The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu
Everyone has a lot to say about Alice Franklin, and it’s stopped mattering whether it’s true. The rumors started at a party when Alice supposedly had sex with two guys in one night. When school starts everyone almost forgets about Alice until one of those guys, super-popular Brandon, dies in a car wreck that was allegedly all Alice’s fault. Now the only friend she has is a boy who may be the only other person who knows the truth, but is too afraid to admit it. Told from the perspectives of popular girl Elaine, football star Josh, former outcast Kelsie, and shy genius Kurt, we see how everyone has a motive to bring – and keep – Alice down.
Publishes in US: The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu
Genre: YA contemp
Source: MacMillan via netgalley
Series? No
Buy it: Amazon IndieBound Book Depository
Author stalk away: ~site
I wanted to read this one because I wanted to know the truth behind what happened as well the motives to (possibly lie) and bring down Alice.
The way that Alice's stiffer was told was pretty unique, again a bullying story that sticks out because of the way it is presented. I think it would have been nice tho get more of Alice point of view but if we did then I think the story wouldn't have stood out just another in the sea of bullying tools from first perspective. And I know I might sound a little cold but don't get me wrong they are necessary and powerful stories but there are several and it makes it more challenging to me personally when I get to know some of the other characters involved because I know their motives and the hard things going on with then. Not that it gives then any excuse for talking negatively about another person and then trying to keep then down.
The first of the four characters that made an impression on me was Kelsie. I was always more of what Elaine described Alice as before the incidents, middle of the road, except instead of being on the edge of the popular gang, I felt I got in more with the outcasts or the other middle. So I had a lot of friends like Kelsie was before she moved. I honestly can't imagine moving and then spiking in popularity. But it was hard to hear his honest she was. While I did appreciate that she wasn't lying to herself butt if was hard to suggest that she used to be best friends with Alice and then assist the party knowing that Alice was being put down and it wasn't considered cool or okay when she got implicated in the car accident, Kelsie decided to side with the others at school. And through the story especially at the very end, she is also the character who I think grew the most. I understood more and more that she was so afraid and that effected every thing she did, and that made me be able tho get over the mean things she did and be able to relate to her. Well, I know I said get over what she did, I never forgot about it but I could see around it.
All of the other characters had their unique voice and way of seeing and relating tho Alice. At first I didn't quite get and appreciate each because I wanted tho get to the bottom of the story but as the plot got thicker I really saw the answers, through the lies tho the truth, no matter how ugly or hard.
Josh was Brandons best friend, and through him we see the accident as well as some of the story behind what happened at the party and see Brandon through other' eyes. One thing I want sure of is if he was gay or bi. Some of his actions and the way he describes Brandon at times makes me wonder. Speaking of, the romances seem to all take a back seat. Though Josh talked about girls it was never a focus. It was more friendship and what that looked like. I loved when Josh was remembering Brandon and was able tho recognize his flaws but still see through them. It was also a carried over theme with Alice and kelsie, how they used tho be best friends and then the gradual dissolving of it. We also focus on ke'll kelsies relationship with her mom and how she wishes it was different. She wanted more from her... emotional support and physical comfort of a hug. From Elaine, who by the way was my least favorite of the four. I didn't hate her or anything, it is just harder for me to relate to her because she was always in the popular crowd. From her though we get her relationship with her mom. She wanted to be her friend but also pressured her to ssh hi things like weight watchers with her and Elaine had to learn to stand up for herself.
And finally we get to Kurt. He was a boy genius and didn't really fit into their then. He was happy for the most part to be ignored and it gave him more time to read and study. He is the ultimate nerd and he stole my heart. He accepted people for who they were and he had a secret, knowing the truth behind one of the many lies about Alice through a semi friendship with one of the characters. It was mostly kept on the down low which is why no one would suspect he knew the truth. I love that befriends Alice when she was at a low and all of the rumors were at their highest. He had a crush on her for the longest time and I was cheering for him when he finally got up the courage to initiate. Through him we get sort of a view into how Alice is handling everything as their friendship grows.
I think that the ending was well shove. I plot down the book emotional but with a smile on my face. At several points I was pretty unsure how it was possibly going to wrap up in any way that would satisfy me but she managed it. The story was paced very well and I didn't want to stop reading because it was a character driven story and I knew their would be events and things to make the characters realize more about themselves as well as uncovering the truth about Alice.
My question to you, my lovely readers:
Has anyone ever tools a lie about you ? How did it turn out?
