The whole truth and nothing but the truth? That is the question. (Plain Truth - Jodi Picoult)

Member Name: jo@145

Product:	Plain Truth - Jodi Picoult
Date:	14/01/09 (194 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Thrilling story

Disadvantages: Could be upsetting

Have you ever stayed in a place where there is no electricity? That means no television, music, and computers. A place where people don't have a telephone, don't use cars.
Hard to imagine nowadays, but for some people this is still the case and life is very different for them, although many are very happy and it could be argued that we are the losers not them! This is about the Plain Truth.

The Book
***********
I must be a Christian child
Gentle, patient, meek and mild;
Must be honest, simple, true
In my words and actions too....
Must remember, God can view
All I think, and all I do.

After the acknowledgements the book starts with this Amish school verse.

The story itself begins with 18year old Katie Fisher dreaming of her little sister Hannah who had died previously, when suddenly she wakes and leaves her bedroom to creep outside to the barn where she delivers a baby - all this on the first page. I was gripped at once. This seemed like a very fast moving story. The Plain Truth is a book about some people in Pennsylvania's Amish country, people who call themselves "Plain".

On the back cover we are told "A shocking murder shatters the picturesque calm of Pennsylvania's Amish country - and tests the heart and soul of the lawyer who steps in to defend the young woman at the centre of the storm..."

We meet the Fisher family, Sarah who is the mother, Aaron the father, Elam who is the granddad, and later Sarah's sister Leda, plus someone else who was shunned by the family. Samuel and Levi are local Amish boys who work on the farm. Obviously the police are involved and a part of the book is set in the courtroom, and Katie is lucky to have the services of a big city attorney who was disillusioned and had come to stay with Leda and also a psychiatrist who is called in to check Katie's mental state. Amish people do not believe in instigating lawsuits. At one point Ellie has to ask the Judge on behalf of her client to adjourn early as she has the milking to do! And there are some other amusing and anxious moments.

The description of the rooms, the farm, the food, the other Amish people are so marvellous that I would recognise these places if I was ever transported to East Paradise, which is the name of the town. Within a short sentence we can picture the kaleidoscope of colour, Kelly green corn, red silos and a sky as blue as a robin's egg and the smell of honeysuckle, the sweat of horses and the rich tang of overturned earth. We learn about how the farm is run, starting at 4.00am when the cows were milked, very hard work with no real electricity just a small generator to help with the milk production and the miracle of a heifer being born. The rag rugs on hardwood floors, the quilts over rocking chairs, lace antimacassars on the couch and strangely appliances like washing machines and refrigerators run on gas. The Amish don't want to linked to the outside world so won't link up to the power lines.

Ellie has to work very hard to fit in to a very different life style, she has to learn the Amish ways and she discovers the differences of the cultures. Whilst she is coping with this, someone from her past comes back into her life, so that adds a twist to the story.

Katie insists she didn't have a baby, but medical proof shows she did, who is the father? I will not spoil the story by telling you and by mentioning the other people involved, you will need to read this book to find out more. There are twists and turns all along the way and a fine web of intrigue is woven. This is a thrilling courtroom drama and family saga and love story all bound into one. I wouldn't recommend this book for someone who has lost a baby as it could be upsetting, but I did enjoy reading it so much that I hardly put it down and that is the Plain Truth.

For those of you who have never heard about these people I will include a quote from Wikipedia "The Amish are an Anabaptist Christian denomination in the United States and Canada (Ontario and Manitoba) that are known for their plain dress and limited use of modern conveniences such as automobiles and electricity. The Amish separate themselves from mainstream society for religious reasons: they do not join the military, they draw no Social Security, nor do they accept any form of financial assistance from the government, and many avoid insurance.
Most speak a German dialect known as Pennsylvania Dutch (Pennsylvania German or Pennsylvanie Deutsch) at home and in church services, and learn English in school. The Amish are divided into separate fellowships consisting of geographical districts or congregations. Each district is fully independent and has its own Ordnung, or set of unwritten rules."

I have included this information as it will help you understand parts of the book if you are not familiar with this way of life, I have some knowledge of the Mennonites when I was in Canada, and they are very similar. The girls and ladies wore long dresses and aprons and usually a hat, the boys and men wore dark trousers not at all like what the average man wears now and often with braces and a white shirt. The ladies arrived in the town in a horse and buggy, I was careful not to photograph them as they don't believe in taking photographs as that is against what it says in the Bible. These people are God-fearing and live a simple life. They join together to make quilts for which they are famous and the men will "raise a barn" together, they are very sociable within their group.

Jodi Picoult has written several books and My sister's keeper was awarded the Richard and Judy bestseller award.
Plain Truth has 448 pages and also an excerpt from My sister's keeper, it costs £6.99 or even less or look out for it in charity shops, or your local library.

Summary: A thrilling murder story in an Amish town