The Authenticity Project by Clare PooleyMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I picked up The Authenticity Project after watching it slide past several times on my Amazon suggested reading list—and I am so glad I did. There are literally dozens of reviews that rehash the plot, so I won’t ply you with redundant details. What I will say is that I enjoyed the reading, though at times Clare Pooley seems to revert to cliched and hackneyed phrasing and improbable scenarios that, in the end, made this a three star, rather than a four star novel. Even with these negatives, there were plenty of positives to balance the scales. The characters were “interesting” and engaging, and I found myself rooting for each of them in spite of their inherent flaws. Julian, the elderly gentleman with the vivid imagination and wardrobe to match, was by far my favorite in this cast of players, and it is he who rescues the book when the plot becomes a bit muddied.
The overall premise is original and promised, from the start, a introspective journey that begged the question, “Everybody lies about their lives. What would happen if you shared the truth?” When the masks are removed, and the pretenses are dropped, what remains is one’s authentic self. Pooley examines this unveiling and acknowledges that knowing, and owning, what is revealed is a difficult process that can take a lifetime.
If you’ve ever found yourself fed up with trying to be everything to everyone, this book may cause you to reevaluate all you thought was important. An easy read with a predictable conclusion—set aside an afternoon, as you will want to devour it in one go!
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