LIAR by Justine Larbalestier

Oh, unreliable narrators, how I love you. LIAR's protagonist, Micah, is the ultimate unreliable narrator, and I have been blown away by her.

I can't tell you much about this book, because just about anything I say will be a spoiler. I'm not going to tell you much more than the jacket does. Micah tells us immediately that she is a liar. She tells us that she is going to tell us, the readers, the truth. She promises. She says she means it. She lies.

Or does she?

Micah's boyfriend is brutally killed, and the series of lies that she has spun over the course of her life begin to pile up on top of her. She tells us a series of stories, each one beginning with a promise that this is the truth this time - yes, it really is. You are constantly torn between believing her and not believing her. Between loving her and hating her. And while you are torn, you are turning pages like a giant freak, racing and racing and racing to get to the end. Racing to try to figure out what is true and what isn't.

This book? Is (insert massive string of expletives here) awesome. This book is everything everyone has said it is. This book, with its much more accurate cover, is sitting on the shelf at my store waiting for me to sell it. Now that I have finally read it, I shall.

A couple of quibbles. The profanity is extremely erratic, and seems to show up mostly in the last quarter. I wish it had just been left out altogether OR been more consistent throughout. Also, just a few different word choices when describing sexual acts would have allowed me to handsell this to more teens; as it is it definitely skews to the upper end of the YA range. (At least in an independent bookseller handselling category.) Those quibbles are entirely from a bookseller perspective. As a reader? I wouldn't change a word. Larbalestier is doing a signing at my former employer, and I am incredibly sad that I won't be there for it. (Come to St. Louis!) But I'm definitely getting a hardcover copy signed, because I want this one on my shelf for keeps.

Comments

[Eliza]

Can't wait to read!

[Eliza]

Finished it. Loved it. Loved it! So much fun. Could not put down. Fell asleep with because could not put down, rolled over onto, smushed your galley. So wonderful, thanks again.

[Debi]

WOW - did you like it? Couldn't tell!
Well thanks for adding to my TBR list :-)
So Happy Amanda told me about you!
Have a great Thanksgiving holiday!

[Sarah W.]

Listening to the book on CD right now, only on disc 4 (loving it!). BUT today, I get to work (at library), look at the library catalog to see if the print copy is in, so I can read on my dinner break, when I incidentally glance at one of the subject headings.....AHHH - huge spoiler!!!!!!! At least it makes me want to read it even more.