Title: When the Truth Unravels by RuthAnne Snow
Publisher: Sky Pony
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Length: 312 pages
Book Rating: B
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss
Summary:
Paper Towns meets Thirteen Reasons Why—at prom. A riveting story told through four best friends’ point of view.
Last month, Elin tried to kill herself.
She knows she’s lucky that her parents found her in time. Lucky to be going to prom with her three best friends, like any other teen. Like it never happened. And if she has anything to say about it, no one but her best friends will ever know it did.
Jenna, Rosie, and Ket will do anything to keep Elin’s secret—and to make sure it never happens again. That’s why they’re determined to make prom night feel just like it would have if this past spring hadn’t been as eventful. This could be the night that convinces Elin that life can go back to what it was.
Except, at prom, Elin goes missing.
Now it’s up to her friends to find her. But each of the girls has her own demons to face. Ket is being blackmailed by an ex. Rosie is falling in love for the first time. And Jenna . . .
Jenna is falling apart.
And no one, not even her best friends, knows why.
Heart-wrenching and utterly impossible to put down, When the Truth Unravels follows four friends as they confront their greatest hopes and darkest secrets during one life-changing night.
Review:
When the Truth Unravels by RuthAnne Snow is a well-written young adult novel with a socially relevant storyline.
Elin Angstrom, Jenna Sinclair, Rosie Winchester and Ket West-Beauchamp have been close friends for several years. However, ever since Elin attempted suicide, cracks have begun to show in the foundation of their friendship. Elin’s return to school has been uneasy with rumors swirling about her absence. She is also not divulging the reason for her inexplicable decision to end her life. Defying her parents, Elin convinces her friends to attend prom with her. The girls go their separate ways soon after their arrival and later in the evening, Jenna, Rosie and Ket are very worried once they realize Elin is missing. They frantically begin searching for their still somewhat emotionally fragile friend, but will their worst fears be realized when they locate her?
Jenna is the sensible, driven teenager in the group. She is an exemplary student and holds prominent positions in several school activities. Jenna has mutinously planned for her future and her hard work has paid off. However, she has not been quite herself since Elin’s suicide attempt but she refuses to discuss what is wrong. Jenna’s friendship with Elin is also strained yet no one knows why.
Rosie is a little socially awkward but she is at ease with her best friends. She does not like to be the center of attention and she is not comfortable talking to strangers. When Elin asks all of her friends to go to the prom with her, Rosie reluctantly agrees. Will Elin come out of her shell and socialize at the before prom party? Will she accept a stranger’s request to dance?
Ket has a bit of a reputation since she not shy about hooking up or making out with guys she is attracted to. She is a loyal friend and this puts her in a very tricky situation with a boy she once dated. Will Ket do whatever takes to protect Elin’s secret? Or will she stand up for herself and refuse to compromise her reputation for a young man who is sexually blackmailing her?
The majority of Elin’s part of the story details her life in the months before she attempts suicide. Her behavior has drastically changed but no reason is provided for her altered behavior. Savvy readers will most likely piece together what is going on well before the “big reveal” at the novel’s conclusion.
Alternating between the various characters’ points of view, When the Truth Unravels is an engaging young novel. The differences in the young women’s personalities make it very easy to keep up with the narration shifts. RuthAnne Snow handles sensitive subject matter in a forthright manner that also educates the reader. With a bit of suspense surrounding Elin’s disappearance from the prom, the novel ends with a surprisingly upbeat conclusion with each of the young women reaching unexpected turning points in their lives. An excellent young adult novel that I highly recommend to older teen readers.
