Liz's Reviews > Hold You Down

I have a lot to say about this book! I loved it and was riveted by both the audio and ebook which I rotated through.

Sisters Lex and Mercy live in New York (Harlem then Staten Island). Their lives go down different paths as Lex enters the drug game and Mercy stays on the straight and narrow. The backdrop is 1980s New York with all its glitz, glamour, crime and edge. Their sons, Judah and Deon, are exposed to the lives and the decisions they’ve made, good and bad. The second half of the book then follows the boys as they grow up, find themselves entangled in similar good or bad decisions and come to terms with their roles in life and as a family.

I was immediately taken by this gritty and gut wrenching drama. I loved each character and their development. The women were complex as were the circumstances of their lives. The second part of the book that follows the sons is equally heartbreaking in new ways. The peak into these lives was important and I’m glad to have read this book; this is likely to be a favorite of the month (Sept) for me. I also think this could be an excellent book club pick! I personally would love to talk about it with others so let me know if you’ve read it or plan to.