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Description
Americans Jenny and her brother Tom are off to England. Tom to university to dodge the Vietnam draft, Jenny to be the new girl at Illington Hall, which the students call Ill Hall. This is Jenny's chance to finally be special and stand out, so when she arrives she tells everybody a lie. But in the small world of Ill Hall, everyone has secrets. Jenny pretends she has a boyfriend. Robbie and Luke pretend they don't. Brenda won't tell what happened with the school doctor. Percy won't tell about his famous dad. Oona lies to everyone. Penelope lies only to herself. Deftly told from multiple points of view in various narrative styles, including letters and movie screenplays, What We Hide ia a provocative, honest, often funny and always intriguing look at secrets.
Review Quotes
One of CanLit for Little Canadians' must-read Canadian YA books
"These are textured, smart characters, and it's likely that readers will find themselves wishing for more from many of them—the only detraction of the slice-of-life style on offer here. Poignant and often witty, this novel treats its audience to a nuanced look at the era." --Kirkus Reviews
"Jocelyn provides authentic British flavor and an evocative representation of the tumultuous '60s, when teens challenged social conventions. Intrigue builds as many figures, willingly or unwillingly, come face-to-face with what they are hiding and must decide whether to drop their deceptive facades." --Publishers Weekly
“Where it shines is in many of the individual scenes. Jocelyn shows an ease with the vagaries of the teenage mind and a willingness to depict some very uncomfortable situations without blinking. Yes, there is a lot of sex here, but Jocelyn writes about it with more brute honesty and maturity than you’ll find in many adult books.” --Quill & Quire
“Jocelyn moves from one character’s voice to the next, each with its own sharp perspective, style, and emergent self—(and often sexual) knowledge. Warm-hearted, clever, funny and moving, this keeps readers thinking all the way to its end. Immensely satisfying for its interwoven stories and fully realized characters.” --The Toronto Star
"These are textured, smart characters, and it's likely that readers will find themselves wishing for more from many of them—the only detraction of the slice-of-life style on offer here. Poignant and often witty, this novel treats its audience to a nuanced look at the era." --Kirkus Reviews
"Jocelyn provides authentic British flavor and an evocative representation of the tumultuous '60s, when teens challenged social conventions. Intrigue builds as many figures, willingly or unwillingly, come face-to-face with what they are hiding and must decide whether to drop their deceptive facades." --Publishers Weekly
“Where it shines is in many of the individual scenes. Jocelyn shows an ease with the vagaries of the teenage mind and a willingness to depict some very uncomfortable situations without blinking. Yes, there is a lot of sex here, but Jocelyn writes about it with more brute honesty and maturity than you’ll find in many adult books.” --Quill & Quire
“Jocelyn moves from one character’s voice to the next, each with its own sharp perspective, style, and emergent self—(and often sexual) knowledge. Warm-hearted, clever, funny and moving, this keeps readers thinking all the way to its end. Immensely satisfying for its interwoven stories and fully realized characters.” --The Toronto Star
