"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." This can be farther than the truth for Alice, especially after a party she attends. Elaine begins the story, telling everyone who will listen to her what she KNOWS Alice did in a bedroom that night. And once the news gets out, it goes viral, sending Alice from someone everyone knew and liked to the pariah of high school. Kelsie also tells her story about her move from Michigan and how she became best friends with Alice but is now conflicted between defending Alice's reputation or being part of the machine. Josh is dealing with how he became a part of this ugly situation the night his best friend Brandon died. He knows the truth, and it's eating him up from the inside out. Then there's Kurt, who is highly intelligent but lacks social graces. He sees Alice crying on the bleachers and slowly and tentatively reaches out to her, but with all that has happened, is he being true or wanting what others have talked about her doing?
Jennifer Mathieu does two things in the novel creating a powerful story. Not only does she weave four voices to paint a picture with different perspectives, but she also subtly inserts Alice into the entire story, showing her strengths and weaknesses and how this entire thing affects her life. You can't get any closer to a real life scenario about high school and how ugly it can be than you can with this book which shows how words can make or break a teen. Highly recommended for high school Roaring Brook Press, 2014
Jennifer Mathieu does two things in the novel creating a powerful story. Not only does she weave four voices to paint a picture with different perspectives, but she also subtly inserts Alice into the entire story, showing her strengths and weaknesses and how this entire thing affects her life. You can't get any closer to a real life scenario about high school and how ugly it can be than you can with this book which shows how words can make or break a teen. Highly recommended for high school Roaring Brook Press, 2014
Recommended by: Naomi Bates, Library Media Specialist, Texas USA
978-1596439092 Ages 14 and up 288 pages
To see more of her reviews: https://naomibates.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-truth-about-alice-by-jennifer.html
Read alikes: Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr, Gossip Girls by Cecily von Ziegasar, The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney