The Facts Speak for Themselves

Fans of Brock Cole's savvy, independent protagonist in Celine may be shocked by the raw young woman they meet in The Facts Speak for Themselves. The novel challenges our ideas about young-adult books and about young adults themselves: its story is gritty; its rhythm is oddly primitive; its level of honesty about people and events is unparalleled. Cole tells the tale of 13-year-old Linda who, when we meet her in the beginning of the book, has just come to the police station after witnessing the murder of a man--an adult who may be her lover. The situation is extreme; the nuances are deep. Linda struggles madly against everyone's presumptions about who she appears to be. She tries to tell the story straight, to let the facts speak for themselves. This important book will stimulate discussions in classrooms and between friends.