angle is barely present in the story.
I wish publishers learnt to keep some things secret in the blurb. This book’s blurb leaves nothing for us to discover. I am not allowing this to affect my rating as this isn’t a flaw of the book. But it still needs to be mentioned: leave a little for us to find out!
Despite the (mostly minor) flaws, this is a book that will not leave me easily. The characters, especially Marion, are the main reason to pick up this impactful novel. There are some brutal scenes off the page, but as the topic covers Black lynching, I guess you should be prepared. It is not an easy read by far.
Strongly recommended to those wanting to read a powerful but slow-paced YA novel. This is one author whose books will now definitely be on my radar.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Holiday House and NetGalley for the DRC of “For Lamb”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
This was a Buddy Read with Srivalli, though my schedule didn't allow me to have detailed discussions with her. But our opinions of the book are very much similar. Do check out her review too.
**********************************************
A personal note not connected directly to the book: (No offence intended.)
These incidents of lynching are no doubt a horrid part of US history. I am sure many white US citizens feel sad or possibly even ashamed of this part of their ancestors’ lives. But we all know that US history isn’t just about lynching, and there are good sides to and good citizens in the country too. I will certainly not take this single book and generalise it to the whole US, saying something like, ‘My opinion of the US has drastically dipped after reading this book.”
Could I please request you all to extend the same courtesy to India (and to the other countries you know nothing about) when you review? I recently read a review (for a fictional novel set in India) by a US reviewer, who wrote and I quote, “In fact, my regard for Indian society dropped several notches after reading this book.” It is one of the most judgemental and ignorant comments I have ever read, and I didn’t expect this from an experienced reviewer. It has been bugging me ever since, and I am glad I found an opportunity to get it off my chest. India isn’t perfect, but can you name any country that is? As Jesus said, “Let who is without sin cast the first stone.”
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Late 1930s. Jackson, Mississippi. Lamb is a young studious girl who is protected at every step by her mother Marion and brother Simeon. Marion is a hardworking seamstress while Simeon is a clever boy who has earned a college scholarship on his own merit. All three of them however have their major flaws. Lamb is naïve, Marion is dominating, and Simeon is impulsive.
When Lamb allows a white girl to offer her friendship, their lives will change in an irreparable manner.
The story is written in the first person perspective of various characters.
Note: Don’t read the Goodreads blurb if you don’t like spoilers. It reveals almost the entire story!
Where the book worked for me:
😍 Have you ever experienced a book that leaves you frustrated and furious and devastated and hopeful at the same time? This book subtly churns all possible intense emotions without going over the top.
😍 While there is a lot of brutality in the book, there is nothing much on page. The author creates impact without sensationalising her writing, allowing the events to speak for themselves while also catering to its target reading segment.
😍 The personalities of the individual characters are written in a very nuanced style. Not once will you question why someone behaves a certain way.
😍 I loved the strong bond between the central trio—Lamb, Simeon, and Marion. It was heartwarming and realistic.
😍 The ending is spellbinding and shocking, while being somewhat bittersweet. There are some things settled, and some things left for us to guess. But it does perfect justice to the story.
😍 Tackling white supremacy and black lynching in a YA book isn’t an easy task, but the author goes just as dark as required. Her focussed approach makes this a good enough read even for adults.
😍 The author’s note left me stunned. The data she provides are shocking. That said, I admire her reason for choosing the names of the Black characters in this book.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
😐 There were too many first person perspectives. While they were written well, it became a bit tedious to keep switching across character voices, especially in the final quarter when the jumps happen more frequently. The first person helps us to know the characters’ inner thoughts especially in times of crisis. So this point has a positive side too. But maybe some of the minor character perspectives could have been written in third person.
😐 It was too slow. (Character-oriented books are always relatively slower, but this was even slower than usual.)
😐 The setting is somewhat underdeveloped, though I am unsure if this is because it was a YA novel. I would have loved some more insights into the town and the time period.
😐 Unlike what the blurb suggests, the LGBTQ angle is barely present in the story.
I wish publishers learnt to keep some things secret in the blurb. This book’s blurb leaves nothing for us to discover. I am not allowing this to affect my rating as this isn’t a flaw of the book. But it still needs to be mentioned: leave a little for us to find out!
Despite the (mostly minor) flaws, this is a book that will not leave me easily. The characters, especially Marion, are the main reason to pick up this impactful novel. There are some brutal scenes off the page, but as the topic covers Black lynching, I guess you should be prepared. It is not an easy read by far.
Strongly recommended to those wanting to read a powerful but slow-paced YA novel. This is one author whose books will now definitely be on my radar.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Holiday House and NetGalley for the DRC of “For Lamb”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
This was a Buddy Read with Srivalli, though my schedule didn't allow me to have detailed discussions with her. But our opinions of the book are very much similar. Do check out her review too.
**********************************************
A personal note not connected directly to the book: (No offence intended.)
These incidents of lynching are no doubt a horrid part of US history. I am sure many white US citizens feel sad or possibly even ashamed of this part of their ancestors’ lives. But we all know that US history isn’t just about lynching, and there are good sides to and good citizens in the country too. I will certainly not take this single book and generalise it to the whole US, saying something like, ‘My opinion of the US has drastically dipped after reading this book.”
Could I please request you all to extend the same courtesy to India (and to the other countries you know nothing about) when you review? I recently read a review (for a fictional novel set in India) by a US reviewer, who wrote and I quote, “In fact, my regard for Indian society dropped several notches after reading this book.” It is one of the most judgemental and ignorant comments I have ever read, and I didn’t expect this from an experienced reviewer. It has been bugging me ever since, and I am glad I found an opportunity to get it off my chest. India isn’t perfect, but can you name any country that is? As Jesus said, “Let who is without sin cast the first stone.”
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
January 8, 2023
Publication Date: 10th Jan 2023
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. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#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.
***
P.P.S.: This was a buddy read with Rosh(Reviews). We liked the writing style, though we couldn't discuss the book due to our schedules. Do check out her review too.
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. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#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.
***
P.P.S.: This was a buddy read with Rosh(Reviews). We liked the writing style, though we couldn't discuss the book due to our schedules. Do check out her review too.
December 4, 2022
A very important, very good, and tough read. Highly recommend it. Expect to be furious but also a little hopeful after finishing the story. Books with that kind of power are precious.
I‘ve never read anything by this author before and wasn‘t sure what to expect. The writing is outstanding, very skilled. Every protagonist has a unique voice, is fleshed out, and we do get the backstories of the grown-up protagonists as well as Lamb‘s and her brother‘s. All of them have dreams and only some still have hope. But the author’s writing is as strong as the protagonists will to live and go on.
The only thing I would have wished for was for Lamb and Marny to meet one more time, for Marny to get to terms - or not- with what happened. With what she had caused.
I really felt the story and the time it was set in and highly recommend it.
I‘ve never read anything by this author before and wasn‘t sure what to expect. The writing is outstanding, very skilled. Every protagonist has a unique voice, is fleshed out, and we do get the backstories of the grown-up protagonists as well as Lamb‘s and her brother‘s. All of them have dreams and only some still have hope. But the author’s writing is as strong as the protagonists will to live and go on.
The only thing I would have wished for was for Lamb and Marny to meet one more time, for Marny to get to terms - or not- with what happened. With what she had caused.
I really felt the story and the time it was set in and highly recommend it.
October 27, 2024
An incredible incredible book.
April 1, 2024
For Lamb by Lesa Cline-Ransome is absolutely outstanding, but I do wish it wasn't quite as slowly paced and I wish there weren't quite as many POV characters. Otherwise, this is a must read piece of YA historical fiction. It deserves much more attention than it has gotten so far.
December 31, 2022
I need a second to process this. The book is simply breathtaking. I honestly don’t know if I want to cry, curse, scream, or question everything around me. The story moves around segregation on the 1950s. And its honestly a strong tale. But it is incredible well told. You get to see the complicated life on the souther US from the perspectives of children and adults. Each of them surviving and trying to live. The narration of each chapter shows how much the author cared about the story. About her characters. And most of all about sharing history as undeniable as it was. Her focus on the lack of justice, violence and lynchings makes this tale tragic. But at the same time reminders you about how history needs to be shared. How those lives need to be acknowledged. And how important it is to remember to not repeat the past.
I honestly can not say with words how much i loved this book. There’s just no way of explaining how incredible this pages are.
This is a book for anyone who wants to lear more about one of the great injustices of the past. And most of all probably a book anyone should read.
I cant thank NetGalley enough for the chance to read an ebook of this book.
I honestly can not say with words how much i loved this book. There’s just no way of explaining how incredible this pages are.
This is a book for anyone who wants to lear more about one of the great injustices of the past. And most of all probably a book anyone should read.
I cant thank NetGalley enough for the chance to read an ebook of this book.
February 27, 2023
This novel broke my heart. At its core, it's a story about a mother's love for her children.
Marion wants nothing but the best for her two children, and in Jackson, Mississippi, in the 1940s, that means keeping them safe. But when Lamb befriends a lonely white girl against her better judgment, it sets off a terrible chain of events. Told from multiple perspectives, this story packs a powerful punch that will leave you feeling all of the emotions.
This book left me feeling so angry, sad, and frustrated, but also hopeful. The characters are made to go through so much. This is the important history people need to learn. The 1940s was not that long ago. I won't lie - it's ugly. It is the kind of history that makes you furious. But that is why it is important to know about it. I appreciated that the author did not hold back - this story is dark.
The characters are rich and dynamic, and I found the writing to be beautiful. Despite being told from several different perspectives, I found it easy to switch back and forth. The audiobook is fantastic as well, as it has a full cast.
Because of the subject matter and how dark the story gets, I recommend this one for ages 15+
Marion wants nothing but the best for her two children, and in Jackson, Mississippi, in the 1940s, that means keeping them safe. But when Lamb befriends a lonely white girl against her better judgment, it sets off a terrible chain of events. Told from multiple perspectives, this story packs a powerful punch that will leave you feeling all of the emotions.
This book left me feeling so angry, sad, and frustrated, but also hopeful. The characters are made to go through so much. This is the important history people need to learn. The 1940s was not that long ago. I won't lie - it's ugly. It is the kind of history that makes you furious. But that is why it is important to know about it. I appreciated that the author did not hold back - this story is dark.
The characters are rich and dynamic, and I found the writing to be beautiful. Despite being told from several different perspectives, I found it easy to switch back and forth. The audiobook is fantastic as well, as it has a full cast.
Because of the subject matter and how dark the story gets, I recommend this one for ages 15+
August 1, 2025
This fantastic book for teens does have some very difficult parts. I expressed audible sounds of distress while listening. This is not said to warn readers awY but to warn readers the difficult parts are so well written you must share your distress with others. I will remember Lamb and the others from this book for a long long time. I look forward to reading more by Ms. Ransom.
January 3, 2023
Heartbreaking and pure, with intertwined voices telling their perspectives and flashbacks. How friends don’t stand up to their families or communities, even when they really need to, and how peer pressure makes that community turn against itself, and how much we put humans through for just being different than us. Most importantly, a hopeful reminder that strength overcomes and love endures.
December 24, 2022
Thank you, NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
For Lamb takes place in 1930’s Mississippi, and truthfully I usually avoid these types of books. I was immediately drawn in by the synopsis of this book, though. It starts out a bit of a slow burner, but you really get to know Lamb, her mother, Marion, and her brother Simeon. I didn’t get bored looking in on their lives, and I could even see some of my own older relatives in the characters. Marion with her tough love reminded me so much of my own grandmother. I felt my heartbreak right along with Lamb’s. I didn’t know exactly how the story was going to play out, but I didn’t suspect Marion’s outcome. My only main issue was that the transition to different character’s POV wasn’t as smooth as it could be in some places. Overall, this is a powerful novel, and I felt all the emotions while reading. I love that the book’s characters are the names of actual lynching victims. I think many people will come to love this book.
For Lamb takes place in 1930’s Mississippi, and truthfully I usually avoid these types of books. I was immediately drawn in by the synopsis of this book, though. It starts out a bit of a slow burner, but you really get to know Lamb, her mother, Marion, and her brother Simeon. I didn’t get bored looking in on their lives, and I could even see some of my own older relatives in the characters. Marion with her tough love reminded me so much of my own grandmother. I felt my heartbreak right along with Lamb’s. I didn’t know exactly how the story was going to play out, but I didn’t suspect Marion’s outcome. My only main issue was that the transition to different character’s POV wasn’t as smooth as it could be in some places. Overall, this is a powerful novel, and I felt all the emotions while reading. I love that the book’s characters are the names of actual lynching victims. I think many people will come to love this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2025
I saw myself in Lamb. I’m just lucky to have been born when I was and not in the 1930s. Each character’s voice is unique and strong. Each character wanting the same thing, but taking different paths to get to love, safety, and a sense of belonging (as is).
library-to-read
May 22, 2024will this be too disturbing for me to read, I wonder...
February 5, 2023
(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eArc in exchange for an honest review).
This book about interracial friendship is so touching and has a crazy storyline. This book should not just be for YA readers but adult readers as well.
This book about interracial friendship is so touching and has a crazy storyline. This book should not just be for YA readers but adult readers as well.
August 20, 2025
This is a must read and whatever you do, don’t skip the afterword. The whole thing will break your heart, but for me, the epitome was the fact that what felt like a pure love developing between two girls in spite of their difference in race was not able to hold, that all the warnings against them being friends were actually right in the end, that the hope that I naturally felt that these girls building a friendship and acting humanely toward one another could, in the end, bring some change to a much uglier society … that that hope was destroyed in the most vicious and hateful way.
September 17, 2023
This was such an amazing book written about such a dark time in history!!! It hurts my heart. My best friend just happened to be black back in the early 70’s and I had to hide our friendship from my parents. This was in East Texas the Bible Belt even!!! Such ignorance back then and still exists in that part of Texas. Even though it’s labeled as a YA read, you won’t be sorry you read it and I’m almost 67!!!
September 3, 2025
4.25 / 5
When the author's note at the end says she took inspiration from public lynchings, particularly of female lynchings that are rarely talked about, you know the book will hold nothing back.
I am at a loss of what exactly to say because how can I even begin to describe a story about injustice.
The author deftly weaves the faulty relationship between white and black folks, and especially when two people try to break that barrier, however slight and innocently. It's frustrating reading today, knowing that this occurred within the lifetimes of those still living, and that some partook and are still walking free. Not to say this persecution doesn't occur today.
The characters were very well written with their internal and external consistencies. What might have seemed weird to one character made total sense to another. And in a book that jumps between characters as much as this one did, it kept up very well.
**********SPOILERS****************
There tried to be a bow at the end, but it was — as I assume the point is — it was the kind of justice that only folks at that time could see as justice. Some guy losing clientele after killing someone is not any kind of true justice. Again, I don't think the book saying that we should consider it real justice, just that the characters considered it as such. Although, I am glad the characters were able to flee north and continued their lives.
When the author's note at the end says she took inspiration from public lynchings, particularly of female lynchings that are rarely talked about, you know the book will hold nothing back.
I am at a loss of what exactly to say because how can I even begin to describe a story about injustice.
The author deftly weaves the faulty relationship between white and black folks, and especially when two people try to break that barrier, however slight and innocently. It's frustrating reading today, knowing that this occurred within the lifetimes of those still living, and that some partook and are still walking free. Not to say this persecution doesn't occur today.
The characters were very well written with their internal and external consistencies. What might have seemed weird to one character made total sense to another. And in a book that jumps between characters as much as this one did, it kept up very well.
**********SPOILERS****************
There tried to be a bow at the end, but it was — as I assume the point is — it was the kind of justice that only folks at that time could see as justice. Some guy losing clientele after killing someone is not any kind of true justice. Again, I don't think the book saying that we should consider it real justice, just that the characters considered it as such. Although, I am glad the characters were able to flee north and continued their lives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2025
Starting off with a methodical and absorbing pace, For Lamb becomes unputdownable as the tragedy unfolds in this heartrending YA novel taking place in the post-WWII era of Mississippi. My heart ached and my stomach twisted with dread and sorrow when the reality of racial violence takes grip, like a literal chokehold constricting breath.
Cline-Ransome wasn’t aiming for a page-turner, and that serves to benefit the remarkable craftsmanship of her prose. The outstanding first-person narratives shift perspectives with tremendous impact and authenticity. The strong vernacular and fine composition of passages demand attention, but offer reward in the lyricism of the language.
It is hard to witness the horror suffered by Marion, the mother of Lamb and Simeon Clark. Both siblings are equally headstrong with a purpose to succeed even in the face of brutal, soul-destroying forces. Cline-Ransome gives us the unvarnished truth of the terror and injustice of Jim Crow violence that has plagued America for centuries, and For Lamb leaves a searing mark that makes it unforgettable.
Cline-Ransome wasn’t aiming for a page-turner, and that serves to benefit the remarkable craftsmanship of her prose. The outstanding first-person narratives shift perspectives with tremendous impact and authenticity. The strong vernacular and fine composition of passages demand attention, but offer reward in the lyricism of the language.
It is hard to witness the horror suffered by Marion, the mother of Lamb and Simeon Clark. Both siblings are equally headstrong with a purpose to succeed even in the face of brutal, soul-destroying forces. Cline-Ransome gives us the unvarnished truth of the terror and injustice of Jim Crow violence that has plagued America for centuries, and For Lamb leaves a searing mark that makes it unforgettable.
February 3, 2023
THIS IS A MUST READ!! It’s also a must listen— the full cast audio was a masterclass.
Lamb lives in the Jim Crow segregated south in Jackson, MS in 1940. Her brother wants to escape to college in Ohio and her mother just wants her children to keep their heads down and stay safe. Through a shared love of reading, Lamb is one day befriended by a white girl. This sets in motion a chain of events that results in a tragedy that changed their lives forever.
I don’t have the words except to say how important this book is, especially in these times. These stories are a truth and reckoning that we need to face.
“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.” Ida B Wells
*Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this audiobook copy for review.
Lamb lives in the Jim Crow segregated south in Jackson, MS in 1940. Her brother wants to escape to college in Ohio and her mother just wants her children to keep their heads down and stay safe. Through a shared love of reading, Lamb is one day befriended by a white girl. This sets in motion a chain of events that results in a tragedy that changed their lives forever.
I don’t have the words except to say how important this book is, especially in these times. These stories are a truth and reckoning that we need to face.
“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.” Ida B Wells
*Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this audiobook copy for review.
June 2, 2024
This should be required reading in America. The difficulties faced by minorities in the South can never be overstated. I really appreciated the honest look at the relationships between different people and the long term effect of maltreatment. I’m going to think about this book for a long time.
Very well written book with great character development! I highly recommend!
Very well written book with great character development! I highly recommend!
January 8, 2023
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus
Lamb lives in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1940s with her mother and her older brother Simeon. Her mother struggles to make ends meet working as a seamstress doing piece work for a woman who owns a business, and occasionally has so much work to do that she makes Lamb stay home from school to help her. Both teens do well academically, and Simeon wants both of them to go to college. He's gotten a scholarship to Wilberforce College in Ohioand while their mother begrudgingly thinks about him going, she seems to put obstacles into Lamb's way. After Simeon breaks his glasses at the hotel where he is working (in an unfortunate incident), Lamb meets Marney Tremper, the eye doctor's daughter. The two are reading the same book, Buck's The Good Earth, which Lamb's teacher had loaned her. The two meet again by chance, and Marney wants to strike up a friendship. She loans Lamb the sequel, and the two meet occasionally. Marney has no clue about what Lamb's life is like as a Black teen, but at least apologizes when she makes insensitive remarks. Lamb knows that it is an ill-advised friendship, but the two connect on many levels. They both feel that they are too heavy and don't connect with their peers, and Marney's mother has passed away; Lamb's father left years ago. Lamb finds out from her uncle that her father is still in town, and after talking to Marney, reconnects with him. Things seem to be going well in Lamb's life despite the community turmoil around her, but then issues come too close to home, and Lamb has to deal with difficult issues.
Strengths: The writing in this was phenomenal. It felt a lot like the teen literature written mid century (I've read an alarming amount of it, so I know!), because of the strong grasp of the social mores of the time and the use of language from the period, but also felt fresh in its pacing and modern examination of serious issues. The length and introspection make this lean a little more toward the young adult spectrum, and the content places it squarely there. High schools who are stuck in time and still read To Kill a Mockingbird would be well advised to pick this up instead if they want students to have an excellent picture of how people's actions, even innocent ones, can put them on paths they would have liked to avoid. Simeon's desire to leave town and become a doctor deserves a book on its own, and his experiences working at the hotel to earn money are harrowing. Lamb's mother has a sad story of her own, and its heart wrenching to think about how few options there were for her during this time period. Readers who have read Finding Langston books will see glimpses of issues that are brought up briefly in that middle grade series explored in their entirety in this difficult but compelling exploration of Lamb's life.
Weaknesses: Books written from multiple perspectives are always harder for me to understand, although many people are fine with them. The fact that some of the chapters took place when Lamb's mother was younger made this even harder for me to follow, but others will have no problem.
What I Really Think: I just wanted to sit on the porch with a glass of lemonade and bask in Lamb's world for a while. It wasn't perfect, and there were lots of challenges, but there was something about her hope for the future and her realistic way of facing it that I enjoyed in the same way I enjoyed books like du Jardin's Dinny Gordon books. I would definitely buy this for a high school library.
Lamb lives in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1940s with her mother and her older brother Simeon. Her mother struggles to make ends meet working as a seamstress doing piece work for a woman who owns a business, and occasionally has so much work to do that she makes Lamb stay home from school to help her. Both teens do well academically, and Simeon wants both of them to go to college. He's gotten a scholarship to Wilberforce College in Ohioand while their mother begrudgingly thinks about him going, she seems to put obstacles into Lamb's way. After Simeon breaks his glasses at the hotel where he is working (in an unfortunate incident), Lamb meets Marney Tremper, the eye doctor's daughter. The two are reading the same book, Buck's The Good Earth, which Lamb's teacher had loaned her. The two meet again by chance, and Marney wants to strike up a friendship. She loans Lamb the sequel, and the two meet occasionally. Marney has no clue about what Lamb's life is like as a Black teen, but at least apologizes when she makes insensitive remarks. Lamb knows that it is an ill-advised friendship, but the two connect on many levels. They both feel that they are too heavy and don't connect with their peers, and Marney's mother has passed away; Lamb's father left years ago. Lamb finds out from her uncle that her father is still in town, and after talking to Marney, reconnects with him. Things seem to be going well in Lamb's life despite the community turmoil around her, but then issues come too close to home, and Lamb has to deal with difficult issues.
Strengths: The writing in this was phenomenal. It felt a lot like the teen literature written mid century (I've read an alarming amount of it, so I know!), because of the strong grasp of the social mores of the time and the use of language from the period, but also felt fresh in its pacing and modern examination of serious issues. The length and introspection make this lean a little more toward the young adult spectrum, and the content places it squarely there. High schools who are stuck in time and still read To Kill a Mockingbird would be well advised to pick this up instead if they want students to have an excellent picture of how people's actions, even innocent ones, can put them on paths they would have liked to avoid. Simeon's desire to leave town and become a doctor deserves a book on its own, and his experiences working at the hotel to earn money are harrowing. Lamb's mother has a sad story of her own, and its heart wrenching to think about how few options there were for her during this time period. Readers who have read Finding Langston books will see glimpses of issues that are brought up briefly in that middle grade series explored in their entirety in this difficult but compelling exploration of Lamb's life.
Weaknesses: Books written from multiple perspectives are always harder for me to understand, although many people are fine with them. The fact that some of the chapters took place when Lamb's mother was younger made this even harder for me to follow, but others will have no problem.
What I Really Think: I just wanted to sit on the porch with a glass of lemonade and bask in Lamb's world for a while. It wasn't perfect, and there were lots of challenges, but there was something about her hope for the future and her realistic way of facing it that I enjoyed in the same way I enjoyed books like du Jardin's Dinny Gordon books. I would definitely buy this for a high school library.
May 24, 2023
Jim Crowe Laws govern Jackson, Mississippi, in the 1940s. Lamb, a black teenager, and her brother, Simeon, are looking for more than Jackson. They want freedom, to be who they are without fearing repercussions from white people. They want an education beyond housewife and laborer. Momma wants Simeon and Lamb; people to love and who love her, so when they talk about moving north, Momma is furious that they don't accept the South and Jackson. When Lamb is befriended by a white doctor's daughter, Marnie, she knows their friendship isn't right, but she also continues to meet her and talk with her. But everything changes the night Marnie's brother George catches the two together. How can Lamb trust anyone when much of her life is lived in fear and lies? Is escaping Jackson the answer, or must Lamb remain to be with those she loves?
I enjoyed For Lamb, but I found it slow at first. The first half of the story is exposition which is important but also slows the pace down immensely. Once George finds Marnie and Lamb together things pick up (with an ending that is heart-breaking). It was after I read the "Author's Note" that I appreciated the book more. Cline-Ransome used names of victims throughout the novel to memorialize those who lost their lives during dark days in U.S. history. I thank her for this. I wish I would have read the note first because it made me appreciate much more about the novel. I listened to parts of the novel, and the readers are very engaging. I do with the cover art was more appealing.
I enjoyed For Lamb, but I found it slow at first. The first half of the story is exposition which is important but also slows the pace down immensely. Once George finds Marnie and Lamb together things pick up (with an ending that is heart-breaking). It was after I read the "Author's Note" that I appreciated the book more. Cline-Ransome used names of victims throughout the novel to memorialize those who lost their lives during dark days in U.S. history. I thank her for this. I wish I would have read the note first because it made me appreciate much more about the novel. I listened to parts of the novel, and the readers are very engaging. I do with the cover art was more appealing.
February 2, 2023
For Lamb could have been the story of any of the young girls or women who were among the over 500 Black people lynched in Mississippi. But For Lamb tells the story of a sweet 16 year-old-girl, Lamb and her family. Lamb is quiet, studious, and helpful, but she's also too trusting. It's that naivety that causes her and her family trouble when Lamb befriends a white girl. That trouble soon blooms into tragedy.
As I've said in many of my historical fiction reviews, I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but the ones I love best are the ones that teach me something (like Mississippi's horrific lynching statistic). But not only that, but in For Lamb, Cline-Ransome creates a character in Lamb that you just can't help but love. This is a heartbreaking but beautifully constructed story, and if you can stomach some difficult history then I definitely recommend this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. I really enjoyed the full-cast narration by Tyla Collier; Kevin R. Free; Rebecca Lee; Jaime Lincoln Smith; Dion Graham, and Angel Pean. The emotion just oozed out of their voices making the story that much more wonderful.
As I've said in many of my historical fiction reviews, I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but the ones I love best are the ones that teach me something (like Mississippi's horrific lynching statistic). But not only that, but in For Lamb, Cline-Ransome creates a character in Lamb that you just can't help but love. This is a heartbreaking but beautifully constructed story, and if you can stomach some difficult history then I definitely recommend this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. I really enjoyed the full-cast narration by Tyla Collier; Kevin R. Free; Rebecca Lee; Jaime Lincoln Smith; Dion Graham, and Angel Pean. The emotion just oozed out of their voices making the story that much more wonderful.
February 17, 2024
This book was incredibly hard to read. Anything about the Jim Crow south is hard to read, but when it comes to a narrator who is a young girl who doesn’t really understand how the world works, it made it that much more devastating. Also, knowing from the beginning that someone is going to be lynched and you don’t know who it is made it that much more stress inducing. As you’ve learned to like the characters, you keep wondering which one you were going to lose. I feel like the voices were incredibly authentic and their experiences were put to paper so viscerally. I think a lot of kids would struggle with this book, just as a lot of adults would. but that makes it all the more necessary.
May 7, 2023
Incredibly important book about an under explored topic. The set up is long but the climax delivers. Everything is fine until it isn’t. Cline-Ransom’s characters have depth and the multi POV Structure gives a 360 view of incredibly challenging times. Contains the n-word so tread carefully, teachers.
April 5, 2023
Wow. Just heartbreaking. Especially when you hear the author’s notes at the end of the book. I listened to the audio version and it was very well done.
Read
January 23, 2023Reviewing for professional magazine- see review there. You'll need to.
January 15, 2024
Devastating.
July 30, 2024
Audio 4.5 This was heart wrenching and written in a way that felt vivid and true. Ugh.
December 30, 2022
Powerful, heart-wrenching, and absolutely unforgettable.
The first pages established so much tension, and yet, as soon as I got into the story, I forgot about those eyes, that moment, that betrayal, until came back to it at the end. I think that’s an amazing “trick” to pull off. I knew what to expect, and yet, even as I barreled forward through the story, at no point did I know what/who that moment was truly going to be about.
Told in multiple POVs - the voices are strong and distinctive and that we see the story from all those varied POVs and the story moved steadily forward was beautiful. I was also struck how easy it was to flow from one to the other even as there was no discernible rhythm to the switching btw POVS, other than what the story demanded.
The tension Lamb experiences in that “friendship” with Marny is just so resonant- the need to be seen, to be heard, to share the things you love even with someone you know is the worst kind of trouble is just so painfully true.
And Marny. The many sides of Marny. I despise her, but I also see her. You want to scream RUN LAMB from the get-go. But the connection of what looks like a deeper friendship than any others is … oh my heart. Marny's willful ignorance, and her ultimate betrayal which we knew she didn’t have the character to stand up against, even as her affection for Lamb was real.
I have a tendency to remember books and movies by how they make me feel, and don't tend to remember specific scenes etc, but I dont think Ill be forgetting anything of this story.
Thinking about it makes me weepy
And angry
And sad
And so mad
This is a must read!
The first pages established so much tension, and yet, as soon as I got into the story, I forgot about those eyes, that moment, that betrayal, until came back to it at the end. I think that’s an amazing “trick” to pull off. I knew what to expect, and yet, even as I barreled forward through the story, at no point did I know what/who that moment was truly going to be about.
Told in multiple POVs - the voices are strong and distinctive and that we see the story from all those varied POVs and the story moved steadily forward was beautiful. I was also struck how easy it was to flow from one to the other even as there was no discernible rhythm to the switching btw POVS, other than what the story demanded.
The tension Lamb experiences in that “friendship” with Marny is just so resonant- the need to be seen, to be heard, to share the things you love even with someone you know is the worst kind of trouble is just so painfully true.
And Marny. The many sides of Marny. I despise her, but I also see her. You want to scream RUN LAMB from the get-go. But the connection of what looks like a deeper friendship than any others is … oh my heart. Marny's willful ignorance, and her ultimate betrayal which we knew she didn’t have the character to stand up against, even as her affection for Lamb was real.
I have a tendency to remember books and movies by how they make me feel, and don't tend to remember specific scenes etc, but I dont think Ill be forgetting anything of this story.
Thinking about it makes me weepy
And angry
And sad
And so mad
This is a must read!
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