REVIEW: A Different Truth

A Different Truth
Author: Annette Oppenlander

In 1968, Andy Olson and his best friend, Tom, are sent to a military boarding school, Palmer Military Academy. As they try to assimilate into life at the academy, they face hazing and bullying. Set in the Vietnam era, this coming-of-age story also touches on the cultural upheaval of the time while it also delves into greed, class-structure, and love.

I enjoyed this book. The story-line really wasn't anything new....there have been many similar stories. But, Oppenlander did a great job of writing and creating characters that readers will identify with and feel sympathy for. As a mother, I had a bit of a hard time reading some of the hazing scenes and other content, but none of it was overly graphic or inappropriate. Just rough, as a parent, to read about boys being abused by their peers at a boarding school. Despite those few rough patches that were a bit of too realistic for me to read easily, the story pulled me in from the start and kept me reading. I was right there with the boys sharing their experiences and emotions. All in all, an excellent coming-of-age story!

Annette Oppenlander is also the author of the Escape from the Past series. To learn more about the author and her books, check out her website at www.annetteoppenlander.com

**I won a copy of this book on Goodreads.com. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.**