Reversible Skirt by Laura McHale Holland

Reversible Skirt Reviews

• 
  Michelle

  Readers are drawn in immediately by Laura's compelling child narrative, and care deeply about the three adorable little girls Kathy, Mary Ruth, and Laura shown on the debut book cover of "Reversible Skirt: A Memoir" authored by Laura McHale Holland.
  
  In the 1950's, the three girls were very young children when their father quickly remarried after loosing their mother tragically to suicide. A chilling maternal narrative following early chapters suggests a troubled marriage and a wife/mother unloved by her husband. Despite being a successful engineer with a good income, nice cars and home, the girl's father seemed indifferent or unaware that his second wife was very cruel and abusive and had absolutely no business caring for his young daughter's. This also included her elderly father, "Grampa Adam's" who was always cross with the girls and only viewed them as a nuisance. It was understandable when he died Laura felt zero emotion regarding his passing.
  
  The girls dearly loved their father, he worked very hard to support a stay-at-home wife and family. Laura received a reversible skirt as a gift from her father one year, which allowed her the option of a combination of outfits, instead of wearing the same dress all the time. The girls were always shabbily dressed, not permitted new expensive clothing. Other students commented on Laura's poor hygiene, the girls weren't permitted to bathe or wash their hair regularly in a effort to conserve water. Only allowed into the house around dinnertime, when they were older, their records were deliberately scratched, transistor radios were turned on while they were in school to run down the batteries. A normal or even marginally happy childhood was never possible, as the girls attempted to understand and come to terms with their harsh existence.
  
  On November 5th 1960, the girls lost their father likely from an unnamed cancer diagnosis. Laura observed the day after his death: (from the book)..... "Morning creeps up like an upset stomach, and pretty soon I'm a zombie trudging to school. I don't understand why somebody--Gramma, Uncle John, George, Violet-- couldn't have said that maybe it would be better for us not to go to school today." Their father's illness and death were never discussed, the girls were expected to carry on as if nothing had ever happened.
  Predictably, as the girls matured, they found their voice and were empowered to defend themselves against their step-mother. In the Epilogue Laura concluded in her adult narrative, without resentment or bitterness of life lessons learned in the face of adversity; which have definitely included a more compassionate, understanding, and loving motherhood for her own children. With gratitude and thanks for the e-ARC for the purpose of review. ~ A second book: "Resilient Ruin: A Memoir of Hopes Dashed and Reclaimed" is due for release November 1, 2016.
• 
  Arlene Miller

  Beautiful story, very touching. Beautifully written. I would definitely recommend this one!
• 
  Eva

  Reversible Skirt
  by Laura McHale Holland
  
  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
  
  Laura McHale Holland broaches the subject, suicide, which has long been a taboo subject in western society. The author tells the story of three little girls, herself one of them, coping with the big secret, their mother's suicide. Children back then were not supposed to remember, have feelings or understand. Armed with these presumptions and an iron will, Laura's stepmother runs her charges with cruel rules and chores, forcing the girls to eventually unite against her.
  
  Even though our childhoods were literally a world apart, I could relate to many of the problems of the girls faced. I had a grandmother whom I adored in spite of my mother's interference. There was a dark hole about my paternal grandfather's death of what they called "depression" that was never explained. As for the lack of nice school clothes, I could actually feel the pain of a teenage girl, because I've walked in those shoes.
  
  The author describes, amazingly well, the thoughts and feelings that run through her little-girl mind, never faltering to show us, without being tempted to add an adult comment, the events as they unfold. Her naiveté, coupled with longing for something else, something better, is palpable.
  
  To fill in the adult background, she cleverly interjects the missing information with a number of handwritten letters, from her deceased mother, who as a roaming spirit, watches over them and tries to explain herself.
  
  The book delves into a very difficult subject. Well written and honest, this book makes for a thought provoking read. I am looking forward to a sequel, to find out what happened to the girls after they freed themselves from the clutches of a truly wicked or may be just incompetent stepmother.
  
  Reviewed by Eva Kende
  
  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
  
• 
  Ann Philipp

  Expertly written, a poignant and honest story of Laura, a young girl who manages to keep afloat in a world flooded with loss and abuse. Surrounded by lies and deceit, Laura's underlying strength acts like a lighthouse guiding her through a tumultuous childhood. Interspersed with sweet events that captivate and give us hope. A reminder of the resiliency of the human spirit.
• 
  David Richardson

  I received this book for free from the Goodreads first-read giveaway. I thought this book was really depressing. I appreciate that the author had a bad childhood but I like books that make me feel happy. I have enough depression of my own.
• 
  Lynn Mccarthy

  I thought this book was sad its not a feel good book.....
  It is a childs story of abuse Laura with her sisters when her mum commits suicide and her dad remarries then her dad dies and they are left with there abusive stepmother ..... The author did a good job of seeing through her eyes ....
• 
  Janette Fuller

  Laura McHale Holland has written a poignant memoir about her childhood. "Reversible Skirt" tells the story of how Laura and her two sisters survived years of emotional and physical abuse after their mother committed suicide. This book is a heart-wrenching account of a family gone terribly wrong. The author is sharing her story with the hope that readers will be reminded of the depth and complexity of children. No matter how things appear to an outside observer, one never knows what the child is really experiencing at home.
  
  One evening, Laura and her sisters come home from a neighborhood Halloween party and find their mother hanging from the rafters of the basement ceiling. This is the beginning of a long, tragic saga for the young girls.
  The older two sisters are sent off to a Catholic orphanage and little Laura is taken in by her maternal grandparents. In a desperate attempt to keep the family together, their father marries a mean, cruel woman and tells the children that this is their mother.
  Things get worse...much worse. When the girls are still in their pre-teen years, their father becomes ill and dies. The wicked stepmother continues to be a "mommy" to the girls so that she can collect social security benefits and not have to get a job.
  Laura Holland describes many experiences that took place in her childhood home that were frightening, humiliating and painful. The good news is that the girls survived and went on to live the normal lives that they dreamed about as children.
  
  Ms. Holland has done an excellent job relating the difficult emotions and thoughts that she experienced as a child. It must have been very difficult to relive the devastating pain that she experienced at the hands of the adults in her early life.
  This book was very hard for me to read. I know that I should not stick my head in the sand because there are many children in the world who are suffering the same kind of abuse that Laura endured for so many years. The author wrote the book to make a plea for good people to be alert to bad situations. She also acknowledged that her father was doing what he thought was best for the family at the time. Her stepmother was abandoned as a child and was abused by her caregivers. So...history repeats itself.
  
  I can't say that you will enjoy reading this book, but I can say that you will gain insight and understanding into the plight of abused children.
  
  Disclosure: I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the book's publicist to read and review.
• 
  ILoveBooks

  How do you cope with your mother's suicide? The author attempts to answer that question-or at least show how she dealt with the issue. When her mother commits suicide, Laura is left behind with her two sisters. When her father dies, Laura and her siblings are left with an abusive stepmother. The situation really couldn't get too much worse. The one redeeming quality of the whole situation is the way Laura and her sisters come together to form a cohesive unit.
  
  
  The author's feelings in the book are raw. A reader can expect a slight tear-jerker out of this memoir. For being so young, the author has a remarkable memory and describes the situation so perfectly the reader can picture the scenes in his/her own head. The idea that the pieces of the author's life fell into place in the way they did is sad, but it is amazing how people manage to make the best of bad situations. The reader will feel very close to the author throughout the novel, rooting for her and her siblings the entire time.
  
  
  The author fills in the gaps of her adult life with letters from her mother, partly explaining why she did what she did and the background behind the act. This book is hard to put down and will definitely make for a good read for adult readers.
  
• 
  Barbara Carter

  I was pulled into the story immediately and wanted to keep reading. Amazed at her early memories,
  and the vividness of her child's voice. Beginning the book, I was aware that both her parents had died, but I didn't know when. I believed the woman she called mommy to be her birth mother until I found out she was actually the step-mother. I liked how it came as a shock to me, as it would have been a shock to Laura at the time. I had read this book after reading Resilient Ruin. And not having read Reversible Shirt first did not make it any less interesting, in fact it only made me more interested. What I take away from this book is a reminder of the importance to heal from our inner wounds so that our unrecognised pain is not passed on to others.
  
  
• 
  Andi Tubbs

  This was a touching story, that tore at my heart. First having to deal with her mother's suicide which this young girl tries to answer Why? Then her father remarries and tells his daughters that this woman is there mother. They know that she is not because she is distant and abusive, something their mother wasn't.
  This is not a feel good, fuzzy, warm book. It is an honest look at abused children and what they endure. You will gain insight and compassion for those that have gone through it.
• 
  Elaine Webster

  Women's Memoir speaks to the heart and Reversible Skirt is no exception. Laura McHale Holland describes childhood experiences, that unfortunately too many share. However, there is hope in the pages of this book--good times as well as bad. And the sisters' bond is one to be envied. A beautiful read by a wonderful author. I highly recommend it.
• 
  Cristie Underwood

  The author endures her mother's suicide along with her sisters and her father promises to keep his family together. He marries a woman that becomes increasingly abusive to Laura and her sisters. The girls do stick together and this memoir is written in a child's narrative of these events. This was a powerful read and stays with you long after you finish reading.
• 
  Jan

  A story from a child's view of emotional abuse and the suicide of her mother. I think the author did a very good job of putting us in her shoes of a confused child trying to please the adults in her life.
• 
  Kelly Long

  Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
  This book is pretty depressing to read. I had a bit of a hard time getting used to the writing style as it is from a child's perspective. But as she got older, the book got more interesting and I got more into the story.
  How confusing it must've been for the author to lose her mother to suicide at such a young age and then be told her dad's new wife is her mother. This new mother was emotionally abusive to these girls, which had to have added so much more confusion.
• 
  Janilyn Kocher

  Reversible Skirt is a depressing memoir. Three little girls are shuttled from house to house after the suicide of their mother. Their stepmother is abusive and controlling, especially after the death of their father. It's hard to discern what happened as the author talks of things from a child's perspective. Even in the epilogue she really doesn't explain much and I think more information would have enhanced the story. Thanks to NetGalley and Wordforest for the early read in exchange for my honest review.
• 
  Charlene

  I confess. I am a fan of Laura McHale Holland's careful use of detail to describe, but not dramatize. In some way her discipline around description provides a palpable emotional content to her work.
  I believe we need stories of those who have risen victorious from the ashes of childhood gone wrong. McHale Holland delivers every time. Well worth the read.
• 
  Vnunez-Ms_luv2read

  Compelling read of loss and rising above odds. Physical abuse of any kind is uncalled for, but moreso when it is abuse of a child. Powerful read. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on my review.
• 
  Malina

  Three sisters growing up with not so normal family dynamics. The parents try really hard to have a family unit, but the lack of money makes the stepmother almost a mirror image of the evil stepmother in Cinderella. The girls adapt to ever changing life events, some very sad others not. There are cringe-worthy moments with both the stepmother and their father, who I believe wanted to stay in the good graces of the stepmother. It's a very good, yet sad story. For all the things they went though the story ends quite beautifully. For those who grew up with little money, you can relate to some parts of the story. Others who have may not experienced this, might not like the book as much. Just my opinion.
  
• 
  Sue Owen

  For me, at the very bottom of my reading lists are autobiographies. I like to preface any autobio that I review with that sentence because very few of them actually catch my attention and are able to hold my interests. I’m sorry to say, this was one of them. Although I was unable to finish it, this certainly was not without good points and, if you like this type of writing, it is a great representation.
  
  The author did a great job of representing the child-like references for the early years. I did like her subtle nuances of the little girl trying to figure out the adult world around her and how she was going to be able to fit into it. It is a sweet story and free from the usual indie misspellings and rough patches of reading misuse of words, bad grammar, etc.
  
• 
  Anthony

  enjoyed the read