The Truth Project

by Dante Medema

Seventeen-year-old Cordelia Koenig was sure of many things going into her last year of high school. For one, she wasn’t going to stress over the senior project all her peers were dreading—she’d just use the same find-your-roots genealogy idea that her older sister used for hers. Secondly, she’d put all that time spent not worrying about the project toward getting reacquainted with former best friend and longtime crush Kodiak Jones who, conveniently, gets assigned as Cordelia’s partner.

All she has to do is mail in her DNA sample, write about her ancestry results and breeze through the rest of senior year. Done, done and done.

But when Cordelia’s GeneQuest results reveal that her father is not the man she thought he was but a stranger who lives thousands of miles away, Cordelia realizes she isn’t sure of anything anymore—not the mother who lied, the life she was born into or the girl staring back at her in the mirror.

If your life began with a lie, how can you ever be sure of what’s true?

Genres: Young Adult, Poetry, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Novel In Verse

400 pages, Hardcover

First published October 13, 2020

About the author

Dante Medema is an author of books for young readers. She lives in Anchorage, Alaska with her husband, four daughters, and room full of alien memorabilia—and books, of course. When she’s not writing, she dabbles in baking, decorating, painting, sewing, and reading up on enneagram personality types.

Reviews

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!

"Because I get lost in metaphors they don’t understand.
My stories live in daydreams
written in verse
I never, ever share."

This quote perfectly describes the premises of the story as this book is written in verses and first thing about me , I don’t like poetry or books written in verses , but still I decided to pick it up because I wanted to experiment with something new and I think it worked. So moving on, The Truth Project was an absolute joy to read. I loved the way the story was told through a mix of the main character's perspective, text messages, and emails-- and they all balanced each other out perfect. It felt so natural! From the first few pages, I was completely onboard and believed every instinct Cordelia and her friends had. It's always a sign of a good book for me when I don't want it to end and I want more, and that's exactly what happened with “The Truth Project".

"How
do I say goodbye
when this never
felt
like hello?
How do I let go of the lie
that is me?"

The story is about Cordelia’s DNA test and its results. This plot line is really unique, as it really forces her to look at herself when she gets the results. Since she’s the result of an affair, her expected reaction of distrust, wanting to scream and be confrontational, crying, and feeling lost…all of these emotions are expected. This compelling plot, along with the mixed media format shows the author’s craft of this story. I also liked how seeing how this result affected her relationship with everyone around her. Her younger sister Iris thinks that Cordelia is distant and changing, her Dad loves her but is sad of how his wife is acting and of course, her mom is crying a lot more, drinking more wine and can’t approach Cordelia about her past. Without spoiling too much, I will say that this DNA result really shakes Cordelia’s world and all the complex and messy emotions that you see are done so well and are so understandable. Second part of the story is about her reaching out to her biological father. Without spoiling anything, I wanna end this part by saying Cordelia really gets deep into the truth about her father and while some of her decisions aren’t the best regarding finding her dad, they were understandable. This story wrapped up really well and in an emotionally satisfying way.

"What if I’m the history
she doesn’t want me to repeat?"

Moving on to the characters, I think I’ll still be emotionally invested in these characters for a whole bit. I felt so connected to the characters. It’s like I was rooting for all of them throughout the book. I am a more of character driven person because the story was nothing original, but what makes it beautiful is that absolute beautiful and magical writing. This format really helped getting Cordelia’s inner raw emotions perfectly. I think my love for this novel is a testimony to the beauty and rawness of her emotions. There many little lines and passages that made me ponder about them. Some passages really hit hard as well.

"My people live in libraries,
not hidden away in the woods
drinking around a bonfire.
But enclosed in books,
released only by an evening
tucked away between pages."

The emails and social media messages were also great, especially between Cordelia and her best friend Sana. I usually never expect how mixed media will portray a book’s themes, tension, emotion, etc. but this was done so so well.And speaking of SANA , omg where can I get a best friend like her , like I instantly fell in love with her quirky-firecracker and often brutally honest personality.

"He’s the boy who staples
pages of his notebook shut
like even he’s afraid to see
what’s between them."

Then we have KODIAK , Cordelia’s childhood friend and crush , an amazing friend, supportive, caring and an overall amazing guy. And here is a reason why deducted one star , I really wanna read more about him and especially his poetry, I wish author could have provided us with some more glimpses about his poem “Raven”.
Then we have her Dad, who’s a literature teacher and quotes Shakespeare a lot. This is a father figure we DO NOT see often enough in YA! He never judges Cordelia for her actions, but also gives her space and doesn’t pressure her to say what’s bothering her. We see his sadness and confusion on why she’s acting differently around her family, but he’s still there for her no matter what. Her dad loves her unconditionally and THIS right there is a dad figure right here. I hope that teens will read this and feel the love of family in this book and hopefully this will warm people’s hearts like it did for me.

"What is it that you learned?”
....
“Nothing I didn’t already know,
deep down."

Bottom line(if you don’t wanna the whole thing I spent an hour to write):- This book was truly amazing! A great debut full of anger, messy feelings, family relationships, love and a real raw coming of age story you don’t wanna miss. A true gut-trenching, heartfelt, tender and authentic read which will make you feel so many emotions you didn’t even knew existed!!!

[Kelsey (munnyreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Truth Project is Cordelia's story of how she finds out that she is the product of an affair after deciding to take a genealogy test for school. Turns out Cordelia has felt off and almost alienated from her family, even more so than the average teenager in typical YA. The results of the DNA test didn't entirely surprise her and we see how she navigates exactly what that means.

The Truth Project is written in the formats of verse, text, and email, which made for a relatively quick and easy read. There are many moments of tension, heartbreak, and just raw emotion as we see and feel how the results of a test affect a family in different ways. It was actually the Dad in this book that brought me to tears.

The good kind, anyway.

And the inclusion of Shakespeare:
'I love you more than words can wield the matter'
😭😭😭

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good! A super quick, engaging read that offered a somewhat predictable but still important and enjoyable look at discovering your family heritage isn't what you thought it was — and, more than that, learning that your parents are humans who make terrible mistakes sometimes, and finding how to move past that. I will say that everything felt a little flat overall, which is why this wasn't a 5-star read, but I'm feeling that way about a lot of novels in verse lately, so perhaps my tastes are just changing? *sigh*

Also, the love interest in this story is Tlingit (Native) and his character is inspired by the author's own Tlingit husband, which I just thought was sweet. That's a representation I've never seen in a story before and while I certainly can't speak for if it was accurate or well-done, I thought it was a nice addition, especially after learning who had inspired the character. ♥

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 4 out of 5]

CW: teen pregnancy, drinking, abortion

Well it's hard to swallow when you have a big lump in your throat.

That was a moving verse novel about a girl coming to terms with information that has shattered her reality. Feeling hurt and betrayed Cordelia seeks to make sense of who she is and where she belongs. I enjoyed the format of this novel with it's mixture of emails, texts, and free verse. The verse was quite simple. The strength and beauty of this novel came from the story itself, and the complex and vulnerable characters wearing their hearts on their sleeves.

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded to 4

Every once in awhile I like to dip my toes into a novel channeled through poetry, and this one maintains a nice blend of traditional beauty and modern relevance. While I usually don't embrace stories where a majority of the conflict could have been solved by two characters just having a simple conversation, I do understand that mother/daughter relationships can be very strained and it can be difficult to overcome this bridge. Some heavy themes are discussed here, and there is a full range of emotion that comes with this territory, but I felt like it was handled with the respect that these topics deserve. If you're looking for a unique tale told in a unique format, keep The Truth Project on your radar this fall.

Content Warnings: Alcohol, smoking, teen pregnancy and abortion, cheating.

*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Cordelia is a senior in high school and for her senior project she chooses to look at her ancestors and write poems about how they shape her. When she takes a DNA test, she finds out she’s not her father’s daughter. Her sense of self and identity collapse.

Told in verse, I found this to be powerful and poignant. Cordelia always felt like an outsider from her family and learning that the man who raised her isn’t her bio dad sends her spiraling as she tries to come to terms with what it all means. I loved the focus on what family really means, how being different isn’t all bad, and the power of friendship.

[BookNightOwl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooo good! I love how this story was written in emails and text messages. Made the reading experience even better.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars will update with a short review super soon!!

[Selene Velez · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

so beautiful! thank you to the author for sending me a copy (along with some tissues that came in handy), i really enjoyed this book.

[jagodasbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Sometimes you do things you don't understand to make sense of the things you do."

Cordelia during senior year does DNA test and finds out that her dad is not her dad, but her mom is her mom.

"People lie all the time"

Now she must face her mother and her lies.

"'Your dad and me - We were going through a rough time' - 'Which one?'"

I wish we could see more sassy Cordelia.

"I'm so angry l. So tired of not knowing where people stand."

There's also hot mysterious childhood friend with tragic past.

"The truth changed so many things My life My view My basic understanding of the world. But it didn't change me. Not where it counts.

It was too slow for my liking but otherwise it was nice.

[Dante · Rating 5 out of 5]

This letter was included in the ARC of The Truth Project, and I wanted to share it here with you all:

Dear Readers,

First of all, thank you for reading. So much of my soul went into writing this and the fact that
you have it in your hands now means the world to me.

When I was a teen, I wanted to see families like mine in books. People whose parents had been
married a few times over, accumulating stepsiblings and half siblings they loved with their
whole heart. People whose parents were human, with human mistakes. This book is anyone
whose family doesn’t look “average” on paper. For anyone who has ever struggled to find their
place because of it.

A week or so after I got my DNA test results, my sister called me. I remember exactly which
IKEA parking lot I was sitting in when she asked, “Am I the product of an affair?” Luckily, I was
able to tell her she wasn’t. But it sparked an idea that quickly became this book. A story about
a girl whose parents were flawed and human, and who struggled to understand what her
parent’s past meant for her future.

It’s a hard lesson to learn that before there was you, there were your parents, and their
parents, and THEIR parents. And before they were anyone’s parents, they were just people
making mistakes, falling in love, and learning who they were. I wrote this for my sixteen-year-
old self who needed to know that just because your family isn’t perfect, doesn’t mean they
aren’t perfect for you.

I hope you love this book as much as I loved writing it.

Thank you so much,
Dante

[Wybredna Maruda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tematyka poszukiwania rodziców biologicznych nie jest zbyt częsta w literaturze młodzieżowej, więc za to ogromny plus. Zaletą jest także, że autorka zdecydowała się na nietypowy format. On jednak stał się dla mnie głównym minusem książki. Cała narracja prowadzona jest po części epistolarnie (e-maile i komunikatory internetowe), a po części jako wiersz biały przedstawiający myśli i emocje głównej bohaterki: krótkie, urywane i metaforyczne hasła zastąpiły więc narrację pierwszoosobową. I chociaż końcówka porusza, to mam wrażenie, że mamy tu przerost formy nad treścią; że format zabrał nieco powagi, dramatyzmu czy konkretnych opisów z fabuły, niejako odwrócił uwagę od tego, co było w niej istotne. Być może do kogoś właśnie taki format przemówi bardziej, ja jednak nie jestem stworzona do poezji, do tak melancholijnej, refleksyjnej dziedziny sztuki i wyrażania siebie, przez co książka bardziej mnie męczyła, niż zachwycała. Wolałabym, by wiersze były dodatkiem, elementem towarzyszącym naturalnej narracji, niż jej główną częścią.

[Deborah Crossland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read an early copy of this incredible book. If you like:

-multimedia storytelling
-sciency girls
-family intrigue, and
-swoony boys...

This book is for you! I can’t wait to show off copies to my students!!!

[Sarcastic Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

Była przyjemna, idealna na jedno posiedzenie. Wielkim plusem ten pozycji jest fakt, że przez formę w jakiej została napisana sprawia, że łatwiej jest nawiązać relację z Cordelią, ponieważ wydaje ona się dzięki temu bardziej intymna, osobista. Mimo wszystko po tak wielu zachwytach spodziewałam się znacznie lepszej pozycji.

[Emma ☀️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful book about realizing your true family. I really loved this book!! If you like novels in verse I definitely recommend it ^^

[kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartfelt exploration of betrayal, self discovery and the meaning of family.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 STARS

Cordelia takes a DNA test and discovers her biological father isn’t the man who raised her. She’s the product of an affair between her mom and Jack, a musician in Alaska. Complicating the situation, her mom asks Cordelia to keep the secret, claiming Jack isn’t a good guy. A school trip to Seattle, Jack’s home, gives Cordelia an opportunity to meet the man who shares half her DNA.

Dante Medema’s debut is a showcase in writing a novel in verse. Her flawless word-building includes free verse, emails and texts telling the story of a young woman who’s always felt like the black sheep in her family, to learn her father is different from her sisters’.

Cordelia is a complex character with a tenuous relationship with the truth, nor unlike her mother and biological father. She makes stereotypical poor choices, getting drunk when upset, breaking rules as rebellion, throwing herself at guys, lying to her parents.

Medema made other “easy” plot choice, which prevented me from rating THE TRUTH PROJECT higher. Making Jack a “loser” felt like the easy way out of the story, so Cordelia never has to envision an alternative positive life with a nurturing, present biological father. He went away, on her mom’s request, and never looked back, much easier to forgive that a mother who repeatedly kept a loci her biological father from his daughter.

THE TRUTH PROJECT is a very good story. A quick read, I finished it in one sitting. I loved that many important topics were seamlessly woven into the story without being Important Topics because these are issues teen confront all the time.

I look forward to see what Medema writes next.

[Drew's ambitious reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This book was so good and I felt very slumpy this month and I'm hoping this will get me out of my slump.
It was such a great book that is written in verse! So since it was written in verse it was a quick read even though I felt like it was bit long for my taste but I will give more thoughts soon....

[Irmak ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

an interesting plot but it got boring at times. loved the family dynamic, it was very well written.

[Marta Lis · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Naucz się Marta dawać książce szansę.”Tak sobie powtarzałam po lekturze tej książki, bo otworzyłam, zobaczyłam formę, stwierdziłam, że meh, a potem się okazało, że jednak bardzo nie meh. Wręcz przeciwnie. Bardzo dobre to było. Ostatnio mam szczęście do pozycji, które o rodzinie mówią sporo, mówią o niej szczerze i nie traktują dysfunkcji, jako tematu tabu. Projekt Prawda czyta się błyskawicznie, na raz, a jednak zostawia posmak po sobie na dłużej (orzeźwiający, jak pasta do zębów, a nie przykry, jak czosnek 😅: czasem sama nie wierzę, jakie głębokie metafory Wam tu serwuję🤣). Oryginalna młodzieżówka.

[Danielle (Life of a Literary Nerd) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find novels in verse to be very impactful emotionally, and The Truth Project is no different. It's a heartfelt exploration of family, betrayal, and forgiveness that will hook you from the very first page. I loved seeing Cordelia's emotional journey in her self discovery and realizing what family means to her - while navigating the life changing secrets her mother kept that are now changing her life.

[Ankas · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 Sterne für dieses besondere Buch!

Delia hat sich in ihrer Familie schon immer fehl am Platz gefühlt. Sie liebt ihre Eltern und Geschwister – keine Frage, jedoch hat sie ständig das Gefühl „irgendwie anders“ zu sein.
Ein Schulprojekt zum Thema Herkunft nimmt sie schließlich zum Anlass, um einige Nachforschungen anzustellen. Sie beginnt mit einem Gen-Test, um mehr über ihre ethnischen Wurzeln zu erfahren. Als sie das Ergebnis erhält, fühlt sie sich zum einen in ihrem Gefühl bestätigt, zum anderen verfällt sie in eine Schockstarre. Das Testergebnis zeigt ihr nämlich sämtliche Verwandte an, die ebenfalls einen solchen Test gemacht haben, so zum Beispiel ihre ältere Schwester. Aber auch ihr Vater erscheint auf der Liste, jedoch handelt es sich bei der genannten Person nicht um den Mann, der sie großgezogen hat.

Was macht Delia jetzt mit dieser Information? Wieso hat ihre Mutter ihr nie gesagt, dass ihr Vater nicht ihr leiblicher Vater ist? Wer ist dieser Mann, dessen Namen Delia nun nicht mehr aus dem Kopf geht? Und wie geht eine Familie mit solch einer sensiblen Enthüllung um?

Dante Medema hat sich in ihrem außergewöhnlichen Jugendbuch mit einem sehr sensiblen Thema auseinandergesetzt und eine wunderbare Möglichkeit gefunden, Delias Geschichte so nah und nachfühlbar wie möglich zu erzählen. Den typischen Romancharakter sucht man in diesem Buch nämlich vergeblich. Die in Alaska lebende Autorin kombiniert Chatverläufe und E-Mails mit Poetry Slam-artigen Texten. Beim Lesen hört man Delias Gedanken – mal emotional und voller Bilder, im nächsten Moment eher sprunghaft. Außergewöhnlich. Außergewöhnlich gut.

Als Leserin habe ich mich Delia unheimlich nah gefühlt. Sie macht kein Geheimnis aus ihren Gefühlen, Wünschen und Ängsten – wie auch, wenn ich das Gefühl hatte, ihren Gedanken zu lauschen. Delia hat mich sehr berührt, ihre Emotionen waren für mich nachvollziehbar und mitreißend.

„Diese eine Lüge“ erzählt eine bewegende Geschichte, in der sich ein junges Mädchen die Frage stellt „Wer bin ich eigentlich?“. Es ist ein Coming-of-Age-Roman, der ganz außergewöhnlich geschrieben wurde und der die Themen Identität, Familie, Freundschaft und die erste Liebe behandelt. Mir hat er sehr gut gefallen – er war echt, nicht übertrieben dramatisch und für uns Buchliebhaberinnen & Buchliebhaber etwas ganz Besonderes, wenn man sich auf eine andere Art des „Geschichtenerzählens“ einlassen möchte.

[Amanda (MetalPhantasmReads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

**June 24th update**
I read this in one day which RARELY happens! This book was so emotional, complicated, sad but also beautiful and a rare gem of a book. I cared for Cordelia so much and I loved seeing her grow and discover herself. Plus a great book with an awesome father figure!! Please please read this when it comes out later this year! ♥️♥️♥️♥️ Review now on the blog

https://metalphantasmreads.wordpress....

I AM ready for this book! A girl who has a genealogy test done and learns about her real father? Themes of identity and family are really needed right now. I really want this book!

[Vanessa Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucky me! I also had the privilege of getting my grabby hands on an early copy of The Truth Project. This book, people! You will laugh, cry, pause... sink deep into the heartfelt poetry, and when your finished, wait ever so impatiently to read what's next from Dante Medema.

[Rozanne Visagie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱.
𝗠𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀
𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲
𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲.
𝗨𝗻𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.”

The Truth Project is a Young Adult read but it's more than just a story. There are lessons to be learned and moments that are memorised. The story is written in free verse poetry as well as email, and this writing style connects the reader intimately with the main character Cordelia who loves poetry. This story is brilliantly written and was unputdownable, I finished it in two days. Even though it is a quick read, it's emotional and Medema explores deeper issues.

This is a search for identity, a discovery of self wrapped up in emotions and bundled together with words. Cordelia's school assignment changed her life as she knows it, rearranging everything she knew and thought to be the unbreakable foundation of her life. Doubting who she is and where she belongs, we follow her journey and learn the important lesson that family isn't always determined by DNA.

There is something special about this book, there isn't a big plot twist since the synopsis mentions Cordelia's father isn't who she thought she was, but there is something that keeps this book glued to the reader's hands. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes YA, a quick read with an unforgettable message and a love for poetry. Poets will appreciate the beautiful verses.

Thank you to Jonathan Ball Publishers for this gifted copy.

"𝙈𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨,
𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙨
𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙗𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚.
𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨,
𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙮 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜
𝙩𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙨."

[Lenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

soo profoundly beautiful!!!!! i'm in tears
dante, you have such a way with words, they touch the heart. please, oh please, write more soon🥲

“My people live in libraries,
not hidden away in the woods
drinking around a bonfire.
But enclosed in books,
released only by an evening
tucked away between pages.”

“If only I could take my heart
from my chest and pot it
like a plant.
Feed it full of all the things it needs
and put it back in its home
once the hard part is over.”

“Because I get lost in metaphors they don’t understand.
My stories live in daydreams
written in verse
I never, ever share.
Unfit for lighthearted dinner conversation.”

“I couldn’t understand
why none of them
needed to say something
a million times
in their heart
before they spoke
it with their tongue.”

“... trading breakout sessions for maps
poems for public transit routes
people with passion so strong in their bones
you want to trap their words in your heart
and tether yourself to their memories:
for a person who might not even want to see me.”

“How do I say goodbye to a lie?
How do I let go of wondering
and wishing
and hoping
the truth
is something
it’s not?
How do I let go of the lie
that is me?”

“Sometimes you can say everything you need to say
with a single look.
Something like:
I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when you needed me.
I’m sorry I took up all the space
for my own hurt when you were hurting too.
I’m sorry things aren’t going to be the same,
but maybe
that’s okay
too.”

“How you can go your whole life
never knowing what you were meant to be
and never knowing what you could have been
and still
be you.”

[Tee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just because anyone can write in verse
it doesn’t mean
they should.

I am so upset.
I absolutely adored this author’s other book “Message Not Found”, so my expectations were high coming into this one. But, oh boy, was it bad.
The plot itself was quite interesting, but there was nothing poetic about the writing. Just averagely written sentences chopped and rearranged into verses.

Here’s a perfect example:

“Right before he goes on,
Kodiak paces
behind the stage curtain.

I sneak next to him,
reach for his hand,
and draw a heart on his palm.

When his name is called,
he smiles,
kisses me on the cheek,
and disappears onto the stage.”

Come on, I can’t be the only one who thinks this is bad.
I pretty much wish I never read it, so I could continue living in the Universe where I thought Dante Medema was a brilliant author.

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 5 out of 5]

She had always felt like she didn't fit into her family, but when she received the results from her DNA test, Cordelia now had the proof of why. Discovering her father was not the man who raised her set Cordelia's world off balance and sent her searching for the truth. Of who he was, and also, who she was.

• Pro: My emotions! With the subject matter, there was no doubt I would feel something, but I felt so much as I read this story. It was a tsunami of feelings that washed over me, and it came from multiple sources. Delia was obviously a big source, but her mother also contributed quite a bit via her fear, regret, and shame.

• Pro: I loved the way Medema used a mixed format to tell the story. There were texts and emails accompanying the parts told in verse, and I found it to be very successful for me.

• Pro: Kodiak was such a great character. Cordelia's former childhood best friend and first crush, he re-entered her life at a very crucial moment. I thought, at first, he was simply there to be a love interest. However, as Kodiak's own story unfolded, I realized that there were some parallels one could draw between what he and Delia were experiencing.

• Pro: Cordelia's struggle with this new information was heart wrenching and raw and realistic. She sort of went through the stages of grief, but her biggest battle was fought in her heart. I think it's difficult for all children to see their parents fall from grace, but it's also part of growing up, when they finally realize their parents are fallible beings.

• Pro: It was easy to see that Cordelia loved her father, and by the end of the book, he more than earned his title, regardless of his lack of biological ties to her. He was loving, supportive, sweet, and caring. She couldn't have asked for a better father.

• Pro: I was so engrossed in this story, that I was sneaking chapters in whenever I could. I was so determined to get all the answers to my questions and see how everything played out, that I started and finished this book in the same day.

Overall: This story wrapped its arms around me and never let go. It was a beautiful tale which explored family, friendship, forgiveness, and identity. It touched my heart and filled me with happiness.


*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS

[Laurie Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an utterly original book. It's completely different from anything I've read before. The writing is lyrical and luminous, the characters feel real, and the themes-- including family, identity, and seeking your truth-- will deeply resonate with readers. I'm so fortunate I was able to read this early! Dante Medema is a writer to watch.

[Betty Culley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I curled up on the couch and could not put down this book!
Poet Cordelia does a senior project about her family's genealogy and learns that the father who raised her is not her biological father.
Written with poems, emails, texts, and beautiful verse, this is a novel about identity, family, friendship and love. You'll want to read this and every other book Dante Medema writes!