This I Know
Grace Carter is like any preteen living in a small Midwestern town in the late 1960s except for one thing: she has what she calls “The Knowing.” She knows things, such as when an accident is about to happen, or where a missing child can be found, or why her mother is always so sad. She also communicates with Isaac, her twin who did not survive birth. Her brother’s death all those years ago affected the family in profound ways, leaving Grace to feel as if she was to blame.
She is the odd one out in her family of four sisters, and her evangelical pastor father is more than disturbed by Grace’s intuition, forcing her to hide her gifts from everyone. When Grace’s mother is “sent away” after the birth of the newest baby, Aunt Pearl comes to take care of the family; she is the only one who seems to understand Grace, as does Grace’s new friend at school, Lola. When a young girl goes missing and a townsperson is accused, Grace must decide if she should tell the authorities what she knows or protect herself from additional ostracism in the community.
Perhaps best categorized as a coming-of-age novel, this story about a young girl who is overwhelmed by her own clairvoyance, and shunned because of it, is uniquely premised and altogether fascinating. Grace’s loneliness seeps through the pages, while heartfelt scenes between Grace and her deceased twin are beautifully rendered. Ultimately, it is a story of courage and of resilience.
If you’re looking for good, old-fashioned storytelling, one that will pull you in from the beginning and never let go, this is the book for you.
