Truth Be Told by Sue Divin
Local author Sue Divin has landed back with another stunning YA tale spanning the generations and opposing cultures of the North of Ireland/ Northern Ireland.
Tara from Derry and Faith from Armagh meet at a Cross Community Residential weekend and are shocked when they meet, they look so alike that it is impossible that they not be related, but how? Faith’s parents are upright citizens with strong church connections, but Tara is the product of two generations of single mothers, with no knowledge of who her father, or indeed her grandfather, may be.
After the initial shock the pair click and decide to find out for sure without upsetting their parents – surreptitious DNA testing ensues along with the dramatic muddle of budding teenage relationships, misunderstanding, deception and long kept secrets. The story moves apace covering ground between the rural fields of Armagh to the legendary Halloween celebrations of Derry/Londonderry
The author has not been afraid to address some controversial topics: gayness and conversion therapy, abortion, same sex marriage, sex, drugs, alcohol and even teenage smoking. These are all addressed, and all firmly placed within present day tensions, both political and social.
Her style is striking, the sentences short with language familiar to those in the teenage world, easily relatable and current. She instils depth to the story with the unveiling of the generational secrets held by the parents and grandparents, the clear explanation in the context of The Troubles adding colour and understanding of the past for the less informed reader.
Along with Guard Your Heart this novel should be mandatory reading for every GCSE student in the country – entertaining, accessible and informative.
Submitted by Jillian
