Handmaidens of Rock by Linda Gould

Handmaidens of Rock by Linda Gould
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Handmaidens of Rock by Linda Gould follows three teenage girls in the late 1960's as they embark on following a local rock band to stardom. In essence, they become groupies or "handmaidens" attached to a group of aspiring musicians. Told from three alternating points of view, the reader gets to know each individual girl. While not especially likeable or endearing characters, all are representative in their own way of the challenging and changing times. The details that the author infuses into the writing is particularly interesting and accurate. The setting is well fleshed out, life on the road is well described and a good overview is given of the life and times of the self-absorbed groupies. A lot of changes took place during the 60's, from the radical music to the taking of drugs, political protests, flower children and even religious, strange cults. Gould has accurately captured the feeling of the era well. This is a coming of age novel of sorts and is similar to other novels that recount the feeling of nostalgia that is often associated with the 1960's. A great read for anyone interested in rock and roll and the hippie experience.

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