I waited a long time — too long! — to read The Truth Project.
Author Dante Medema (whether she knows this or not) was one of the very first people to start following the Tart’s Instagram account. Of course, I followed her right back, and not long after that, she announced her upcoming debut publication. I’ve been waiting to read The Truth Project since the day it was published back in 2020.
Correction: I’ve been waiting to read it since the book’s cover reveal. Just look at it! I’m a sucker for anything with birch trees.
What’s The Truth Project about?
The Truth Project is a YA novel about a high school senior, Cordelia, who takes an at-home DNA test and discovers that her father may not be, well, her father. Instead of breezing through her senior year, Cordelia spends the last few months with her friends and family tracking down her true origin story.
Medema’s writing is smart, funny, sharp, and moving. The Truth Project is a quick read, partly due to the “novel in verse” format, but it’s mostly because Cordelia’s story sucks you in early on, and you can’t wait to see where this young woman’s unexpected journey takes her.
The Truth Project is a novel in verse – which means, what….?
One of the features that drew me to The Truth Project is that it’s a “novel in verse.” This English major is embarrassed to admit that, when I first heard that, I had no idea what it meant. Turns out, “verse” is like unrhymed poetry. But, the good kind! I promise you.
(Not that I have anything against poetry. It’s lovely. I’ve written some myself. But I’d rather have ravens peck out my eyes than read an entire book of poetry, even if it’s mine.)
The Truth Project is a wonderful blend of correspondence (text messages, emails, online messaging), short stanzas of poetry, and sparsely but beautifully written conversations between characters. I loved the mix and flow of dialogue in so many forms, which conveyed so much emotion with an amazing economy of words.
Should you read The Truth Project?
While The Truth Project is a YA book, its message about finding yourself is applicable to whatever stage you’re at in life. Adults will enjoy Cordelia’s story as much as young adults. However, I do think this is an especially great story for teens since it deals with so many experiences and emotions that are unique to that time in life.
And, if you’re building a winter reading list (or, if you’re looking for books set in Alaska), The Truth Project should be on there. Cordelia lives in Alaska, and the wintry landscape, chilly air, and stark beauty of that unique state drips from every page. Medema’s other YA novel, Message Not Found, also captures the Alaskan vibes really well.
