by Kaylie Seed
Content warning: sexual assault, police brutality, immigrant trauma, victim-blaming, domestic violence, alcoholism, mental illness
Jasmin Kaur has crafted an extraordinary piece of art with her novel If I Tell You the Truth. Kaur has blended poetry, prose, and illustrations to create a story of heartache, pain, and love between mother and daughter. Kiran moved to Canada at nineteen to attend university, but her reason goes far beyond just wanting an education. Kiran is fleeing Punjab from the man who raped her— not only to save herself, but to save the unborn child she is carrying because of his heinous act. After giving birth to her daughter Sahaara, Kiran overstays her student visa and ends up living in Canada illegally as an undocumented immigrant for nearly two decades. Kaur also weaves in Sahaara’s own coming-of-age story, as she learns the truth of Kiran’s past and begins seeking justice for her mother.
Kaur’s characterization is nearly flawless and even manages to make the poetry that Kiran and Sahaara write sound so distinctive as Kaur goes back and forth between their perspectives. If I Tell You the Truth is part poetry and part prose, something that has become quite popular in the last few years. Readers will experience this story through poetry, that helps carry the story forward, and also through the narrative between characters. Kaur blends these mediums along with illustrations that help to give more dimension to the novel.
If I Tell You the Truth has a lot of heavy topics that play off one another as the story progresses. Sexual assault, immigrant trauma, and victim-blaming are the central topics of this novel but at the same time so are unconditional love, the mother-daughter relationship, and how art is a positive release for negative energy. Kaur certainly is talented, and it’s no surprise that this novel has high praise; not only is If I Tell You the Truth timely, but it is also loud and unapologetic, leaving the reader feeling empowered. While this 400+ page book may seem daunting to some readers, it should be noted that while there are heavy topics in If I Tell You the Truth, Kaur has written them in such a light and airy way that the reader can finish it quite quickly. If I Tell You the Truth is a story that will stay with me for a long time. Kaur has so much to share with the reading world, and I cannot wait to see what she creates next.
*Thank you HarperCollins Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review