Sue Divin
Macmillian Children’s Books, April 2022
Paperback, £7.99
ISBN 9781529040982
Truth be Told is an interesting story, in which we meet two Irish teens, Tara and Faith: two different girls with different personalities, backgrounds and religions. Yet when meeting each other for the first time, they discover that they both look exactly the same. A mystery which spans three generations starts to unravel as the girls start asking some questions.
In the novel, tensions between Protestants and Catholics are explored in detail, giving the reader a chance to learn a bit about Northern Ireland’s history and an opportunity to connect with the characters on a personal level.
The storyline is quite interesting. Divin frankly discusses family life, teenage love and also LGBTQ+ related issues. The book doesn’t follow your typical mystery-style novel. Divin manages to keep the reader guessing and on their toes while retaining a common thread, drawing in the reader.
The only criticism I can give is that there is too much romance in the story. There should be enough to make things interesting but Divin puts too much, in my opinion, which can make the reader to cringe. But there is nothing to worry about! Divin’s excellent writing skills tied up everything neatly so that the reader is satisfied at the end of the story.
This book was a very satisfying and rewarding read and will be enjoyed by readers aged 13-16.
Daniel Akande, 14
