This was an interesting read, told in a variety of ways from college applications, to film scripts, to a diary. I did get a little confused by the plot as it switched from one format to the next - I was reading quite quickly because I did not engage with any of the characters. In fact, I found them to be shallow, selfish and unpleasant. There is no love and forgiveness in this book. The themes of assault, rape, coercive control, alcoholism, revenge, etc. are strong and the ending came as a bit of a shock.

Well this was an interesting one! I noticed the blurb describes it as 'genre defying', and I guess it really is! The story centres around a group of school friends, notably Nick, RIchard, Max, Haley and Alice. One evening after a raucous party, Richard and Max get involved in an incident which is then the basis of the rest of the book. You see how that incident has affected each of the characters as they progress through the next few years of their life. Each chapter is told through various viewpoints, for example first person, or an interview, or a script from a movie. It's a clever way of doing it, but especially so as you don't know who is telling the truth about what exactly happened all those years ago.

A clever concept, took a little while to get my head around at first, but I grew to like it. I especially liked Nick's character, as because he wasn't directly involved in the incident, he is learning more about the difference between rumour and fact at the same time as us, and how he's realising the different path his life could have taken....

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 book was a great read which kept me engaged and curious at all times. The author has managed to create a story using different styles of telling the narrative: at times a movie script written by two of the characters, other times a college application essay in various versions/drafts, inner monologue, etc.

The story as such seems to be simple: a young woman is assaulted by two young men after a party.
The aftermath and effects of this one night are shown in this beautifully written book. The end of the book ties nicely with the beginning which left me wanting to re-read it immediately after turning the last page.
I find the book extremely relevant in today’s culture especially in light of movements such as #MeToo and can thoroughly recommend it.

An impressive genre-blending debut, and one I think will be best enjoyed by going in pretty much blind. I devoured this in just a few hours, finding it near impossible to put down. The premise: it's the year 2000 and a teenage girl, Alice, is sexually assaulted by two young men after a party. The narrative then follows her - and a guy, Nick (who was at the party but not directly involved) in the immediate aftermath and then 8 years after the incident. The blurb describes it as "by turns a campus novel, psychological thriller, horror story and crime noir", which I'd say is pretty accurate - it's structured pretty ambitiously but Reed Petty definitely pulls it off.

I enjoyed this enough that I was able to overlook a few flaws, but it's really a great read which I found both compelling and thought-provoking. Recommended!

This review is a struggle to write.

Parts of this novel were great and engaging, useful and illuminated toxic masculinity within teenage friendships. Other parts were boring and maybe even harmful.

I initially disliked the ending as I felt it undermined the narrative however I’m not appreciating it as the effects of the acts that took place are irrelevant to the ending.

I LOVED this book. The prose is so compulsive it's bordering on hypnotic. You can tell how skilled the author is because Alice writes seven or eight drafts of the same college application essay and you're absolutely hanging on every word. It's also genuinely terrifying, in a way that felt completely fresh.

I did get extreme Kate-Atkinson-A God-in-Ruins vibes at the end, but that only made it more brilliant. What a book. Also, I hope they go for the pink cover.

A timely story about male privilege, he said/she said, misunderstandings and who controls the narrative. It frequently has a YA feel as the central events happen when characters are in high school and they don't really seem to age as they get older. Structurally, this follows a 'found footage' template with film scripts, college applications, and a postmodern sleight-of-hand at the end. All of which doesn't obscure the fact that the material has been done before, important as it is. Interesting and contemporary.