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Mulberry, Georgia #3
The Hand I Fan With
Bestselling author Tina McElroy Ansa is back with another tale from Mulberry, Georgia, the richly drawn fictional town and home of the extraordinary Lena McPherson. Lena, now forty-five and tired of being "the hand everyone fans with," has grown weary of shouldering the town's problems and wants to find a little love and companionship for herself. So she and a friend perform a supernatural ritual to conjure up a man for Lena. She gets one all a ghost named Herman who, though dead for one hundred years, is full of life and all man. His love changes Lena's life forever, satisfying as never before both her physical and spiritual needs. Filled with the same "humor, grace, and great respect for power of the particular" ( The New York Times Book Review ) as her previous critically acclaimed novels, Baby of the Family and Ugly Ways, The Hand I Fan With is yet another memorable and life-affirming tale from one of America's best-loved authors.
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
About the author
Tina McElroy Ansa
10 books207 followersTina McElroy Ansa was an American novelist, filmmaker, teacher, businesswoman and journalist. Her work appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Newsday,The Atlanta Constitution, Florida Times-Union, Essence Magazine, The Crisis, Ms. Magazine, America Magazine, and Atlanta Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
May 19, 2013
MY FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME!! I could really relate to the story of Lena, as she was very much like me - I was born with a 'caul' or 'veil' over my face, middle-aged, and very much ready for some love in my life. Herman was the absolute perfect partner! How I wish I had a Herman in my life...
The book is superbly written, and the references to the spirituality of Lena due to her 'veil' is very descriptive, charming and illuminatingly sensual. I felt I was watching her every step of the way, and felt her transcending emotions throughout the book. Tina McElroy Ansa outdid herself on this one... I simply adore it! A wonderful way to spend my days reading this awesome story of love, spirituality and sensuality... GET IT TODAY!
The book is superbly written, and the references to the spirituality of Lena due to her 'veil' is very descriptive, charming and illuminatingly sensual. I felt I was watching her every step of the way, and felt her transcending emotions throughout the book. Tina McElroy Ansa outdid herself on this one... I simply adore it! A wonderful way to spend my days reading this awesome story of love, spirituality and sensuality... GET IT TODAY!
October 12, 2010
This book is many things and although the love story is very well done, is extremely sensual and touching, a large part of the book is just Lena's. And Lena is a wonderfully funny, likable character. The book is about her growth as a person as she learns how to slow down and enjoy the simpler pleasures of life - and learns that she doesn't have to please everyone (and learns that some people aren't happy no matter how much you do). The book goes into vivid detail about her small town and the people she gives her heart and soul to. It's heartbreaking, uplifting, erotic and funny and teaches a lesson a lot of us can really benefit from. I definitely enjoyed this story.
July 29, 2011
I got to page 20. Three abandoned books in two days, I am not having a good track record. With the good score this one has on Goodreads, I expected better. I've not read any other book by the author, and I found her style tedious and plodding. I wasn't drawn into any of the characters, something that can usually save a bad book for me. I did skip ahead to read a handful of scenes with Lena's man, Herman. From what I gathered, this book is about a very lucky/blessed woman in her mid 40s that expends too much energy taking care of her small southern community. She finds a man and this improves her life dramatically. Meh!
December 15, 2019
The Hand I Fan With is one of my favorite books and this is probably the third or fourth time I’ve read it. Now that I’m older and wiser, I understand that it’s not just about the electric sex (and there is PLENTY of electric sex)...The Hand I Fan With is about owning who you are, accepting the gifts given to you by the Universe, and surrendering to your unique power within.
June 27, 2020
Started very slow but it was worth the wait. Lena reminds me a lot of myself.....giving constantly and pouring so much love into others not even realizing it is not reciprocated. Herman came along and taught her the importance of self love and self care. He also helped her understand her abilities more.
September 5, 2011
This book, started off very slow, and although a little more than half way through it started to pick up, the author had already lost my interest. The ending overall was pretty good, and if you like over the top detailed books, you'll probably enjoy this read.
April 1, 2022
So listen, this book got me to read all the way to the 245 page mark, but the dragged on conversations the the authors weird obsession with hyping up Lena any chance she gets (like she’s an outstanding woman with amazing gifts, we get it) and emphasizing how amazing Herman (our love interest is) gets so repetitive I had to DNF. Actually I went to the end of the book just to see how everything evolves and literally no jaw droppers and a weird and vague insert of a pregnancy is our ending. Really nothing crazy or notable. I was genuinely looking for some great hot steamy romance with an unlikely couple, and what I got was these just drawn out scenarios, and no real substance. I felt like I was living my day to day with Herman and Lena. Also the author is living vicariously through her character or talking about herself and some phantom relationship she’s had (the character is named Lena McPherson and the authors name is Tina McElroy 🥴) which I found to be a bit odd when reading more about the character. Just overall isn’t a HORRIBLE book, it’s a relic of the Black 90s neosoul literary movement that includes “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” if that makes sense. It’s just was super long for no reason and wish I got more out if it. The author seems like an amazing woman, but this book turned me off from reading others. I can’t put my finger on it but this novel was just very “ok miss girl can we get some content bc right now this isn’t giving, and it’s coming off very auntie esque.” Highly would recommend for the grown and sexy quiet storm generation 😂😂 if you’re name is Yvette or Rhonda this book is for you. It’s giving very much black auntie book club vibes with a tinge of southern belle values. Which nothing is wrong with that it just definitely is a product of the time it was released which I love but the story itself really drags on for nothing to really happen. Herman is introduced so late and we only get little instances of an assumption they are looming over Lena but even the reason for his arrival is just really lame 😂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2011
"The Hand I Fan With' was the most fascinating love story that I've ever read, although after I had read the summary, I was uncertain that reading about a 100 year-old man who was a ghost would even appeal to me.
Ansa makes the ghost, Herman, come to life and he turns out to be more than a lover and a protector. He's a true friend to Lena who was able to show her things that she had never noticed before and give her the right kind of guidance.
I thought that Lena's childhood friends were typically green with envy, but in the end, they had to be very grateful to her for making them partners at Candace and then selling the business to them later on.
I sort of suspected that Herman would eventually have to leave Lena and it actually did dawn on me, earlier in the story, that she didn't know his last name. Her realization of this was a day and a dollar short, but by then it really didn't matter. She couldn't bring him back.
I was also really moved when Lena decided to fix up her parents' house for the homeless children. And, Herman was pleased with her decision because he knew that she was doing what she wanted to do.
For Lena to have the chance to see her loved ones whom had passed on, during the birth of Keba's foal, was a great way to wrap up the story. She finally got some closure with her Mother about the 'caul' and that was a good thing.
Ansa makes the ghost, Herman, come to life and he turns out to be more than a lover and a protector. He's a true friend to Lena who was able to show her things that she had never noticed before and give her the right kind of guidance.
I thought that Lena's childhood friends were typically green with envy, but in the end, they had to be very grateful to her for making them partners at Candace and then selling the business to them later on.
I sort of suspected that Herman would eventually have to leave Lena and it actually did dawn on me, earlier in the story, that she didn't know his last name. Her realization of this was a day and a dollar short, but by then it really didn't matter. She couldn't bring him back.
I was also really moved when Lena decided to fix up her parents' house for the homeless children. And, Herman was pleased with her decision because he knew that she was doing what she wanted to do.
For Lena to have the chance to see her loved ones whom had passed on, during the birth of Keba's foal, was a great way to wrap up the story. She finally got some closure with her Mother about the 'caul' and that was a good thing.
March 26, 2013
every time i get lonely, i read The Hand I Fan With. This is the Best romantic book ever. it was easy to relate to Lena, who seems to have it all together, but can't find a decent man. so she or someone conjures up Herman. he is the man alot of us been searching for. i laughed and i felt good, and i cried like a baby, when Lena cried like a baby. i won't say too much to give it away. but i would read this book over and over if i didn't have so many other books waiting to be read. you will not be disappointed.
August 5, 2013
Shoot, why did I sit through 462 pages of this? It was incredibly repetitive, half about how great the main character was and how lucky and magical and how she got everything, and the other half a bunch of angst because she got wrapped up in her ghost boyfriend and suddenly nobody liked her. Oh, and then there was the whole two gazillion pages of describing how perfect this guy and their sex was.
Her vagina sings. That's all I have to say.
Her vagina sings. That's all I have to say.
November 11, 2009
This is one of my favorite novels. I enjoyed it so much, I have read it several times. I even had the opportunity to chat with the author. She is divine.
August 16, 2023
The Hand I Fan With
The book starts of by telling how Clear Flo has affected the plants, animals, and people in Mulberry. The number of babies are being born and strange hybrids are popping up. There’s an increase of fowl and fishing activity. On the negative side, the children are breaking out into fights at school.
Lena McPherson is driving when she feels a light breeze blowing around her ears and neck. She keeps telling it to quit, but it just won’t let up. This has been going on for the last couple of days. But there aren’t any cracks in the car. It gets so arousing that she takes her hands off the wheel to touch herself and almost makes a truck run off the ride. She pulls over to the side of the road and waits it out until the sensation lets up. Then she convinces herself she imagined it.
Something is up Lena can tell as she enters the juke joint she inherited. It’s been closed for a week because of termites due to Clear Flo. The contractor called her excitedly saying there’s something she might wanna see. While wait on the contractor she turns on the jukebox and starts to dance. While dancing, she smells the musky scent of a man. The more she dances the stronger and more intense the scent grows and she starts to get dizzy from it. She dances over to the wall and finds a hole with a crawl space. In it is a room she’s never seen before. (We learn Lena not only can ‘bless” people but she sees visions. Not only that she sees ghosts). There’s a hanging board in the room and before she knows it Lena is seeing stars. Then she blacks out. Mr. Jackson insists she go to the hospital, but the physician finds no concussion.
After she’s released, Mr.Jackson (for some odd reason) takes her to her childhood home (that the children in town say is haunted and Lena agrees). When she gets to her *real* home. Cliona pays her a visit. She’s clutching a small Listerine bottle full of greenish water. After talking forever, she gives the bottle to Lena for the accident she heard about and leaves. After she leaves, she pours the water over her face. Lena sees the remains outside of the elements from a ritual she and Sister performed to summon Lena up a man. That night, weirdly the pool’s water is warm and James didn’t keep any music playing. Lena starts to think about how lonely she is and is in her 40s and doesn’t have anyone or any kids. Something brushes up against her in the pool. She’d sensed another prescene in the pool with her before. Something begins to swirl in the pool even stronger than the insity of the breeze and touch her private place.
While in the shower, Lena hears a “Ahem” and comes face to face with Herman for the first time (Clever play on words) HER MAN. Lena likes what she sees and watches as he transforms from transparent to solid. Herman says that he’d been watching her and heard about her mother throwing out her caul. He was even around when she and Sister did the ritual. He said he wouldn’t have come up in her the other night if not invited because he’s not that kind of man. He was sure she saw him when she was dancing cause she looked at him and cussed, He says he’d been floating around there for a long time because that’s where he used to live. He says he’s been around for 100 years. He said he didn���t know where he was because he was in her world or the next. He died from being kicked in the head by a mile. It seems that since she was a little girl, Herman has been protecting her from the bad spirits. Herman hasn’t completely crossed over and isn’t quite sure why he’s still there. He says tho that he just seems to get stronger and stronger and now he knows the reason its because she wanted him there.
What comes next is a tender romance. They talk. They eat together. They slow dance. They makje love and they make love and they make love over and over and over. Then after a while, he starts to get in the way of the things she used to do. She begins to neglect the people and her duties.
There’s a ghost named Anabelle that’s Herman finds in the yard that’s spooking the horses. Anabelle is the one that knocked her out with she swung the piece of wood that head her in the head at the secret place. She’s disguised as a cat. There was a goose egg that was left that the doctors can’t see. Anabelle is jealous. She’s had her eye on Herman for YEARS! While all this is going on James Peterson sees signs that there’s a man and Luna exhibiting weird behavior (dancing with herself, talking and laughing to herself, and running from something but decides just to keep it to himself. Lena even stops going to church as much and people start to say she’s slacking off. Of course, the people in the town who’ve been so dependent on Lena have something to say about the distance. The manager of the juke joint (Gloria) alerts Lena to the security door (hiding the secret place) has been kicked repeatedly. When she tells Herman he confesses that he found her favorite teak bench in the river. Herman promises that he won’t let Annabelle (or anyone) hurt her and he promises he’ll handle it.
Lena’s physical strength increases the more she and Herman engage in physical activity. A little of her childhood magic also begins to return (She starts to be able to read strangers' thoughts again, etc). But then she gets so comfortable she gets too content and stops shaving and bathing. Weirdly the book makes this sound like it's just natural and ok. So, they’re so in love they’re (what) oblivious to each other’s funk? RIIIGHT! True to his word, Hearman makes it clear to Anabelle that Lena is the only one for him (and this stops her? How disappointing!) By Thanksgiving, the people have pretty much written Lena off because she’s not breaking her back for them anymore and is so obsessed with Herman now he’s her whole life. (Precious-her assistant-puts them in their place tho and tells them to let her have a life). These people are so sneaky they send a carload of kids over to Lean’s house over the holidays unannounced to drop stuff off. Lena gets so pissed off she tells Frank to put up a sign. She goes to vent to Herman but he tells her don’t. We find out Lena was the one that caused Clear Flo because the morning of she spat in the muddy river.
The people of Mulberry decide it’s time to give Lena an intervention. They call in a man to “observe” her. She tells them all to kiss her ass and leaves. Lena vents to Herman that night/ This were the people she loved all her life and she realizes they’re a bunch of USERS. Appropriately a storm comes (probably caused by Lena). Herman tells her she has to give up the control and then she’ll be able to love them again. Lena has the idea to make her parent's home a shelter for “her kids” in town. The shelter is the first thing she has an interest in other than Herman over a year. The notes Lena sends out for Christmas soften the people’s hearts and they forgive her and she forgives them. Lena begins to go through menopause. She grieves a little for the children she never had. Lena starts to give away some of her possessions and businesses. On their anniversary, Lena finds Herman in the kitchen staring out the window. Lena feels something is coming and starts to cry. Herman tells her he has to go. He watched her all night so he can remember it all. Lena begins to lose her mind and starts to plead and beg. She even tries to get him to make love to her again but he says he still has to go. Herman starts to become transparent. Lena asks if he knew he was gonna leave why he didn’t tell her and she says so she wouldn’t feel like this. He tells her she always knew she was a spirit and if they’re suppose to be together they will. He says if his people will ask questions. She says they don’t have to be play by the rules. Lena is crying, pleading and begging, and clinging to Herman. He said he had a duty to do. All her loneliness and the pain was causing havoc in the other world. He starts to disappear and reappears in her arms. Then he fades out.
Then she starts praying to the Gods to bring him back and trying to make compromises. Then she tries to do a ritual to bring him back. She even thinks of killing herself by eating poisonous mushrooms. She cries until she’s spent. Even Herman’s clothes start to disappear. Lena decides to go to church. She sees Nellie, Jonah, her brothers, and I think her grandmother for a brief second. She runs from the church crying. There’s a terrible storm (of her tears) on the way home. She makes it home and goes to sleep. When she wakes up the storm has wrecked havoc in her home. Things get bad. James tells Lena the bridge is down and they’re trapped. If the water gets higher they’ll have to get to higher ground. One of the horses she has is going into labor. The horse's water breaks. Lena has a thought that if she calms down so will the storm so she thinks calming thoughts of Herman. Then he’s there guiding her (in vapor form). Then her family is there beside her too. Lena delivers the baby and the storm has passed. She names the colt Emanuel. Together, Herman and Lena stand against the fence post both know it won’t be the same now. Then all the spirts start to pass her and give Lena encouraging words.
In May, Lena finally gets over her grieving as she watches Emanuel. Herman still speaks to Lena though his presence isn’t there. He’s only a mist now. Lena find out she still has love and gives it to her kids at the shelter (In particular one named Chiquita).
My Thoughts
I felt different things about this one. When I first read it I thought it was STEAMY, PASSIONATE, EROTIC, and HOT. It brought out feelings of jealousy. Do you know what I felt when I read it this time? NOTHING! All that intense lovemaking just went straight through me. I guess because of what I call the “dead place” in me now. Books like this don’t evoke anything at all and just fall flat. I kinda just found it raunchy and not even that causes any kind of spark. But, I’m just “different”. So don’t go by me you might read this and actually find it sexy and arousing.
Now the weird thing is, I have a confession and I know this will probably make me sound a tad bizarre (No offense at ALL taken). This was when I still cared about such things and well, I've always had a big imagination. But there was a time when I thought and felt my (never was mate) in my system. I use to swear I heard his voice in my head (well I pretended I did when I felt alone). I even had a thought that what if the man that was supposed to be with me *had* actually died before he meet me?
Coincidentally, (and this is another weird thing) I felt the “hand” of something guiding me recently (only it wasn’t in the area of love. It was more so in trying to achieve my dream of writing books). I swore that HAD to be it the way ideas were just POURING out of me. So, I started to read a book about spirits (The Encyclopedia of Spirits) so I could find out which one was helping me out. I’ve had so much appreciation for whichever one it was that I wanted to see if I could find a name to thank it properly. Spirits before were something I never really considered but I’ve learned quite a lot from reading that book. After a while, I just decided on a name and it seems to have worked out.
Some things about this one really lost me. It was OVERLY DESCRIPTIVE! There’s a whole chapter on just Lena’s house, the layout of it, and her furniture. Then there was the way the story bounced back and forth. I was more interested in the story SOLELY of Lena and Herman, but then it would detour to the background parts of Lean’s life. And what it told us was REPETITIVE! It kept going back to the fact her mother threw her caul away. NOT NEEDED! Now if she were AT the house and she or one of the kids found the caul in the back yard then there would have been a point to bringing it up countless times. It mentions that she’s lucky. It mentions this a bunch of times with countless mentions of her designer things, shoes, clothes, etc. Basically, over half of the book is how lucky she is (right up until the end).
My attention started to waver when it got to “Business”. It picked back up at “Horse” cause I thought “Oh vengeful ghost trying to kill her. That sounds promising” But then it dropped again when it led absolutely nowhere. VERY DISAPPOINTING that this ghost (Anabelle) has been after her YEARS (with a death wish( and one word from Herman and she’s over it? SHAKING MY HEAD. I know REAL women that don’t give up that easily when trying to get what they want.
I think it picked back up toward the end when Herman starts to disappear. This kinda left me with a lot of bitterness. I was thinking “Yeah it WOULD be that way. You find someone you love and BAM just like that they’re just GONE.” And I know it’s just old wounds resurfacing from a time not that long ago (tho it seems like it). My bitter mind thought well at least you (Lena) got a whole year. At least some of him remained with you. To me, *that* wasn’t even fair cause in the real world when they’re taken they’re just GONE POINT BLACK PERIOD. End of story! So, it just left me a little raw.
I do admit that the birth of the colt was touching showing that even if one door closes another opens, new beginnings are all around you, and chances of other kinds of love. I did also like the lessons of how love can have a positive effect on people and make them change. Such as Lena stopped being so concerned about her material things and she also learned that giving people what they want doesn’t always make them love you. She bent over backward trying to make these people happy and the first time SHE got some happiness and stopped doing for *them* they talked about her like a DOG behind her back and was about to have her committed. Ain’t that just “LOVE” for you? So, it had its good points and bad. I may not have appreciated it as an love story BUT it did have its good parts here and there.
Rating: 6 (first time around I gave it a 10 but sometimes our taste just change).
The book starts of by telling how Clear Flo has affected the plants, animals, and people in Mulberry. The number of babies are being born and strange hybrids are popping up. There’s an increase of fowl and fishing activity. On the negative side, the children are breaking out into fights at school.
Lena McPherson is driving when she feels a light breeze blowing around her ears and neck. She keeps telling it to quit, but it just won’t let up. This has been going on for the last couple of days. But there aren’t any cracks in the car. It gets so arousing that she takes her hands off the wheel to touch herself and almost makes a truck run off the ride. She pulls over to the side of the road and waits it out until the sensation lets up. Then she convinces herself she imagined it.
Something is up Lena can tell as she enters the juke joint she inherited. It’s been closed for a week because of termites due to Clear Flo. The contractor called her excitedly saying there’s something she might wanna see. While wait on the contractor she turns on the jukebox and starts to dance. While dancing, she smells the musky scent of a man. The more she dances the stronger and more intense the scent grows and she starts to get dizzy from it. She dances over to the wall and finds a hole with a crawl space. In it is a room she’s never seen before. (We learn Lena not only can ‘bless” people but she sees visions. Not only that she sees ghosts). There’s a hanging board in the room and before she knows it Lena is seeing stars. Then she blacks out. Mr. Jackson insists she go to the hospital, but the physician finds no concussion.
After she’s released, Mr.Jackson (for some odd reason) takes her to her childhood home (that the children in town say is haunted and Lena agrees). When she gets to her *real* home. Cliona pays her a visit. She’s clutching a small Listerine bottle full of greenish water. After talking forever, she gives the bottle to Lena for the accident she heard about and leaves. After she leaves, she pours the water over her face. Lena sees the remains outside of the elements from a ritual she and Sister performed to summon Lena up a man. That night, weirdly the pool’s water is warm and James didn’t keep any music playing. Lena starts to think about how lonely she is and is in her 40s and doesn’t have anyone or any kids. Something brushes up against her in the pool. She’d sensed another prescene in the pool with her before. Something begins to swirl in the pool even stronger than the insity of the breeze and touch her private place.
While in the shower, Lena hears a “Ahem” and comes face to face with Herman for the first time (Clever play on words) HER MAN. Lena likes what she sees and watches as he transforms from transparent to solid. Herman says that he’d been watching her and heard about her mother throwing out her caul. He was even around when she and Sister did the ritual. He said he wouldn’t have come up in her the other night if not invited because he’s not that kind of man. He was sure she saw him when she was dancing cause she looked at him and cussed, He says he’d been floating around there for a long time because that’s where he used to live. He says he’s been around for 100 years. He said he didn���t know where he was because he was in her world or the next. He died from being kicked in the head by a mile. It seems that since she was a little girl, Herman has been protecting her from the bad spirits. Herman hasn’t completely crossed over and isn’t quite sure why he’s still there. He says tho that he just seems to get stronger and stronger and now he knows the reason its because she wanted him there.
What comes next is a tender romance. They talk. They eat together. They slow dance. They makje love and they make love and they make love over and over and over. Then after a while, he starts to get in the way of the things she used to do. She begins to neglect the people and her duties.
There’s a ghost named Anabelle that’s Herman finds in the yard that’s spooking the horses. Anabelle is the one that knocked her out with she swung the piece of wood that head her in the head at the secret place. She’s disguised as a cat. There was a goose egg that was left that the doctors can’t see. Anabelle is jealous. She’s had her eye on Herman for YEARS! While all this is going on James Peterson sees signs that there’s a man and Luna exhibiting weird behavior (dancing with herself, talking and laughing to herself, and running from something but decides just to keep it to himself. Lena even stops going to church as much and people start to say she’s slacking off. Of course, the people in the town who’ve been so dependent on Lena have something to say about the distance. The manager of the juke joint (Gloria) alerts Lena to the security door (hiding the secret place) has been kicked repeatedly. When she tells Herman he confesses that he found her favorite teak bench in the river. Herman promises that he won’t let Annabelle (or anyone) hurt her and he promises he’ll handle it.
Lena’s physical strength increases the more she and Herman engage in physical activity. A little of her childhood magic also begins to return (She starts to be able to read strangers' thoughts again, etc). But then she gets so comfortable she gets too content and stops shaving and bathing. Weirdly the book makes this sound like it's just natural and ok. So, they’re so in love they’re (what) oblivious to each other’s funk? RIIIGHT! True to his word, Hearman makes it clear to Anabelle that Lena is the only one for him (and this stops her? How disappointing!) By Thanksgiving, the people have pretty much written Lena off because she’s not breaking her back for them anymore and is so obsessed with Herman now he’s her whole life. (Precious-her assistant-puts them in their place tho and tells them to let her have a life). These people are so sneaky they send a carload of kids over to Lean’s house over the holidays unannounced to drop stuff off. Lena gets so pissed off she tells Frank to put up a sign. She goes to vent to Herman but he tells her don’t. We find out Lena was the one that caused Clear Flo because the morning of she spat in the muddy river.
The people of Mulberry decide it’s time to give Lena an intervention. They call in a man to “observe” her. She tells them all to kiss her ass and leaves. Lena vents to Herman that night/ This were the people she loved all her life and she realizes they’re a bunch of USERS. Appropriately a storm comes (probably caused by Lena). Herman tells her she has to give up the control and then she’ll be able to love them again. Lena has the idea to make her parent's home a shelter for “her kids” in town. The shelter is the first thing she has an interest in other than Herman over a year. The notes Lena sends out for Christmas soften the people’s hearts and they forgive her and she forgives them. Lena begins to go through menopause. She grieves a little for the children she never had. Lena starts to give away some of her possessions and businesses. On their anniversary, Lena finds Herman in the kitchen staring out the window. Lena feels something is coming and starts to cry. Herman tells her he has to go. He watched her all night so he can remember it all. Lena begins to lose her mind and starts to plead and beg. She even tries to get him to make love to her again but he says he still has to go. Herman starts to become transparent. Lena asks if he knew he was gonna leave why he didn’t tell her and she says so she wouldn’t feel like this. He tells her she always knew she was a spirit and if they’re suppose to be together they will. He says if his people will ask questions. She says they don’t have to be play by the rules. Lena is crying, pleading and begging, and clinging to Herman. He said he had a duty to do. All her loneliness and the pain was causing havoc in the other world. He starts to disappear and reappears in her arms. Then he fades out.
Then she starts praying to the Gods to bring him back and trying to make compromises. Then she tries to do a ritual to bring him back. She even thinks of killing herself by eating poisonous mushrooms. She cries until she’s spent. Even Herman’s clothes start to disappear. Lena decides to go to church. She sees Nellie, Jonah, her brothers, and I think her grandmother for a brief second. She runs from the church crying. There’s a terrible storm (of her tears) on the way home. She makes it home and goes to sleep. When she wakes up the storm has wrecked havoc in her home. Things get bad. James tells Lena the bridge is down and they’re trapped. If the water gets higher they’ll have to get to higher ground. One of the horses she has is going into labor. The horse's water breaks. Lena has a thought that if she calms down so will the storm so she thinks calming thoughts of Herman. Then he’s there guiding her (in vapor form). Then her family is there beside her too. Lena delivers the baby and the storm has passed. She names the colt Emanuel. Together, Herman and Lena stand against the fence post both know it won’t be the same now. Then all the spirts start to pass her and give Lena encouraging words.
In May, Lena finally gets over her grieving as she watches Emanuel. Herman still speaks to Lena though his presence isn’t there. He’s only a mist now. Lena find out she still has love and gives it to her kids at the shelter (In particular one named Chiquita).
My Thoughts
I felt different things about this one. When I first read it I thought it was STEAMY, PASSIONATE, EROTIC, and HOT. It brought out feelings of jealousy. Do you know what I felt when I read it this time? NOTHING! All that intense lovemaking just went straight through me. I guess because of what I call the “dead place” in me now. Books like this don’t evoke anything at all and just fall flat. I kinda just found it raunchy and not even that causes any kind of spark. But, I’m just “different”. So don’t go by me you might read this and actually find it sexy and arousing.
Now the weird thing is, I have a confession and I know this will probably make me sound a tad bizarre (No offense at ALL taken). This was when I still cared about such things and well, I've always had a big imagination. But there was a time when I thought and felt my (never was mate) in my system. I use to swear I heard his voice in my head (well I pretended I did when I felt alone). I even had a thought that what if the man that was supposed to be with me *had* actually died before he meet me?
Coincidentally, (and this is another weird thing) I felt the “hand” of something guiding me recently (only it wasn’t in the area of love. It was more so in trying to achieve my dream of writing books). I swore that HAD to be it the way ideas were just POURING out of me. So, I started to read a book about spirits (The Encyclopedia of Spirits) so I could find out which one was helping me out. I’ve had so much appreciation for whichever one it was that I wanted to see if I could find a name to thank it properly. Spirits before were something I never really considered but I’ve learned quite a lot from reading that book. After a while, I just decided on a name and it seems to have worked out.
Some things about this one really lost me. It was OVERLY DESCRIPTIVE! There’s a whole chapter on just Lena’s house, the layout of it, and her furniture. Then there was the way the story bounced back and forth. I was more interested in the story SOLELY of Lena and Herman, but then it would detour to the background parts of Lean’s life. And what it told us was REPETITIVE! It kept going back to the fact her mother threw her caul away. NOT NEEDED! Now if she were AT the house and she or one of the kids found the caul in the back yard then there would have been a point to bringing it up countless times. It mentions that she’s lucky. It mentions this a bunch of times with countless mentions of her designer things, shoes, clothes, etc. Basically, over half of the book is how lucky she is (right up until the end).
My attention started to waver when it got to “Business”. It picked back up at “Horse” cause I thought “Oh vengeful ghost trying to kill her. That sounds promising” But then it dropped again when it led absolutely nowhere. VERY DISAPPOINTING that this ghost (Anabelle) has been after her YEARS (with a death wish( and one word from Herman and she’s over it? SHAKING MY HEAD. I know REAL women that don’t give up that easily when trying to get what they want.
I think it picked back up toward the end when Herman starts to disappear. This kinda left me with a lot of bitterness. I was thinking “Yeah it WOULD be that way. You find someone you love and BAM just like that they’re just GONE.” And I know it’s just old wounds resurfacing from a time not that long ago (tho it seems like it). My bitter mind thought well at least you (Lena) got a whole year. At least some of him remained with you. To me, *that* wasn’t even fair cause in the real world when they’re taken they’re just GONE POINT BLACK PERIOD. End of story! So, it just left me a little raw.
I do admit that the birth of the colt was touching showing that even if one door closes another opens, new beginnings are all around you, and chances of other kinds of love. I did also like the lessons of how love can have a positive effect on people and make them change. Such as Lena stopped being so concerned about her material things and she also learned that giving people what they want doesn’t always make them love you. She bent over backward trying to make these people happy and the first time SHE got some happiness and stopped doing for *them* they talked about her like a DOG behind her back and was about to have her committed. Ain’t that just “LOVE” for you? So, it had its good points and bad. I may not have appreciated it as an love story BUT it did have its good parts here and there.
Rating: 6 (first time around I gave it a 10 but sometimes our taste just change).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2022
The Hand I Fan With was a book that wasn't even on my radar. But when my when my friend, Andrea recommended the book to me, I had to listen and check it out. It may not have been a recently published book, but stories transcend time and I just went in blindly.
This was a long book that started out slow and quite descriptive. In fact, I almost put it down a few times, but just took it slow and steady and relished in the build up of it, the characters and the setting and knew it was all important to the overall arc of the story.
Lena is a woman living in a small town in the South and she is the person everyone counts on. She supports so many and gives to everyone. She barely has time for herself. But she's been blessed in life monetarily, and since it's only her, she feels like its her duty to give back. But Lena is obviously missing out on living her own life. She's missed love and family. But she also has a very unique aspect to her and it's what makes her special in ways that I wasn't expecting.
While the first 1/4 of the book was slow going, once a certain character was introduced to the story, I was completely caught off guard of the suddenness and who he was. Herman is an older man, but perhaps way older than we would anticipate because he's a ghost from 100 years ago! But don't count him out. He brings love, sensuality and has Lena seeing life from a new lens. He gives her back nature, simplicity and finding herself after so many years not realizing who she really is. But the gift he gave her? Priceless. What a unique story that was told and like nothing I've read before.
I really enjoyed this beautiful, sensual story of a woman coming into her own. Herman was an integral part in Lena's journey and gave her life. The way it ended, although sad, was full of people that loved her surrounding and supporting her. If you are one to stick out the slowness of the beginning (we will call in the world building of Lena), dive in and experience this journey that is nearly a whopping 500 pages!!
This was a long book that started out slow and quite descriptive. In fact, I almost put it down a few times, but just took it slow and steady and relished in the build up of it, the characters and the setting and knew it was all important to the overall arc of the story.
Lena is a woman living in a small town in the South and she is the person everyone counts on. She supports so many and gives to everyone. She barely has time for herself. But she's been blessed in life monetarily, and since it's only her, she feels like its her duty to give back. But Lena is obviously missing out on living her own life. She's missed love and family. But she also has a very unique aspect to her and it's what makes her special in ways that I wasn't expecting.
While the first 1/4 of the book was slow going, once a certain character was introduced to the story, I was completely caught off guard of the suddenness and who he was. Herman is an older man, but perhaps way older than we would anticipate because he's a ghost from 100 years ago! But don't count him out. He brings love, sensuality and has Lena seeing life from a new lens. He gives her back nature, simplicity and finding herself after so many years not realizing who she really is. But the gift he gave her? Priceless. What a unique story that was told and like nothing I've read before.
I really enjoyed this beautiful, sensual story of a woman coming into her own. Herman was an integral part in Lena's journey and gave her life. The way it ended, although sad, was full of people that loved her surrounding and supporting her. If you are one to stick out the slowness of the beginning (we will call in the world building of Lena), dive in and experience this journey that is nearly a whopping 500 pages!!
Read
October 6, 2022DNF @ pg 21
March 25, 2010
The Hand I Fan With is the story of Lena McPherson, a 40 years old successful woman who lives in Mulberry. She seems to have everything except a man. Born with a caul on her face, she is plagued by spirits. She inherited her father’s businesses, a bar and real estate and is well-respected and liked by the townspeople, not only because she has helped many of them out with money whenever they have trouble paying their bills but also because they believe she is lucky. Whatever she touches turns into wealth. Ansa describes Lena’s childhood as being traumatic, no friends because of her unusual nightmares etc. She spends chapters describing Lena’s position in the town, her school days, her parents and the house Lena builds for herself and the land surrounding it. Then she introduces Herman, a spirit Lena and her friend Sister called up. Herman who died 100 years ago at age 35 appears before Lena and is capable of becoming flesh. It is a love story centering around Lena and Herman, going into great detail about their lovemaking. Ansa's emphasis is on character development. While the novel captures the Black ethos and is filled with black culture, the rendering in the beginning is slow and ponderous. Several times I almost put it down; however, I'm glad I stayed with it. The action picked up and I found myself engaged emotionally. Overall, I enjoyed the story though as I mentioned above, Ansa’s style is a bit cumbersome. It’s a comprehensive story however, it doesn’t make for quick, easy reading.
February 19, 2013
It's interesting when you read a book in high school and then go back and read it again years later. My opinions on some aspects of the book has definitely changed! I remember thinking this book was so awesome because of all the steamy sex scenes in it. Now, I still think they're steamy, but I paid closer attention to the actual story. Lena McPherson has always been lucky. She wins any contest she enters and everything she touches turns to gold. Except her love life that is. Any time she is somewhat intimate with a man, she is able to see everything bad he has done in his life. After doing a man conjuring ceremony with her best friend, she gets what she asks for. The only catch is that her new man, Herman, is a ghost and has been dead for over 100 years. I still think it's a fun read!
August 20, 2020
Lena was the baby of her family and the last surviving member. The town adopted her and she adopted them. She's done well financially and feels compelled to share her blessings. She gives. They accept. She becomes the hand every one around her fans with.
As with many women, she accumulates things; nice clothes, beautiful custom built home, a rare expensive vehicle...but has bore no children and has no one to share her life with romantically. Her "town" is her only family.
Herman enters Lena's life to teach her how to live. Show her how to slow her pace, and find the peace within. Her "family" does not adapt well to the loss of unlimited acces to Lena.
Really good read.
As with many women, she accumulates things; nice clothes, beautiful custom built home, a rare expensive vehicle...but has bore no children and has no one to share her life with romantically. Her "town" is her only family.
Herman enters Lena's life to teach her how to live. Show her how to slow her pace, and find the peace within. Her "family" does not adapt well to the loss of unlimited acces to Lena.
Really good read.
Read
November 8, 2020This ARC has been on my TBR for years - I am not sure where I heard about it or why I decided to mooch a copy, but after finally picking it up and reading it, I am glad I did. I wasn't quite sure what label would fit here - do miracles count as magic? I found this book both strange and very moving, the balance between giving and take care of oneself, expectations and obligations, luck... Lena's struggle to (literally) keep her ghosts at bay, while needing to be able to accept herself, and love, was a tough one. I think she's probably not the only one who needs a Herman at some point to allow her to see the stars and truly see herself for who she is and what her place can be.
September 20, 2010
I love the way Tina employs the spiritual realm; it enhances her story line. In the case the main character Lena McPherson, Mulberry's indespensible business owner, is the person that everyone can count on in their lives on a daily basis. She finds comfort in her dedication but the one thing she wants - a romance of her own - she can't seem to help herself with. She thinks it's hopeless until one day she discovers that the man she and her friend were trying to conjure up for her, appears.
November 20, 2009
Great book. The last in this series so you might want to start with the first to understand the storyline. I loved the characters, the African American charm of it all and the whole "paranormalness" of it all. I think you would enjoy this. It has a lot of old wives tales kind of things (which only reminds me of my Grandmother and great Aunt). Great read.
January 30, 2012
This book was good in an odd way. I think the object of the story was to help the reader see that sometimes we need to get back to basics; Basically, how to love ourselves and others better, how to see the cup half full, how to appreciate the human experience. The hand I fan with was a well told story and the characters are lively and leap off the pages.
February 27, 2015
Love, Love ,love this book! I actually listened to the book on tape. it is narrated my Sheryl Lee Ralph, she does an outstanding job with the narration. You can dim the lights, sip on a glass of wine and imagine yourself to be the lead character.....it is a sensual, mystic, escape, that you will enjoy and relish. At times it will make you weak in the knees, and damp in secret places
December 27, 2016
This is one of my favorite books. I'm disappointed that she did not write a follow up to this book because it left me wondering what happened to them. I loved the characters and felt like I would love to have experienced it. This is a book I have in hardback and refuse to loan it because this is part of my most loved library books. A must read !!
January 23, 2017
Difficult book to read but managed to finished. There were some good parts but I just don't get the ghost thing, an relationship with the main character, Lena. It was hard to get into the plots at times hence it took me long time to finish. I have read other book by the same author and it was more enjoyable read than this one.
July 10, 2009
I learned that if I'm ever gonna find the perfect man who was meant to be just for me and me alone I may need to conjure him!! The story was bittersweet: a woman who is everything to everybody but comes home to no one ... until Herman.
July 12, 2012
I read this book sooooo long ago, however, I HAD to put it up here!!! I think I read this book like 5 times. Every time my book club would ask us to recommend a book, this was the one I would suggest.
September 18, 2012
One of the hardest books to get through and I am remembering this from years ago. The only thing that was interesting was when the author spoke of the veil across the face, which I had never heard of and wonder about till this day.
March 27, 2018
I hated to leave Lena and Herman. I took my time finishing it, that's when you know it's good. I'm eager to read the rest of Ansa's books.
September 14, 2018
Didn’t Grab Me
It did not make want to keep reading. I may try it try to read it at a later date.
It did not make want to keep reading. I may try it try to read it at a later date.
October 4, 2019
My favorite WOW!
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