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  • Writer's pictureMichelle

In the Neighborhood of True by Susan Kaplan Carlton



The Quick Cut: A girl struggles to be her true self when her family moves from New York City to Atlanta. Drama ensues the more she tries to hide her Jewish roots. 


A Real Review:

Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.


 Identity is such a central part of who you are as a person. Whether that be race, religion, health issue, or country of origin - who you are is tied very closed with what you identify as. However, when society looks down upon that or you feel shame for it, what is the best way to respond? Hide it? Show it proudly and deal with the consequences? It's in this struggle that we meet Ruth. 


 When Ruth's father dies, her family moves from New York City to Atlanta in the 1950s. Being half Jewish, it's not easy to fit in though as her local Rabbai is preaching of integration during the times of the KKK. With the Jewish population being seen as troublemakers, Ruth hides her Jewish heritage in order to fit in with the high class society Southerners and attempt to become a part of the debutante class. Will hiding her heritage be worth the trade or is she just giving away her soul in the process? 


 When I read the summary for this upcoming book, I got so excited to read a story entrenched in historical detail about 1950s society and the racial divides through young eyes. Unfortunately, this book fails to deliver on its lovely premise and quickly becomes hard to read.


Rather than develop Ruth as a well rounded character, she is flat and shown as being obsessed with popularity and a boyfriend with no explanation why. Is it because her dad died? Something else? Give me some depth here, I know there's more here. 


 In addition, so much of the book is spent talking about southern society instead of the fascinating topics the story is based on. There isn't nearly enough time spent on the racial divides and historical events. It wlends up being so many pages of sweet tea and gossip that you start to turn into a southern gossip yourself. 


 Rather than being a scintillating read, this historical fiction ends up a bore with not enough time spent on its best topics. 


My rating: 2.5 out of 5

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