From: Terrie Dorio <terrie-dorio>
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 2002 15:12:34 -0700

And "Letters from the Inside" by John Marsden is one of the best epistolary novels I've ever read. Two girls correspond, and one is in prison, though the other doesn't know this at first. The letters between those two girls feel very real, especially the way they don't reveal everything (and even tell lies) in the beginning. The ending, where we get to read the letters of only one of the girls is very powerful and works so well specifically because of the letter device.
?--------------------- I agree with Steven. "Letters from the Inside" is one of those books that haunts your mind for days (and weeks) after reading. John Marsden captures both girls so well and pulls the reader completely in to their lives. Bit by bit we find out what is actually going on. And, the ending is shattering. This book, and Marsden's series that begins with "Tomorrow When the War Began" (a great action/adventure/war series) are books that I am constantly recommending to middle school kids.


Terrie Dorio Santa Monica Public Library Santa Monica, CA terrie-dorio at santa-monica.org
Received on Tue 16 Jul 2002 05:12:34 PM CDT