Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil by Melina Marchetta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
There are books and then there are BOOKS! I’m talking about those books that permeate your whole soul and haunt your dreams. Yes, I have bookish dreams. Don’t you?! Melina Marchetta’s latest is one of these. If I could, I would’ve read this book in a single sitting but work and kids… such stumbling blocks! But even if I had to stop reading, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
My first reaction when I found out about this book was jubilation that Melina Marchetta is releasing a new book followed by, oh, wait… what’s this?! It’s not YA! **gasps** Nevertheless, it’s a Marchetta’s, it’s must read. Still, I started with a tad of trepidation but no fear, as within the first few paragraphs, she’s got me in the palm of her hands.
This is a story of someone who has had to repress a part of his inheritance and its consequences. It’s a story of the migrants with brilliant opportunities but circumstances and prejudices conspired against them. It’s a story of a world where being different means being wrong. It’s a story of hatred and love and everything in between. It’s a story of the pursuit of truth and its liberation.
If you haven’t read any Marchetta’s and always thought YA isn’t your cup of tea, you must read this book. She created such a realistic fictional world with well developed characters that you cannot but think must be real. Her characters are always different (or diverse, whichever way you want to look at it) and being different always caused a ripple in a world where homogeneous = safety. Whilst the ending isn’t in anyway sad, I kind of felt tired… about the current state of world and why we cannot all live in mutual acceptance and peace! For the mystery/thrillers lover, I do believe you will love the twist at the end, I certainly didn’t pick it.
I really had no idea what to expect in this adult fiction from a worldwide-fame YA author but in my eyes, Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil is definitely a success. I am, more than ever, entrenched deeply as a fan because as someone who widely reads across the genres, Melina Marchetta has written books crossing many of my favourites; books which I’ve loved. Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil is a confronting novel of the broken world we have today, the pain of terror attacks, of hate and its consequences.
Postscript: This review is all about what this book makes me feel because it makes me feel so very much, my meter has overflowed. “Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil” isn’t just a title, it’s an exhortation. Let’s keep the conversation going…
My thankful heart goes to Melina Marchetta and Viking (Penguin Books Australia) for copy of book in exchange of honest review
Tien's Blurb 