Reversible Skirt A Memoir eBook Laura McHale Holland
Download As PDF : Reversible Skirt A Memoir eBook Laura McHale Holland 
A deadly tragedy. Misplaced trust. Will three orphans survive intact?
On the verge of losing his children after his wife ends her life, a desperate father remarries in haste to reunite his family. It’s the 1950s. He is Catholic. Suicide is a sin, shameful. He tells his three little girls his new wife is their mother. Laura, a toddler, finds the woman strange and surprisingly bitter, but she trusts her father. Mommy must have changed, she thinks, like dough baking turns into bread. The truth, kept secret, festers.
Years later, Laura’s father is dying. His wife promises to love his girls as her own. Instead, she grows increasingly sadistic and vile.
No one can stop her from doing harm. Nevertheless, Laura and her sisters are not defeated. Their father’s wish that they stay together comes true, although not in the way he’d imagined.
Reversible Skirt, a memoir, is the tender telling of a little girl’s odyssey through an abusive childhood. If you like honest voices, characters that crackle with life, exquisite language, and true stories of strength in the face of adversity, you’ll love Laura McHale Holland’s heart-wrenching testament to the power of forgiveness and love.
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Reversible Skirt A Memoir eBook Laura McHale Holland
This struck me as a novel out of its own era. I was reminded of an older time, almost like a Jane Austen novel where family dynamics are on full display. I don't know much about the author, but I would assume that she drew some aspects of the novel from her own experiences or from people she knew because some of the moments were nearly too visceral to be pure fiction. Or perhaps she is just that talented of a writer. Kathy, Mary Ruth, and Laura are a powerful trio that sticks together no matter what, defying the odds that are stacked against them and making the most of their corner of the world. The book is both sad and inspiring, which makes for an emotional read that some people might not be looking for. There are bright spots, but generally, the feel of the book is that something bad is going to happen around every corner.Without giving away too much, I can say that things do look up at the end, but the journey to happiness is plagued with problems for this family, particularly those three little girls. The writing itself was powerful and mature, showing a writer with a great deal of talent. Being able to describe the difficulties of a specific family, yet still making it universally acceptable is a rare gift, which this author has in spades. I would definitely recommend this book for a thought-provoking, uplifting, challenging, and inspiring read.
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Reversible Skirt A Memoir eBook Laura McHale Holland Reviews
I read this book because my sister knows the author. I thought, "Well, it would be fun to read a book by a local author! I'll check it out." And it turned out to be so much more than I had expected. Ms. Holland captures the spirit of her younger self so beautifully and convincingly as she recounts the events of her painful childhood, in which she is ripped repeatedly from everything she loves--except her two sisters. Throughout their unimaginably painful young lives, the girls form an unbreakable bond. They survive. Together. This is a heart-wrenching story of the bond of sisterhood and its ability to survive and flourish in the toughest of times. I love a good memoir, and I would put this at among my favorites. If you have sisters--whether born or found--you must read this book. If you love stories of perseverance and survival, if you love books that celebrate the human spirit, if you love books whose words bring the characters to life, you must read this book. Count me a fan, Ms. Holland!
When I read the plot description of this novel, I thought that I would be in for a distinctly depressing read, but was told that it was worth giving a shot by someone whose opinion I value. Therefore, I dug into the book and gave it a shot. While it did have a number of decidedly sad moments that were difficult to read, it was more the story of overcoming impossibly challenging circumstances and transcending the unfortunate parts of life with the people you love. The bonds of brothers and sisters is something that many people in the world understand, but there is nothing that brings together a family like tragedy, particularly young, impressionable girls like Kathy, Mary Ruth, and Laura. The perspective of the narrator was initially a bit difficult, since I am not a young girl, but the continuity of the POV was very well done. I think that Holland not only has a knack for compelling story-telling, but also a passion for exposing truths about human nature. The relationship between the three girls is inspiring, and while certain moments were a bit "over the top" cheesy, it was generally a fascinating and (almost) tear-jerking novel. I would enjoy reading something from Holland on a different subject, since I enjoyed her writing talents a bit more than the story itself. Either way, it is a novel worth reading, so well done!
Laura McHale-Holland’s memoir, Reversible Skirt, is a potent story of deep loss and triumph over insidious injustice. Three sisters, ages two through four, return from a Halloween party and discover their mother’s suicide. Laura is the youngest. Their father hastily remarries.
We’re all familiar with how devastating physical abuse can be for a child, but chronic verbal denigrations have the potential to bruise and cut at a child’s psyche in ways as damaging, or more, than physical abuse. The psychological bullying by the stepmother, witnessed through Laura’s eyes, is concealed from the outside world. A sensitive teacher notices the quiet little girl, that gentle and talented child, who hangs her head just so or is slower to smile at the beginning of a day but whose trust blossoms by the last class, as she is released from the claws of irrational taunts. In one of many powerful scenes, the stepmother makes nine-years-old Laura attend school the day after a death in her family. Her teacher’s sensitive response and Laura’s vivid recollection of the moment the insightful teacher reads the note sent by the stepmother brought me to tears.
Reversible Skirt is vividly told through the eyes and voice of young Laura, from age two through about twelve. This is not a whining, woe-is-me story. Instead, vivid images, specific interactions, and authenticity carry the memoir. The maturation of the sisters’ relationship, and tender moments with a loving grandmother and kind uncle, help the protagonist stay whole—possibly sane.
I was deeply moved by Laura’s gripping story. At times, I wanted to jump into the page and plant myself between her and the bitter and spiteful woman parading as her mother. If this story were fiction, the stepmother character would not be believable. Compelling and evocative, Laura’s voice rings with honesty—no hyperbole necessary. It is McHale-Holland’s genetically-rooted goodness, generous spirit, and evolving bonds with her sisters that make her story of early loss one of triumph and hope. If you enjoy beautifully-written, engaging memoirs, I highly recommend Reversible Skirt.
This struck me as a novel out of its own era. I was reminded of an older time, almost like a Jane Austen novel where family dynamics are on full display. I don't know much about the author, but I would assume that she drew some aspects of the novel from her own experiences or from people she knew because some of the moments were nearly too visceral to be pure fiction. Or perhaps she is just that talented of a writer. Kathy, Mary Ruth, and Laura are a powerful trio that sticks together no matter what, defying the odds that are stacked against them and making the most of their corner of the world. The book is both sad and inspiring, which makes for an emotional read that some people might not be looking for. There are bright spots, but generally, the feel of the book is that something bad is going to happen around every corner.
Without giving away too much, I can say that things do look up at the end, but the journey to happiness is plagued with problems for this family, particularly those three little girls. The writing itself was powerful and mature, showing a writer with a great deal of talent. Being able to describe the difficulties of a specific family, yet still making it universally acceptable is a rare gift, which this author has in spades. I would definitely recommend this book for a thought-provoking, uplifting, challenging, and inspiring read.
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