The following is a book review by The Ameri Brit Mom. This is book #16 from The Ameri Brit Mom 24 Book Challenge in 2016. This post expresses the genuine opinion and experiences of The Ameri Brit Mom and is in no way endorsed by authors, publishers, or outside influences.
Title: Tru & Nelle
Author: G. Neri
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Copyright Date: 2016
Another chance to live the timeless tale of To Kill A Mockingbird was my original draw toward this new book by G. Neri. The novel is based around the true childhood friendship between Truman Capote and Nelle Harper Lee. This friendship also served as inspiration for Lee’s famous classic.
In this novel, Nelle takes on the persona of Scout Finch. Living in Monroeville, Alabama, with her lawyer father, Nelle meets her new neighbor, Truman, and the two become fast friends. Both of the children are outsiders in their community. Nelle is the daughter of an insane woman and she walks the streets of Monroeville in her dirty coveralls and boyish haircut. Truman has been abandoned by his parents and has moved in with his Aunt Jenny next door to the Lees. The two misfits bond over their love for stories and their passion for mystery.
In search of real life mysteries Tru and Nelle encounter theft, lies, and crimes of true hate. One night, while following a niche, the young duo comes face-to-face with one of the most notorious hate groups of the south. Faced with the realities of racism and violence Tru and Nelle begin to mend the brokenness of their southern town.
I was delighted to find the beautiful parallels between this novel and To Kill a Mockingbird. I felt as though I was being reunited with Scout, Dill, Atticus, and Maycomb County. And as I neared the end of the book I was fed a gem by the author-my favorite quote of all time:
“you never really know until you consider things from their point of view. Until you can climb inside of their skin and walk around in it…”
Not to be melodramatic, but when I read this line a little hallelujah chorus went off in my head.
This time around Boo Radley might not have been the object which caused the young children to shift their worldview, but learning to live alongside people who are different is still a major theme in this book.
Now that I’ve read this book I’d like to read some of Truman Capote’s work. I’ve currently read EVERYTHING published by Harper Lee and I now feel like I could recite every detail of her childhood in Monroeville. Other than A Christmas Memory which I saw and read in college I am unfamiliar with the work of Capote. In the future I hope to read Breakfast at Tiffany’s or In Cold Blood.
If you are a fan of anything by Harper Lee I strongly urge you to pick up Tru and Nelle. You will not be disappointed!
The Ameri Brit Mom
The Ameri Brit Mom 