Reviews

If I Tell You the Truth by Jasmin Kaur

izzys_internet_bookshelf's review

4.0

4/5

Ok this book was beautiful in a lot of ways. The cover for one is amazing and the story was surprising. I really didn’t think it was going to go in the direction that it went in but it did and it was so intriguing. I loved the characters though I wish there was a little more with them.

teresa_catherine's review

challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced

5.0

yogideetz's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This story connects generations of women in a way I have rarely seen in literature. I love the shifting perspective between mother and daughter, starting with an understanding of the mother's situation and what led her to make the decisions she's made. Then the story shifts to the daughter's perspective as she grows up in a land foreign to her mother. She's kept in the dark of all that's led to her existence, which naturally leads to frustration and confusion. As the story continues along the daughter's journey to adulthood, her misunderstanding, privilege, and frustration cause frustration and near anger in me. Even more frustrating is the darkness with which all the chosen family are kept. As the story unravels and the secrets are all revealed, mother and daughter come together in a way that hasn't been described before. Along the way, I also love the side stories of the chosen family members and how they weave in and out of the story of the mother and daughter. 

This is such a great read. I love the format shift from written verse to traditional story form. While I read the first Jasmin Kaur book a while ago, I have to say this story makes me want more. I hope Jasmin writes more. 

333amreen's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

What a poetically devastating novel this was! I never read anything like this. Something with poems and proses and visuals that pull you in so deep! Truly unforgettable!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Car accident, Grief, Sexism, Body shaming, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Cursing, Abortion, Deportation, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Deadnaming, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Classism, and Cultural appropriation

flyingwargle's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

alex_munoz's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

guessgreenleaf's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Rape, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Deportation, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Grief, Outing, Police brutality, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Abortion and Alcoholism

Minor: Death of parent, Body shaming, Classism, Colonisation, and Confinement

barbaraskalberg's review

4.0

Powerful

emreading94's review

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

spicedragon's review

5.0

I don't think I've cried that hard in a long time.

The nuance Jasmin writes with is amazing. Maybe it's because I'm Punjabi too, but the fears that are voiced by the characters, the lives that they live, all hit so close to home. Never really felt seen before as I did when reading this.