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The Truth About Us
What happens when the past catches up to the present and the truth surfaces? Three women, roommates back in college, find their lives forever altered when one of them feels compelled to confess the secret sin of their past.
And whose truth is it?
'The Truth About Us' weaves the past and the present in a page-turner that explores the shifting quality of truth, and the cost of secrets.
And whose truth is it?
'The Truth About Us' weaves the past and the present in a page-turner that explores the shifting quality of truth, and the cost of secrets.
Unknown Binding
First published November 5, 2011
109 people are currently reading
765 people want to read
About the author
Dalene Flannigan
2 books11 followersDalene Flannigan,a Canadian writer, was born in Glasgow, Scotland.
"For many years I thought my parents were teasing me when they said, "you were born in the rottenrow". But, turns out, I was born in the Rottenrow.
Rottenrow is a street in Glasgow, Scotland, and the address of the Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital (nicknamed by locals as "The Rottenrow").
It explains so much."
Her full length plays include 'Rescuing Elephants' and 'A Mournful Rustling' - winner of the Playwrights of Spring New Play Award and finalist in The Samuel French Canadian Playwrights Contest.
She has written, Unheard Voices--an award-winning video on Hard-of-Hearing issues, and, Let's Make it Clear...Clear Communication and Hearing Loss--winner of the Barbara Jordan Media Award.
She lives in Toronto and is working on a new novel.
www.daleneflannigan.com
"For many years I thought my parents were teasing me when they said, "you were born in the rottenrow". But, turns out, I was born in the Rottenrow.
Rottenrow is a street in Glasgow, Scotland, and the address of the Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital (nicknamed by locals as "The Rottenrow").
It explains so much."
Her full length plays include 'Rescuing Elephants' and 'A Mournful Rustling' - winner of the Playwrights of Spring New Play Award and finalist in The Samuel French Canadian Playwrights Contest.
She has written, Unheard Voices--an award-winning video on Hard-of-Hearing issues, and, Let's Make it Clear...Clear Communication and Hearing Loss--winner of the Barbara Jordan Media Award.
She lives in Toronto and is working on a new novel.
www.daleneflannigan.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
February 7, 2017
They were roommates in college and one event would forever cement them in a secret that could last a lifetime. One was strong-willed and outspoken, one was loose, wild, and in search of something missing in her life. The third would do all she could to blend into the background, but she would be the one with the greatest secret, the secret that would define her very essence.
When Jude finds religion, she is compelled to share the secret from so long ago. But is it her secret to tell? Will this secret lighten her soul while dragging others into the pit of despair? The three must come together again, Erica with her marital problems, and Grace, the true victim, the true perpetrator of the heinous crime. Each has their reasons for or against dragging up the past, but it is Jude’s latest fix in her search for love and acceptance that becomes her obsession as the cult she is now part of overtakes her life, mind, body and soul. A family must be told of the that fateful night years before and three lives will forever be changed, for better or worse and their bond will be shredded.
Dalene Flannigan’s THE TRUTH ABOUT US is a dark and brittle tale of mistakes, vengeance and the vows of silence three young women make. It is a tale of stretching the bonds of friendship to their breaking point and the purging of one’s guilt, no matter the cost to others.
Certainly not an upbeat read, Dalene Flannigan has brought her tale to life with characters filled with flaws and personal agendas and concerns. The switching of POVs is done brilliantly and the empty feel of each page is almost thick enough to touch. There is no happily ever after, but there is finally, truth.
Publisher: Dalene Flannigan (December 5, 2011)
Publication Date: December 5, 2011
Genre: Suspense | Women's Literature
Print Length: 176 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
When Jude finds religion, she is compelled to share the secret from so long ago. But is it her secret to tell? Will this secret lighten her soul while dragging others into the pit of despair? The three must come together again, Erica with her marital problems, and Grace, the true victim, the true perpetrator of the heinous crime. Each has their reasons for or against dragging up the past, but it is Jude’s latest fix in her search for love and acceptance that becomes her obsession as the cult she is now part of overtakes her life, mind, body and soul. A family must be told of the that fateful night years before and three lives will forever be changed, for better or worse and their bond will be shredded.
Dalene Flannigan’s THE TRUTH ABOUT US is a dark and brittle tale of mistakes, vengeance and the vows of silence three young women make. It is a tale of stretching the bonds of friendship to their breaking point and the purging of one’s guilt, no matter the cost to others.
Certainly not an upbeat read, Dalene Flannigan has brought her tale to life with characters filled with flaws and personal agendas and concerns. The switching of POVs is done brilliantly and the empty feel of each page is almost thick enough to touch. There is no happily ever after, but there is finally, truth.
Publisher: Dalene Flannigan (December 5, 2011)
Publication Date: December 5, 2011
Genre: Suspense | Women's Literature
Print Length: 176 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
February 25, 2012
A very powerful and emotionally charged story. I was moved by the honesty of these characters and lead by the story from page to page completely right from the beginning. The writing drew me right in. Another awesome book from a Canadian writer.
November 1, 2012
What is it about the truth, or for that matter, the secrets, that seem to haunt us until we give in to the need to purge? Why is it we think we can cleanse ourselves if we reveal our secrets of the past, no matter the consequences to anyone else? Who gives us the right to make this decision?
“Three women, roommates back in college, find their lives forever altered when one of them feels compelled to confess the secret sin of their past.”
The author wrote a fast-paced book intertwining the past and the present that keeps you on your toes; and just when you think you have figured out a secret, another one surfaces.
“Did you hear me Erica? I have found Jesus.” “I didn’t know he was missing.” Jude sighed into the phone.”
“Dear Grace: I know this is out of the blue. I need to talk to you. Jude has found Jesus and insists that she must now walk the path of truth.”
The characters were interesting and diverse. You have Jude, who is a selfish person with a religious obsession. There is Erica, whose life is a complete disaster and who has trouble coping with life. And, then there is Grace, who like her name, is strong and steadfast.
“My mother tried. She painted my bedroom pink and put me in ballet when I was four but even then she knew she had picked the wrong name. A Grace should be graceful, should be one of those tiny, sparrow girls who run on tiptoe preparing for the inevitability of high heels.”
Clarity of the book for me came in the final few pages. I look back and see how the decisions made in the heat of a moment far outreach that moment. The ripples in the water continuously send out ripples. I felt the book definitely had a message its reader.
If I were to choose a book to compare it to, I would choose the Memory Keeper’s Daughter. Not because of the topic of the book, but because of the similarities in how decisions we make affect the rest of our lives and those around us.
You can view additional information at http://mylife-in-stories.blogspot.com
“Three women, roommates back in college, find their lives forever altered when one of them feels compelled to confess the secret sin of their past.”
The author wrote a fast-paced book intertwining the past and the present that keeps you on your toes; and just when you think you have figured out a secret, another one surfaces.
“Did you hear me Erica? I have found Jesus.” “I didn’t know he was missing.” Jude sighed into the phone.”
“Dear Grace: I know this is out of the blue. I need to talk to you. Jude has found Jesus and insists that she must now walk the path of truth.”
The characters were interesting and diverse. You have Jude, who is a selfish person with a religious obsession. There is Erica, whose life is a complete disaster and who has trouble coping with life. And, then there is Grace, who like her name, is strong and steadfast.
“My mother tried. She painted my bedroom pink and put me in ballet when I was four but even then she knew she had picked the wrong name. A Grace should be graceful, should be one of those tiny, sparrow girls who run on tiptoe preparing for the inevitability of high heels.”
Clarity of the book for me came in the final few pages. I look back and see how the decisions made in the heat of a moment far outreach that moment. The ripples in the water continuously send out ripples. I felt the book definitely had a message its reader.
If I were to choose a book to compare it to, I would choose the Memory Keeper’s Daughter. Not because of the topic of the book, but because of the similarities in how decisions we make affect the rest of our lives and those around us.
You can view additional information at http://mylife-in-stories.blogspot.com
April 2, 2012
I was pleasantly delighted to enjoy The Truth About Us as much as I did. The synopsis is pretty minimal, but definitely intriguing, and the book absolutely went above and beyond my expectations based on the blurb.
Grace, Jude, and Erica were friends in college, but have since moved on with their lives in very different ways. Except that they all carry a potentially devastating secret from their time as roommates. Erica has formed a life and a family, that is currently on a very rocky road. Grace has embraced activism as a result of her past experiences. And Jude has moved from the extremes of drug addiction to the extremes of the fanatically religious.
In fact, Jude is bound and determined to tell the three women’s secrets to the world, in the name of honesty and purity.
But at this point, who’s secret is it really? And what is the benefit of sharing the truth? Is it possible that the truth is more harmful than the lies that others have constructed?
The Truth About Us explores these concepts in alternating perspectives, as each of the three women handle Jude’s intention to tell in different ways. The bonds of old and true friendships are tested, as the women handle this new challenge. This book is a fantastic page turner, in part because you want to know so badly what the secret is, and then you desperately want things to work out right. I identified most strongly with Grace and Erica – both of whom have had experiences and circumstances that inspire massive amounts of empathy. Grace in particular has embraced a unique perspective that is alternately appealing and frightening. Jude on the other hand…. I wanted to smack.
All in all, I couldn’t put this one down, and I highly recommend to fans of contemporary fiction. It’s a much weightier story than it sounds like, but it’s very well worth it.
Grace, Jude, and Erica were friends in college, but have since moved on with their lives in very different ways. Except that they all carry a potentially devastating secret from their time as roommates. Erica has formed a life and a family, that is currently on a very rocky road. Grace has embraced activism as a result of her past experiences. And Jude has moved from the extremes of drug addiction to the extremes of the fanatically religious.
In fact, Jude is bound and determined to tell the three women’s secrets to the world, in the name of honesty and purity.
But at this point, who’s secret is it really? And what is the benefit of sharing the truth? Is it possible that the truth is more harmful than the lies that others have constructed?
The Truth About Us explores these concepts in alternating perspectives, as each of the three women handle Jude’s intention to tell in different ways. The bonds of old and true friendships are tested, as the women handle this new challenge. This book is a fantastic page turner, in part because you want to know so badly what the secret is, and then you desperately want things to work out right. I identified most strongly with Grace and Erica – both of whom have had experiences and circumstances that inspire massive amounts of empathy. Grace in particular has embraced a unique perspective that is alternately appealing and frightening. Jude on the other hand…. I wanted to smack.
All in all, I couldn’t put this one down, and I highly recommend to fans of contemporary fiction. It’s a much weightier story than it sounds like, but it’s very well worth it.
November 26, 2016
My Kindle has thousands of books. Upon trying to rearrange some of them I came along this one that I had not finished or reviewed. Upon finally completing it, I know why I stopped - a good story but quite slow moving - about friends with a secret - and we know when you hold in secrets they eventually come to light....but I found there was something lacking in the story....cant put my finger on it....anyone else feel the same (if you have read this book)
January 20, 2012
I was absolutely captivated by this book and found myself completely lost in the story. The Truth About Us is the story of three college friends, Grace, Erica, and Jude, who are forever bound to each other because of a tragic secret they share. But when Jude finds Jesus, she threatens to unravel all of their lives when she is compelled to confess her sins and tell the truth about what happened all those years ago. Revealing the secret could mean serious consequences for them all, which prompts Erica and Grace to reunite to try to talk Jude out of her confession.
I love how Flannigan creates this story and weaves it together so each woman’s lives touches the others even though they really don’t talk anymore. From the beginning the mystery about the secret grabs you and will break your heart once revealed. When Erica and Jude decide to help Grace their lives are changed forever. But what neither of them know is that each of them have kept bits and pieces of their own truth hidden from the other.
I can clearly see the evolution of Grace. As a child and a young woman she did everything she could to become invisible, despite her awkwardness and her height. But after a joking conversation with Erica and Jude, and experiencing the defining moment of her life, Grace shatters the shell and becomes a visible force in the world. She produces and directs documentaries highlighting abuse and mistreatment toward women, with no regrets, and no apologies.
The kind and carefree Erica from college disappears, and is replaced with a cautious woman who withholds her truth from her husband and family. And when she discovers her husband is having an affair, she tries to repair the damage by pretending it doesn’t exist. She doesn’t want to face the reasons why her husband could be stepping out, and she is still not fully prepared to be completely transparent with her husband. Jude threatening to tell encourages Erica to finally be truthful with her husband and he doesn’t take it well. Erica’s husband would reach out to her, but then he’d pull back again, which I found confusing. But I love how Flannigan relates Erica’s secrecy and her husband’s affair in such a way that each of them have no choice but to try and be understanding of each other.
Jude is the only character who didn’t change much to me. In her youth she was abused and molested and in turn was the wild child of the group. Jude was unstable, and flitted from one place and person to another. And although she found Jesus, in Jude’s case it was only trading one unhealthy obsession for another. I think when Jude initially found Jesus her intentions were good. But it soon morphed into this driving need to lead others into salvation whether they wanted to or not. She became quite indignant and self-righteous, and her crusade for truth became more about proving her superiority in Christ than the actual truth.
In The Truth About Us, Dalene Flannigan shows us how one event can change our lives and stay with us forever. She also shows us how one secret and our personal truth can touch the lives of our friends and family, even if they had nothing to do with it. It’s interesting to see how this one defining moment shaped and governed the rest of their lives, and how it had far-reaching effects and consequences beyond that one night. The Truth About Us was a smart, heartwarming, and honest story. I recommend it to anyone who is into women’s literature or anyone who just wants to read a good book.
I love how Flannigan creates this story and weaves it together so each woman’s lives touches the others even though they really don’t talk anymore. From the beginning the mystery about the secret grabs you and will break your heart once revealed. When Erica and Jude decide to help Grace their lives are changed forever. But what neither of them know is that each of them have kept bits and pieces of their own truth hidden from the other.
I can clearly see the evolution of Grace. As a child and a young woman she did everything she could to become invisible, despite her awkwardness and her height. But after a joking conversation with Erica and Jude, and experiencing the defining moment of her life, Grace shatters the shell and becomes a visible force in the world. She produces and directs documentaries highlighting abuse and mistreatment toward women, with no regrets, and no apologies.
The kind and carefree Erica from college disappears, and is replaced with a cautious woman who withholds her truth from her husband and family. And when she discovers her husband is having an affair, she tries to repair the damage by pretending it doesn’t exist. She doesn’t want to face the reasons why her husband could be stepping out, and she is still not fully prepared to be completely transparent with her husband. Jude threatening to tell encourages Erica to finally be truthful with her husband and he doesn’t take it well. Erica’s husband would reach out to her, but then he’d pull back again, which I found confusing. But I love how Flannigan relates Erica’s secrecy and her husband’s affair in such a way that each of them have no choice but to try and be understanding of each other.
Jude is the only character who didn’t change much to me. In her youth she was abused and molested and in turn was the wild child of the group. Jude was unstable, and flitted from one place and person to another. And although she found Jesus, in Jude’s case it was only trading one unhealthy obsession for another. I think when Jude initially found Jesus her intentions were good. But it soon morphed into this driving need to lead others into salvation whether they wanted to or not. She became quite indignant and self-righteous, and her crusade for truth became more about proving her superiority in Christ than the actual truth.
In The Truth About Us, Dalene Flannigan shows us how one event can change our lives and stay with us forever. She also shows us how one secret and our personal truth can touch the lives of our friends and family, even if they had nothing to do with it. It’s interesting to see how this one defining moment shaped and governed the rest of their lives, and how it had far-reaching effects and consequences beyond that one night. The Truth About Us was a smart, heartwarming, and honest story. I recommend it to anyone who is into women’s literature or anyone who just wants to read a good book.
May 14, 2012
Great subject idea - three estranged college friends hold a deep dark secret. One finds it necessary to spill the beans based on some religious ideas she has learned in her recent past. This forces the three back together after 15 years, all of them having made very different lives for themselves and now have very little in common.
I liked the characters well enough - though Jude, I think, was supposed to arouse more anger and disgust in the reader and that she certainly did. I felt a little uncomfortable about where the anger regarding Jude was stemming from though - which was the lunatic church she was attending. I'm not sure why the disturbing portrayal of this "church" bothered me so much as I don't follow any religious faith strictly; but nonetheless I was left feeling pretty offended. I suppose I'd hoped for less of a blanket sized view of religion - because of course, not all religious entities have insane ministers who remove their clothing during a service and partake in sexual relations with several of the members. Nor do those of faith whom I know get on their knees in public places, crying so hard that they have a snot bubble, screaming out prayers for the sinners around them. It became pitiful, Jude's behavior - acting on behalf of her "church".
Overall, I liked the book okay. The writing was done well, there was a bit of suspense involved...I'd love to leave a better review but it just left me with a bad feeling. I read a lot of books and rarely do I focus on menial things - unless I feel it was written with a purpose to provoke a certain feeling in the reader. I feel like this was done with purpose and - if you have any familiarity with my reviews you know that I REALLY don't like religious or political views 'pushed on me'. Thus the 3 stars, which for me was pretty generous in a situation like this. Sorry, Ms Flannigan, I hate leaving crappy reviews for Indie authors because I understand that reviews are a large part of the key to success for you. I just think it's common sense to not to be offensive to specific groups when the hope is to reach a large & varied population. Just my 2 cents.
I liked the characters well enough - though Jude, I think, was supposed to arouse more anger and disgust in the reader and that she certainly did. I felt a little uncomfortable about where the anger regarding Jude was stemming from though - which was the lunatic church she was attending. I'm not sure why the disturbing portrayal of this "church" bothered me so much as I don't follow any religious faith strictly; but nonetheless I was left feeling pretty offended. I suppose I'd hoped for less of a blanket sized view of religion - because of course, not all religious entities have insane ministers who remove their clothing during a service and partake in sexual relations with several of the members. Nor do those of faith whom I know get on their knees in public places, crying so hard that they have a snot bubble, screaming out prayers for the sinners around them. It became pitiful, Jude's behavior - acting on behalf of her "church".
Overall, I liked the book okay. The writing was done well, there was a bit of suspense involved...I'd love to leave a better review but it just left me with a bad feeling. I read a lot of books and rarely do I focus on menial things - unless I feel it was written with a purpose to provoke a certain feeling in the reader. I feel like this was done with purpose and - if you have any familiarity with my reviews you know that I REALLY don't like religious or political views 'pushed on me'. Thus the 3 stars, which for me was pretty generous in a situation like this. Sorry, Ms Flannigan, I hate leaving crappy reviews for Indie authors because I understand that reviews are a large part of the key to success for you. I just think it's common sense to not to be offensive to specific groups when the hope is to reach a large & varied population. Just my 2 cents.
December 19, 2011
Book Review: 3 Treasure Boxes
A horrendous, life changing event impacts three young college students. To protect themselves, they swear to keep it a secret. After graduation, they drift apart, each finding ways to escape their past. Twenty years later, one of the friends decides the truth must come out, but at what cost? This story examines each of their lives, how they have reconciled with the past and how revealing the truth will affect them.
The Truth About Us is Dalene Flannigan’s second novel, she has also written a couple of plays. This book is a drama and it is told in an alternating first person narrative by the three main protagonists. Three women who roomed together in college. The story takes place about 20 years after they graduated. Grace is now a successful, independent woman who makes documentary films about violence against women. Erica is struggling with her marriage but loves her two children and is trying to make her life work. For Jude, life has been difficult so she turned to drugs, and became an addict, but recently she has found Jesus, This has led her onto a new path and she is putting her life back together.
The story was well told and intriguing from the first page. Ms. Flannigan is a gifted story teller as she baits the reader, slowly releasing facts while drawing us in. Each of the characters are well drawn, well rounded people who we care about. I found the book hard to put down. First I was curious to find out what the secret was, and then once it was revealed I could understand why they wanted to keep it a secret. I could also see how the secret impacted each of them and lead to their current lives.
The Truth About Us is a standalone book, with a well developed plot and a great ending. If you enjoy reading a good story about women, then I recommend this book.
for more of my reviews go to: http://books-treasureortrash.com
A horrendous, life changing event impacts three young college students. To protect themselves, they swear to keep it a secret. After graduation, they drift apart, each finding ways to escape their past. Twenty years later, one of the friends decides the truth must come out, but at what cost? This story examines each of their lives, how they have reconciled with the past and how revealing the truth will affect them.
The Truth About Us is Dalene Flannigan’s second novel, she has also written a couple of plays. This book is a drama and it is told in an alternating first person narrative by the three main protagonists. Three women who roomed together in college. The story takes place about 20 years after they graduated. Grace is now a successful, independent woman who makes documentary films about violence against women. Erica is struggling with her marriage but loves her two children and is trying to make her life work. For Jude, life has been difficult so she turned to drugs, and became an addict, but recently she has found Jesus, This has led her onto a new path and she is putting her life back together.
The story was well told and intriguing from the first page. Ms. Flannigan is a gifted story teller as she baits the reader, slowly releasing facts while drawing us in. Each of the characters are well drawn, well rounded people who we care about. I found the book hard to put down. First I was curious to find out what the secret was, and then once it was revealed I could understand why they wanted to keep it a secret. I could also see how the secret impacted each of them and lead to their current lives.
The Truth About Us is a standalone book, with a well developed plot and a great ending. If you enjoy reading a good story about women, then I recommend this book.
for more of my reviews go to: http://books-treasureortrash.com
February 10, 2012
This isn't a very long book -- it's 204 pages. However, there's a lot in this story. There's the relationship between the three women -- their past relationship as roommates, and their present lives that are now intersecting. There's the issue of Erica and her husband and what's going to happen to their marriage. It's about keeping secrets, and how that can change people. There were parts that weren't easy to read ..... there are a few pretty ugly things in this book, but I felt they weren't blown out of proportion, or didn't make sense to be in the story.
I liked how the author wrote these three women, and the story. These characters were so clear that I instantly felt like I knew them. I liked the pace, and how I wasn't sure what was going to happen. I also liked how I didn't like Jude -- but I couldn't not read about her (kind of like when your eye is drawn to something really ugly or awful). I was glad that the author didn't make it so that Jude completely controlled everything. In fact, at one point, when Erica stands up to her, I was cheering (inside, quietly).
I don't know if this is a story all readers will like, so I'd encourage you to look at the other reviews on GoodReads. I was reminded of what I liked in Margaret Atwood's The Robber Bride, another book about 3 very different women who know each other in college, and whose lives intersect again.
Full review on my blog, Fluidityoftime.blogspot.com
I liked how the author wrote these three women, and the story. These characters were so clear that I instantly felt like I knew them. I liked the pace, and how I wasn't sure what was going to happen. I also liked how I didn't like Jude -- but I couldn't not read about her (kind of like when your eye is drawn to something really ugly or awful). I was glad that the author didn't make it so that Jude completely controlled everything. In fact, at one point, when Erica stands up to her, I was cheering (inside, quietly).
I don't know if this is a story all readers will like, so I'd encourage you to look at the other reviews on GoodReads. I was reminded of what I liked in Margaret Atwood's The Robber Bride, another book about 3 very different women who know each other in college, and whose lives intersect again.
Full review on my blog, Fluidityoftime.blogspot.com
February 5, 2012
The Truth About Us is a great read. About three friends who share a secret one they carry for many years and how that secret affects their lives.
Dalene writes with such great flow I am shocked that her book is only self published and some smart publisher hasn't snagged her book up. Her characters are well written and the story coming to a head when one no longer wants to keep but instead share their secret.
I enjoyed the book and recommend checking it out. A job well done by an author who's future works I already look forward to.
Dalene writes with such great flow I am shocked that her book is only self published and some smart publisher hasn't snagged her book up. Her characters are well written and the story coming to a head when one no longer wants to keep but instead share their secret.
I enjoyed the book and recommend checking it out. A job well done by an author who's future works I already look forward to.
March 3, 2012
I enjoyed this book, the characters were well done and it was a moving story. I had some laugh out loud moments at the absurdity of Jude's new found path but at the same time your heart is breaking for her. Erica and Grace felt very real so it was easy to relate to them.
Just an all around good book.
Just an all around good book.
December 27, 2012
The story line was corny, glad it was relatively short. I only finished to see how it all turned out and because I have a compulsion to finish any book I start, no matter how painful. So thankful it was a free book.
November 25, 2013
Couldn't deal with the preacher kissing her foot during a "foot washing" service. Quit reading. No stars.
June 15, 2015
I wanted to like it. Couldn't get hooked.
June 12, 2023
This was okay, there’s a lot on unnecessary parts and a lot of over-done parts. I seriously hated Jude. I cannot stand when someone is overly religious and pushing it on everyone around them and that’s exactly how this character is. And there is so much jesus talk because of it, I would not have even picked this up if I knew that beforehand. Erica was made out to be some basket case that can’t control her emotions, when not only is this long ago murder resurfacing but her marriage is in jeopardy, id be an emotional wreck too. But why was her marriage even a part of the story? All it did was show how emotionally vulnerable she was but the murder alone was doing that just fine so the entire thing seemed unnecessary. Grace was the only normal one and she was the one who should have been the most upset.
And all in all, nothing even happened. This truth that just HAD to be told, (no it didn’t), didn’t even matter. Nothing came of it. Nothing changed. All this build up for what. An eye roll.
And all in all, nothing even happened. This truth that just HAD to be told, (no it didn’t), didn’t even matter. Nothing came of it. Nothing changed. All this build up for what. An eye roll.
May 9, 2018
3 1/2 stars. This read super smoothly and was an enjoyable read, but it just seemed to be missing something. Maybe it just felt a little too streamlined and I needed more substance, I don't know. The story is good and the characters have great promise, I just wanted more. The ending worked, but it...again...felt a bit too flat. I wasn't necessarily disappointed, just not wowed. This one is still worth reading and would likely be a good beach read or a good book to remove someone from a reading slump.
September 10, 2017
As I read this, it seemed slow moving. The ending seemed to wrap up in only a few pages. But, as I think over the entire book, I can appreciate the story line and author's style of presenting the 3 characters and their perspectives. It leaves one wondering if the truth always does set one free....
February 27, 2018
Sweet Revenge
Well developed characters seem like they could be my friends and enemies. Who knows whether the friends will enemies tomorrow. This is a story with good karma and an unhappy ending!
Well developed characters seem like they could be my friends and enemies. Who knows whether the friends will enemies tomorrow. This is a story with good karma and an unhappy ending!
October 19, 2020
Thought Provoking Tale
A thought provoking tale of 3 college roommates with a life altering secret. The story is told bits and pieces by each roommate years after the fact. Well written with in depth characters
A thought provoking tale of 3 college roommates with a life altering secret. The story is told bits and pieces by each roommate years after the fact. Well written with in depth characters
July 21, 2017
I'm giving this book 5 stars, not because it's a life-changing book, but because I just couldn't put it down. Loved the riveting plot and great characters. It would be a great "beach read."
June 28, 2020
Brilliant
Although an obvious story line, it reflects on the repercussions an guilt of actions on others that most would relate to. Read this in one day!
Although an obvious story line, it reflects on the repercussions an guilt of actions on others that most would relate to. Read this in one day!
January 5, 2021
An interesting insight on how one person's actions may effect others.
June 19, 2023
A pretty good read
The story line is interesting. Hits on a subject that is still a problem in society, where the victim is not heard or seen.
The story line is interesting. Hits on a subject that is still a problem in society, where the victim is not heard or seen.
April 11, 2013
Wow. I didn't expect any of this from this book. This meaning the depth of emotion, the way this book touched me, even when I didn't want it to or didn't expect it to. What was I expecting? A quick lighthearted story to pass some time between a few things I've been wanting to read. Surprise, surprise, this freebie had some depth!
Perhaps it was the age of the three women, but I really felt connected to them on a personal level. It was as if I could see a little bit of myself in each of them. Although Grace is a lot edgier than I am at this stage of adulthood, I "got" her. I understood who she is and how she got there. Grace and I could have been friends. Erica isn't really anything like me, but I could see her life and my life with a lot of similarities. I couldn't quite grasp her acceptance of or her taking responsibility for her husband, but at the same time, I could seem me justifying things the same way. How else do you take control of the situation if you do not take responsibility? Then there is Jude. Oh Jude. At one point I think Jude and I walked the same walk, stalked the same circles, lived the same destructive existence. I don't agree with, but man, have I seen so many take that destruction and dive headlong into Jesus in the same scary manner. I understand why Jude and people do what they do, I just can't grasp the hypocrisy of it.
The Truth about Us is a mystery, kind of. We get to see the journey. We know what and why from the get go but the story lets us experience the situation with the women. I like how each woman gets a voice and chance to tell her side. I must give Dalene Flannigan credit for giving me an ending I did not see coming. I mean, some of it was obvious, but some of it was breathtaking. All in all, great book. I can't wait to read more of Ms. Flannigan's work.
My favorite quotes:
Why can some people court death and survive while others are careful, do all the right things ans still a piano falls on the them?
"Choices are made in the moment, in context," she said.
But context was like physical pain from the past, you could describe it as excruciating but you couldn't feel it again--no physical pain memory, only a description distorted by time.
One choice leads to another, each choice a step into the center of somewhere you never intended to go.
Fault wasn't only at the end of a line but distributed all along, point to point, person to person; an accumulation of small, guilty contributions.
I could have forced the other girls to join me in the spotlight, to put our legs in the stirrups and be thoroughly, publicly examined. and I could have prayed that following the postmortem tallying of accountability versus damage that he would have been sent to jail for what? One yea? Two? Five? Ten?
Not all secrets are sins in need of forgiveness. But secrets are central to a person's being. They are who we are. The truth of us can be found in our secrets.
She realized she was the queen of consolation, the 'it's okay' girl. Why had she never realized that before? When was the last time someone had patted her back and told her everything was okay. when had she ever let anyone?
A secret is never locked away tight, it pushes outward. It's the thing to be avoided, the creaky stair when you're trying to be quiet, the crack in the sidewalk. Avoidance is hard work and it takes its toll and leaves its mark.
...there wasn't any way to erase the past, that starting from the beginning wasn't possible when you were already in the middle, but she thought they could possibly start free.
"She carried her sorrows bravely, until they became too heavy..."
...the last straw, the tipping point, after effects, side effects, butterfly effects of a moment.--how we can't know the reach of our choices because it takes time for them to accumulate and travel. Only later, once we're far away and looking back, can we see the distance covered, like land carved by time and water.
Does one truth cancel out the other? Do ugly details change the bottom line?
We can never know the whole of anything. There is no static truth. I'll never know the reach of responsibility I bear or the repercussions still to surface.
Perhaps it was the age of the three women, but I really felt connected to them on a personal level. It was as if I could see a little bit of myself in each of them. Although Grace is a lot edgier than I am at this stage of adulthood, I "got" her. I understood who she is and how she got there. Grace and I could have been friends. Erica isn't really anything like me, but I could see her life and my life with a lot of similarities. I couldn't quite grasp her acceptance of or her taking responsibility for her husband, but at the same time, I could seem me justifying things the same way. How else do you take control of the situation if you do not take responsibility? Then there is Jude. Oh Jude. At one point I think Jude and I walked the same walk, stalked the same circles, lived the same destructive existence. I don't agree with, but man, have I seen so many take that destruction and dive headlong into Jesus in the same scary manner. I understand why Jude and people do what they do, I just can't grasp the hypocrisy of it.
The Truth about Us is a mystery, kind of. We get to see the journey. We know what and why from the get go but the story lets us experience the situation with the women. I like how each woman gets a voice and chance to tell her side. I must give Dalene Flannigan credit for giving me an ending I did not see coming. I mean, some of it was obvious, but some of it was breathtaking. All in all, great book. I can't wait to read more of Ms. Flannigan's work.
My favorite quotes:
Why can some people court death and survive while others are careful, do all the right things ans still a piano falls on the them?
"Choices are made in the moment, in context," she said.
But context was like physical pain from the past, you could describe it as excruciating but you couldn't feel it again--no physical pain memory, only a description distorted by time.
One choice leads to another, each choice a step into the center of somewhere you never intended to go.
Fault wasn't only at the end of a line but distributed all along, point to point, person to person; an accumulation of small, guilty contributions.
I could have forced the other girls to join me in the spotlight, to put our legs in the stirrups and be thoroughly, publicly examined. and I could have prayed that following the postmortem tallying of accountability versus damage that he would have been sent to jail for what? One yea? Two? Five? Ten?
Not all secrets are sins in need of forgiveness. But secrets are central to a person's being. They are who we are. The truth of us can be found in our secrets.
She realized she was the queen of consolation, the 'it's okay' girl. Why had she never realized that before? When was the last time someone had patted her back and told her everything was okay. when had she ever let anyone?
A secret is never locked away tight, it pushes outward. It's the thing to be avoided, the creaky stair when you're trying to be quiet, the crack in the sidewalk. Avoidance is hard work and it takes its toll and leaves its mark.
...there wasn't any way to erase the past, that starting from the beginning wasn't possible when you were already in the middle, but she thought they could possibly start free.
"She carried her sorrows bravely, until they became too heavy..."
...the last straw, the tipping point, after effects, side effects, butterfly effects of a moment.--how we can't know the reach of our choices because it takes time for them to accumulate and travel. Only later, once we're far away and looking back, can we see the distance covered, like land carved by time and water.
Does one truth cancel out the other? Do ugly details change the bottom line?
We can never know the whole of anything. There is no static truth. I'll never know the reach of responsibility I bear or the repercussions still to surface.
August 31, 2012
I'll say this right now: I loved this book. From start to finish it kept me invested in the story and the characters' lives and when I knew it was nearing its conclusion I didn't want it to end. I even told a reader friend how good it was before finishing it, which I hardly ever do because as we all know there are no guarantees against things deteriorating and leaving you disappointed. Fortunately my praises were not dampened but rather reinforced by the last few chapters. I think I'm getting ahead of myself...
The narrators are three women who shared a house in college and are bound together by a secret they've sworn to keep. Their voices are as distinctive as their personalities and lives, and their alternating chapters helped create a fuller picture of the past and present events. I don't know what it cost the author to piece together these three characters. Their pain, fear and struggles are right there on the page, and if any of it was inspired by reality Ms. Flannigan lived or witnessed writing this book can't have been easy. It is possible that the degree to which I became invested in the story is due in part to me recognizing traits of a person I know in one of the characters, and although she is by far not as extreme there is a lot of truth in the portrayal. It is also possible that the realism of one lead affected how impressed I was by character development of the other two. These women were so well-written I believed they could really exist, and I sympathized with them even though their actions didn't exactly put them in the "good girl" camp.
I've read a few debut novels in the last several months and few impressed me as much as The Truth About Us. Actually, By Fire By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan is the only other one I can put in the same class as far as writing goes. It's vivid and personal, emotional and thoughtful, and every word builds the larger picture, like pieces of a puzzle that fall into place one by one to reveal more and more of the whole to the point where at the end you really understand why the characters act the way they do and what their worlds are like. There's never any confusion but rather an increasing understanding that comes with bringing things to light and seeing every detail.
The thing that made this novel particularly satisfying was the last chapter. You know how often you finish a book and want to know what happened next? Here we have that last little bit that gives us a degree of closure and understanding of what happened to the characters when they could finally go on with their lives. It also gives us the last few details we were missing about the events of the night that started it all, and that was like the last full stop that said 'this is it, there is nothing more to tell'. I loved how the finality of it brought the story to its true conclusion.
Some may be inclined to categorize this book as a mystery and although there is an element of that genre here I think that this novel is more an exploration of what truth is and what it means to different people, how our lives affect our understanding of it and how our circumstances determine the grey areas around it. The concept of truth runs through everything in this book, not just the parts associated with the secret that's weighing on the characters and spurs them into action. It underscores the idea that every day we are living out our own truth, struggling with it or reveling in it. This is the truth about us, however we understand it.
Read more of my reviews at Bibliophile's Corner
The narrators are three women who shared a house in college and are bound together by a secret they've sworn to keep. Their voices are as distinctive as their personalities and lives, and their alternating chapters helped create a fuller picture of the past and present events. I don't know what it cost the author to piece together these three characters. Their pain, fear and struggles are right there on the page, and if any of it was inspired by reality Ms. Flannigan lived or witnessed writing this book can't have been easy. It is possible that the degree to which I became invested in the story is due in part to me recognizing traits of a person I know in one of the characters, and although she is by far not as extreme there is a lot of truth in the portrayal. It is also possible that the realism of one lead affected how impressed I was by character development of the other two. These women were so well-written I believed they could really exist, and I sympathized with them even though their actions didn't exactly put them in the "good girl" camp.
I've read a few debut novels in the last several months and few impressed me as much as The Truth About Us. Actually, By Fire By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan is the only other one I can put in the same class as far as writing goes. It's vivid and personal, emotional and thoughtful, and every word builds the larger picture, like pieces of a puzzle that fall into place one by one to reveal more and more of the whole to the point where at the end you really understand why the characters act the way they do and what their worlds are like. There's never any confusion but rather an increasing understanding that comes with bringing things to light and seeing every detail.
The thing that made this novel particularly satisfying was the last chapter. You know how often you finish a book and want to know what happened next? Here we have that last little bit that gives us a degree of closure and understanding of what happened to the characters when they could finally go on with their lives. It also gives us the last few details we were missing about the events of the night that started it all, and that was like the last full stop that said 'this is it, there is nothing more to tell'. I loved how the finality of it brought the story to its true conclusion.
Some may be inclined to categorize this book as a mystery and although there is an element of that genre here I think that this novel is more an exploration of what truth is and what it means to different people, how our lives affect our understanding of it and how our circumstances determine the grey areas around it. The concept of truth runs through everything in this book, not just the parts associated with the secret that's weighing on the characters and spurs them into action. It underscores the idea that every day we are living out our own truth, struggling with it or reveling in it. This is the truth about us, however we understand it.
Read more of my reviews at Bibliophile's Corner
August 16, 2012
I read the synopsis for The Truth About Us when the author approached me for a review and at first glance I thought it would be a contemporary women’s novel- light and easy to read. I was actually going to decline, but decided to have a quick look over other reviews and was instantly intrigued by the number of readers who were surprised by the depth of this story and how it didn’t turn out to be what they had expected. I’m glad I took the chance on this indie book! The Truth About Us, isn’t your average women’s fiction novel, rather it explores in depth; relationships, secrets, trust and friendship that evolves among three friends. It also examines the effects of very serious subjects such as childhood sexual abuse, rape, infidelity and religion.
Grace, Erica and Jude are college friends who have gone their separate ways in adulthood. The chapters alternate between the view point of each of the three characters, with Grace being told in the first person. Her story is mostly retrospective, outlining the events that led up until the present moment. Erica is overwhelmed by her current circumstances after discovering her husband’s infidelity and then Jude drops the bombshell that she intends to reveal the secret they had buried sixteen years ago. Jude has ‘found Jesus’ and seems to be on a one way path to finding truth, even if it means betraying her friends and making their past public.
All three characters were very well developed, I felt most connected to Erica but I really felt for Grace. What a horrible, degrading experience she had and it tainted her ability to form a relationship with a man in her adult life. Erica was probably the easiest to connect with as she’s in a difficult situation, she wants to maintain the relationship with her husband, wants to keep her friend’s secret but the solid foundation she built for herself and her family is slowly starting to fall apart.
Jude was the most difficult to like, particularly because of her religious obsession in which she preached openly and at times insensitively. Despite her awful childhood experiences, I just couldn’t connect with the adult she became. She was so desperate to be accepted and loved and yet she lacked the insight about her early experiences and the impact on her as an adult. Inevitably she falls in love with a man, a pastor and incites an unequal relationship where she hopes to be fulfilled but is predictably disappointed. Even though she wanted to make the secret public, her presentation throughout the book actually made me question her sanity at times which I found uncomfortable because I didn’t know whether I was mixing that up with her religious fanatics. In the end, I just pitied her and I was disappointed in how her story was resolved.
The Truth About Us is a fascinating examination of three women from different walks of life and how one tragic evening strengthens their bond and ultimately drives them apart. It’s slow-building suspense incited fear in me that their secret would be revealed (which in itself poses an ethical dilemma!) and there’s a twist at the end that I didn’t expect once the secret was uncovered. I recommend this story, particularly for readers who enjoy suspense, complex characters and the exploration of topical issues.
3.5 stars
Grace, Erica and Jude are college friends who have gone their separate ways in adulthood. The chapters alternate between the view point of each of the three characters, with Grace being told in the first person. Her story is mostly retrospective, outlining the events that led up until the present moment. Erica is overwhelmed by her current circumstances after discovering her husband’s infidelity and then Jude drops the bombshell that she intends to reveal the secret they had buried sixteen years ago. Jude has ‘found Jesus’ and seems to be on a one way path to finding truth, even if it means betraying her friends and making their past public.
All three characters were very well developed, I felt most connected to Erica but I really felt for Grace. What a horrible, degrading experience she had and it tainted her ability to form a relationship with a man in her adult life. Erica was probably the easiest to connect with as she’s in a difficult situation, she wants to maintain the relationship with her husband, wants to keep her friend’s secret but the solid foundation she built for herself and her family is slowly starting to fall apart.
Jude was the most difficult to like, particularly because of her religious obsession in which she preached openly and at times insensitively. Despite her awful childhood experiences, I just couldn’t connect with the adult she became. She was so desperate to be accepted and loved and yet she lacked the insight about her early experiences and the impact on her as an adult. Inevitably she falls in love with a man, a pastor and incites an unequal relationship where she hopes to be fulfilled but is predictably disappointed. Even though she wanted to make the secret public, her presentation throughout the book actually made me question her sanity at times which I found uncomfortable because I didn’t know whether I was mixing that up with her religious fanatics. In the end, I just pitied her and I was disappointed in how her story was resolved.
The Truth About Us is a fascinating examination of three women from different walks of life and how one tragic evening strengthens their bond and ultimately drives them apart. It’s slow-building suspense incited fear in me that their secret would be revealed (which in itself poses an ethical dilemma!) and there’s a twist at the end that I didn’t expect once the secret was uncovered. I recommend this story, particularly for readers who enjoy suspense, complex characters and the exploration of topical issues.
3.5 stars
July 17, 2012
Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes
Should every secret be told? Does the truth always come out? Does it set you free? What if its not your secret to tell? Can we ever really know everything about someone else? The Truth About Us is a fast paced and thought provoking read that raises many questions. It tackles a heavier and controversial subject matter and I was immediately intrigued by the mystery surrounding the three women and their pasts and how it impacts their futures.
Flannigan’s strength is clearly with tense and tender scenes and I quickly began to find myself wanting more of them. The Truth About Us is told via alternating viewpoints and eventually too many memories unfold as the characters wander around doing something without any significant scene taking place. I think actual flashbacks, as much as I’m not a huge fan, might have strengthened this story for me. It probably also explains why my favourite character was Erica. She had the most interactive scenes.
The friendship between these women troubled me. Grace’s depiction of her budding relationship with Erica’s felt real to me and I would have loved a couple more scenes to solidify it, but Jude? I never completely understood it, especially as she simply responded to an ad for a room for rent and the other two ended up feeling sorry for her and that was pretty much the extent of it. I wanted more details of how they became such ‘close friends’ and they required some serious bonding in my opinion to help and trust one another with the secret like they did. But it never happened. For the most part they just seemed like three women who were thrown together in a house for college. Because of this, it was a stretch for me to believe the events that unfolded, both past and present.
Further character development would have definitely strengthened this story. The characters didn’t have much warmth to them and were mostly one sided. Grace was cold and hardened. Jude was lost and her path to redemption damning and Erica was living her life waiting for disaster. Erica was the only character I really cared about in the end and I loved reading about her relationship troubles with her husband. Their scenes were tender and heart wrenching. I loved them. More of this with other characters would have been beneficial as we never see Grace with anyone else until the end and Jude is only ever seen interacting with her pastor. I understand that they were both more tortured souls, and understandably so, and maybe their distance and detachment was Flannigan’s point, but I needed more from them to grow attached and root for them. I’ve read other novels with tortured souls and grew attached, so something was definitely lacking in this respect.
Overall, this was a good read, I just think it could have been much stronger. The plot was interesting, although possibly a bit too heavy on the portrayal of all men as evil, the angst of Erica and her husband came through perfectly and the questions the novel raises were intriguing.
Should every secret be told? Does the truth always come out? Does it set you free? What if its not your secret to tell? Can we ever really know everything about someone else? The Truth About Us is a fast paced and thought provoking read that raises many questions. It tackles a heavier and controversial subject matter and I was immediately intrigued by the mystery surrounding the three women and their pasts and how it impacts their futures.
Flannigan’s strength is clearly with tense and tender scenes and I quickly began to find myself wanting more of them. The Truth About Us is told via alternating viewpoints and eventually too many memories unfold as the characters wander around doing something without any significant scene taking place. I think actual flashbacks, as much as I’m not a huge fan, might have strengthened this story for me. It probably also explains why my favourite character was Erica. She had the most interactive scenes.
The friendship between these women troubled me. Grace’s depiction of her budding relationship with Erica’s felt real to me and I would have loved a couple more scenes to solidify it, but Jude? I never completely understood it, especially as she simply responded to an ad for a room for rent and the other two ended up feeling sorry for her and that was pretty much the extent of it. I wanted more details of how they became such ‘close friends’ and they required some serious bonding in my opinion to help and trust one another with the secret like they did. But it never happened. For the most part they just seemed like three women who were thrown together in a house for college. Because of this, it was a stretch for me to believe the events that unfolded, both past and present.
Further character development would have definitely strengthened this story. The characters didn’t have much warmth to them and were mostly one sided. Grace was cold and hardened. Jude was lost and her path to redemption damning and Erica was living her life waiting for disaster. Erica was the only character I really cared about in the end and I loved reading about her relationship troubles with her husband. Their scenes were tender and heart wrenching. I loved them. More of this with other characters would have been beneficial as we never see Grace with anyone else until the end and Jude is only ever seen interacting with her pastor. I understand that they were both more tortured souls, and understandably so, and maybe their distance and detachment was Flannigan’s point, but I needed more from them to grow attached and root for them. I’ve read other novels with tortured souls and grew attached, so something was definitely lacking in this respect.
Overall, this was a good read, I just think it could have been much stronger. The plot was interesting, although possibly a bit too heavy on the portrayal of all men as evil, the angst of Erica and her husband came through perfectly and the questions the novel raises were intriguing.
January 17, 2012
Originally published on my blog
I don't know what I was expecting when I started reading this book. I know I love a book when I want to reread it. And right now, I know this will be one of those re-readable books.
The book isn't just about growing up and about friendship. It's about choices and how those choices influence one's life forever, about the different sides of the truth and about how truth is depends on the personal view.
Three friends, three roommates, Grace, Jude and Erica, struggle with a secret and a set of choices that changed them forever. Grace is the kind of woman that tries to transform her past, her secrets, into a mission. First, it's personal, she's trying to find out if she's the only one with a past like hers (or similar). Then, when she sees that she's not alone, that there are others like her, she tries to tell their story to the world, change people's view about women and abuse and choices born out of resentment, fear or hate. She doesn't seem like a strong woman, not really. She might be perceived that way, but I think there's a part of her that is scared, terrified even, wary. I liked her though, I liked her view and take on certain sensitive subjects.
Erica is, I think, the strongest of the three. The accomplished woman, with a house, a husband, two kids. Even if her marriage is far from perfect, she tries to change that, to fix what can be fixed. A part of Erica would want to change the past and almost everything that happened after college. I believe that her past made her stronger in some ways and in other she is overwhelmed by it.
Then there's Jude. Jude is the scarred woman, the one with a history of drug and alcohol addiction, the one who's been sexually abused during her childhood by the very people who should have cherished, loved and protected her. She's lost and a big part of me wasn't surprised by her choice at the end of the book. Everyone she trusted wronged her in some way. Grace lied to her, her parents weren't the good parents they should have been, the man who supposedly tries to show her the right path is using her. She tries to find salvation through religion, but it's not a healthy decision, or so I felt it.
This is one of those books that satisfied me as a reader a lot. I love it when there's a book that manage to show different versions and views of the same event, the same situation. I think Ms. Flannigan managed to do that and keep the novel flowing. It's not a comfortable read, but it's an amazing one and it's one of those things that make you want to forget all about the "real world" and read more. I would definitely recommend it.
I don't know what I was expecting when I started reading this book. I know I love a book when I want to reread it. And right now, I know this will be one of those re-readable books.
The book isn't just about growing up and about friendship. It's about choices and how those choices influence one's life forever, about the different sides of the truth and about how truth is depends on the personal view.
Three friends, three roommates, Grace, Jude and Erica, struggle with a secret and a set of choices that changed them forever. Grace is the kind of woman that tries to transform her past, her secrets, into a mission. First, it's personal, she's trying to find out if she's the only one with a past like hers (or similar). Then, when she sees that she's not alone, that there are others like her, she tries to tell their story to the world, change people's view about women and abuse and choices born out of resentment, fear or hate. She doesn't seem like a strong woman, not really. She might be perceived that way, but I think there's a part of her that is scared, terrified even, wary. I liked her though, I liked her view and take on certain sensitive subjects.
Erica is, I think, the strongest of the three. The accomplished woman, with a house, a husband, two kids. Even if her marriage is far from perfect, she tries to change that, to fix what can be fixed. A part of Erica would want to change the past and almost everything that happened after college. I believe that her past made her stronger in some ways and in other she is overwhelmed by it.
Then there's Jude. Jude is the scarred woman, the one with a history of drug and alcohol addiction, the one who's been sexually abused during her childhood by the very people who should have cherished, loved and protected her. She's lost and a big part of me wasn't surprised by her choice at the end of the book. Everyone she trusted wronged her in some way. Grace lied to her, her parents weren't the good parents they should have been, the man who supposedly tries to show her the right path is using her. She tries to find salvation through religion, but it's not a healthy decision, or so I felt it.
This is one of those books that satisfied me as a reader a lot. I love it when there's a book that manage to show different versions and views of the same event, the same situation. I think Ms. Flannigan managed to do that and keep the novel flowing. It's not a comfortable read, but it's an amazing one and it's one of those things that make you want to forget all about the "real world" and read more. I would definitely recommend it.
February 3, 2012
Erica’s life seems to be falling apart when she catches her husband having an affair. But just as things are becoming difficult for her, she gets a call from her old friend Jude who drags the past back into Erica’s life. And all of a sudden Erica’s problems are much more dire than her marriage falling apart. Jude, a former party girl, has recently become a devout Christian and is trying to repent for all her sins. Unfortunately, she wishes to confess to her involvement in something that Erica has tried to forget. Sixteen years ago, Jude, Erica and Grace were college roommates. Now, Grace makes documentary films, and Jude’s wish to confess would certainly have a major effect on Grace’s life. When the truth about the past could have life altering consequences for all three women, is it worth it to risk telling the truth? And what if the people don’t want to know the what really happened? When one person’s actions years ago has had a rippling effect for these three women, they will have to finally confront the past.
I’m going to do my best to make this review spoiler free, even if that means excluding a major part of the plot. Before I started reading The Truth About Us, I imagined that it was going to belong to the Romance or Chick Lit genre. Instead, this intense and dramatic book dealt with a lot of serious issues and became impossible to put down as the story progressed. This was a quick read that was thought provoking. I took Women’s Studies in University and this would have been a perfect book to read since there is so much to discuss. The narration switches between each woman every chapter, with Grace’s chapters told in first person and Jude and Erica’s in third person. At first I was sceptical of the switch between first and third person, but in the end it worked quite well. While Jude felt like a bit of a caricature, Erica and Grace were great characters. While they felt real, it also felt like I didn’t know them as well as I could have, but that may have been because of the book’s length. The plot was well paced, although in retrospect the ending might have been a bit anti-climactic, although it didn’t feel like that while reading. I know some people don’t like to read independently published books, but this book is worth making an exception for. Well written and gripping, The Truth About Us was an enjoyable read that I’d definitely recommend.
4/5
I’m going to do my best to make this review spoiler free, even if that means excluding a major part of the plot. Before I started reading The Truth About Us, I imagined that it was going to belong to the Romance or Chick Lit genre. Instead, this intense and dramatic book dealt with a lot of serious issues and became impossible to put down as the story progressed. This was a quick read that was thought provoking. I took Women’s Studies in University and this would have been a perfect book to read since there is so much to discuss. The narration switches between each woman every chapter, with Grace’s chapters told in first person and Jude and Erica’s in third person. At first I was sceptical of the switch between first and third person, but in the end it worked quite well. While Jude felt like a bit of a caricature, Erica and Grace were great characters. While they felt real, it also felt like I didn’t know them as well as I could have, but that may have been because of the book’s length. The plot was well paced, although in retrospect the ending might have been a bit anti-climactic, although it didn’t feel like that while reading. I know some people don’t like to read independently published books, but this book is worth making an exception for. Well written and gripping, The Truth About Us was an enjoyable read that I’d definitely recommend.
4/5
January 20, 2012
The Truth About Us is an astounding novel by Dalene Flannigan. It involves the intertwined lives of three women:
Grace - at 5'10" she has always been a tall woman. She has always felt that her thighs are too large. Her documentaries lead others to believe she's a lesbian or a Feminazi. In college she was quiet and introverted, rarely dating. So when Jason asks her to his place for dinner, she's thrilled. She drinks too much and can't remember anything about that night, yet hopes she didn't make a complete fool of herself. But there's something not quite right about that night and flashbacks come to her little by little. A short while later, she's involved with something that will change her life forever.
Erica - is married to Dave and has twin boys. Her marriage has been rocky for quite some time and she follows her husband into a Motel 8 where he's been having an affair. Erica is reluctant to call him on his indiscretions, as she knows she has kept a secret from him since before they were married. The last thing she wants is for Dave to leave her and take the children with him, but she fears that if he knows the truth all might be lost. And now her secret from college may be exposed when she receives that fateful phone call from Jude.
Jude - the party animal in college, the overly promiscuous one. Jude has now found God, and believes that all will be forgiven if the girls just reveal their secret. Omission of sins is a deadly act. She starts the ball rolling by a phone call to Erika telling her she'll be revealing the secret so that Jesus can save her and her two friends. Back in college, she was heavily into drugs and spending the night with just about anyone. Now, she has been redeemed and is celibate.
This story moved very quickly and was rather exciting. I liked that each chapter was one of the three women who's lives were once intricately wound around each other and are once again becoming intertwined. Each woman has their own cross to bear as well as the terribly horrible secret they share. I enjoyed each woman's chapter as each one was very different in how they handled things. It was as if each one had changed completely from their college days and it was interesting to see how each life revolved around the dreadful secret. Two thumbs up to Dalene, I can't wait to see what she writes next.
Grace - at 5'10" she has always been a tall woman. She has always felt that her thighs are too large. Her documentaries lead others to believe she's a lesbian or a Feminazi. In college she was quiet and introverted, rarely dating. So when Jason asks her to his place for dinner, she's thrilled. She drinks too much and can't remember anything about that night, yet hopes she didn't make a complete fool of herself. But there's something not quite right about that night and flashbacks come to her little by little. A short while later, she's involved with something that will change her life forever.
Erica - is married to Dave and has twin boys. Her marriage has been rocky for quite some time and she follows her husband into a Motel 8 where he's been having an affair. Erica is reluctant to call him on his indiscretions, as she knows she has kept a secret from him since before they were married. The last thing she wants is for Dave to leave her and take the children with him, but she fears that if he knows the truth all might be lost. And now her secret from college may be exposed when she receives that fateful phone call from Jude.
Jude - the party animal in college, the overly promiscuous one. Jude has now found God, and believes that all will be forgiven if the girls just reveal their secret. Omission of sins is a deadly act. She starts the ball rolling by a phone call to Erika telling her she'll be revealing the secret so that Jesus can save her and her two friends. Back in college, she was heavily into drugs and spending the night with just about anyone. Now, she has been redeemed and is celibate.
This story moved very quickly and was rather exciting. I liked that each chapter was one of the three women who's lives were once intricately wound around each other and are once again becoming intertwined. Each woman has their own cross to bear as well as the terribly horrible secret they share. I enjoyed each woman's chapter as each one was very different in how they handled things. It was as if each one had changed completely from their college days and it was interesting to see how each life revolved around the dreadful secret. Two thumbs up to Dalene, I can't wait to see what she writes next.
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