A review by jonezeemcgee
That's Not What Happened, by Kody Keplinger
3.0
3.25
I was excited about the idea of this book. For anyone involved in a youth group/or young adult church group familiar with what came after Columbine, you will probably remember the Columbine Martyr stories. Girls who refused in the face of death to not say I love/believe in God. At least one of those very popular stories (made into a book) was pretty solidly proven to be non-factual by witnesses. However, those witnesses and those who believed them were made to feel ashamed for their truth, because the false narrative was too important to those who wanted desperately to believe it, despite the erroneous nature. During that time period, there were teens and youths who actually wanted to be martyred for Christ. They didn't just eat the narrative, they lived and breathed it into an unhealthy obsession. We currently live in a society where fact is constantly challenged for a narrative that best fits what someone chooses to believe, and those lies are put forth as truths. So, color me excited to know someone was actually going to tackle this topic. This post-Columbineesque account of what is true, and what people would rather believe.
While Keplinger did tackle this subject in a way I can appreciate, I can't say I was all that excited for what leaped off the page. I didn't connect much with the characters who were one-dimensional, and the plot either meandered or became repetitive. However the overarching narrative itself was tackled sufficiently, and I can say that it was an interesting read. I enjoyed the collection of letters from students discussing how that moment affected each one of them. Overall this gives good insight into why the truth matters for some, and not as much to others who just need something to cling to.
I was excited about the idea of this book. For anyone involved in a youth group/or young adult church group familiar with what came after Columbine, you will probably remember the Columbine Martyr stories. Girls who refused in the face of death to not say I love/believe in God. At least one of those very popular stories (made into a book) was pretty solidly proven to be non-factual by witnesses. However, those witnesses and those who believed them were made to feel ashamed for their truth, because the false narrative was too important to those who wanted desperately to believe it, despite the erroneous nature. During that time period, there were teens and youths who actually wanted to be martyred for Christ. They didn't just eat the narrative, they lived and breathed it into an unhealthy obsession. We currently live in a society where fact is constantly challenged for a narrative that best fits what someone chooses to believe, and those lies are put forth as truths. So, color me excited to know someone was actually going to tackle this topic. This post-Columbineesque account of what is true, and what people would rather believe.
While Keplinger did tackle this subject in a way I can appreciate, I can't say I was all that excited for what leaped off the page. I didn't connect much with the characters who were one-dimensional, and the plot either meandered or became repetitive. However the overarching narrative itself was tackled sufficiently, and I can say that it was an interesting read. I enjoyed the collection of letters from students discussing how that moment affected each one of them. Overall this gives good insight into why the truth matters for some, and not as much to others who just need something to cling to.