If I tell you the truth

by: Jasmin Kaur

When I first picked up this book, I didn’t know what to expect. I have long been a fan of Kaur’s poetry-prose hybrid technique. Needless to say, I was riveted by the story of Kiran, a young girl fleeing from a traumatic experience, and unfavorable engagement in Punjab, to seek asylum, and a better education in Canada. However, she’s carrying a secret. Her mother doesn’t know that she is pregnant with the child of her prospective brother-in-law.

As Kiran tries to secure a safe future for herself and her daughter, Sahara, she is forced to overstay her student visa and left with the threat of being an undocumented immigrant lingering over her head. This has significant repercussions for Sahaara, who must confront her mother’s questionable past, and consider what defines who she is. Kaur artfully weaves together a rich story, that explores what expressing our own truths entails, and articulates the challenges of speaking from a place of fear.

The plot of this book was beautiful and spoke to the power of unapologetically staying true to oneself, and one’s beliefs. The character whom I found most captivating was Sahara. There’s a point in the story where she no longer is confident in who she is. After delving into her mother’s past, she truly begins to wonder whether her mother’s experiences define her and whether her father’s actions determine what she’s capable of. I think everyone goes through periods of self-doubt, where we wonder, whether we’re heinous people ( I know I do), and if not, what have we done to be considered a good person. Is our morality in our own hands or not?

Sahara, being tentative about her future, and who she truly is, perfectly captures this depth in character, and the turmoil of one’s teenage years. She forces the reader to face the parts of themselves that they are still unsure about, and the pieces of their identity, they are unwilling to accept. She implores the reader to mend the parts of themselves that still need healing, instead of dreading the unknown truth. If Sahara hadn’t faced the reality about her father, and the act of sexual assault committed against her mother, she never would have discovered who she was, or what she believed in.

This book taught me, that in order to figure out who you are, you need to stop running from the truth and fearing the pain that may go along with it. Instead, embrace the truth, and the hurt, and sadness that follows it. By recognizing your feelings, you acknowledge your power and identity.

To anyone looking for a deep, and dynamic read, I strongly recommend this book. It will leave you hanging on the edge of your seat. And the unique mix of poetry and prose creates vivid and potent lyricism, that is sure to leave you in tears by the end.