The Truth According to Us: A Novel

Having never read Barrows before I did not know what to expect so approached this novel with an open mind. What I found was an intimate story with very realistic and well-developed characters (although not all of them are sympathetic) in a story set during the Great Depression in rural West Virginia. But the story-line, while engaging in its own right, is simply a prop to explore complicated relationships and the themes of trust, love, perseverance, and redemption. Exquisitely written, the book quickly captures the reader's heart and imagination. Excellent in its own right, this would also make a great choice for a book club. Kudos.

This is a delightful book about West Virginia during the Depression, especially the WPA projects at that time. Layla Beck is a Senator's daughter on the outs with her family since she won't marry the man they've picked out for her. Her father sends her away to write the history of Macedonia, West Virginia, for a commemorative anniversary. She boards with the Romeyn family, once prominent in town but now regarded as more eccentric. The family consists of Felix, his three sisters (Jottie and a pair of twins), and his two daughters, Willa and Bird. The story changes POV from Willa, Jottie, and Layla, intermixed with letters and excerpts from the book. This is a perfect slice of life during the Depression, detailing the labor movement and small-town life. Felix is a charmer who only wants to please himself, but Layla falls for him; she's much younger and more naive. Willa is adorable, intelligent, and determined to be fierce and protective of her family. Jottie is hiding deep sadness from an incident twenty years earlier when her lover was killed in a fire while stealing from the safe at the local hosiery mill that Romeyn's father ran. I especially loved the parts where Layla interviewed and wrote about the town's history. I've used these books for genealogical research, and I know enough that they're more for color than factual. Ms. Barrows does an excellent job of showing how Layla shaded the truth often, depending on who she interviewed. It was a lot of fun to read about. All in all, this is a beautiful story about an irregular Southern family during a time that isn't always written about. They support and love each other, even when it may not be deserved.

Layla Beck is the spoiled, flighty daughter of a U.S. Senator who is disowned when she refuses to marry a man she hates but her parents think is perfect (he has a ton of money). Her uncle works for the WPA and manages to land her a job with the Writer's Project. She's sent to Macedonia, WV, to write a history of the town in honor of its 150th anniversary. She is miserable - she brings her fancy clothes with her and they stand out in contrast to the townspeople; it's hot; she's lonely; she knows no one, and she's never written anything in her life, much less a book about a town's history. She boards with Jottie Romeyn, a woman in her late 30s who is raising her brother's two girls, Willa and Bird. Jottie's sisters, Mae and Minevra, twins, also live there during the week (the return to their husbands on the weekends). Felix, Willa and Bird's father, also lives there when he's not away "on business." The story is told in the first person perspective by twelve-year-old Willa, who wants to "know things" that she feels the adults are hiding from her. It switches to the third person to give you insights about Jottie and Layla. As Layla digs into the town's history and befriends the Romeyns, the plot unfolds. I liked the book, but it seemed like it took a long time to unveil the big secrets.

It’s funny I never even read the description for this book I just knew I wanted to read it because I loved her Guernsey book so much, so imagine my surprise when this book was not set in Britain but in the American south, I know authors don’t write about the same place all the time but I guess I assumed the authors of Guernsey were British. I also didn’t realize the author writes the children’s series Ivy & Bean, so now that I’ve admitted to being a bad librarian I will get on with my review of this fabulous book. Layla Beck a senator’s daughter is being taught a lesson and is sent away by her father to work for the WPA, a writer’s project that is part of the New Deal, she is sent to write a history of the town of Macedonia, West Virginia. She ends up in a rooming house run by Jottie Romeyn who lives there with her nieces Willa and Bird and their divorced father Felix. Between Layla’s research for her book and Willa’s snooping no secret is safe in this small town and those secrets will affect everyone at the Romeyn boarding house and beyond. When Layla starts falling for Felix, Willa gets involved because she wants her parents to get back together and no one is good enough for her father, but is Felix as good of a man as these two think he is? The characters in this book are at times eccentric and some are sad and lonely ( Jottie) but she keeps that sadness bottled up so everyone thinks she is just fine and when you come to understand the reasons for that sadness you will wonder why she let it go on as long as she did. But, family loyalty is important to the Romeyn’s even though some members of the family are holding back important details of the night that changed their entire life it seemed like the right thing to do. Ah, but secrets have a way of wiggling to the surface and when these secrets come to light this family will never be the same. I really enjoyed this story and the characters and will read anything this author puts to paper! 5 Stars

This review is not for the content of the book, rather for the quality of product. Got an old copy!

I found the book entertaining and interesting. The character development was very good. When I wasn't reading the book I found myself wondering what was going to happen to the characters next and what had happened before. I did want to give a few people a swift kick because they all let Felix ruin so many lives and still carry on as though he was the master of his own fate. I have recommended this book to others, and have read another of Annie Barrows books. She is a wonderful writer. She has the ability to capture the essence of small town and ordinary people.

A fantastic book, with echoes of the world conjured up in To Kill A Mockingbird (I could imagine Willa and Scout being friends!) The story is told through the perspective of three women - Jottie, a middle aged spinster who has never married, Layla - the wealthy well to do daughter of a senator who has refused a high-society husband, and Willa - a book-loving girl just about to enter her teens. All three women have a complex relationship with the enchanting but untrustworthy Felix, whose youthful exploits add spice and intrigue to the story. The novel, as the name suggests, explores the stories we tell, how histories come to be written and versions of the past accepted. Most if all, it conjures up a wonderful family - and I will miss them!

another great read would recomend

Absolutely loved it! This is the second book of hers that I read and I enjoyed this one just as much as the ifrst. A great read, very well written, original and thoughtful.