Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collections
Publication
Roaring Brook Press (2014), Epub, 199 pages
Description
"When ugly rumors and lies about Alice Franklin start after one of the guys she allegedly slept with at a party dies in a car accident, questions about truth arise in her small town"--
User reviews
LibraryThing member LibStaff2
A quick read about high school, rumors, friendship, and truth. This YA coming-of-age story is told from multiple POVs and has a Breakfast Club feel to it, albeit a bit darker. More importantly, as each chapter reveals another side to the story, the reader is reminded not to judge a book by it's
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cover and that all actions have a reaction. Recommended for YA readers.Net Galley Feedback
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LibraryThing member cmelanson
I really did enjoy this book. Mathieu does an effective job of making a particular situation look one way, only to discover there is much more to it than what the reader originally thought. I enjoy books that have the power to change your opinion of the characters and plot elements as you go along.
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The author also painted a realistic picture in the mind of just how much Alice was hurt by the events that play out. I really could feel her pain and pitied her….immensely. Another believable element for me was the whole high school world and how status can determine what people believe, as well as the way it influences the way they treat others. High school can be a shallow, little world of its own, and this novel captures that, completely. The ending was gold for me. I think the author makes a real statement about the kinds of people who end up succeeding in the real world—the one that lies outside the bubble of high school. Show Less
LibraryThing member brandileigh2003
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
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.
Bottom Line: character driven story uncovering the truth about Alice through multiple perspectives.
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
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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.
Bottom Line: character driven story uncovering the truth about Alice through multiple perspectives.
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LibraryThing member KellyWoodward
I was wondering why I flew through this one so quickly! I read it on my Kindle, so I didn’t realize that it was a mere 208 pages. But I think that even if it had been longer I’d still have moved through it at a brisk pace because I got so caught up in it.
The chapters are told from the points of
Each chapter is written not only from a different point of view, but in a different voice, as it should be. At times, however, the voice aspect fell short for me. I like being pulled in to a chapter so smoothly that I forget it’s the same author portraying multiple people. A couple of times, though, I could actually see that Mathieu was making an effort to make the kids sound different from one another. This was most prevalent in the Kurt chapters, because his out-loud dialogue isn’t as dry and technical as his narration. It felt too intentional, if that makes sense. This didn’t cause too much distress for me, though, to be honest; I really enjoyed reading this book. The voice is the only thing that frustrated me ever-so-slightly — well, that and knowing what the hell Alice was doing in Elaine’s diary and what that had to do with anything.
All in all: Worth reading if you enjoy YA — or maybe even if you don’t usually. It’s an easy read and a good reminder to think about the effects your actions will have on others.
Note: I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.
The chapters are told from the points of
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view of numerous students from Alice’s school. As the story progresses, they each reveal the ways in which they’ve contributed to the rumors about Alice. (I’m sure you’ve figured that almost nothing being said about her is true.) What I didn’t expect, though, was to not hate these kids for being so selfish. Each teen’s struggles are realistic, but I found Kelsie’s about a ton more heartbreaking than the rest. (Note: It still doesn’t excuse what she does to her former best friend.) In this book — as in life — there are multiple sides to any story, and even though it doesn’t excuse the way a small group of kids utterly demolishes one girl to make them feel better about themselves, it reminded me that you never really know what someone else is going through until you listen to them.Each chapter is written not only from a different point of view, but in a different voice, as it should be. At times, however, the voice aspect fell short for me. I like being pulled in to a chapter so smoothly that I forget it’s the same author portraying multiple people. A couple of times, though, I could actually see that Mathieu was making an effort to make the kids sound different from one another. This was most prevalent in the Kurt chapters, because his out-loud dialogue isn’t as dry and technical as his narration. It felt too intentional, if that makes sense. This didn’t cause too much distress for me, though, to be honest; I really enjoyed reading this book. The voice is the only thing that frustrated me ever-so-slightly — well, that and knowing what the hell Alice was doing in Elaine’s diary and what that had to do with anything.
All in all: Worth reading if you enjoy YA — or maybe even if you don’t usually. It’s an easy read and a good reminder to think about the effects your actions will have on others.
Note: I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.
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LibraryThing member Livvvy75
The truth about this book is that it will pick up your heart and crush it into a billion tiny pieces. The truth is that you will experience this process with almost every chapter.
The truth is that all the characters are flawed. So flawed that it literally made me talk to them in the book, and I
The truth is that this book made me a bit of a wreck while reading it. I had no idea what rumours were true and rumours were not. I had no idea of what was going to happen to Alice, or if anyone would ever leave her alone. Never before have I really wanted to go ahead and peek at the ending. I had to know: what would become of Alice? What would she do?
But that leads to the truth as to why I am docking half a star off. The truth is that I felt a little disappointed at the ending. Like it was a little bit of an anticlimax. But I’m not saying that I wanted anyone to die or for something terrible to happen, I just expecting something a little bigger. To be fair, it wasn’t necessarily a bad ending as such, in fact it was quite a nice ending, but it really didn’t have as much of an impact on me as the rest of the book did.
The truth as to what made me read The Truth About Alice lies in the blurb. As soon as I read the blurb I just knew I had to read it. I knew I’d love it.
You will uncover some truth in society’s ways within the pages of this book. The truth is that you may not like it. The students at Alice’s high school were so susceptible to believing in all these rumours about Alice and were so heavily influenced by the more ‘popular’ students that it was kind of a little scary in that sense. Being in high school myself, I know that students can be really mean to eachother and writing a book about bullying would probably be quite tricky to write. I think that Jennifer Mathieu did a great job.
The truth is that I think that it’s strange that I can overlook a main character like Alice in terms of her flaws. To be honest, I don’t even know if she is the main character, but it certainly felt like it. She was so frustrating and vivid that I just wanted to scream at her some times. But at other times I just wanted to comfort her. There were quite a few different characters that told the story at different points and this kind of gave me this detatched feeling, yet at the same time I felt like I was intruding on their personal lives. You just don’t know what’s going to happen, or what’s going to be revealed or what secret the character you are reading about will tell you next. I liked the way that there were a few very subtle clues about the characters’ secrets here and there that really made you want to find out if your predictions are true.
The truth is that I have already mentioned how I’m not one to display emotion while reading and that I’m about to mention it again. I actually made “aw” noises out loud when reading when it came to Alice’s relationship. I don’t want to say with who in case it is a spoiler but seriously, it was just so cute and nice and it was one of the few moments in the book where I actually felt uplifted.
The truth is that I may force this book on you if you like realistic fiction. Realistic fiction/contemporary books like this are seriously some of my favourite. The Truth About Alice kind of reminded me of a book called “Tease” written by Amanda Maciel in the way that it dealt with bullying and showed you the story through the eyes of the bully not just the victim/s. But if you didn’t like that (it’s a little controversial like that) the truth is that you probably won’t like this one for the same reason. But I personally really enjoyed this one and will be recommending it. I think that other high school students should read it because it proves to them that you shouldn’t believe everything you hear.
There is truth in saying that I will definitely be reading any future books by Jennifer Mathieu.
There is also truth in saying that I give The Truth About Alice 4.5/5 comets.
The truth is that all the characters are flawed. So flawed that it literally made me talk to them in the book, and I
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never display any kind of emotion while reading. Their flaws are what make them powerful, some in good ways, some in bad ways.The truth is that this book made me a bit of a wreck while reading it. I had no idea what rumours were true and rumours were not. I had no idea of what was going to happen to Alice, or if anyone would ever leave her alone. Never before have I really wanted to go ahead and peek at the ending. I had to know: what would become of Alice? What would she do?
But that leads to the truth as to why I am docking half a star off. The truth is that I felt a little disappointed at the ending. Like it was a little bit of an anticlimax. But I’m not saying that I wanted anyone to die or for something terrible to happen, I just expecting something a little bigger. To be fair, it wasn’t necessarily a bad ending as such, in fact it was quite a nice ending, but it really didn’t have as much of an impact on me as the rest of the book did.
The truth as to what made me read The Truth About Alice lies in the blurb. As soon as I read the blurb I just knew I had to read it. I knew I’d love it.
You will uncover some truth in society’s ways within the pages of this book. The truth is that you may not like it. The students at Alice’s high school were so susceptible to believing in all these rumours about Alice and were so heavily influenced by the more ‘popular’ students that it was kind of a little scary in that sense. Being in high school myself, I know that students can be really mean to eachother and writing a book about bullying would probably be quite tricky to write. I think that Jennifer Mathieu did a great job.
The truth is that I think that it’s strange that I can overlook a main character like Alice in terms of her flaws. To be honest, I don’t even know if she is the main character, but it certainly felt like it. She was so frustrating and vivid that I just wanted to scream at her some times. But at other times I just wanted to comfort her. There were quite a few different characters that told the story at different points and this kind of gave me this detatched feeling, yet at the same time I felt like I was intruding on their personal lives. You just don’t know what’s going to happen, or what’s going to be revealed or what secret the character you are reading about will tell you next. I liked the way that there were a few very subtle clues about the characters’ secrets here and there that really made you want to find out if your predictions are true.
The truth is that I have already mentioned how I’m not one to display emotion while reading and that I’m about to mention it again. I actually made “aw” noises out loud when reading when it came to Alice’s relationship. I don’t want to say with who in case it is a spoiler but seriously, it was just so cute and nice and it was one of the few moments in the book where I actually felt uplifted.
The truth is that I may force this book on you if you like realistic fiction. Realistic fiction/contemporary books like this are seriously some of my favourite. The Truth About Alice kind of reminded me of a book called “Tease” written by Amanda Maciel in the way that it dealt with bullying and showed you the story through the eyes of the bully not just the victim/s. But if you didn’t like that (it’s a little controversial like that) the truth is that you probably won’t like this one for the same reason. But I personally really enjoyed this one and will be recommending it. I think that other high school students should read it because it proves to them that you shouldn’t believe everything you hear.
There is truth in saying that I will definitely be reading any future books by Jennifer Mathieu.
There is also truth in saying that I give The Truth About Alice 4.5/5 comets.
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LibraryThing member Stormydawnc
Probably like a 3.5, but rounding up because on the whole I have mostly really positive thoughts. The Truth About Alice did a lot of things well--but it also tried to tackle a LOT of issues of sexuality/small town life/teenage relationships, and some of the ideas didn't really lend themselves to
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resolution in only 208 pages. That being said, the main storyline was really powerful and I'm glad this book is being published. Full review to come. Show Less
LibraryThing member EuronerdLibrarian
The Truth About Alice is told from four perspectives—social queen bee Elaine, former best friend of Alice (and wannabe popular girl) Kelsie, the beloved quarterback’s best friend Josh, and nerdy social pariah Kurt. Through these lenses, we start to get a picture of what really happened, how
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various lies and rumors get started, and who each of these people are individually. They look like stereotypes or categories, but Mathieu does an excellent job of forming distinct, well-rounded characters. The narration from each character is unflinching in its honesty. But they’re all people, with emotions and desires that are human (and dare I say sympathetic?). Would recommend for fans of Before I Fall and 13 Reasons Why. Show Less
LibraryThing member LissaJ
This young adult novel takes one girl’s perceived misdeeds and projects it through the thoughts of four young witnesses who are all in some way involved. Rumors about Alice and what she may have done on the night of one party spiral out of control in a small Texas town. Told in alternating
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narratives four of her classmates reveal their own actions in the drama and also the hidden parts of their own lives that may have motivated them. Alice herself, is a complete enigma whose personality and actions didn’t seem to add up enough to create such intense censure and I also felt the book ended rather abruptly. That said, the entre into these small-town teenagers minds was compelling and definitely worth the read. I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Show Less
LibraryThing member EKAnderson
It's been a while since I read a book that was this beautiful and intense. THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE by Jennifer Mathieu is brilliant and heartbreaking, and it's a book that you definitely don't want to miss.
Told from four points of view -- none of which, by the way, is Alice, this is the story of how
THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE is a short book, but it packs a punch. And I wish it weren't a story that we need, but it is. THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE is, honestly, the truth of many teens' experiences. Jennifer Mathieu is a powerful writer, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
Told from four points of view -- none of which, by the way, is Alice, this is the story of how
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one high school became completely obsessed with one girl: Alice Franklin. Who is supposedly responsible for the car crash that killed the popular football star, Brandon. Whose name -- along with increasingly disgusting rumors -- adorns the "slut stall" in the girl's bathroom. And as the tension rises, it's not only Alice's "truths" that are revealed, but also the truths about the four students who tell her story -- Alice's former best friend, the dead football player's closest ally, the school's queen bee, and the genius nerd -- the only person with the courage to reach out to the now-outcast Alice Franklin.THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE is a short book, but it packs a punch. And I wish it weren't a story that we need, but it is. THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE is, honestly, the truth of many teens' experiences. Jennifer Mathieu is a powerful writer, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
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LibraryThing member 68papyrus
I was quite pleased to win a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads.! The Truth About Alice is a short, less than 200 pages, but powerful read. Alice Franklin is a high school junior in small town Texas who has had her reputation dragged through the mud. The book told through multiple
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points of view details Alice's fall from grace after a party at the beginning of the school year. Jennifer Mathieu did an excellent job of getting inside the heads of each of the books characters. She shows them each as neither totally good or bad but merely human with flaws and assets. I thought the plot and dialogue were realistic and believable and I was able to connect with some if not all of the characters. This book was a great reading experience and a new favorite. 4 stars Show Less
LibraryThing member Staciesnape
The Truth About Alice, like so many others, is another book that caught my eye thanks to the cover. Netgalley is dangerous to me, I see, I like, I request. I am left with a pile of books that I can't get around to reading and until a friend recommended this book, it was going to be another on the
As much as I liked this book it unfortunately wasn't without it's flaws, but that was mainly to do with the characters. The best thing about this book however was the storytelling and perhaps the most interesting thing about this book is that its set not from Alice's POV but mostly from the person who bullied her and turned their back on her.
Being set from four different POV's would be confusing if not done right, thankfully this was perfect. We have the ex friend, who bailed the minuet the going got tough. We have have the best friend of Brandon, the star athlete at Healy. We have the popular girl and on and off girlfriend of Brandon and lastly we have the shy boy who has watched and admired Alice from afar for a long long time. All very different people, all very different ideas and thoughts on who Alice is.
One thing the whole school seems to be united on though is Alice Franklin is a slut. She's be branded as one ever since she slept with two boys in the same night. Problem is no one know's what really happened that night, but everyone sure has an opinion on it. Things being to slowly escalate till Alice is left isolated and alone, and if things weren't bad enough, Brandon dies in a car crash and everyone is pointing the blame yet again at Alice.
Reading the book from so many different point of views not only offers the reader a unique reading experience but it also gives the author the chance to let the other characters reveal the truth behind that night at the party and Brandon's tragic accident. Alice, though the main character in theory, becomes some what secondary to the characters who would normally be in her place, and it really works. This books show's just how much rumours can wreck someone's life.
I'll be honest with you, at times I didn't find my self connecting with any of the characters (apart from Alice) but that didn't have an impact on my feelings for this book. It was such a great read and it shows that shit sticks as they say, if your innocent of what you've been accused of or not, you will always be known as the person who did x, y, z. And I loved how Alice found it in her to rise above it all
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list. Yet again, she came through and told me about a good one. So for that I say thank you.As much as I liked this book it unfortunately wasn't without it's flaws, but that was mainly to do with the characters. The best thing about this book however was the storytelling and perhaps the most interesting thing about this book is that its set not from Alice's POV but mostly from the person who bullied her and turned their back on her.
Being set from four different POV's would be confusing if not done right, thankfully this was perfect. We have the ex friend, who bailed the minuet the going got tough. We have have the best friend of Brandon, the star athlete at Healy. We have the popular girl and on and off girlfriend of Brandon and lastly we have the shy boy who has watched and admired Alice from afar for a long long time. All very different people, all very different ideas and thoughts on who Alice is.
One thing the whole school seems to be united on though is Alice Franklin is a slut. She's be branded as one ever since she slept with two boys in the same night. Problem is no one know's what really happened that night, but everyone sure has an opinion on it. Things being to slowly escalate till Alice is left isolated and alone, and if things weren't bad enough, Brandon dies in a car crash and everyone is pointing the blame yet again at Alice.
Reading the book from so many different point of views not only offers the reader a unique reading experience but it also gives the author the chance to let the other characters reveal the truth behind that night at the party and Brandon's tragic accident. Alice, though the main character in theory, becomes some what secondary to the characters who would normally be in her place, and it really works. This books show's just how much rumours can wreck someone's life.
I'll be honest with you, at times I didn't find my self connecting with any of the characters (apart from Alice) but that didn't have an impact on my feelings for this book. It was such a great read and it shows that shit sticks as they say, if your innocent of what you've been accused of or not, you will always be known as the person who did x, y, z. And I loved how Alice found it in her to rise above it all
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LibraryThing member Rigfield
A short book that packs a punch. The writing is accessible, sometimes annoying, but that could be the character voice. The story unfolds like a mystery -- just what IS the truth about Alice, and can it be found among the rumors and lies?
Every school has that one student that the whole school seems
This story is interesting and compelling, and unique in that it is NOT told from Alice's viewpoint, but rather told by four different students - the popular girl, the ex-best friend, the friend of the dead boy, and the one boy who might actually be a friend for Alice. By doing this, the author shows how gossip can spread when you don't know the whole story, and why some people feel the need to spread that gossip. The very last chapter is reserved for Alice, what she has to say about all of it, once the reader finally knows The Truth About Alice.
Every school has that one student that the whole school seems
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to talk about. In this book, that student is Alice. Everyone knows Alice is a slut - she was with two guys in the same night at that party. Such is the rumor that starts just before school begins. And when one of those boys dies in a car accident, allegedly caused by Alice, the gossip escalates from there.This story is interesting and compelling, and unique in that it is NOT told from Alice's viewpoint, but rather told by four different students - the popular girl, the ex-best friend, the friend of the dead boy, and the one boy who might actually be a friend for Alice. By doing this, the author shows how gossip can spread when you don't know the whole story, and why some people feel the need to spread that gossip. The very last chapter is reserved for Alice, what she has to say about all of it, once the reader finally knows The Truth About Alice.
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LibraryThing member WizardsofWorch
Most of the town of Healy, Texas didn’t really know The Truth About Alice. There were many rumors about Alice circulating in the high school and in the town but who knew which ones were true. The reader learns about those rumors as each of four teens tells the story in alternating chapters. They
The book is a testament to how gossip and rumors can ruin someone’s life. That can be especially true in a high school setting where the need to be popular causes teens to be petty and snarky. It also becomes apparent in the story that the school can be a microcosm for what then happens is a small town. Also, the author, Ms. Mathieu, may be pointing a finger at how students stereotype someone like Kurt as the class “geek”. She reveals his true character by giving him a very different role to play in Alice’s story. This book is a good read that should make high school students aware of the dangers of gossip, rumors, and bullying. The only caution I would make regarding a recommendation for the book is that there is some explicit language that may be offensive to some readers.
This review is from an ARC courtesy of NetGalley.
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are Elaine the popular girl, Josh, Brandon’s friend and a popular football player, Kelsie the new girl who was not popular in her old school, and Kurt the intelligent “geek”. It turns out that at least three of them consider Alice to be a slut and they believe that she is responsible for the accidental car death of the star football player named Brandon Fitzsimmons. The fourth student, Kurt, tells Alice’s story from a different viewpoint since he can definitely relate to being outside of the social circle. Each of the characters internalizes feelings of remorse about what truths they know and about how Alice is being treated but none of them has the courage to come forward to stop the rumors that have gotten totally out of control. The author does not allow Alice to speak for herself until the final chapter of the book making that a good way to end her story. The book is a testament to how gossip and rumors can ruin someone’s life. That can be especially true in a high school setting where the need to be popular causes teens to be petty and snarky. It also becomes apparent in the story that the school can be a microcosm for what then happens is a small town. Also, the author, Ms. Mathieu, may be pointing a finger at how students stereotype someone like Kurt as the class “geek”. She reveals his true character by giving him a very different role to play in Alice’s story. This book is a good read that should make high school students aware of the dangers of gossip, rumors, and bullying. The only caution I would make regarding a recommendation for the book is that there is some explicit language that may be offensive to some readers.
This review is from an ARC courtesy of NetGalley.
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LibraryThing member olegalCA
Unfortunately the characters were one-dimensional and the plot predictable.
LibraryThing member cmelanson
I really did enjoy this book. Mathieu does an effective job of making a particular situation look one way, only to discover there is much more to it than what the reader originally thought. I enjoy books that have the power to change your opinion of the characters and plot elements as you go along.
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The author also painted a realistic picture in the mind of just how much Alice was hurt by the events that play out. I really could feel her pain and pitied her….immensely. Another believable element for me was the whole high school world and how status can determine what people believe, as well as the way it influences the way they treat others. High school can be a shallow, little world of its own, and this novel captures that, completely. The ending was gold for me. I think the author makes a real statement about the kinds of people who end up succeeding in the real world—the one that lies outside the bubble of high school. Show Less
LibraryThing member amillion
Interesting and well captured perspectives on the lives and social struggles of teens... Mathieu has created stereotypical characters that each individually reveal the insecurities and attempts to live up to expectations or "fit in".. even at the expense of truth and "friends".
LibraryThing member chrisgalle
This book is by no means spectacular: it's a typical American high school novel, set in a small Texan town. Yet I found it rather moving. I felt the characters had an authentic ring about them.
LibraryThing member mariannelee_0902
The Truth About Alice is such a difficult book to review.
This story is told in POV's from everyone except Alice. It's unusual, yet I loved it because we could really understand the real motivations behind bullying Alice. Her reputation was shattered. And even if we didn’t know what Alice was
The Points of View in this book were:
Elaine: the school's Queen Bee
Kelsey: Alice's “best friend”
Josh: a football player; Brandon’s best friend
Kurt: school nerd (the only nice person in this whole book).
They all have a different story to tell, and we get to see why they all (except Kurt) contributed to Alice’s downfall.
Out of all of the characters, the one that hurt me the most was Kelsey. Kelsey was supposed to be Alice’s best friend! She was supposed to be there for her! Yet, she decided she loved popularity more. It makes my blood boil. Kelsey was immature, naïve and childish. I genuinely hated her.
The writing accommodated to each character that was narrating. With Elaine, the writing was very juvenile and overly simplistic; Kelsey had an overall feel of desperation (to be popular, to fit in); with Josh it had kind of like a frat boy feel, like a boy who hadn't yet matured; with Kurt the writing was actually wonderful and fluid. He expressed himself appropriately, and his thoughts were really poetic and thought provoking. I probably enjoyed his chapters the most because he's the one who we got the most character insight from.
However the only unfavorable thing about the multiple POVs was the fact that each character seemed kind of… unbelievable. They felt like typical high school special clichés, and it didn’t click for me. I didn’t need them to have a soap opera worthy reason for betraying (or helping) Alice. We’re all human and it is human nature to lie and deceive and gossip, so I thought maybe all the drama was unnecessary.
Nevertheless I think the most painful part of this book was how everyone was so okay with bullying. Saying “oh, she deserves it” was their justification. They didn’t care that they were basically destroying and dehumanizing a person. They didn’t care, because it was Alice, and Alice was a ho.
[…] There is one thing I’ve learned about people: they don’t get that mean and nasty overnight. It’s not human nature. But if you give people enough time, eventually they’ll do the most heartbreaking stuff in the world.
Overall, despite my problems with this book, I can’t not recommend it. It’s a very short read that tackles an incredibly hard topic and is different than most books out there right now. It shows us that it is definitely not okay to bully someone. It doesn’t give us a happy ending, but an ending that’ll leave you thinking.
This story is told in POV's from everyone except Alice. It's unusual, yet I loved it because we could really understand the real motivations behind bullying Alice. Her reputation was shattered. And even if we didn’t know what Alice was
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feeling, we knew that she still held her head high. We know that Alice is strong (even if she is suffering some pretty bad things). But we get more insight as to why everything is happening, because Alice isn’t actually in the loop.The Points of View in this book were:
Elaine: the school's Queen Bee
Kelsey: Alice's “best friend”
Josh: a football player; Brandon’s best friend
Kurt: school nerd (the only nice person in this whole book).
They all have a different story to tell, and we get to see why they all (except Kurt) contributed to Alice’s downfall.
Out of all of the characters, the one that hurt me the most was Kelsey. Kelsey was supposed to be Alice’s best friend! She was supposed to be there for her! Yet, she decided she loved popularity more. It makes my blood boil. Kelsey was immature, naïve and childish. I genuinely hated her.
The writing accommodated to each character that was narrating. With Elaine, the writing was very juvenile and overly simplistic; Kelsey had an overall feel of desperation (to be popular, to fit in); with Josh it had kind of like a frat boy feel, like a boy who hadn't yet matured; with Kurt the writing was actually wonderful and fluid. He expressed himself appropriately, and his thoughts were really poetic and thought provoking. I probably enjoyed his chapters the most because he's the one who we got the most character insight from.
However the only unfavorable thing about the multiple POVs was the fact that each character seemed kind of… unbelievable. They felt like typical high school special clichés, and it didn’t click for me. I didn’t need them to have a soap opera worthy reason for betraying (or helping) Alice. We’re all human and it is human nature to lie and deceive and gossip, so I thought maybe all the drama was unnecessary.
Nevertheless I think the most painful part of this book was how everyone was so okay with bullying. Saying “oh, she deserves it” was their justification. They didn’t care that they were basically destroying and dehumanizing a person. They didn’t care, because it was Alice, and Alice was a ho.
[…] There is one thing I’ve learned about people: they don’t get that mean and nasty overnight. It’s not human nature. But if you give people enough time, eventually they’ll do the most heartbreaking stuff in the world.
Overall, despite my problems with this book, I can’t not recommend it. It’s a very short read that tackles an incredibly hard topic and is different than most books out there right now. It shows us that it is definitely not okay to bully someone. It doesn’t give us a happy ending, but an ending that’ll leave you thinking.
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LibraryThing member LanaWaltosz
I won this audiobook in a contest and decided to review it to thank the author!
Summary:
Everyone in Healy knows Alice Franklin. And everyone knows she slept with Brandon AND Tommy in the same night. If that wasn’t bad enough, she’s the cause of Brandon’s death. She caused Brandon to crash
Main Characters:
Alice: We don’t hear from Alice until the very last chapter, which usually doesn’t give one a good gauge of the character. However, the story was told so brilliantly from the four different points of view that I felt like I knew Alice even before she spoke. She was the typical-semi popular girl who you knew didn’t fit completely in. She was nicer to people, and tried to talk to everyone. Once the rumors started, she was isolated. Alice Franklin was a very broken person. You could sympathize with her easily, mostly because of her reactions to events and things said. Alice just wanted to be loved for who she is, same as anyone else.
Kurt: Kurt really was a nerd. An incredibly smart nerd, and one who appeared not to mind his solitude as much as many other nerdy characters in books. However, as you learn more about Kurt, you learn how lonely he is, and to a degree, how he masks this loneliness he can’t help but feel. Kurt is someone who gets invested in things, and he becomes invested in Alice, choosing to look at her for who she is, and getting to know her side of the story.
Elaine: The most popular girl in school. Of course, she is the first to begin ignoring Alice, and everyone else simply follows her lead. I found her rather annoying personally, and couldn’t find much depth to her, but she wasn’t incredibly present in the story. She acted like the stereotypical popular girl you hear about in high school. Mainly who is jealous of Alice who slept with her on-off boyfriend.
Kelsie: Alice’s ex-best friend. She moved from a different town, where she was the shy outcast who hardly ever talked to anyone. When she moved to Healy she decided to make that a chance to remake herself. She latched onto Alice after she and Alice hit it off in the beginning of freshman year, and eventually Kelsie met Elaine. Becoming popular meant more to her than a real friendship. Kelsie seems like a superficial character as first, but as the story progresses, we learn more about her past, and some things come to light that shaped her into the person she is now.
Josh: Brandon’s best friend who was in the car with him when he died. We don’t hear much from Josh either, but it’s obvious he really misses Brandon, and he had a real connection with him. Josh is a character that acts out of sadness, not out of malice. And Josh harbors a big secret, whether he realizes it or not.
Review: 5 stars.
I was surprised at how much I ended up loving this. Since my copy was an audiobook, I listened to it my car. It was a bit hard to get into at first, but once I got to about the middle of the book, I found myself invested in the characters and wanting to keep listening, even if I was done driving. I felt connected to the characters, and I was constantly wondering what was going to happen next. I was always trying to guess what would happen next, and eagerly awaiting the next chapter. I feel like this book had a good mix of suspense, romance, and psychological themes. It went a lot deeper into the mind than I thought it would when reading the back and hearing the first few chapters.
Summary:
Everyone in Healy knows Alice Franklin. And everyone knows she slept with Brandon AND Tommy in the same night. If that wasn’t bad enough, she’s the cause of Brandon’s death. She caused Brandon to crash
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because of her crazy intense sexting. She’s the Healy High slut. It’s written across the bathroom stalls, it’s everywhere across town, and Alice Franklin is utterly alone. Until Kurt, the nerdiest guy in all of Healy shows up and begins to help her with math. Alice slowly warms up to him, and the biggest news in town now is that the slut and the nerd are together all the time. Just as things seem to be getting better, Alice’s ex best friend starts another rumor. One more horrible than everything else that’s going around. Can Alice stand the pain anymore? Is Kurt trustworthy? Is anything worth it? Main Characters:
Alice: We don’t hear from Alice until the very last chapter, which usually doesn’t give one a good gauge of the character. However, the story was told so brilliantly from the four different points of view that I felt like I knew Alice even before she spoke. She was the typical-semi popular girl who you knew didn’t fit completely in. She was nicer to people, and tried to talk to everyone. Once the rumors started, she was isolated. Alice Franklin was a very broken person. You could sympathize with her easily, mostly because of her reactions to events and things said. Alice just wanted to be loved for who she is, same as anyone else.
Kurt: Kurt really was a nerd. An incredibly smart nerd, and one who appeared not to mind his solitude as much as many other nerdy characters in books. However, as you learn more about Kurt, you learn how lonely he is, and to a degree, how he masks this loneliness he can’t help but feel. Kurt is someone who gets invested in things, and he becomes invested in Alice, choosing to look at her for who she is, and getting to know her side of the story.
Elaine: The most popular girl in school. Of course, she is the first to begin ignoring Alice, and everyone else simply follows her lead. I found her rather annoying personally, and couldn’t find much depth to her, but she wasn’t incredibly present in the story. She acted like the stereotypical popular girl you hear about in high school. Mainly who is jealous of Alice who slept with her on-off boyfriend.
Kelsie: Alice’s ex-best friend. She moved from a different town, where she was the shy outcast who hardly ever talked to anyone. When she moved to Healy she decided to make that a chance to remake herself. She latched onto Alice after she and Alice hit it off in the beginning of freshman year, and eventually Kelsie met Elaine. Becoming popular meant more to her than a real friendship. Kelsie seems like a superficial character as first, but as the story progresses, we learn more about her past, and some things come to light that shaped her into the person she is now.
Josh: Brandon’s best friend who was in the car with him when he died. We don’t hear much from Josh either, but it’s obvious he really misses Brandon, and he had a real connection with him. Josh is a character that acts out of sadness, not out of malice. And Josh harbors a big secret, whether he realizes it or not.
Review: 5 stars.
I was surprised at how much I ended up loving this. Since my copy was an audiobook, I listened to it my car. It was a bit hard to get into at first, but once I got to about the middle of the book, I found myself invested in the characters and wanting to keep listening, even if I was done driving. I felt connected to the characters, and I was constantly wondering what was going to happen next. I was always trying to guess what would happen next, and eagerly awaiting the next chapter. I feel like this book had a good mix of suspense, romance, and psychological themes. It went a lot deeper into the mind than I thought it would when reading the back and hearing the first few chapters.
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LibraryThing member karconner
This is a quick read but a good one. It is sad at timesbut quite honest. I saw myself in some of the se characters- and that isn't always a good thing! This is one all teens could enjoy if they are willing to see themselves in it.
LibraryThing member pennma05
I have to say I really didn't like this book until I was over halfway through. But it was short enough that I just decided to finish it. The only character I liked was Kurt. Occasionally Alice but there were moments I didn't. The whole book revolved around stupid high school drama that I can't
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LibraryThing member Kristymk18
The Truth About Alice takes a look at stereotypes, rumors, and the difficulties of high school. Told in four alternating point of views - the popular girl, the jock, the nerd and the ex-best friend - Mathieu creates a story about a girl named Alice and the rumors surrounding her. I was wary of so
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many narrators in one story, but actually found it to work well. It is also interesting that we never hear from Alice's perspective, so everything we learn comes from, in a way, a questionable source. The topics touched upon are very relevant to high school today and it opens one's eyes to how gossip and rumors and stereotypes affect the person they are about. Each narrator tells about their life while also giving insight into the rumors about Alice. As the story develops, more and more of the truth comes out. It is heartbreaking to see how people's callous actions can ostracize someone else and really makes you think about the gossip and petty things you say yourself. I did not find this book as powerful as others have, but I don't think that detracted from the strength and necessity of it. Show Less
LibraryThing member HeatherLINC
I wasn't sure about this book at the beginning, but it had me hooked by the end. The four classmates of Alice, who take turns narrating the book from their various perspectives, are really quite horrible (except Kurt who I loved from the start). However, as their stories unfold, I grew to
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sympathise with them despite what they did to Alice. As a reader, I was glad that I finally heard Alice's voice, even though it was the final chapter of the book. This is is quite a complex little read which would lead to some very interesting discussion about various issues if read as a class novel for older teens. Show Less
LibraryThing member Patty6508
Powerful story about how lies can impact a victim. This story is told through the voices of Elaine, Josh, Kelsie, and Kurt. With the lies that the first 3 tell about Alice, the bullying and slut shaming endure. The last chapter is Alice's voice. Great read for that reluctant reader.
LibraryThing member Whisper1
The truth about Alice is that she did not do all those terrible things that the star quarter back and his co-team member told a few who then told more than a few who then told the entire school, leaving Alice to fend for herself.
Even her best friend, chose to add a few lies to the fire of lies.
This is a tale of how rumors start and seem to be the truth.
A wonderful book of teen aged immaturity, and the need to belong, even if another is harmed.
Even her best friend, chose to add a few lies to the fire of lies.
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Alice is strong, but even so it is difficult to stand tall when all around all trashing you.This is a tale of how rumors start and seem to be the truth.
A wonderful book of teen aged immaturity, and the need to belong, even if another is harmed.
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Awards
Florida Teens Read Award (Nominee — 2016)
Kids' Book Choice Awards (Finalist — 2015)
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Selection — 2015)
Language
Physical description
199 p.; 8.71 inches
Local notes
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.