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333amreen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Classism, Deportation, and Pandemic/Epidemic
guessgreenleaf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Grief, Pregnancy, Outing, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Deportation
Moderate: Alcoholism and Abortion
Minor: Body shaming, Confinement, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Classism
rocwood1105's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Death of parent
libscote's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Sexual assault
kryskross's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Grief
victoria_tsonos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Sexual assault
stephaniekane's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
illa_scheggia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
erinsbookshelves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Racism, Police brutality, and Grief
Minor: Abortion and Death of parent
pamshenanigans's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
*turns on megaphone* HELLO HELLO. I think I may have found another favorite author who writes novels in verse and prose and I need you all to READ Jasmin Kaur's If I Tell You the Truth!!! Not a lot of you have read this book and we need to change that.
I want to begin by applauding the author for adding trigger warnings before the story started. I'm a firm believer in having trigger content warnings in books and NO, I don't consider them as spoilers.
I listened to the audiobook and it was also narrated by Jasmin Kaur and it was PHENOMENAL! I highly suggest picking the audiobook up when you read this book.
- The story is told in two POVs: Kiran Kaur and her daughter Sahaara Kaur. Kiran is a victim of sexual assault that ended getting her pregnant. Afraid for her and her daughter's safety, she fled to Canada and entered college. When the person she most expects to believe what she's been through only blames her and is more worried about their family's image, Kira decided to take this head-on alone. Balancing her studies and going through her pregnancy have placed her student visa on the line.
- It was maddening and heart-wrenching to read the story as Kiran navigates the world of parenthood and being the victim of rape when the odds are systemically against her as a Punjab woman.
The book touches upon prejudice against women of color, being a victim of sexual assault AND victim-blaming, how justice is seldom and hard to find for marginalized people (women, especially), how immigration isn't always a black or white thing, and surviving a world full of hatred, prejudice, and lies takes a whole lot of courage and bravery.
It's so hard to choose a SINGLE favorite quote because I might as well have highlighted the whole book because of how amazing it is. Every line either hurts or makes me pine for the character or both at the same time. But here's one:
"The word no was an art form foreign to me. I mean, I'd always loved the idea of saying no, but nothing made my skin crawl like the thought of disappointing people."
CONCLUSION: I recommend this to everyone, especially fans of Elizabeth Acevedo's works!
Trigger/Content Warning: sexual assault, rape, abortion, teenage pregnancy, police brutality, immigrant trauma, victim-blaming, alcoholism, depression, anxiety, death of a parent
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Alcoholism, Abortion, and Death of parent