Bridget Farr

Its quiet and simple plot masks a much more complex story of coming-of-age under unusual circumstances.

The Truth About Everything is a quiet story about a girl struggling to learn about her world, think for herself, and gain the wisdom to separate fact from fiction. The simple life the Herbst family is living is very precarious. At any time, a minor mishap on their remote farm could have deadly repercussions, and with her parents’ beliefs, there are few workable backup plans.

Lark is a bright and engaging character, and it was fun seeing her take chances and enjoy her school experiences. Her constant fear of discovery by her parents was heartbreaking, and I was worried that, at any moment, her father would become violent. He just felt so angry and tightly wound all the time. Her father and mother are a sad and scary pair; their fears blinding them to the danger and harm they inflicted on their daughter. However, Lark’s friend, Alex, was a sweet guy, and I liked how he supported her in trying to expand her choices.

Lark’s sheltered and deprived life will undoubtedly catch the attention and imagination of young readers. No television, internet, hunger pains, going through her first menstrual cycle without prior preparation from her mother, and then not having the standard supplies to take care of herself at her disposal will be shocking to many. But even little things, something as mundane as having never tasted chocolate candy, will be an eye-opener. The mother and father freely eating and drinking food and beverage forbidden to their daughter was pretty low. The more that was revealed about her life, the more the story’s tension built. Lark needed help.

With a brave and curious heroine and its quiet, simple yet absorbing plot, I recommend THE TRUTH ABOUT EVERYTHING to young adult contemporary fiction readers who like a strong female protagonist in an unusual coming-of-age situation, living off the grid, or a rural Montana setting.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author or publisher through NetGalley and TBR and Beyond Book Tours.… (mais)

I'm sort of split on this book -- on the one hand, I genuinely enjoyed reading it. I thought Pavi and her community of friends/foster support were interesting, the plot was well paced, and I just wanted to know what would happen next. I appreciate that it appears to be well researched, if not own voices, and that she worked with a team of readers who could give real feedback on accuracy/sensitivity. I also quite liked the ending and the portrayal of the foster system as a whole -- there are a lot of things that are really screwed up in our world and in that system, but there are also a lot of people who are doing everything they can to create safe and loving homes for kids, and none of its perfect, and the book represents that well.

On the other hand -- Pavi's really good at social manipulation -- at navigating the hoops (like homework and attendance) that give you more power with adults. And it seems like she really wants to help the other kids she meets, but there's something off about the business -- it's clever, it feeds into that social manipulation that she enjoys, and that benefits her in a tangible way (snacks and office supplies), but the fact that she doesn't actually involve adults in it is a bit confusing to me. And I found the depictions of her relationship with her mom really vague -- why is she in the foster system? She never really spells it out -- drugs? Mental illness? -- not that it matters to the reader, but it's had to understand why she is where she is, and how she developed this particular brand of coping.

I don't know. Like I said -- enjoyable read, something's off about it, but I can't point at it directly. Is it accurate? No idea.… (mais)

This was a tender and insightful book with a delightful array of characters. Pavi is a scrappy heroine, and Hamilton is an awesome sidekick. I've long been passionate about adoption, but I've never taken much time to consider the foster care system from the perspective of kids who do not expect to be adopted but hope against hope to be reunited with their families. This book fleshes such a perspective out, and does not give false hope or a cheesy ending, but rather a sense of hope for the current circumstance. Really wonderful. Please read it!… (mais)