A big part of my last three months has been reading. Dozens of books were sent to me for some work with the Children's Book Council, evaluating books for their social studies application. And I've loved it. One of the most remarkable experiences was reading the book All the Truth That's in Me, by Julie Berry.

A Young Adult novel that's 275 pages long, it started out being a book I hated. I hated it. I dreaded picking it up. The book is set in a Puritan village in the 17th Century. Even though the village is fictional, the situations seemed very authentic. A theocracy that forms the basis of both the local government and social life--carefully prescribed rules that guided the actions both public and private--and a young woman named Judith who is dropped in the middle of it.

Kidnapped by her friend's father when she was still a girl, she's returned to Roswell Station six years later, but permanently mutilated--he cut out her tongue when he let her go. She can't read or write, and according to their traditions, she was somehow wicked, and deserved her fate. She's a pariah in the community, and even in her own home, where her mother can't accept a damaged girl who she wrote off as dead years ago. The mystery of what exactly happened to her, and if she can find happiness in this closed community is at the heart of the book.

Berry's characterization of Judith is especially strong, and as it's told in the first person, it really needs to be. The author's description of the village, the customs, and the culture that Judith was returning to is also very good, and from a history teacher's perspective, seemed authentic to the time period.

So why did I hate it so much at first? Honestly, it's because the first 30 pages or so were so confusing that I'd read a handful of pages and throw the book across the room. Because I was required to read it, I'd pick it up again, but it was hard going. That first part of the book is written in what I can only call "micro chapters," which would shift in time and place and perspective and leave my confused. These tiny snippets--flashes of awareness--would sometimes be as short as three to a page, but those three passages wouldn't connect to each other in any way that I could see. Gradually the passages grew longer until Judith's story became more cohesive and coherent, and the rest of the book provided content and meaning for those earlier frustrating bits.

By the middle, it was a page-turner, and by the end of the book, it was one of my favorites that I read for this program. Entertaining, well-written, with some powerful imagery and messages. I loved it. I can see it being a good book for young adults who maybe aren't ready for The Scarlet Letter or The Crucible yet, but with similar themes and settings. If that sounds like something that's up your alley, or if you're a fan of YA books with strong female protagonists (there are a lot of them out there), this one is unusual enough and different enough that you'll remember it for years to come. I know I will.

This is one of the best books I've ever read. The writing is pristine and the way Berry unlayers her story, revealing one truth after another is astonishingly beautiful. I could not put this book down and think it's best read (as most books are), quickly, and in this instance, reread. Judith is a great protagonist and the author tells the story so cleverly that as soon as you think you've got a handle on why Jusith does what she does, you find out more and it changes things. It's a book about love, and prejudice, conformity and fear. Although it's set - seemingly around late 1600s, it's also oddly timeless- or at least it was for me.

Wonderfully different. Haunting & beautiful.

It’s an odd little book this. At times disorientating with the ambiguous setting and unique structure. I struggled somewhat in the beginning to make sense of what was happening. It was worth it though, as the plot became exciting and took many twists in the last third of the book. I also appreciated the complexities of some characters.

Erikoinen, kiehtova kirja! Suosittelen yläkouluikäisille ja aikuisille. Kirjoitustyyli aluksi vähän häiritsi, mutta siihen tottui nopeasti ja tarina vei mukanaan. Tässä kirjassa eletään historiassa, jossain melko kaukana ja se kertoo mykästä tytöstä ja hänen salaisuuksistaan ja siitä mitä hänelle tapahtui, hän ei sitä oikein itsekään tiedä, mutta saako hän sen selville?

Disturbing... but my eyes could not leave the pages!

I was fearful that this was going to be one of those books that you think "this has been one roller coaster ride of pretty much horrible, surely the end is going to work out great" and then the author slams you with the unexpected and the ending just sucks for the main character. Happy endings might be predictable, but thank goodness for them anyways!

SPOILERS
I really hope this is being marketed as a mystery, because I read it in a way that caused me undo anger and pain. What I mean is that, while it does a unique and cool thing, what it implies is just horrific. I can't decide if my relief is enough to calm the fury I generated from my assumptions. Plus, in real life, these two wouldn't have stood a chance. Giving an ugly story a fairytale ending just didn't feel right here.

Fascinating second person narrative, really interesting reading experience. While the resolution was ultimately easier than I thought it would be, it was definitely a worthwhile read.

In all honesty, I don't think I ever would have read this book, had it not been for my school library and it's "blind date with a book" activity. Now that I've read it, I do think that it was a fun experience, and the book involved was an overall good read.

Judith, the main character, is shunned by society because of her inability to speak. The book is basically a one sided conversation between her and her secret love (He has no idea of her feelings), Lucas. It's set in what I believe is colonial times, or some world like that, in a small town/village.

The book isn't written like most. The narration is in second person, and is fragmented a lot, like diary entries. Sort of hard to keep up with some times, as it jumps from the past to the present a lot. The ending is a twist though, and puts all the pieces together.