| Title | : | Almost True (When I Was Joe, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1847801013 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781847801012 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 437 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2010 |
On the road again, Ty's in hiding with complete strangers... who seem to know a lot about him. Meanwhile he's desperate to see his girlfriend Claire, and terrified that she may betray him.
Ty can't trust his own judgement and he's making danger decisions that could deliver him straight to the gangsters.
Almost True (When I Was Joe, #2) Reviews
-
”I need some answers. I’m after the truth. But who can tell me the whole story? And how will I know it’s true?”
Almost True is book two in Keren David’s
When I Was Joe series. And man, does she know how to kick off a book with a BANG! We meet up with Ty under police protection with a new name and location. Still in hiding because of the crime he witnessed and reported to the police. But his new life falls apart in a hurry with blood, fear, and death. Scared and on the road again, Ty ends up in unexpected company. I don’t want to say too much here, but I loved where this story went. A place filled with history, connections, and family. A sense of belonging slowly develops for Ty at a time when he felt so lost and alone. *big sigh* The boy breaks my heart. He smashes my heart to bits, glues it back together and then stomps all over it again and again. *shakes head* Ty. Ty. Ty. Never have I met a more….frustrating character in all my reading life. I simultaneously wanted to hug him, keep him safe, and shake him with a “What are you thinking!” Haha….He is an amazing character. One layered with personality, contradictions, and sadness. All of these characters felt so real to me. But Ty ruled this book. Selfish, horny, vulnerable, funny, and sweet! My protective force field and hugs were on high alert! The stories, role playing, and lies all caught up to him. His life and sanity felt so fragile—filled with fear, so many tears, shaking, and running. Ty needs the truth to come out in court and at home. The lies always catch up to us.
”I just tell them enough. I don’t want to lie anymore. But I don’t really believe that anything can ever be the whole truth. There’s always another bit of the story, something deeper.”
My favorite part of this book and series though is the slippery concept of truth. How it changes, turns, and twists. Is there a whole truth? Everyone has a side or version of the truth. So does the true story depend on where you get it from—who told it? This idea terrifies and fascinates me to the core. Truth. People often believe something is true because so-and-so said it or it appeared on the news. What to believe--what not to believe. Half-truths. Details left out. Emotions on high. Exaggerations. Then add love, loyalty, and friendship. If the truth hurts the ones we love, should we still tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Keren David captures all of that fear, doubt, confusion, and consequence on the page. She made me wonder what I would have done in Ty’s circumstances. With dazzling power and grit, Ms. David exhibits how easy it is to get caught up in the lies. How easy it is to get lost in the lies we tell ourselves, what we want to be true, and what is true.
This book introduces us to some new characters as well. Archie! Haha…Archie is hilarious. The chemistry between Ty and Archie was immediate and fun. Those two can get into more trouble in five minutes than most do in a lifetime! Boys! And Patrick and Helen were a joy to see in Ty’s life. I loved how Ms. David showed how someone can influence and remain in our hearts even though they were in our lives for such a brief time. Someone can touch our lives with just one moment or word. The Grumpy the giant story made me ball like a baby!
Almost True become one of my “don’t want to let go” books. I closed the book, tucked it under my chin and held on after reading the last page. A powerful read with characters that will live in my heart. Well actually—Ty owns a huge chunk of my heart, but the boy is going to live right here in my pocket for a while too. :) Just to keep him safe.
A must read book. Please. Go meet Ty, his family, and Keren David. -
I thought this was a great conclusion to the first book, "When I was Joe." While I found some flaws in the first book, I thought this one did a wonderful job making up for them. I wasn't sure whether to give it 4 or 5 stars.
**possible spoiler** I was honestly bored with Claire and everyone in his old life. I didn't mind him going to see them or getting in contact, but there was just too much of it throughout the book. **end possible spoiler**
Other than that whole part of it, I was very thrilled with this book. It was pretty unpredictable, which is great. I was constantly surprised with where the story went and wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next. It was very good writing. Ty was very real with his emotions. You could tell he was a good kid that had a bit of an angry side, one that thankfully didn't turn up unless the situation was extreme. He was very emotional, which would be common with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. For the most part, I felt the author developed the characters well. She definitely developed the story a lot more in this book. I was drawn into it, and I was highly invested in Ty's life. I had to know what was going to happen, and I was rooting for him. The ending didn't feel like a cop out, and it didn't infuriate me, so I was happy with it. Overall, great! -
Almost True is yet another powerful, utterly compelling novel from Keren David. For me, it is really a novel of our time and of our culture. I loved it.
Ty’s story as a witness to a crime takes him forward from his life as Joe in Keren’s first novel When I Was Joe. The exciting, liberating experience of being Joe has been left behind. At the beginning of Almost True, Ty is Jake - a lost boy living by the sea. He is frightened and he has every reason to be because the gang members who he is expected to testify against want him dead and they will go to any lengths to make it so.
At its heart Almost True is a thriller. It is a novel about a boy being persecuted by criminals. But for me, it is so much more. It is a novel which can be read in different ways. I think it depends on your personal history and what you bring to the book as a reader.
The first theme that spoke to me in this novel was family. You know that saying “every family has its secrets” well that can be said of Ty’s family (and possibly my own but we won’t go there). This novel explores Ty’s relationship with many different characters – new ones that he meets and old ones who have expectations of him. Sometimes it is the people that know us best that it is hardest to be truthful with. We don’t want to let them down. We don’t want to admit we’ve made mistakes. This is true of Ty. Goodness, I expect it true of most people.
The second theme that spoke to me in this novel is truth. As we follow Ty, we realise that the truth isn’t always the rigid thing we think to be. Every person sees their own truth, remembers their own truth. They may choose to hide that knowledge or they may share it but that doesn’t mean that anyone else will believe it. We remember things from our past but it is within the human condition to create false memories. But when we knowingly lie, it can have huge psychological implications. Keren explores the effect of deceit on the human psyche, crafting the darkness of insanity with precision and tenderness.
The third theme that I felt was hugely important in this novel is society. Almost True is a novel of now. It explores this very moment in British culture when our politics is full of rhetoric on knife crime and violent teenagers, a generation of disaffected youths and the scourge of our broken society. For that reason, as well as Ty’s journey, it is a compelling and emotional read. Keren has written the truth of our lives – from cultural references about Strictly Come Dancing to the sensationalism of our tabloid newspapers – and narrated it so believably you can taste it.
I’ve read Almost True twice now and even though I knew what was going to happen the second time around, I still didn’t want to stop reading. What more can I say? Keren David is a master of suspenseful, contemporary writing. If you want to see the dark side of the world we live in, look no further. This book will take you there. But there is also hope because not everything the politicians and media tell us is true. And that is why I love Keren David and why she deserves our admiration and respect. -
Phew. What a ride this book is! Almost True is the sequel to When I Was Joe by Keren David which was one of my favourite books that I've read all year. I was absolutely beside myself with excitement to recieve a copy and I started it right away - abandoning the other book I had been reading. It was worth it.
Almost True continues with Ty's story. His mum and him have been living in another town under different names and still hiding from the people who are trying to kill Ty because of what he witnessed. ..Only instead of Ty, someone else is shot. So now, Ty is sent somewhere very different and is able to explore another aspect of his identity, one that has life-changing results.
In When I Was Joe I found that was able to be quite funny and charming at times, and in Almost True it feels as though so much has been weighing on him, with his separation from Claire, the guilt for the things that he's done and the knowledge that other people in his life are getting hurt because of what he's put them through has changed him. The tone of this novel is very different. It feels more serious and grown-up. But there is a dog and a new friend for Ty who do lighten up the mood some.
There's a real importance in Almost True to being honest and of the truth. The seriousness and the consequences of knife crime. And lots and lots of making mistakes. Ty messes up pretty badly with the choices that he makes and what's great is that Keren David shows us, too, that everyone important in Ty's life has made some really terrible mistakes as well. And that's OK. Because even though it's a tough road to go down, they've each taken responsibility and were able to move on and have decent enough lives. It's a wonderful message to give to readers and one that isn't said in a heavy-handed way at all.
It's a really exciting read, this one. The story is constantly moving forward and so many new things are learned about Ty and the things that have happened in his past. I did sometimes want to reach into my book and shake Ty for making some of the choices that he does, but his voice and personality are just so likeable that I can't help caring for him as well. So much so that towards the end I had to put my book down and take a little break because my heart absolutely ached for Ty. Everything feels so authentic that it's hard to believe that these characters are fictional.
What are you waiting for? You really must read When I Was Joe and Almost True! Highly recommended. -
I am always nervous when it comes to reading (and reviewing) the second book in a series, particularly when I loved the first book. There are so many expectations that I find it easy to be let down. I am so, so, so incredibly happy to tell you that this is not the case with Almost True.
When I Was Joe didn’t exactly end on a cliffhanger, but I was still left with so many questions. And boy, did David answer all those questions, and then some.
I was completely surprised by the direction David took with Almost True. The first book was all bang, bang, pow, pow, action, action, action and I loved it, but I did wonder how this pace would be continued in the second book. Well, strangely enough it did continue, but in a completely different way. It kept me captivated until the final page and I felt the same urgency about Ty’s situation; however, Almost True delves deeper into Ty’s family situation, answering questions about his life I didn’t even know I had. David took it to a whole new level. And I loved it.
It’s hard to recap the events of this book because, well, you really need to read When I Was Joe. However, I will say that I wanted to hit Ty. Several times. He made so many stupid, reckless decisions. Yet, at times I also felt like just giving him a big hug and telling him that somehow things would be ok. I didn’t have any idea how this would end, but I totally trusted that Ty would be safe and his family would always love him.
The characters in this book. Wow. I just loved them all. Yes, they completely infuriated me at times. Yes, I also want to comfort them at times. Yes, their actions confused me at times. But, that’s just life, isn’t it? It’s clear David has a talent for writing very real, flawed characters and I hope we can continue to see this in her future novels.
This is certainly one series I wish more knew about and one which I will be recommending to many, many people.
This review and many more can be found at
Maree's Musings. -
'Almost True' is the second story Keren David has written about Ty. Ty is a boy, an average boy, who was one day involved in a horrific event which came to change and define his life. David's prose is solid, earthy and real. And it's glorious.
I came to this book after reading a whole range of stories involving fairies, elves and vampires. I'd read 'When I was Joe' (the prequel) and found it a hugely readable and pacy novel. It sagged a little in the middle but that was easy to excuse as the sagging was at a higher height than many other similar books reached.
'Almost True' is a hugely worthy successor. Whilst there's that necessary few pages of exposition, it's handled well and sympathetically - and it's accessible to the new reader. This story is the excellent definition of a second novel in a series; it stands strong and readable by itself, but when read with the prequel it gains a whole new weight and depth. 'Almost True' solidly justifies its presence.
It's a cliché, I know, but I couldn't put this down. From stirring a risotto with one hand and holding this with the other, I fell in love with this story all over again. Ty/Joe is one of those solid characters that's just real. His story feels real. It feels plausible and it feels gritty and it feels, in those moments where Ty tries to be a 'normal' teen, intensely awkward and painful and sad.
I loved this. Keren David's most definitely one to watch. -
Eric Espiritu
1st period
Book title- Almost True
Author- Keren David
A. Mostly teen boys.
B. 5 stars!!!!!!
C. Man this was a really good second book in the series.
My thoughts on this book was everywhere. This book really explained more about the first book. And I just couldn't put it down!!! I had a few opinions, like why keep Ty (main character) away from company. At least give him some freedom. Now the feelings lol. I was happy, mad, shocked, and relieved. Happy because in the book, Ty finally got to see his girlfriend, Claire, after months of waiting. Mad and shocked tied together. There were parts in the books were it didn't make sense and I would get super mad, but it turned out to be really shocking. It was a set up to make me mad, but to be shocked. Relieved because everything turned out to be fine. The killers were guilty and Ty was off the hook for a little bit. One idea I made up was Danny, Ty's dad, would come into the picture, but turned out to be the bad guy. That would make the readers' mind go CRAZY. I have no judgments to this book. This book really impressed me a lot and I can't wait to read the third book!
D. The big idea is to always tell the truth and to not hold in a lie. You don't know when it would come back to haunt you. -
Der erste Band gefiel mir ein bisschen besser, aber auch dieses Buch gefiel mir sehr gut. Die neuen Charaktere wie Helen und Patrick waren mir auch ganz sympathisch und die Lovestory zwischen Claire und Ty ging schön weiter. Ty handelte für mich nach wie vor aber teilweise nicht nachvollziehbar. (SPOILER) So rannte er zum Beispiel sehr weit von dem Haus seiner Großeltern weg, obwohl er nur kurz laufen wollte oder zündete einen Mülleimer in einem Innenraum an, um Bakterien loszuwerden. (SPOILER ENDE) Die Szene im Gerichtssaal gefiel mir dafür sehr gut. Auf Seite 175 steht statt „Eine“ „Ein“, doch das ist nicht tragisch. Ich bin sogar ein bisschen traurig, dass die Geschichte jetzt zu Ende ist.
-
Great finish to this story. I enjoyed it almost as much as the first. I did think that at times the voice of Ty/Joe became less authentic than in the first book. I mean I got pulled out of the story slightly by the almost "motherly" feel to the story. But these times were few and far between and did not stop me from enjoying the story at all. A fantastic read which I will be recommending to teens of both sexes and my colleagues who are into YA fiction. I will definitely be on the lookout for her new books coming soon.
-
I loved this book, it was excellent. I enjoyed it evsn more than When I Was Joe. I loved the way Joe keeps fighting to stand up for himself and the relationships he has with the people he meets even though he is not supposed to become attached to anybody in case his identity is discovered. I love the trial and how you think everything could turn out to be okay and then it totally isn't. I am looking forward to the third book as i love Joe as a character and was sad to get to the end of this book.
-
Great Book, really tied up the story, nice ending.
The Hallucination scenes really seemed to play on his mind, i like the implementation of this. it adds to the story 5/5.
Well down Keren David, i look forward to other books you might write in the future :) -
Slightly disappointed, not as good as When I was Joe
-
okay between 4-5 stars.
I loved this one waaay more than the first, it had way to many events in it,and sub-stories, I loved how it ended, I loved Ty, and how true he sounded, and I feel kinda bad the I doubted him in the previous one, just a lost kid, struggling to not show emotions, but has a heart of gold.
loved his family.
I think the only part I didnt like is Claire, and the cheesy romance between the two, but hey that is how teens are ,and what puppy love looks like.
the mentioning of HP, lord of the rings, bashing a little on Twilight, and the Death note hint.
the respect she showed whenever mentioning muslims -in two lines or something- and that is not like what they try to represent in the media ( as one I thank you for that )
alll in alll I loved it,and waiting for my third one, hope it get delivered quickly .
I had a good feeling when i Picked these duology and I was NOT disappointed. -
Great sequel with brilliant writing that kept me just as engrossed in this as the first book.
-
A really easy, enjoyable read. Great characters.
-
If you have read my review of When I Was Joe by Keren (which can be found here), you'll know that I love Ty and his story and was excruciatingly excited for this book. And I'll tell you something, it doesn't disappoint for a single second!
Right from the beginning, Almost True hurtles along at break-neck speed. Ty is still on the run. But for now, he thinks he is safe. Until someone dies. A cast of mistaken identity. They've found him, and now he has to run again. But this time, things are different. His family no longer trust the police - and believe that there has been a leak of information, how else could they have found him in a small seaside town miles and miles away from London? They take things into their own hands and Ty is sent to live with complete strangers. Who soon turn out not to be so strange at all...
This book is certainly epic. So many events take place in this short period of Ty's life. He certainly has his fair share of anger - something I myself can relate to at his age (although I didn't launch myself at people...). I felt that this time, even more so than in When I Was Joe, he was more relate-able. I knew some of the things he was saying and feeling, and I felt for him where I haven't experienced things he has.
One thing I will say about both these books is that they are very thought provoking. There are questions raised that need to be thought about seriously in the real world. Knife crime. The consequences. And these books highlight this issue brilliantly. It shows that even people who are innocent - and have no intention to use a knife, despite holding one for whatever reason - can be drawn in to the danger and decay of knife crime. I'm lucky where I live that knife crime isn't really an every day thing. I think there have been only a handful of stabbings since I was born in the early 90's. But reading these books only makes me wonder how youngsters in the big cities feel as they go about their lives, where stabbings become a regular occurrence.
The writing is top notch. It's easy to get into, and from the first word, you know that it is a fourteen year old boy narrating. Keren David has got the narrative down to a tee. It's perfect, a feat which many would struggle with, so I have to commend Keren for this!
Something I really enjoyed about this book was all the little hints that showed universal appeal. Twilight, music references, a reference to manga phenomenon and film-adapted Death Note. All sorts that just made you believe you were reading the story of a fourteen year old boy, told by a fourteen year old boy.
Almost True is written with consummate skill. It's fast paced, hugely enjoyable and slightly addictive - I would not leave my room until I had finished! It ends Ty's story brilliant, or is it the end? I cannot thank Keren enough for another amazing reading experience. And I look forward to reading more from her in the future. If you haven't read When I Was Joe, then you need to get that seen to right away. You won't regret it, and then you can read this beauty of a book! -
Plot Sketch: Almost True follows the story of Joe, er... Ty, er... Jake, um. We'll stick with dude's given name, Ty. Ty witnessed a horrific murder and is now in WitSec, well, the British equivalent thereof because this series is all kinds of British. This installment follows more running/hiding/coping for this unfortunate 14-year-old, enlightening us as to circumstances that we were left wondering about at the end of When I Was Joe. You get to meet Ty's father and his father's family, and get to really understand Ty a lot better than you did when he was Joe. *sharp sigh* How do I describe this plot without saying the words, "when he was Joe?" *grin* Plus, there's an adorable dog named Meg who shows up at just the right times, dosing her friend Ty with a bit of reality and even possibly? saving his life. There're even ghosts. Sort of.
Verdict: After the ending to When I Was Joe, I was super anxious to pick this one up. That twisty bit at the end of the first book left me eager for more. This book, even thought it has more British slang than the first one, is easier to understand. I don't know if I'm catching on to the jargon or what, but I didn't have nearly the issues wrapping my brain around things this time as I did the first. It's witty, gripping, and well-written. It's emotionally engaging and a rare instance where I loved the first novel, but loved the second even more. The characters are much stronger in Almost True and I felt like they were people I could call up on the phone and either verbally abuse (Nicki) or pour out my thanks to (Patrick) for their roles in Ty's life. I had a hard time putting this one down, and the series as published so far comes highly recommended from me. Also note that there is less profanity and less heavy material in this installment than was in the first. Significantly less, though the material is just as serious and just as psychologically traumatizing for a teenaged protag. Bravo, Keren!
Location: London, yeah, a lot of it is in London.
Favorite Character: Besides the obvious adoration I have for Ty, I thought that Archie was a brilliantly written character and I went from hating him to adoring him to reflecting that the book would just not be the same without him. ♥ Archie.
Would Change: the Playstation sequence. I don't think it needed to be there, and if it did, it needed to be integrated a little better into the weight of the novel.
Favorite Line: "So she's going to need a really good big brother." page 420, ARC I almost cried at the character growth that happened in just one line. *sniff* *quick blinks*
Good for Monster? Contemporary lit is not where Monster dwells. But I'd definitely recommend this series for teen boys, and adult boys across the board. It's pretty darned good.
People Who Will Like This: my mom, Boyz II Men, Bill Gates, athletes, video game gods/goddesses
People Who Won't Like This: Lorien's Number Four, girls who don't want to look at themselves through a boy's eyes, spoiled rich kids -
Ty and his mother have been in witness protection since Ty saw a murder committed and gave a statement to the police. After their safety was compromised they were moved again and are now living in a small seaside town far away from their home in London. When the killers track them down yet again, a case of mistaken identity means that this time someone ends up dead and Ty is on the run again. His family no longer feel that they can trust the police to keep them safe so they decide to take matters into their own hands. Ty finds himself on his own and living with strangers but are they really strangers or are they people he should remember from his past?
If you've read my review of When I Was Joe you'll already know what a massive fan I was of that book and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this sequel. Let me start by saying that Almost True didn't disappoint and if anything was even more gripping than the first book. The story is fast paced and sweeps you back into Ty's world in a way that has you hooked from the very beginning. It is one of those books that you just won't want to put down. If you haven't yet read When I Was Joe I would recommend reading the stories in order but I would highly recommend both books.
Ty has been through a lot and it doesn't look like things will get easier for him any time soon. He has to do a lot of growing up in this story and I found it really interesting watching him build relationships with the family members he has no memory of. I don't want to give away any spoilers so let's just say that Ty gets to learn a lot of family secrets in this book which help him to understand things from his past. I enjoyed going with him on his journey.
Almost True gives a fascinating insight into Britain's knife culture and really makes you think about what it can be like for teenagers growing up in inner city areas with gangs. The story has a fast paced and interesting plot but will also make you think. I'd highly recommend this series to anyone from teen to adult and would think this story would make for a good talking point as part of the school curriculum. I'm looking forward to seeing what Keren David comes up with next! -
Deadly killers are hunting Tyler so the police move him and his mum to a quiet seaside town. But a horrific attack and a bullet meant for Ty that he’s not safe. On the road again, Ty’s in hiding with complete strangers . . . who seem to know a lot about him. Meanwhile he’s desperate to see his girlfriend Claire, and terrified that she may betray him. Ty can’t trust his own judgement and he’s making dangerous decisions that could deliver him straight to the gangsters. It’s up to him to survive until the trial of the murderers!
Almost True is a great epilogue to the When I was Joe series. I chose to read Almost True after finishing When I was Joe, the previous book in the series and loved both books. Almost True shows us how much pressure is put on Ty having to move to different towns as the murderers of the boy in When I was Joe chase after Ty, to silence him before he testifies in Court. Almost True explains to us in more detail what Tyler encountered at the fight, and explains why the boy was attacked. It also explains to us how the killers were able to find Ty, even when he had changed his identity. Almost True is a great book that will attract all action and thriller fans. All readers of When I Was Joe will need to read Almost True as it explains why the boy was attacked and why Tyler was nearby! Ben K -
A brilliant read which had me hooked from the first page.
I read the first book in this series a while back and have been meaning to reading this for a while. From the moment I picked it up I knew I was going to struggle to put it down as I found it addictively engaging because the storyline was pacey and action packed.
In this book you get to know more about Ty's background as he finds out for himself for the first time more about his father and his father's family. I loved finding out that detail to his past life and finding out more about where he had come from.
In this book you get a cracking new character in the form of Archie, Ty's cousin who was really fun to read about and a perfect sidekick to Ty in this instalment of the book.
As with the previous book the action is gritty and fast paced from the very first chapter which made for compulsive reading especially when Ty is faced again with those people responsible for putting him into witness protection in the first place.
Definitely a book I would recommend. I'm looking forward to the final book immensely. -
After having to read "When I Was Joe" in two parts I knew I wanted to read "Almost True" in one sitting. I did, and was glad!
"Almost True" continues telling the story of Ty, and is a real rollercoaster of action and emotion. I found at times that I couldn't read fast enough, and then at other times I almost didn't want to turn the page.
One of the things I really loved is how realistically the characters are created. Like most teenagers Ty gets it right some of the time and also gets it wrong, making poor decisions. At times I wanted to shake him, but I know that this is how I generally feel about teenagers so I thought this was just perfect. -
I end up feeling about the same way about this one as I did with When I Was Joe. There was a lot I liked, but the way women and girls were treated in it really bothered me at times. And again, there were female characters I liked, but it really rubbed me the wrong way when others were treated so badly, with such contempt, even. I have such a hard time recommending it because of that, even though I think a lot of people would like it.
Read the rest on my blog. -
Keren David's second book is even grittier than the last. Yet more danger, tension and secrets arise in the sequel to When I Was Joe.
The relationship that develops between Joe and his paternal grandparents is wonderfully written and the humour and sarcasm that ensues when Joe's cousin Archie comes to stay is laugh out loud funny!
I honestly cannot wait to see what Keren David comes up with next! -
I loved When I was Joe. This is a good follow up. Much of what I enjoyed about WIWJ was Joe/Ty's interactions with his world. Almost True is very much about his interior thought process - and he is very confused. This makes a bit of a muddled read, but as he learns more and grows up more the book pulls together. If you liked "Joe" you really will want to read this. I hope to see more of this series.
-
i think this book is a lot better than the first one, the way Alister appears to be telling Ty to help his mother even tho he is dead confused me a bit but overall the way Ty and his dad re-unite and the way Ty gets to see his long lost relatives and his girlfriend Clair made the story a whole lot more interesting. I loved this book<3
