All the Truth That's in Me - by Julie Berry

ALL THE TRUTH THAT’S IN ME – JULIE BERRY – VIKING / PENGUIN  -- Sept 26,2013 release

The setting feels early America Puritan. Religion rules with an iron fist.  The church governs the behavior between men and women. A pillory is punishment for improper behavior. The church is fire and brimstone tied in to the law with no separation of church and state. There is no reference to history just a repressive society.

After reading the promotional material I was braced to be horrified instead I fell in love. It unsettles me to see this book categorized as Love / Romance. I have seen books dismissed as frivolous too often when given that moniker. There is absolutely nothing formulaic about the story. All the Truth That's in Me is about love but not about romance. It is not a falling in love book. It is a staying in love against all odds book as Jane Austin expressed in Persuasion:

“All the privilege I claim for my own sex (it is not a very enviable one: you need not covet it), is that of loving longest, when existence or when hope is gone!” ― Jane Austen, Persuasion

The writing is beautiful. The second person perspective increases the achingly tender power of a tragedy that will capture and surprise you. The twist at the end is not what the reader expects but neither is it a twist that blindsides you and the power of delayed understanding is essential to the story and to the reader. I will be telling everyone I know to READ THIS BOOK!!!

Julie Berry will speak and sign books at Provo Library, Oct 12, 2013, 3:00 p.m.

 Seating is limited but open to the public.

- Anita

Anita is the Children's Book buyer for the BYU Bookstore and has worked at the BYU Bookstore for over ten years! Anita spreads her love of reading within our Children's Books department and with many local book events.