LIAR BY JUSTINE LARBALESTIER

This book is so hard to describe. It's probably one of the weirdest books I've ever read, but I can't help but be completely in awe of Justine Larbalestier.

Micah is a compulsive liar. She can't help but lie at every opportunity she gets. Some of the lies are small, but some are massive. Some have serious consequences. The book starts when Micah discovers her boyfriend Zach has been found dead. Nobody knows what has happened to him. Micah (a first person narrator) swears to tell the truth of the story to the reader, but it quickly becomes evident that she is not telling the whole truth at all, and that she has many secrets to hide.

And then, a shocking twist leaves the reader wondering can I trust her?

Larbalestier is exploring the fascinating concept of the unreliable narrator in this novel, and she does it fantastically. Every page turn revealed a new facet of Micah's personality, and simultaneously destroyed something I thought I knew about her. I found myself hating Micah and loving her at the same time. Whatever the truth is, her life has not been easy, but she kept lying to me throughout the novel and I found that infurating.

When I closed the book I felt very frustrated. What was the truth of Micah's story? What really happened to Zach? Is there any truth in the book at all? (I mean, I know it's a novel, but what did the author mean for me to think was the real story?)

Larbalestier definitely wrote this novel for the reader, not for herself. It is a novel that is meant to be discussed and theorised about, and all over the internet people have joined conversations about the book and what it means and how it has affected them.

But I must say: DO NOT LOOK UP SPOILERS OR FORUMS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT UNTIL AFTER YOU READ THE BOOK. You don't want to spoil any of the surprises.

So basically, this book drove me crazy. It messed with my head, it made me hate Micah then love Micah then nearly yell because the story was so unbelievable yet so logical at the same time. I can't say I enjoyed the book, but I think it's incredible. I've never read anything like it.

Butterflies: 8.5 out of 10

Recommended for: people over 15 who can bear it!

Warnings: sexual references, swearing and violence. This book is a book for mature readers. Read it, yes, but be warned it will mess with your head and leave you with so many questions you won't be able to sleep. It did that to me.