Liar

So. I don’t know if you remember, but back in…oh, around August I think, there was this big fuss about the cover of Liar.  If you didn’t hear, the publisher put a picture of white girl on the cover.  Which is fine, I guess, but the protagonist is black.  Many, including the author, felt that this was done in, to put it nicely, poor taste, and such a stink was raised that the publisher actually consented to change the cover; which is the cover you see here.

The controversy had one good thing going for it. Free advertising!  I had only slightly heard of the book before all that happened.  After, I definitely knew I wanted to read it.  Because, despite the cover, it sounded like an awesome book.

And, I learned how to spell Larbalestier without having to look it up!

Micah is a liar.  Compulsively so.  Since the first day at her new school, when she had everyone believing she was a boy, until now, she lies.  She can’t help herself.  Four years later, she still lies.  From habit, for self-preservation, for attention.  But that is all over now.  She is going to tell the truth, from now on. She says:

Weaving lies is one thing; having them weave you is another.

That’s why I’m writing this.  To keep me from going over the edge.  I don’t want to be a liar anymore.  I want to tell my stories true.

But I haven’t so far.  Not entirely.  I’ve tried.  I’ve really tried.   I’ve tried harder than I ever have.  But, well, there’s so much and it’s so hard.

I slipped a little.  Just a little.

Truly.

I’ll make it up to you, though.

From now on it’s nothing but the truth.

Obviously Micah is an unreliable narrator and, while some of her lies seem silly, it’s obvious that she does it to hide something, something important, that she doesn’t want anyone to know.  It’s hard to take anything she says at face value, as her story is constantly changing.  One thing is made abundantly clear however.  Micah’s secret boyfriend Zachary, was murdered in Central Park, and she devastated.   Her grief is overwhelming, as is her desire for vengeance.   Thanks to the love she has for Zach and her understandable desire to find out who did it, she becomes a character worth caring for.  In Larbalestier’s skilled hands, Micah takes on a life, a desire, a need to tell her story that is captivating.  Some may not care for the unreliableness of the narrator or the ambiguous ending, but I loved both, as I usually tend to do.  I finished this book about a week ago and I still find myself thinking about it and know I will be rereading it, very soon.  Liar is not to be missed.

Buy this book here and support this blog:

Liar
Written by: Justine Larbalestier
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books (September 29, 2009)
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Justine’s Blog

Author also wrote:

Magic Lessons | Magic’s Child | Magic or Madness | How to Ditch Your Fairy

Also Reviewed by:

Book Addiction | Devourer of Books | Becky’s Book Reviews | and many more…

I am a Book Depository Affiliate and will make a very small profit if you buy a book through one of my links. And then I will love you forever and bless you and all your children and your children’s children.

I bought this book for myself because I was wanting to reads it.  So there.