By Sue Divin (author)
"Compelling portrayal of life and love across the political and religious divide of Northern Ireland"
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Shortlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2023: 11 - 14
Following her Carnegie shortlisted debut novel Guard Your Heart, this is another searing story set in Northern Ireland in 2019 but gradually revealing the lives of three generations of women affected by The Troubles.
The author has a Masters in Peace and Conflict Studies and a career in community relations, which lends an unmistakable authenticity to the narrative. Narrated by two teens from very different backgrounds and dealing with very different issues with each voice unique and distinctive. Tara, the Catholic daughter of a two-generation single parent family from Derry, is angry and grieving after the suicide of her boyfriend Oran.
Faith, the daughter of strict Evangelical Protestants from rural Armagh is hiding her true sexuality from her family for fear of being disowned. When they come face to face on an interfaith residential, they discover they look almost identical. When they unite to untangle the mystery, a DNA test reveals they are related and Faith’s father is not who she thinks he is, while Tara has never known hers.
This powerful and totally absorbing novel, with its unforgettable characters, is at its heart about truth and forgiveness, but inevitably also about social justice and how political decisions and the continuing legacy of violence and conflict continues to affect lives today. A reader cannot help but be moved and informed. A must-have as both a brilliant novel and for valuable insight on a historical period.
The Carnegie longlisted title, Truth Be Told, from acclaimed author Sue Divin.
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The Carnegie longlisted title, Truth Be Told , from acclaimed author Sue Divin.
Northern Ireland. 2019. Tara has been raised by her mam and nan in Derry City. Faith lives in rural Armagh. Their lives on opposite sides of a political divide couldn't be more different. Until they come face-to-face with each other and are shocked to discover they look almost identical. Are they connected? In searching for the truth about their own identities, the teenagers uncover more than they bargained for.
But what if finding out who you truly are means undermining everything you've ever known?
A compelling, original story that will make you laugh, cry, and laugh til you cry. -- Michelle Gallen
Truth Be Told is another unique and moving story from Sue Divin, and tells the story of Northern Ireland as warmly and insightfully as the story of her wonderful characters. -- Kelly McCaughrain, author of Flying Tips For Flightless Birds
Praise for Guard Your Heart;
Profoundly powerful, subtle and effective, this superb debut evokes the deep-rooted mistrust lingering in the wake of the Troubles, as well as a new, tentative flowering of hope and love. - The Guardian
A compelling, engaging narrative. -- Claire Hennessy - Irish Times
Sue Divin is a Derry-based writer but, hailing originally from Armagh, can't quite classify herself a 'Derry Girl.' With a Masters in Peace and Conflict studies and a 'day job' in Community Relations/Peace building for over fifteen years, Sue's writing often touches on diversity and reconciliation in today's Northern Ireland.
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The Carnegie longlisted title, Truth Be Told, from acclaimed author Sue Divin. Northern Ireland. 2019.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Truth Be Told and determined it is suitable for children aged 13-18 years old
Truth Be Told features in the following genres: Featured Books for Young Adults, Recommendations, Gritty Reads, Historical Fiction, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Featured Books for 13+ readers
Paperback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. Temporarily Out Of Stock.
Truth Be Told was written by Sue Divin and published by Macmillan Children's Books an imprint of Pan Macmillan
Truth Be Told has 295 pages
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. Temporarily Out Of Stock.
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