Review of The Truth Behind the Lie

[Kansas City Teacher]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Truth Behind the Lie" by Eunice Fields.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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As a young teenager, Brandi is sent to live with her grandparents. Her older cousin, Hilary, also lives there. One night, the two go to the “other side of town” to meet Hilary’s dad. Brandi meets Jon, and an unlikely romance is born. Her family does not approve, and at age 16, she becomes pregnant. In The Truth Behind the Lie, author Eunice Fields describes how the choices Brandi made in her youth have affected her life and the lives of her loved ones. Through the telling of Brandi’s story, she urges her readers to consider the implications of their decisions, as they do have a ripple effect on those closest to us, as well as those who are just passing through our lives. The pivotal choices Brandi made at age 16 is only the beginning of her story.

Told from Brandi’s perspective, this story captures the wistful thoughts of adolescence and young adulthood. The longing of a young girl to assert her independence and her inability to differentiate between listening to her heart and her head are described eloquently in this piece. I found the characters to be relatable and well developed. A host of tertiary characters also contribute well to the story’s plot. A mother’s words linger in the dark corners of her daughter's mind at night. The uncaring behavior and perceived judgment from medical professionals burden spirits and amplify a teen’s shame. A caring adult loves unconditionally, but is it enough?

The best part of the book is the message of the author. From the book’s introduction, we can speculate that there is a lesson to be learned from this story, and there are indeed lessons to learn. Through Brandi’s narration, the author relates the struggles of adolescence, womanhood, and motherhood and teaches readers that their choices not only affect them but others around them. The thoughtful insights of the protagonist are nothing short of enlightening. While her adolescent mind was not mature enough at the time, the memories of critical moments in her life are described in raw and unfiltered words. What the narrator recalls and how she recalls them provide an excellent teaching tool for today’s youth. The descriptions of these experiences also effectively portray for adults the power that our actions and words have on the young. Finally, there is an element of religion that I enjoyed. While our choices are our own, the author credits the Lord for His hand in protecting His children. This is not exclusively a religious book, however, and readers of all faiths and from all walks of life will benefit from reading Brandi’s story.

Although I immensely enjoyed the story, the book could benefit from another round of editing. Throughout the writing, many errors interfered with the flow of the author’s words, particularly in punctuation and capitalization. For this reason only, I give The Truth Behind the Lie 3 out of 4 stars. Other than the editing, the book deserves a perfect rating, as its truth and compelling voice left me exhausted at the end. It was quite an emotional experience.

I recommend this book to readers who like stories about families, those interested in the dynamics of the human psyche, and anyone who works with our youth. There is moderate profanity used throughout the book, so it may not be suitable for the very young. For all others, though, this story will invoke thought, reflection, and benevolence.

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The Truth Behind the Lie
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[Amy Luman]

It really is difficult to be a teenager. Especially in the times we live in when parental figures tend to be lacking. And really telling a teenager to think about their decisions and even reciting your experiences do no good.

[Chimereucheya Okoroafo]

A good read. I enjoyed reading this review and I believe this book is well suited for teens and young adults. Truly, the life of a teenager is not an easy one - trying to gain independence and control the urges from hormonal influx.

[maria collins 1]

Every person has challenges thrown their way. It is very unlikely for people to have a “mundane” life story. It is up to that person how they are going to go about the challenges and either faces them head on and learn and become a bigger person or victimize themselves and not try to find silver linings in any situation

[Shadreck Rogers]

Brandi's life seems to be interesting and full of lessons. I like this book.

[Mercy Sos Christopher]

I believe that freedom is every adolescence dream, they can't wait to become teenagers so they can explore. I'm Brandi's case, of course her decision affected her entire family and it must have been a bit hard on her too, getting pregnant at the age of 16, not knowing what to do or how to cope. I love the way the author kept emphasizing on how decisions affect future events. I really enjoyed the book. And the reviewer too did a nice job in the summary.