SECRETS OF TRUTH AND BEAUTY is a surprisingly sweet read with strong undertones of Sarah Dessen's work. At times a little choppy, the novel is overall a nice and quick read, perfect for those days when you want a little slice of optimism in the face of hardship.
Characters are strong in this book, but Dara is by far the most well-drawn and most likable. Unlike many other protagonists in books that deal with weight, Dara is not constantly apologetic of it, and undergoes a very real struggle to not let her weight define who she is. Dara's infuriatingly controlling mother is the perfect foil to her growth in self-esteem; you'll want to step right into the story and give Mrs. Cohen a good hard slap in the face. We can relate all too well to Dara's struggle to love herself, when other important people in her life cannot seem to love her as she is.
When the plot moves to the goat farm, the story loses a bit of its footing and credibility as we are introduced to a number of characters that are never quite fully fleshed out. In the second half of the book there is a bit of wavering as to the story's main conflict. Is it still about Dara's learning to work with the body she has? But wait! What about that slightly weird arc regarding homosexuality? And what is UP with the romance that comes out of nowhere? The numerous elements introduced to us in the back half of the story conflicted with one another and made for some confusion.
Still, I definitely enjoyed SECRETS OF TRUTH AND BEAUTY. Dara is a darling protagonist, and you will not be able to resist cheering for her as she learns how to believe in herself and not let others' words affect her so deeply.
Characters are strong in this book, but Dara is by far the most well-drawn and most likable. Unlike many other protagonists in books that deal with weight, Dara is not constantly apologetic of it, and undergoes a very real struggle to not let her weight define who she is. Dara's infuriatingly controlling mother is the perfect foil to her growth in self-esteem; you'll want to step right into the story and give Mrs. Cohen a good hard slap in the face. We can relate all too well to Dara's struggle to love herself, when other important people in her life cannot seem to love her as she is.
When the plot moves to the goat farm, the story loses a bit of its footing and credibility as we are introduced to a number of characters that are never quite fully fleshed out. In the second half of the book there is a bit of wavering as to the story's main conflict. Is it still about Dara's learning to work with the body she has? But wait! What about that slightly weird arc regarding homosexuality? And what is UP with the romance that comes out of nowhere? The numerous elements introduced to us in the back half of the story conflicted with one another and made for some confusion.
Still, I definitely enjoyed SECRETS OF TRUTH AND BEAUTY. Dara is a darling protagonist, and you will not be able to resist cheering for her as she learns how to believe in herself and not let others' words affect her so deeply.
