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newbatteri's review against another edition
5.0
From my editor's letter:
True is angry. She’s angry that her mother died giving birth to True’s autistic sister. She’s angry her grieving father spends his days gambling. She’s angry that even though she is in high school, she has to pay the bills, clean the house, and take care of her sister. And despite being the best girl vying for a spot on the US national soccer team and a chance to compete in the 1999 World Cup alongside Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain, True is angry that she is the only girl being singled out for her anger issues.
When I first read True by Karl Taro Greenfeld, I was taken aback by how brilliantly complicated and nuanced these characters are. True, the novel and the antihero, is biting, poetic, and painful. The whole time, I flipped each page, asking myself whether True will make the national team or if her anger will get the better of her. Will True find the freedom she craves, or will she be dragged down by her outsized responsibilities at home? Will she be able to protect her sister from a world desperate to take advantage—or will she destroy herself trying?
True is heart-stopping and unwavering in its depictions of a young warrior who pushes the boundaries of what it means to be a daughter, sister, and teammate. I am so excited to bring forth this breath of refreshing air to the coming-of-age canon, and I hope you will enjoy it too.
True is angry. She’s angry that her mother died giving birth to True’s autistic sister. She’s angry her grieving father spends his days gambling. She’s angry that even though she is in high school, she has to pay the bills, clean the house, and take care of her sister. And despite being the best girl vying for a spot on the US national soccer team and a chance to compete in the 1999 World Cup alongside Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain, True is angry that she is the only girl being singled out for her anger issues.
When I first read True by Karl Taro Greenfeld, I was taken aback by how brilliantly complicated and nuanced these characters are. True, the novel and the antihero, is biting, poetic, and painful. The whole time, I flipped each page, asking myself whether True will make the national team or if her anger will get the better of her. Will True find the freedom she craves, or will she be dragged down by her outsized responsibilities at home? Will she be able to protect her sister from a world desperate to take advantage—or will she destroy herself trying?
True is heart-stopping and unwavering in its depictions of a young warrior who pushes the boundaries of what it means to be a daughter, sister, and teammate. I am so excited to bring forth this breath of refreshing air to the coming-of-age canon, and I hope you will enjoy it too.
b_nbdeeg's review against another edition
3.0
This is an honest middle of the road read for me. I couldn't put it down, the writing is approachable and draws you in. However, I was hoping for more of a narrative arc to the characters - not necessarily a redemption moment, but a moment of reckoning and clarity. The end was heartbreaking and honest to who the protagonist is, but I never learned if she continued to identify and work through trauma, if her father adjusted to having a special needs daughter, if Tomo committed the crime you think he did.
Open ended stories are generally a favorite of mine, but this novel just fell short for me.
Open ended stories are generally a favorite of mine, but this novel just fell short for me.
nikkigee81's review against another edition
3.0
I got this book for free as a Kindle First selection.
Despite the book occasionally becoming bogged down in lots of sports talk (which I'm really clueless about) I really liked the main character's (Trudy, or True, as everyone calls her) voice. It felt authentic, and made me forget the author is male.
The book started off really promising, and I continued reading because I wanted to see what happened. Unfortunately, it became kind of cliched, and minor spoiler, it's like True never really changes. The ending was really disappointing.
On the other hand, I'm not the target audience for this, so perhaps a young adult might rate this higher. I am happy to see a sports book with a female protagonist, though!
Despite the book occasionally becoming bogged down in lots of sports talk (which I'm really clueless about) I really liked the main character's (Trudy, or True, as everyone calls her) voice. It felt authentic, and made me forget the author is male.
The book started off really promising, and I continued reading because I wanted to see what happened. Unfortunately, it became kind of cliched, and minor spoiler, it's like True never really changes. The ending was really disappointing.
On the other hand, I'm not the target audience for this, so perhaps a young adult might rate this higher. I am happy to see a sports book with a female protagonist, though!
newbatteri's review against another edition
5.0
From my editor's letter:
True is angry. She’s angry that her mother died giving birth to True’s autistic sister. She’s angry her grieving father spends his days gambling. She’s angry that even though she is in high school, she has to pay the bills, clean the house, and take care of her sister. And despite being the best girl vying for a spot on the US national soccer team and a chance to compete in the 1999 World Cup alongside Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain, True is angry that she is the only girl being singled out for her anger issues.
When I first read True by Karl Taro Greenfeld, I was taken aback by how brilliantly complicated and nuanced these characters are. True, the novel and the antihero, is biting, poetic, and painful. The whole time, I flipped each page, asking myself whether True will make the national team or if her anger will get the better of her. Will True find the freedom she craves, or will she be dragged down by her outsized responsibilities at home? Will she be able to protect her sister from a world desperate to take advantage—or will she destroy herself trying?
True is heart-stopping and unwavering in its depictions of a young warrior who pushes the boundaries of what it means to be a daughter, sister, and teammate. I am so excited to bring forth this breath of refreshing air to the coming-of-age canon, and I hope you will enjoy it too.
True is angry. She’s angry that her mother died giving birth to True’s autistic sister. She’s angry her grieving father spends his days gambling. She’s angry that even though she is in high school, she has to pay the bills, clean the house, and take care of her sister. And despite being the best girl vying for a spot on the US national soccer team and a chance to compete in the 1999 World Cup alongside Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain, True is angry that she is the only girl being singled out for her anger issues.
When I first read True by Karl Taro Greenfeld, I was taken aback by how brilliantly complicated and nuanced these characters are. True, the novel and the antihero, is biting, poetic, and painful. The whole time, I flipped each page, asking myself whether True will make the national team or if her anger will get the better of her. Will True find the freedom she craves, or will she be dragged down by her outsized responsibilities at home? Will she be able to protect her sister from a world desperate to take advantage—or will she destroy herself trying?
True is heart-stopping and unwavering in its depictions of a young warrior who pushes the boundaries of what it means to be a daughter, sister, and teammate. I am so excited to bring forth this breath of refreshing air to the coming-of-age canon, and I hope you will enjoy it too.
deearr's review
5.0
True puts everything she has into soccer – her heart, her soul, or when necessary, the side of her cleat on another girl’s shin or ankle. She justifies the way she thinks because why shouldn’t she be hard on the world when she treats herself similarly. She applies this logic not only to the game but to every facet of her life.
Although a phenom on the soccer field, True is at best a second-rate bench sitter when it comes to reality. She dabbles in creations of what she believes other people want to hear, consoling herself with the fact that she continues to excel at her chosen craft. Even at the beginning of the story, one begins to question how long this seemingly idyllic world can last.
This is usually not the type of story I read, but I took a chance because the story sounded like it might be interesting. True talked throughout the book like we were best friends sitting on neighboring couch cushions, sharing her innermost thoughts of how life’s events have impacted her. Though True may make wrong decisions, it’s easy to understand why once you know her and easier to hope and cheer that something good will happen to her and change her life. Author Karl Taro Greenfeld does an excellent job of never allowing the quiet tension to slack at any time.
Overall, excellent read, one that I finished in an evening of reading. Five stars.
Although a phenom on the soccer field, True is at best a second-rate bench sitter when it comes to reality. She dabbles in creations of what she believes other people want to hear, consoling herself with the fact that she continues to excel at her chosen craft. Even at the beginning of the story, one begins to question how long this seemingly idyllic world can last.
This is usually not the type of story I read, but I took a chance because the story sounded like it might be interesting. True talked throughout the book like we were best friends sitting on neighboring couch cushions, sharing her innermost thoughts of how life’s events have impacted her. Though True may make wrong decisions, it’s easy to understand why once you know her and easier to hope and cheer that something good will happen to her and change her life. Author Karl Taro Greenfeld does an excellent job of never allowing the quiet tension to slack at any time.
Overall, excellent read, one that I finished in an evening of reading. Five stars.
newbatteri's review
5.0
From my editor's letter:
True is angry. She’s angry that her mother died giving birth to True’s autistic sister. She’s angry her grieving father spends his days gambling. She’s angry that even though she is in high school, she has to pay the bills, clean the house, and take care of her sister. And despite being the best girl vying for a spot on the US national soccer team and a chance to compete in the 1999 World Cup alongside Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain, True is angry that she is the only girl being singled out for her anger issues.
When I first read True by Karl Taro Greenfeld, I was taken aback by how brilliantly complicated and nuanced these characters are. True, the novel and the antihero, is biting, poetic, and painful. The whole time, I flipped each page, asking myself whether True will make the national team or if her anger will get the better of her. Will True find the freedom she craves, or will she be dragged down by her outsized responsibilities at home? Will she be able to protect her sister from a world desperate to take advantage—or will she destroy herself trying?
True is heart-stopping and unwavering in its depictions of a young warrior who pushes the boundaries of what it means to be a daughter, sister, and teammate. I am so excited to bring forth this breath of refreshing air to the coming-of-age canon, and I hope you will enjoy it too.
True is angry. She’s angry that her mother died giving birth to True’s autistic sister. She’s angry her grieving father spends his days gambling. She’s angry that even though she is in high school, she has to pay the bills, clean the house, and take care of her sister. And despite being the best girl vying for a spot on the US national soccer team and a chance to compete in the 1999 World Cup alongside Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain, True is angry that she is the only girl being singled out for her anger issues.
When I first read True by Karl Taro Greenfeld, I was taken aback by how brilliantly complicated and nuanced these characters are. True, the novel and the antihero, is biting, poetic, and painful. The whole time, I flipped each page, asking myself whether True will make the national team or if her anger will get the better of her. Will True find the freedom she craves, or will she be dragged down by her outsized responsibilities at home? Will she be able to protect her sister from a world desperate to take advantage—or will she destroy herself trying?
True is heart-stopping and unwavering in its depictions of a young warrior who pushes the boundaries of what it means to be a daughter, sister, and teammate. I am so excited to bring forth this breath of refreshing air to the coming-of-age canon, and I hope you will enjoy it too.
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