THE PLOT: The Mercy Step by Marcia Hutchinson is a historical novel about a young Black girl with an abusive childhood in 1960’s Bradford. Mercy is the middle child in a large, chaotic family. Her siblings don’t understand her, her mother is devoted to the Church and her father is terrifying. Mercy finds solace in books but escapism has its limits when she has to live with the threat of her father’s fists each day. Desperate for her mother to leave him, Mercy learns that she must build the courage to set herself free.
SUMMARY: This is a brilliant novel which I cannot recommend enough. I mean, a historical story about a Black girl’s coming-of-age was always going to appeal to me. But, the fact its beautifully written as well as emotionally devastating… sign me up! This book is a moving portrayal of the first-generation immigrant experience. Born in the UK, the novel’s opening is extremely effective as it starts with Mercy’s literal birth. Although her parents long for Jamaica as their real home, Mercy must navigate 1960’s Bradford and has a relationship to the UK that they can’t understand. The fear of her father’s physical abuse is palpable and I wanted to protect her so badly. However, I liked how nuanced and complex all of the relationships are, particularly as Mercy’s siblings each have their own unique experiences. Rejected by fifty publishers then shortlisted for the Women’s Prize, this novel has been a surprise yet standout success. A work of autofiction, its appealed to a broad swathe of readers because it’s raw, real and relatable.
GOOD BITS: There are so many positives I could list about this book but the aspect that stays with me is, surprisingly, Mercy’s mother. She’s an extremely sympathetic character but is not perfect and this grey area makes the book feel even more devastating. It’s clear that she loves her daughter but some of her choices – particularly around the pastor in Birmingham – made my heart hurt. Although she isn’t the focus, the maternal storyline makes modern readers reflective about the time-period the book is set in. It depicts how women are conditioned to protect and value men at the expense of everything, the challenges the first wave of working immigrant mothers faced, and the hardships before widespread access to reproductive healthcare. While this novel is undoubtedly Mercy’s story and I loved how she was able to step away from her mother at the end, it’s an important reminder of how far women’s rights have come and how easily they could slip back.
NOT SO GOOD BITS: N/A
OVERALL: I’d recommend this book to fans of Matilda by Roald Dahl, Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart and Betty by Tiffany McDaniel. If you enjoy historical fiction, this is a book you won’t regret buying. You can purchase this book (with a discount) and support @aminasbookshelf via my bookshop.org. affiliate link.
