Title: All That’s True
Author: Jackie Lee Miles
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: January 1, 2011
Paperback: 320 pages
ISBN: 978-1402240850
Genre: Fiction
“My life was close to being perfect until my brother Alex got killed. Then my mother started drinking and my father started having sex with Donna, my best friend’s stepmother. She’s not even thirty years old.”
With an equal mix of joy and sorrow, All That’s True follows Andi’s poignant—and sometimes laugh out loud—journey to young adulthood, where she struggles with the elusive nature of truth and the devastating consequences of deception.
My Review:
All That’s True by Jackie Lee Miles is another beautifully written novel, this time about a young girl coming into her own throughout the midst of tragedy, family drama, and teen issues exacerbated by her home life. I typically do not read coming of age stories, however I did so enjoy Miles’ book, Roseflower Creek, that I wanted to read this book. To say Andi is privileged is an understatement; her life appears perfect until the tragic death of her older brother, which causes the family to fracture. I was surprised how even with the affairs and alcohol abuse, certain aspects of the family’s life stayed the same, however, this book is written from Andi’s perspective, which could possibly explain why some aspects seem almost too normal and others not. Miles is a gifted writer and her prose is beautiful, she easily draws the reader into her book and into Andi’s life. The characters are well described, multi-dimensional and easily relatable. I enjoyed reading the book written in Andi’s voice, which for me has positive and negative qualities. The tone of the book is akin to listening to a teenager sit and talk with you, which makes perfect sense, but a reason I do not typically read coming of age books. The perspective is clearly Andi’s and it is only right the narrative should be in her voice. Miles does an exceptional job capturing the spirit of an adolescent and I would recommend All That’s True to readers who enjoy coming of age novels.
Jackie Lee Miles lives in Georgia with her husband, where she is a featured speaker at book clubs, schools, and writer’s workshops. The author of three novels, Roseflower Creek was her first, published to critical acclaim. When not writing, Ms. Miles tours with the Dixie Darlin’s, four nationally published book-writing belles.
I received a complimentary copy of All That’s True by Jackie Lee Miles from Sourcebooks. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.
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