Julie Berry ‘s All the Truth That’s In Me is a time jumping historical novel like none that I’ve come across before. The exact setting and time of the story is never clearly defined which on one hand makes it more mysterious but did at times take me out of the magic of the story because I was attempting to put it into a larger context.
“Your father died the night the town believed he did, and my captor was born from his ashes.
Two men, not alike, strangers to each other.”
Judith is mute and lives with her seemingly heartless Mom and dim-witted but loving brother, Darrel. We learn why and how Judith lost her voice in a mystery type fashion with snippets of hints being revealed in unexpected ways. With a poetic voice Berry bounds the reader through time and through the village of despicable, deplorable townsfolk.
“That won’t excuse me for presuming to give my heart to you. It’s not your fault you broke it.”
The book is marketed as being for ages 12 and up. I think it’ll be the rare 12 year old who’ll be patient enough to sort through the confusing shifting scene breaks. Some sections are a mere sentence or two and the time will have already shifted in the next section before the reader has caught on to the last shift. This novel will find it’s home with reader’s who appreciate being challenged, love a poetic and unique story telling style and relish the gradual revealing of clues in a deftly told mystery.
HipMamaJenn 