True Believer (Wolff novel)
True Believer is a verse novel aimed at the young adult audience, authored by Virginia Euwer Wolff and released by Atheneum Books in 2001. This work is available as an audiobook, narrated by Heather Alicia Simms, and has been translated into several languages including Chinese, German, Italian, and Japanese. The novel received the U.S. National Book Award for Young People's Literature and earned recognition as a Michael L. Printz Honor book.
The writing style of Wolff was commended by a Publishers Weekly review for its "delicacy and sensitivity."
Characters
- Verna LaVaughn: The 15-year-old narrator and central figure of the story, who shares her journey through love, family loss, and adolescence within a disadvantaged community. Her goal is to overcome her environment through academic achievement.
- LaVaughn's mother: A resilient single mother who raises LaVaughn on her own following the passing of her husband. She is portrayed as both nurturing and strong, with subtle indications of exploring new romantic relationships.
- Jody: A peer of LaVaughn's who returns to their neighborhood after leaving to escape the high youth mortality rate. Like LaVaughn, he aspires to attend college, hoping to obtain a swimming scholarship as a means of leaving their surroundings.
- Myrtle: A childhood companion of LaVaughn whose father is recovering from addiction. Myrtle is less focused on pursuing higher education but works to maintain a positive lifestyle, joining a church community that causes some distance between her and LaVaughn due to differing beliefs.
- Annie: Initially a school acquaintance who becomes a close friend; she also adopts church involvement, which contributes to a gradual separation from LaVaughn, who remains skeptical about religion throughout the narrative.
- Patrick: LaVaughn’s new partner in biology class, noted for his slow manner of speaking and consistent dress. Despite his quiet nature, he demonstrates strong scientific aptitude.
- Jolly: An 18-year-old single mother and former friend whom LaVaughn once babysat for. Jolly manages raising two children while returning to high school in hopes of improving their future opportunities.
- Lester: The mother's new romantic interest who initially appears trustworthy but ultimately betrays their confidence by misappropriating LaVaughn’s savings, leading to the dissolution of their relationship.
Reception and themes
In an interview with Horn Book Magazine, Wolff revealed that she intentionally left the characters' racial backgrounds unspecified to encourage readers to develop their own interpretations.[1]
The theme of how romantic emotions impact everyday experiences was emphasized by Horn Book Magazine, with reviewer Roger Sutton observing that "LaVaughn's depiction of her school and home life is influenced profoundly by her feelings for Jody."[1] Additionally, Publishers Weekly identified abstinence as a key theme, describing it as "one of the pivotal issues of puberty."Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content