True Story

A devastating exploration of the way that lives can be ripped apart due to the things that other people say - and don't. When two high-school sports stars start boasting of taking advantage of a drunk girl on the way home from a party, the story takes on a life of its own. The girl has no memory of the event but is destroyed by what she has learned; the boys attempt to hide behind the security and bravado of their sports teams. The book is made up of multiple threads coming from different characters, some of them part of what happened, others just observers on the periphery of things: but because all of them are involved in the evolution of the story that is told, they all end up playing a major role. The multiple drafts of the girl's college application essay are heartbreaking, and tell the entire story in just a few pages through what is not said. The book plays around with genre and truth and will stay with you long after you finish reading.

True Story is one of those books that I feel like I can't get away from at the moment. Everybody's talking about it and when several of my friends and colleagues got physical advance copies, I was intrigued by the four covers and why the publisher felt each was relevant to the story.

This is a book that is definitely worth the hype. I devoured it in two days and I will say, it's not the story I expected, but it's absolutely gripping. The decision to flit between multiple POVs, formats, and timelines might sound confusing, but Petty blends it all together so beautifully that you're rushed along with the story, dying to turn the page and figure out how it all fits together.

At times, it's disturbing, and the constantly switching POV had me questioning whether what I was being told was true. Which in itself, is the heart of this twisting story. I would highly recommend you read this one, and in my opinion, the Stephen King inspired cover is spot on.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Now, I know we shouldn't judge a book by its cover but in this instance, Kate Reed Perry's debut novel has a genre-defying, intriguing cover. It goes to show that image, colour, typeface etc can be so clearly indicative of a book's genre - and, consequently, this can really impact on our interpretation of it and our reading experience.

Throughout the novel, which can be described as 'meta', I think, Reed Perry gives readers an experience they might not have had whilst reading before. There's Richard and Max, as well as Nick - and what did happen as they took the private-school girl home? Then there's Nick who heads off to Lindsay's remote family cabin - and this section, for me, was one of the most creepy in the book, straight out of a conventional horror novel. But then: did it happen? Was it all in Nick's head? Alcohol (A LOT of it) probably played a part. And what about Q? This is a complex novel, one that deals with different tropes of different genres and leaves readers questioning what happens and to whom - and whether it actually happens in the first place.

I really admire the way Reed Perry incorporates things like the film script that is being written alongside the actual event it is based on. It's intricate and clever - and then, towards the end of the novel, things do come together to provide some sort of conclusion.

This is a great read that does so much - it's actually quite hard to explain - but I particularly loved the way you get immersed in a part of the story and then it changes - and this affects one's experiences, quite unlike anything I have ever read before.

Amazing. One of the most gripping books Ive read in a long time and with a turn twist I didn't see coming. Read it!

True Story is just amazing! I cannot believe what I just read. It's a genre-bending novel that gives me absolutely everything I need in a book. It has interesting characters, despair, horror, hope, love, feminism. It mixes all the subjects extraordinarily, surprises the reader with new ways to tell the story.
The story starts with a group of teenage boys, privileged and self-assured lacrosse players that just want to party. One of their parties triggers a rumour mill on what actually happened at this party, what was done and who is telling the truth. We catch up with the group later in their lives, when they are struggling with a whole new set of difficulties, all still in a way haunted by the events following the party.
I am amazed at the ease of the author to portray the male privilege of the events, how easily the story ended with a pat on the back and "boys will be boys". I could so clearly imagine those boys, and how they were justifying their actions. Later we get the horrifyingly good portrayal of alcoholism and abuse in a relationship. The story is perfectly developed and brings us closer to the characters. Even when there is not much action, the story is rich in characters thoughts and feelings. I was falling deep into the story and I couldn't stop reading. The ending highlights perfectly why we need to tell our stories, why we need to tell the true story.
Brilliant read, highly recommend to everyone. It is a mix of literary genres put together with prose, essays and movie script that together creates an amazing, timely story.

This is an incredible debut, I was completely hooked! It's written in such a unique way with the college essay drafts and film scripts interwoven, which I found really refreshing. And the ending is so clever, taking the reader off-guard and forcing you to re-evaluate the whole thing - it made me want to start reading it all over again.

The message is dark, but really important and relevant too. It highlights how vulnerable victims of sexual assault can be, even when they can't recall what really happened.

I'm going to be gushing about this one for a while!