Set in Atlanta in the 1950's, In the Neighborhood of True tackles anti-Semitism and racism through the eyes of 16 year old Ruth Robb. Ruth just moved to Atlanta and want to participate in being a debutante, but has to hide her Jewish faith as she wouldn't be allowed to participate if people knew. She meets new friends, gets a boyfriend, and thinks all is swell until her temple is bombed by by someone with the KKK. The bomber took issues with her temple and rabbi assisting black churches in the efforts of integration and the equality of Black people in the South. Ruth must make a choice - honor her heritage or her newfound friends.

This story has a lot of timeliness, as there is much going on right now in America that frankly doesn't feel much different than is portrayed in this book. The millennium may change, but people and hate have stayed consistent. It was interesting to read in the dialect and slang of the South at the time, and see just how different life was. Ruth's story was eye opening in many ways.

The story felt slow in the beginning and the middle, I wasn't quite sure where it was going. But by the last 100 pages, it really picked up and showed the true struggle that Ruth was going through. Because what 16 year old doesn't want to fit in? But is it worth changing who you are, just to please others? I felt it was well done by the author to show Ruth not only learning to accept herself as Jewish, but see Black people as equal and deserving. Ruth messed up often in the book, but was open to correction, and sometimes that's all we can do.

I highly recommend reading this if you have an interest in social justice and the current events happening now.

**Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

This book has a very strong message in it's story - about the power of truth and staying true to your roots.

I want expecting much when I started the book. The writing wasn't directly engaging, rather it takes time to build the intensity. But from the first prologue, there was a mystery of events that the authors provides us with - and we readers know immediately that something bad had happened. The story focuses on this event and how things led to the that.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I think the author did an amazing job in creating the characters, giving them each their own personalities. Ruth was a compelling character. Her dilemma in the new school - between trying to hide that she's Jew and also openly practising get religion - was really well portrayed. It was harrowing to read how the Jews were treated like outsiders, about their exclusion from the clubs and all. The author really did portray these instances in an emotional stance. We see how after arriving in Atlanta, Ruth is somehow forced to choose a life that wasn't completely hers. She wanted what her grandmother gave her and told her to be, attended tea parties and debutante trainings and clubs. On weekends, she attends the temple but keeps it a secret from her christian friends. And soon, it is a double life that she's leading.

Ruth has a considerable growth throughout the story. From wanting to fit in with the crowd to taking charge of herself and her religion, she came a long way and it was commendable. It was good to see how she realised the importance of staying true to your own self, your religion and truth.

I did feel at times the the story focused largely on her romance with Davis, and dragged a little in the middle. It seemed a bit fast and whirlwind at tines. It was still fresh to read, to see the romance but at the same time, also the important talks. I have to admit though, I loved Max a lot. He was a strong believer in social justice and that was a great trait! I wish there was more scenes with him and Ruth.

I honestly didn't really care about the other debutante girls because either they were too chirpy and shallow and had not much of a memorable stance in the story. Some of the scenes with them were a tad bit boring, not gonna lie, and I couldn't really care much about their chirpy talking.

The story is based on true events, as the author had mentioned on the author's note, and that only makes one wonder about the atrocities that religion and race had to face. The book also subtly touches on the subject of racism along with the heavy topic of anti-semitism, and it does the narration so well. I enjoyed the end partly because of its strength and honesty in the characters. It gives a sense that the fight to justice doesn't end, and is forever ongoing.

It is a beautiful book with a strong plot and great characters. I feel it's an important book that people need to read and reflect on.

3.5 stars, rounding up to 4.

I picked up this book because I had never read a historical fiction like this before. (Is it okay to say it's historical fiction if it's from 1958?) It ended up being a quick read, but not an easy one because of the terrible racism and anti-Semitism that the characters have to deal with. It took me about two days to read, and I found myself thinking about it when I wasn't reading it.

The best part, for me, was the main character Ruth. SHe just wants to fit in, so she passes as non-Jewish. She has a lot of internal struggle but she means well and is never rude or snarky. She's a kind and polite character, which we need more of.

This was more of a romance than I thought it would be. I think the author did a good job of showing sexuality without going over the top (there's sex but it's a fade out). Ruth is feeling completely normal things when she's around a boy she likes. Even if I didn't much like Davis.

I would have liked to see a little more personality in Ruth and see more of her internal struggle. She feels pretty closed off to me as a reader. Maybe the writing style just wasn't my cup of tea, so your mileage may vary.

I'm delighted to be participating in a blog tour for the paperback release of this book. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Throughout our lives, many of us learn the hard way the difference between right and wrong, whether it be in large or small doses. When those lines become crossed and confusing, is when we have to really figure out what it is we want to stand for.

Ruth is a very interesting character. The book is told solely from her perspective and really helps to highlight the struggles of a teenage girl during this time. Watching the transformation of Ruth from beginning to end was heartwarming.

I loved that Susan Kaplan Carlton created strong characters with beliefs, struggles, and pain. It really helped define and exemplify the role of those characters in a realistic way. They were able to learn along the way about themselves and the situations around them.

The writing in this book is easy to sit down and enjoy. It is a young adult book with strong coming-of-age themes, but would easily be enjoyed by any age level. The language is smooth and descriptive and allowed for a great quick read.

“Ah so in the neighborhood of true.” Davis one-dimpled me. “That’s what we say when something’s close enough.”

After the sudden death of her father, Ruth and her family move to be closer to her moms family from New York City to Atlanta. It’s 1958 and suddenly Ruth is surrounded by a world of debutantes, and unfortunately the KKK. Ruth quickly learns that she can either be Jewish, or she can fit in. So she decides to fit in. Though she is hiding her religion from her friends, her mom still makes her attend Temple, where she meets Max who is a big player in the fight for social justice. Can Ruth balance both sides of her life, one in which she is hiding who she is?

This book was so good and such a perfect example of the time and location. I found Ruth to be such a lovable character, and my heart broke over the tug of war she had to face. When it comes to fitting in during high school, I’m not sure I could have made a different decision than she did. I’m sad to say, that a lot of what Ruth faced could still be faced today, especially in the world of debutantes. This book showed racism and antisemitism through the eyes of a teenage girl, and I think it’s a perfect read for young adults to learn more and begin to have some of these difficult conversations. Especially with what we are seeing in terms of police brutality, I think this book is incredibly timely and a perfect read. It is out in paperback now, so be sure to grab a copy!

Thank you to Algonquinyr and Susan Carlton for my gifted copy of this book!

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

In the neighbourhood of True is a beautifully written story of a young girl in the 1950's who has moved to live in her grandmothers guest house with her mother and sister after the death of her father who was Jewish.
Ruth and her sister are also Jewish and their mother converted to being Jewish after marrying their father.

This book is a fantastic tale of living a double life trying to fit in with the 'in' crowd and hiding who you really are to be accepted and experience things you wouldn't get to experience if you were honest about who and what you are.

Told during a time period of racism, divided communities/races, the KKK and making a change to how we live and treat others, this book is a powerfull statement to how the world still needs to change to be more accepting, diverse and understanding as well as people standing up for their beliefs and for what is right.

I received this book for a Blogtour and I must say I really enjoyed it.
I think OwnVoices are so important and this book in particular tells a story I never heard before: the temple bombing of 1958 in Atlanta.
The cover is so pretty and I liked the writing style and the main character struggle to fit in while remaining true to yourself.

Book: In the Neighborhood of True
Author: Susan Kaplan Carlton
Rating: 1 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Algonquin Young Readers, for sending me an ARC.

Normally, this would have been a big hit for me. I really do love hard hitting books that deal with tough issues, but there was something about this one that made it a miss for me. This is normally what I do read and enjoy reading. I want my books on tough subjects to make me feel something, to make me think. However, I didn’t get that from this.

I think that’s a good place to start….

So, this book deals with antisemitism and racism, which is still as big as a problem now as it was in the 1950s-which is when this book takes place. We get to see our main character, Ruth, suffer from the injustices of the world. We see her pose as a white girl, because it is the easiest way to be accepted by society. Susan goes into the injustices that both Jews and blacks are facing, but it was missing something. This is a very “hot topic” right now and I’m glad she talked about it. However, while reading, I felt nothing. There was no emotion in the writing. It felt cookie cutter and that the author was just writing this story so her book could be labelled as “diverse.” Susan attempts to show us just how bad things are, but I felt nothing. This like a fluff read and when we are dealing with these issues, I should not walk away feeling like I just read a feel good book. There needs to be some punch to the story. If you are going to talk about the tough stuff, then, we as readers, need to feel something. This book could have had so many great talking points, but by writing it is a fluff, that did not happen.

It also felt like the author was being too careful. I felt like she was trying to shelter me from the horrors that the characters were supposed to be dealing with. If you are going to write a book about these subjects, then you have to be willing to write about these horrors, especially if you want your readers to feel something about the content. I really wish that Susan had taken that extra step, been willing to go though. We need that fear and depth if you want us to feel something. You may have to make your feel a little uncomfortable. It’s okay. If you want to bring change, then you are going to have to make your readers feel extreme emotions. One book that does this really well is The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas; she is willing to make her readers uncomfortable, which is why The Hate U Give has some any great talking points.

Now, let’s more on to character development. I really wanted to like Ruth, but I couldn’t get into her. She felt flat and was lacking development. Her father has just died and she is being relocated to the South. This should have all deeply impacted her, but it just doesn’t seem to. We are told that is upsets her, but, once again, we, as the reader, don’t really feel anything. While we do get to see her struggle to adjust and deal with antisemintism, the major focus of the book is the that fact that she is love with two boys and doesn’t know who to pick. What? I know this is told from the point of view of a teenage girl, but this book is being marketed as a powerful story. To me, a powerful story does not focus on the love issues of a teenage girl.

Anyway, this book is out now. I really do get why people enjoy this and I can see a lot of my friends liking it. If you are looking for a tamer book on social injustice, then you probably will enjoy this.

In 1958, Ruth Robb and her sister Nattie move to Atlanta with their mother to move in with her mother's parents after the death of their father. While Nattie and her mother find new connections and strength at their new temple, Ruth is pushed and pulled by the lure of the South's Christian debutante traditions and her grandmother's desire for her to succeed there. Smart, conflicted, Ruth learns to navigate the difficult path of hiding her identity, until the temple, where the progressive rabbi works for integration and voting rights, is bombed by Ruth's boyfriend's brother. Well-written, with characters who feel real and descriptions that evoke the American South and its world, this is a terrific book--a coming of age story that isn't predictable or preachy or prudish, but that engages with difficult issues and doesn't punish the protagonist for doing what is right for her, whether that's sleeping with her boyfriend or testifying in court about the bombing. I grew up in the South, where my dad was the son of a Baptist preacher and my mom's family were non-religious Jews, a place where my mom warned me about not telling anyone about our Jewish ancestry, especially not when I was a guest at the country club or at school. I wish I'd had this book to read then, and to give my friends to read.

Ruth Robb is “hiding in plain sight” in the world of debutantes, sweet tea and cotillions. She desperately wants to fit in with the new crowd, so she conveniently omits to reveal her Jewish faith and origins. Ruthie’s mother was once a leader in the society she abandoned years ago when she moved up north, married Ruthie’s father and converted to her husband’s faith.
Ruthie shelters behind her mother’s and grandmother’s earlier conquests of polite southern society, guiltily concealing the truth of her heritage. We can see that she is internally aware that she is embracing the bigotry along with the glamour. Eventually, the conflicted “double-thinking” that she has to adopt becomes a heavy burden. It literally takes an explosion to open Ruth’s eyes to the truth.
The dialogue in this novel is snappy, light, often superficial and droll. Polite southern society is all surface, with no real substance. The author evokes this “sham” world very well. This superficiality of the members of Ruthie’s new socially elite circle may also have contributed to my difficulty in viewing Ruth and her fellow debutantes as fully developed, real life characters.
For the majority of the novel, Ruth is passionately in love with Davis, and he with her; but on that fateful night of the ball, Ruth gained and lost everything she had sacrificed the truth for. Spoiler alert: <spoiler>For me, the ending was fairly predictable and a tad melodramatic: her emotional and mental immaturity almost dictated it. Ruth could see no middle road, extend no olive branch to Davis. It was all or nothing – no shades of grey. That last scene between Ruth and Davis, who were supposed to be so passionately in love, was disturbing to the pacifist in me. Instead of attempting to bridge the divide and try to extend some compassion toward Davis, whose motives were to help his brother, she drew a battle line between them, where even friendship was impossible. Battle lines, alas, are not conducive to peace and reconciliation. Interesting how in this novel, Davis still loved Ruth, despite <i>Ruth's</i> constant lies and many subterfuges. For this reason, her inflexibility seemed a tad too militant. She finally saw the error of her ways, but Davis could not? Her love for Davis wasn’t strong enough to, even as a friend, try to help him understand that by supporting his brother, he had aligned himself with the bigotry of the synagogue’s bombers? He was utterly a lost cause: one strike and you’re out? Up until then, Davis was such a stand up guy, but now he is apparently past redemption - just as guilty as his brother? (Sorry, my legal background is coming to the fore here. Everyone deserves a chance to change, otherwise why don’t we sentence all criminals to life imprisonment, with no chance of parole, ever, if there is no hope of redemption for them?) But I also get that this is a YA novel and the author was focusing on a horrible hate crime and maybe wanted to make a specific, strong statement which necessitated that very dramatic all or nothing choice on Ruth’s part - a symbolic gesture, of sorts: if you are not 100% with me, you are 100% against me. And yes, I am very well aware that Davis epitomized all that was attractive - on the surface - about the sham that was southern polite society at the time of this novel, and hence the need to reject him completely. Got it, thanks, but I'm always wishful for change, evolution and reconciliation. I really don't want to give up on the human race just yet. Let's keep trying, please!)</spoiler>
This was very well written, and the author does make you feel like you have traveled back in time. Alas, all of the conflicts and issues in this novel are still, unfortunately, very relevant today. My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I rate this novel a 3.75 out of 5.

I picked up this book because I always love a good book about my hometown. It was really well written and I loved visualizing Atlanta back in time. I think it touched on some really heavy topics in a good way and left me wanting to be a better person and treat people with more kindness. This was a great quick read and I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy Contemporary YA. Thank you to Netgalley for sending this novel in exchange for an honest review.

It's funny from looking at this book I didn't realise that the topics it would cover would still be so relevant today. The book is set in the 50s, I hadn't actually realised that until I picked it up because I can be a bit hit or miss with historical books, but the content definitely reflects a lot of the issues that we are currently having in the world, maybe not to the same extremes but it does make you stop and think about how you treat people and how your actions affect other people.

I loved the style of writing in this book, the author has this way of putting phrases together that I thought were really clever and helped to reflect the setting, it was descriptive and atmospheric.

I have to admit that I'm not religious and therefore not really that clued up about religious practices and found the concept of Ruth hiding being a Jew whilst trying to fit in with the predominantly Christian kids at the school really interesting. How she almost juggles her beliefs as she tries to figure out what her identity is was fascinating and something that I think a lot of people can relate to whether they are religious or not.

The book also touches on the hatred in Atlanta during that time, I learned a bit about segregation and the Klu Klux Klan at school but it never really quite covers the atrocities that happened at that time. I thought that the issues of hatred against religion and race were handled well and it was good to see that certain characters in the book were getting pulled up about their actions, however, I do feel like there were some points that this could have caused some tension earlier in the book which would have tied in well with the ending.

I liked Ruth, the main character, and she was very relatable in many ways but at the start of the book I actually found my favourite character was Nattie, I feel like compared to Ruth she had a little bit something more to her. Ruth admits to being shallow, it's part of her personality and I felt like even though she is upfront about it that it kind of grated on me a little and I started to wonder if maybe she didn't quite have the depth that I thought a character in this situation would have, she was a bit too surface. However, as we got to the end of the book I was glad to see that Ruth started to turn it around a little, once she admitted to herself who she was and started to care less about what people thought.

I do think that whilst the ending was the best way to wrap up the story, that it felt like there were a lot of emotional encounters that kind of got overlooked, especially between Davis and Ruth. I feel like there could have been a bit more build-up to the ending that would have really cemented how different Ruth's experience as a Jewish girl would have been in that situation

I really didn't know what to expect from this book but I thoroughly enjoyed it, this is the kind of historical fiction that I can get behind because it explores important historical issues in a contemporary way and includes some important messages that remain relevant. With such an engaging writing style and the ability to handle sensitive subjects so well I'm interested to see what the author comes up with next.

In The Neighborhood Of True was inspired by a true event. The book’s focus is on young adults and addresses antisemitism and racism viewed through the eyes of a teenager. Susan Caplan Carlton tells a good story with relevant themes still faced by our society.

This was a very fascinating look at identity and the story of a young woman trying to find where she fits in in a historical context. This is also probably one of the very few historical fiction books I’ve read which featured prominent Jewish representation without being about the Holocaust. There is a lot of commentary on racism and antisemitism at the time this story takes place, but what surprised me the most (and even made me sad) was how I could relate to them even in the present day. Just goes to show how much hasn’t changed in our world across decades.

I think this is a well written and very important book and would definitely recommend.

Why are more people not talking about this book? I am really surprised. This is such an understated and important read. This book really surprised me but I am so glad I found this gem. In the Neighborhood of true is a young adult Historical Fiction. It is hard to find a historical fiction with Jewish rep that’s not about the Holocaust. I love reading Holocaust stories but it is good to find something different set during that time.

Susan Kaplan Carlton‘s novel is set in 1958 and is about a Jewish girl, Ruth Robb, who moves to Atlanta from New York City after her father’s death, to live with her grandmother. Ruth was raised a Jewish and her grandmother was exactly not happy with this. She pushes Ruth to be a part of high society and thus she gets involved in debutante training, tea parties and lots of clubs. While doing all this, she kept her Jewish side a secret. On the other hand, she also attends prayers on Sundays with her mother. She was living two separate lives but soon, because of a violent crime, she had to expose her true self and had to choose what she really wanted to be.

This book is inspired by a true event (which is mentioned in the author’s note). I personally don’t know much about that historical time apart from the Holocaust and I was glad that this book touched such an important time of history. This book mainly addresses antisemitism and racism and what it is to view these from the eyes of a teenager. It shows us a mirror to our society which is not much different as it was 60 years ago. That time too racism was prone in the society and these days too, though we have come a long way, we often hear the instances of racism and antisemitism. I appreciate Susan Kaplan Carlton for putting this tough topic into a better perspective. The author has done a wonderful job of showing the two different lives of Ruth and hiding her religion but I loved how slowly she realised that there are far more important issues to handle.

I loved Ruth’s character. In the beginning, she wanted everything her grandmother wanted her to be. She enjoyed the social life and attention and tea parties. But her growth throughout the story was incredible and loved her even more page after page. She eventually learns to stay true to herself. Like any other teenager, she liked boys and fashion and wanted to belong. But soon she realised her privileges. While she could easily pass as another Christian, there were African Americans around her who had no way to conceal their identity. The author is beautifully shown this.

The hate crime in the story is handled pretty well. I loved the writing and the story’s settings. It takes us straight to 1950s. I was glad that the romance didn’t took a large space in the story because this book was about many other important topics than being a love story.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book, though I am aware not everyone would enjoy this. But if you like quite YA and stories about less-talked time-periods and activism, then this book is for you. It looks soft and is understated but it is a strong read which makes you think. In the end, it teaches you to be your true self and to stand for what’s right.

Carlton's <i>In the Neighborhood of True</i> is a strong debut with its timely themes, unique setting, and diversity. I didn't end up particularly sucked into the narrative, which is the only reason I rated three stars but I want to stress that this is a strong novel that should absolutely be part of school and public library collections.

The heroine Ruth is a fabulous character. Her mother came from a wealthy Atlanta family, a debutante queen, who went north and married a liberal Jewish man. Before the novel begins, Ruth's father has died, and the family's moved from NYC to Atlanta in the 1960s to be closer to family. Ruth's mother is an outspoken reporter who converted to Judaism. Ruth doesn't really feel a strong connection to either Christianity or Judaism, and the idea of fitting and being popular appeals to her, so she hides her identity as a Jewish woman to be a debutante who gets to go to the local country clubs. Her mother's not thrilled, but she allows Ruth to make her own choices.

I really liked this narrative and felt the tension in her character. Ruth is myriad things at once, and it's easy to see why she would want the ease of acceptance and the distraction of the glitz and glamour of being a (pre) debutante. It's a novel about grief that doesn't necessarily focus on grief at all, but the grief does shade all of Ruth's decisions. It's a novel about racism and antisemitism, but it manages to convey its messages incredibly effectively without being a heavy read. I especially liked the dynamic between Ruth and Birdie, because in just a few scenes Carlton shows a lot of nuance.

As I said, I thought this book was fantastic and quite unique to anything available. However, it was less of a hit with me because, aside from Ruth, I didn't find the cast particularly compelling. Most of the other characters are one-note, and so I couldn't really invest in Ruth's relationships with anyone, and I primarily become invested in relationships.

I'd absolutely recommend this novel to readers who enjoy a strong historical aspect to their stories or who like to read a variety of diverse narratives. I'm happy to have read it myself.

One of my new favorite books! This author has such a way with words the pages flew by in no time! I can’t wait to see the next work by this author! This was such a joy to read!

This book was a really fun historical setting, but tackled super important and relevant issues, too, which I really appreciated. I liked the main character, and her journey with learning how her Judaism fits into her life. A really great book!

This book focused on antisemitism in the South and how different it was down there less than 60 years ago. It was riveting to see how different things were and just the discrepancy between Southern hospitality versus the hate crimes and racism that was going on at the same time. It was especially interesting for me to see how different things were from the north, in NYC where Ruth was from, compared to the south. This was definitely a unique book because I can’t think of that many books that delve into this little untouched time in history and catering that towards a younger crowd.

The most important part of this book was the message of staying true to yourself. While I was able to relate and understand Ruth’s decision to keep her Jewish side hidden with her newfound friends at a new school, I think it was also extremely imperative for her to gradually learn what was important and how to stay true to yourself. I liked how the author did this in a really realistic manner because Ruth was slowly being influenced by her family and friends in this gradual way rather than this abrupt manner that I find sometimes in YA books.

My biggest issue with the book though was how slow it was at times. It also took me quite some time to get into the book. However, once I became more invested with the characters and the plot, things definitely picked up. It was also interesting to figure out why there was a court scene at the really beginning of the book and trying to pick up the pieces and clues for it.

Overall, I found this book intriguing. The book also did a good job with presenting the different ways of activism and the different ways you can stand up for your own beliefs. I would definitely recommend if you’re looking for a different side of historical fiction and if you enjoy a little bit of mystery as well.

Originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 2019 April 02

BOOK REPORT for In The Neighborhood of True by Susan Kaplan Carlton

Cover Story: Magnolia Queen
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Talky Talk: Ain’t It Swell
Bonus Factor: Judaism
Relationship Status: Not Ready To Go Steady

Cover Story: Magnolia Queen

No doubt, this cover is pretty, with the soft pastels, golds, and the magnolia, which has significance in the story, since Ruth is competing in the Magnolia Queen debutante ball. But I also feel like it doesn’t show any sign of the darkness in this story, which was actually a problem I had with the book as a whole—not just the cover.

The Deal:

After her father’s death, Ruth Robb’s mother transplants Ruth and her little sister from New York City to Atlanta, where they live in Ruth’s grandparents’ guest house and enroll in the local Covenant school. Ruth is surrounded by southern belles in pastel dresses as she throws herself headfirst into her new life as a pre-debutante. The only problem? Ruth and her family are Jewish, and in the south in 1958, acts of anti-Semitism are on the rise. Ruth finds herself torn between loving her new life, with new friends and newfound popularity, and her secret life, attending temple with her mother. She’s even torn between two boys: handsome, charming Davis at school, and Max, the activist college student she gets to know at temple.

But as tensions rise around Atlanta, it becomes harder and harder for Ruth to hide who she really is. The news is filled with stories of the Klan burning crosses in front yards around town, and lately, someone has been terrorizing the temple too. Ruth has to decide if she can keep up the ruse, or if it’s time to embrace who she really is, even if that ruins everything and puts her in serious danger.

BFF Charm: Yay

There’s a lot to like about Ruth. In some ways, she’s a typical teenage girl who loves makeup and clothes and reading fashion magazines. But Ruth’s also got guts. She never shies away from a challenge when the local mean girl, Claudia, tries to intimidate her. She was also totally down to hook up with Davis because she wanted to, and didn’t let societal pressure affect her decision about it. At temple, when Max challenges Ruth by pointing out how easy she has it compared to Atlanta’s black community, she tries to change her way of thinking and the way she treats the black people in her life. Her intentions are good, even when ignorance causes her to sometimes miss the mark.

Swoonworthy Scale: 5

There’s a sorta-love-triangle happening here, and I feel like this book was meant to be swoonier than it ended up being. When Ruth joins Covenant, she’s quickly smitten with Davis Jefferson, the handsome, charming, most popular boy at school. Their relationship develops with all the hallmarks of swoon we should be familiar with. However, I never really trusted Davis, and kept waiting for him to disappoint me, so I couldn’t feel the heat between them. Meanwhile, Ruth continues to grow closer to Max at temple, but Max was sometimes a bit mansplainy, and I have little tolerance for activist college boys who tell girls everything they’re doing wrong.

Talky Talk: Ain’t It Swell

Set in the 1950s south, In The Neighborhood of True has all the charming slang of the time period, which is fun to read. But for whatever reason—and I have spent a lot of time thinking about this with little success—there was something about Carlton’s writing style that I kept bumping up against. The prose is a bit quirky, even outside of the fifties slang, and Ruth’s sometimes random thought processes were a bit hard for me to follow. I also found myself wishing there was a little less focus on clothes, and boys, and debutante balls, and more emotion fused into the writing. Sure, the 1950s had that glossy sheen of perfection on the outside, but I wanted more focus on the dark underbelly of racism and prejudice, and less time spent necking boys by the pool.

Bonus Factor: Judaism

It’s been awhile since I read a book with a Jewish character that actually focused on Judaism as a theme of the story. As a person who has all the culture of a slice of white bread, I found the scenes when Ruth went to synagogue every Shabbos to be a really enriching part of the story.

Bonus Factor: Atlanta, 1958

Despite the previously mentioned dark underbelly, I did enjoy the setting and time period. Gleaming pools, perfectly manicured lawns, lunches at the Club, and southern belles with names like Thurston-Ann.

Anyone from the south can relate to this moment, in which Ruth’s grandmother serves her deviled eggs as a snack:

“Birdie thought y’all could use something green,” she said, presenting a platter of deviled eggs.

“Eggs are yellow,” Nattie said.

“These’ve got pickles,” Fontaine said.

Relationship Status: Not Ready to Go Steady

Book, we shared a Co-Cola float at the drive-in, and I had a swell time, but I’m not sure I’m ready to wear your letterman jacket. Despite your pretty aesthetic, I thought you fell a bit flat on occasion, and I’m looking for a book that’ll really razz my berries.