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  • All the Truth That's in Me by Julie Berry
  • Alaine Martaus
Berry, Julie . All the Truth That's in Me. Viking, 2013. [288p]. ISBN 978-0-670-78615-2 $17.99 Reviewed from galleys R* Gr. 9-12.

Kidnapped from her small farming community at the age of fourteen, Judith Finch returned after two years only to find herself spurned by her family and neighbors when they discovered that she has been savagely robbed of her ability to speak. Two more years later, still burdened by the terrible secrets of her experience, silent Judith has become the perceptive observer of village life, though her attention is focused most keenly on Lucas, the boy she's loved from a distance all her life. When invading forces threaten to destroy the village, Judith uses her secret knowledge to save the day, but her revelations bring long-buried mysteries and simmering hatreds back to the surface. In the face of her persistent silence, the townspeople condemn her and cast further suspicion on the innocent Lucas, forcing Judith to finally reveal the truths she's been hiding in order to save herself and the person she loves most. An emotional journey conveyed in lyrical prose, this historical novel, set in an unspecified pre-industrial rural community, is also an absorbing [End Page 76] adventure with elements of mystery and romance, providing a compelling mixture of the heart-wrenching and the heart-pounding. Brief, evocative chapters, often no longer than a passage, intertwine deeply personal narration with glimpses into Judith's tragic past, never lingering too long on any specific moment and slowly raising the suspense. The focused attention on Judith's perspective allows her to remain admirably resolute but at the same time sympathetically vulnerable, a strong heroine who still wants to be understood, appreciated, and even loved. This will be an excellent recommendation for fans of Salerni's The Caged Graves (BCCB 5/13), who like their girl-centered historical fiction with a heavy helping of sentiment, passion, and intrigue.

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