All the Truth That's in Me

A couple weeks ago I went to the bookstore, and for anyone who knows me the next line is: How many books did you buy this time?
I will confess I bought a few books, with a majority of them coming from the bargain book section, so a hardcover book cost $5-6. I have just finished reading my first bargain book from that bookstore run, so I figured I would tell you a little bit about it.

The book is called All the Truth That's in Me, by Julie Berry.
When I first read the book jacket it left me with a lot of questions, and I was definitely curious. What I could not tell is that the book is a historical fiction, and is told in a second person narrative, with the main character Judith talking to her childhood friend Lucas. The book is also not written in a "traditional manner" with set chapters. Instead the book is written in small little sections 1/3 to 1/2 a page long, for the most part. The story also does not reveal all the details in the beginning, in fact the story starts out, like you are looking at a single panel in a cartoon, and as the story moves you can see more of what came both before and after the panel.

The story itself is fascinating, as the main character, Judith, tells her story, both the story of her best friends murder, her own kidnapping and mutilation at the hands of her kidnapper and then the story set several years later, of adjusting to life in a town where she it shunned. Judith is shunned for her inability to speak and defend herself about the kidnapping. The story pushes Judith, as her town and way of life are threatened by invaders, and she is forced to seek help in the last place she would ever want to return to. By dredging up the past, and a person thought dead, she exposes herself to ridicule, scrutiny and persecution. Throughout the story, with the help of her few dear friends, Judith learns to speak again, and to speak up for herself, as through her time as a silent outcast, she was able to observe and learn more than anyone could imagine.

I found the book a very interesting read, as it started slowly, leaving me with a lot of questions and opportunities to make assumptions. As I continued reading, the book drew me in, until I did not want to put it down. The overlapping events of the story, mixing the past and the present keep the story moving at a good pace and draw you in with the complexity. The further I went into the book, the stronger my assumptions became and then in a twist at the end, many of them proved to be false and I was actually happy about that (this story does not follow a predictable, tired plot line).

The book also has strong characters, both in Judith, the protagonist and in the supporting cast of characters. Judith is a character who has had the world turn against her, including her own mother, but she does not let this turn her hard and bitter, instead she grows strong. Her strength is quite literally a quiet strength, but there is no denying that she is the hero of her own story. She also offers a lot of interesting observations as the story progresses, form her role as an observer of everything, without truly being a part of her community. The supporting characters offer Judith a quiet support, her provide her with very believable opportunities to grow and be strong.

This book is described as a romance, but really that is a secondary story line to the growth, strength and changes in Judith. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking to read something a little different, a little challenging and something that will make you think and feel.

Note: This book is most definitely a teen book, and I would not recommend it for students under Grade 9/10, based on both the reading level of the book and the content of the book.

We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another. - Veronica Roth

Jumping Back In

Well, I have graduated from university and have settled into a new apartment. Now it is time to start blogging again.

To start I think I want to talk about a project that I have had on the go since I was in Grade 12. My project is a set of books that I have called "Dragon Clan." These books, so far there are four, are the story of an ancient race of beings that have the ability to change back and forth between a human form and a dragon form. They can also stop the change at any point they choose.
In the story, this race was the last ones left standing in a fight against an ancient evil, and they did not win the fight, but at the same time they did not lose.
The members have Dragon Clan have the ability to stop their transformation at any time, leaving them half human and half dragon. This might mean claws, scales, wings or fangs. It is very easy to recognize a member of Dragon Clan, as when they are human they have reptile eyes and when they are dragons they have human eyes.

More to come...