Sometimes I'll take a risk on a book. I read Julie Berry's The Amaranth Enchantment many years ago and failed to be stunned by it. It lacked a certain amount of depth in both characterization and plot, if I recall correctly.
But last week in my cute little local branch library I was wandering around the shelves, just waiting to be grabbed by something. I had a literary itch to scratch--I just needed to find the right book. I was looking for something more contemporary with a fantasy edge. The cover for All The Truth That's In Me grabbed my attention. I recognized the author, of course, and took a chance. It didn't scratch the literary itch (more on that in the next post), but I ended up loving it anyway.
From Goodreads:
"Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family.
Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas.
But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever.
This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last."
I LOVE THE VOICE IN THIS BOOK. It's written entirely from Judith's perspective, and Julie Berry uses her internal narrative brilliantly, demonstrating Judith's kindness and observational skills to weave a fascinating mystery. Having only access to Judith's thoughts and her interactions with others, the reader's view is narrow but allows us to get a sense of Judith's innocence, in spite of what she's experienced. She doesn't rage against things that are out of her control, she doesn't despair, but continues to move forward in compassion and maturity. Her generosity of character, even when her hopes are thwarted, is demonstrated when she does her best to make a good situation out of her circumstances.
The mystery is excellent--it hinges on a tightly twisted plot that turns on Judith's lack of knowledge, but that lack isn't because she's stupid or unobservant, and she puts the pieces together remarkably well. For such a tight narrative focus, the story is rich and textured. I loved it. I was completely captivated.
Gentle Reader Alert: There were no swears that I recall, and there was some frank talk of anatomy at one point, but I didn't find it to be offensive. Judith experiences some trauma, but it's handled with care.
Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas.
But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever.
This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last."
I LOVE THE VOICE IN THIS BOOK. It's written entirely from Judith's perspective, and Julie Berry uses her internal narrative brilliantly, demonstrating Judith's kindness and observational skills to weave a fascinating mystery. Having only access to Judith's thoughts and her interactions with others, the reader's view is narrow but allows us to get a sense of Judith's innocence, in spite of what she's experienced. She doesn't rage against things that are out of her control, she doesn't despair, but continues to move forward in compassion and maturity. Her generosity of character, even when her hopes are thwarted, is demonstrated when she does her best to make a good situation out of her circumstances.
The mystery is excellent--it hinges on a tightly twisted plot that turns on Judith's lack of knowledge, but that lack isn't because she's stupid or unobservant, and she puts the pieces together remarkably well. For such a tight narrative focus, the story is rich and textured. I loved it. I was completely captivated.
Gentle Reader Alert: There were no swears that I recall, and there was some frank talk of anatomy at one point, but I didn't find it to be offensive. Judith experiences some trauma, but it's handled with care.
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