Hand Me Down: A Novel

“A sad, compelling read.” -People“Melanie Thorne's debut novel is raw with emotion as she describes Liz's often futile efforts to protect her sister and herself from the predator their mother has invited into their lives. It is often hard to remember that this is, in fact, a novel and not a memoir… Thorne's novel is an eye-opener… she leaves the reader haunted by a nagging question: What happens to the children who are not so lucky?” -Associated Press“Thorne sounds utterly liberated as she describes the merits of exploring fact through fiction… With the clear-eyed honesty of a Daniel Woodrell or Bonnie Jo Campbell character, Liz describes the pain of being a young person among careless, thrill-seeking men and hardworking, wounded women.” -San Francisco Chronicle“Hand Me Down, which recalls the gritty power of Dorothy Allison's Bastard Out of Carolina, is fiction with the ring of truth.” -San Jose Mercury News“The novel’s adolescent perspective is sure to find popularity with YA audiences.” -Library Journal