Circle the Truth by Pat Schmatz

Circle the Truth is the story of Rith, a somewhat unique young boy, and his supernatural staircase. On certain occasions, Rith's staircase changes and leads him into a completely different living room than that of his typical home. In this new living room, he meets Bible Man, an old man who only speaks by quoting the Bible. The excerpts from scripture that Rith, actually named Orithian, hears parallel the triumphs and setbacks in his life, and they also help him find the truth about his biological father and Rith's unique name. This divine intervention also brings Rith closer to his faith. Whether Rith accepts it or not, Bible Man brings him face to face with what his religion is really all about.

I really connected with the theme of truth. In today's media it is extremely difficult to find where the truth lies. And I really liked in the end how the author takes the two worlds we are presented with and combines them. It reflects the idea that truth is almost something that we have to determine on an individual basis. That is, we must decide what is true and false. While this novel presents some strong universal questions about the role of religion in our society today, it may not make up for an average plot. The dialogue between characters seemed a bit off in the sense that the word choice didn't seem to fit the characters' personalities. I also had a feeling of emptiness as the story didn't seem to come together in the end; a feeling that it was incomplete. Nevertheless, Circle the Truth is a solid tale that provides substantial value to those in search of food for thought.

Reviewer Age:18

Reviewer City, State and Country: Eden Prairie, Minnesota United States