All The Truth That’s In Me by Julie Berry
All The Truth That’s In Me is not a modern day, young adult contemporary novel. It’s a young adult, historical fiction novel that’s set in the 1800s and is an exceptionally written book. When I was reading the blurb, the thing that captured my attention was how the main character has had her tongue cut out, so she can’t talk. I thought that was horrifying. But it still made me want to read the book!
Judith can’t speak. Ever since the horrifying trauma that left her best friend dead and Judith without her tongue, she’s been a pariah in her close-knit community of Roswell Station; even her own mother won’t look her in the eye. All Judith can do is silently pour out her thoughts and feelings to the love of her life, 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 by enemies, long-buried secrets come to light and Judith’s world starts to shift on its axis.
This book was magnificent. It was just UGGGHHHHH THE FEELS! IT WAS SO GOOD AND IT MADE ME FEEL LIKE MY WHOLE BODY WAS BEING RIPPED APART BY THOSE FEELS!
I don’t even know where to start with this review. At first, I thought it was a bit odd. I didn’t know that it was a historical fiction book, so when I started reading descriptions of the town that didn’t sound modern day, I checked out the ever-so-handy Goodreads and realised it was set in the 1800s. Now everything made sense.
All The Truth That’s In Me is written in letter form. The whole story is written like Judith is writing letters containing her story to her childhood crush – Lucas. For example: “I saw you look over to where I was standing and smile at me.” I think it’s a beautiful way for the story to be told.
There was only one issue that I had with this book but it wasn’t a big enough issue to knock the star rating down to four. My issue was where Judith goes back to her kidnapper to get his help when her town is attacked… I know she’s getting his help because the town needs it, but still. There is no way I would be brave enough to go back to the place where I was held captive for two years and where my tongue was cut out. No way.
The rest of the book was just brilliant. It was a bit slow at first (maybe for the first 20 pages?) but after you get the attack by the enemies out of the way, the story starts to unravel and you start learning more and more about the characters and their secrets.
“There is a curious comfort in letting go. After the agony, letting go brings numbness, and after the numbness, clarity. As if I can see the world for the first time, and my place in it, independent of you, a whole vista of what may be. Even if it is not grand or inspiring, it is real and solid, unlike the fantasy I’ve built around you. I will do this. I will triumph over you.”
– Julie Berry, All The Truth That’s In Me
There are a lot of shock moments in this book, there are a few disturbing moments and a few moments where I even had to put down the book and take everything that I had just read in. I literally had to put the book down and stare at my wall because the feels from the part I had just read were too much for me.
All of the characters were written superbly that I genuinely felt I was part of their world, that I was going on this crazy ride with them.
The ending of this book was just… ARRRGGGHHH IT WAS MAGNIFICENT. IT WAS A HUGE PLOT TWIST THAT I DIDN’T SEE COMING! IT WAS ALL SORTS OF MESSED UP! IT WAS CRAZY! BUT IT WAS AMAZING!
All The Truth That’s In Me gave me a massive book hangover and it left me wanting to read every single word that Julie Berry has ever wrote because her writing style is just so addictive and beautiful.
Go. Go and read this book now. Get it from the library, order it off Amazon, I don’t care. Just read this book. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Warning: contains references to physical abuse
