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The Book of Lies: A Novel
On the English Channel island of Guernsey, a teenage girl’s Mean Girls-like experience pushes her to murder her best friend in a scandal, she will discover, that mirrors her uncle’s previously unknown story from the days of the island’s Nazi occupation during WWII. Told through the voices of fifteen-year-old Cat Rozier and her long-dead Uncle Charlie—known to Cat only by the audio recordings he left behind—The Book of Lies lucidly illuminates the interior lives of a scorned modern girl with attitude and a defiant, faded man. With echoes of Nicole Krauss’s The History of Love and Jennifer McMahon’s Promise Not to Tell, Mary Horlock’s stunning debut novel is an unforgettable exploration of aspiration, anguish, and rebellion.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
February 25, 2017
The Book of Lies starts with a bang - 15-year-old Cathy's confession that she murdered her best friend, Nicolette - and, for the most part, the rest of the book manages to match up to its explosive opening. It's consistently readable, totally compelling and ends on a chilling note. The narrative is split, alternating between two first-person stories which are both set wholly on the island of Guernsey. Cathy, writing in 1985, tells her tale in the form of a journal, recording the background of her 'friendship' - which is quickly revealed to have much darker hidden depths - with Nicolette, building to the climax of what really happened on the night of the latter's death. The other narrative - transcribed from a recorded monologue by Cathy's late father - belongs to Charlie, Cathy's uncle. He tells how he came to be involved with a gang of petty criminals during the Nazi occupation of Guernsey in the Second World War, ultimately resulting in the death of his father and Charlie's own ostracisation.
Both narratives are excellent, but Cathy's, which is dominant, is particularly striking. It's difficult to capture the voice of a teenager realistically, but Mary Horlock has pulled it off with Cathy, who is by turns incredibly sympathetic (her despair and lack of comprehension about why she has been singled out as the target of bullying by her supposed friends) and somewhat deranged (her escalating manipulative behaviour and the disturbing note of the ending). She's also hilariously funny - like a female version of Adrian Mole, she's intensely proud of her own intelligence and vocabulary, talks excitably at length about her crush on the rebellious Michael, and paints an amusing picture of the incestuous life of her local community, complete with daft nicknames and copious opinions. One bit in particular had me almost crying with laughter (in public). Quite apart from the issue of the murder, Cathy's narrative works wonderfully as a touching, funny and unique coming-of-age story. Incidentally, I've noticed this book has been tagged as 'young adult' by quite a few Goodreads users, but the fact that it has a teenage protagonist doesn't make it YA fiction. It's definitely an adult book, not necessarily in terms of the content, but in its subtle, complex characterisation, literary quality and carefully woven plot.
The narratives overlap and interlock in so many ways; Cathy's relationship with Nicolette is cleverly reflected in Charlie's narrative, as he finds himself increasingly in thrall to his dangerous friend Ray, and each new development for Cathy is mirrored by something that happens to Charlie. This being a portrait of life on a small, close-knit island, the reader also gets to discover family ties the characters themselves don't even know about. The wonderfully sinister ending is ambiguous, closing with Cathy's questions for her mother (another great twist on the teen-diary format, referring to the fact that many teenagers write while aware, consciously or otherwise, that their parents are reading their journals). We are left wondering: what did and didn't actually happen? Has Cathy known all along what her 'plan' would be? How do certain characters in Cathy's tale, who appear to have some resonance beyond their presence there, fit into the Charlie/Ray story? I have a feeling the answers to some of these questions are buried in there somewhere, and the book almost demands a second reading to figure out its puzzles. This is a fantastic debut, an engrossing and witty book which will appeal to anyone who likes twist-heavy mysteries, unreliable narrators and/or open-ended conclusions. Thoroughly recommended - and I'd put money on it being nominated for an award or two.
Both narratives are excellent, but Cathy's, which is dominant, is particularly striking. It's difficult to capture the voice of a teenager realistically, but Mary Horlock has pulled it off with Cathy, who is by turns incredibly sympathetic (her despair and lack of comprehension about why she has been singled out as the target of bullying by her supposed friends) and somewhat deranged (her escalating manipulative behaviour and the disturbing note of the ending). She's also hilariously funny - like a female version of Adrian Mole, she's intensely proud of her own intelligence and vocabulary, talks excitably at length about her crush on the rebellious Michael, and paints an amusing picture of the incestuous life of her local community, complete with daft nicknames and copious opinions. One bit in particular had me almost crying with laughter (in public). Quite apart from the issue of the murder, Cathy's narrative works wonderfully as a touching, funny and unique coming-of-age story. Incidentally, I've noticed this book has been tagged as 'young adult' by quite a few Goodreads users, but the fact that it has a teenage protagonist doesn't make it YA fiction. It's definitely an adult book, not necessarily in terms of the content, but in its subtle, complex characterisation, literary quality and carefully woven plot.
The narratives overlap and interlock in so many ways; Cathy's relationship with Nicolette is cleverly reflected in Charlie's narrative, as he finds himself increasingly in thrall to his dangerous friend Ray, and each new development for Cathy is mirrored by something that happens to Charlie. This being a portrait of life on a small, close-knit island, the reader also gets to discover family ties the characters themselves don't even know about. The wonderfully sinister ending is ambiguous, closing with Cathy's questions for her mother (another great twist on the teen-diary format, referring to the fact that many teenagers write while aware, consciously or otherwise, that their parents are reading their journals). We are left wondering: what did and didn't actually happen? Has Cathy known all along what her 'plan' would be? How do certain characters in Cathy's tale, who appear to have some resonance beyond their presence there, fit into the Charlie/Ray story? I have a feeling the answers to some of these questions are buried in there somewhere, and the book almost demands a second reading to figure out its puzzles. This is a fantastic debut, an engrossing and witty book which will appeal to anyone who likes twist-heavy mysteries, unreliable narrators and/or open-ended conclusions. Thoroughly recommended - and I'd put money on it being nominated for an award or two.
August 26, 2012
Prior to reading this book, I really didn't know anything about the Channel Islands, Guernsey, or the German occupation of that area during WWII. This book gave a glimpse of that and the aftermath, as of the 80s when the main narrative was set. It's pretty bleak.
The book alternates between the diary-style writings of 15-year-old Catherine/Cathy/Cat Rozier and items from her late father's files: interviews he did with his older brother who was interned in a German concentration camp as a teenager and correspondence regarding his research on the Occupation.
Cat is a pathetic character. She announces at the very beginning that she has killed her "best friend," who is also her worst enemy -- a nasty, manipulative, popular girl named Nicolette, who befriended, used, then scorned and bullied Cat. The polar opposite of Nic, Cat is studious, overweight, and deeply affected by the somewhat mysterious death of her father. She's vulnerable in the way that so many teenagers are, but she's also prone to exaggeration and even outright lying (hence the title), regardless of who it may hurt. I really tried to like her, but just couldn't. Her teen-speak narrative and quirky use of footnotes became annoying pretty quickly. By the second half of the book I winced every time she used the phrase "as per." I can handle an unreliable narrator, and even an unlikeable one, but annoying is just annoying.
I kept reading because I wanted to see how the book ended, but it honestly just pissed me off. The parallel plot line of Cat's uncle Charlie was much more satisfying in its conclusion.
Horlock did a good job of paralleling the two stories in a history-repeats-itself, certain-things-run-in-families type of way, but sometimes she made the parallels too club-on-the-head obvious. Also, it wasn't clear whether Cat was reading her father's materials as they were presented in the book. If she was, her story becomes even more questionable, because she would then appear to be drawing on her uncle's story, but she didn't really make any references to it.
I gave this novel an "it-was-okay" 2 star rating, because it was just okay for me. (I feel like I should add a "dawg" on the end of that phrase.) I'd like to read more about Guernsey, but probably not by this author.
The book alternates between the diary-style writings of 15-year-old Catherine/Cathy/Cat Rozier and items from her late father's files: interviews he did with his older brother who was interned in a German concentration camp as a teenager and correspondence regarding his research on the Occupation.
Cat is a pathetic character. She announces at the very beginning that she has killed her "best friend," who is also her worst enemy -- a nasty, manipulative, popular girl named Nicolette, who befriended, used, then scorned and bullied Cat. The polar opposite of Nic, Cat is studious, overweight, and deeply affected by the somewhat mysterious death of her father. She's vulnerable in the way that so many teenagers are, but she's also prone to exaggeration and even outright lying (hence the title), regardless of who it may hurt. I really tried to like her, but just couldn't. Her teen-speak narrative and quirky use of footnotes became annoying pretty quickly. By the second half of the book I winced every time she used the phrase "as per." I can handle an unreliable narrator, and even an unlikeable one, but annoying is just annoying.
I kept reading because I wanted to see how the book ended, but it honestly just pissed me off. The parallel plot line of Cat's uncle Charlie was much more satisfying in its conclusion.
Horlock did a good job of paralleling the two stories in a history-repeats-itself, certain-things-run-in-families type of way, but sometimes she made the parallels too club-on-the-head obvious. Also, it wasn't clear whether Cat was reading her father's materials as they were presented in the book. If she was, her story becomes even more questionable, because she would then appear to be drawing on her uncle's story, but she didn't really make any references to it.
I gave this novel an "it-was-okay" 2 star rating, because it was just okay for me. (I feel like I should add a "dawg" on the end of that phrase.) I'd like to read more about Guernsey, but probably not by this author.
January 9, 2019
The book started off great. A young girl admits to murdering a friend and getting away with it? yes please! Then the second character comes along, a coward who "fought" in the war and his lifes tale... okayish
The stories became less and less interesting as I kept reading and I eventually stopped. What can I say, maybe it was me and I have to try again - maybe.
But lets be honest there are too many books out there that are calling for my grubby paws and too many I enjoyed that I must read again so I dont think Il be picking this up again any time soon.
Unless I get super broke, read everything else on my shelves and have no choice... then il happily read it again!
The stories became less and less interesting as I kept reading and I eventually stopped. What can I say, maybe it was me and I have to try again - maybe.
But lets be honest there are too many books out there that are calling for my grubby paws and too many I enjoyed that I must read again so I dont think Il be picking this up again any time soon.
Unless I get super broke, read everything else on my shelves and have no choice... then il happily read it again!
October 24, 2022
This was one of those books I was given to donate but I could not give up the chance to read it first and I have admit that although this would not have been a choice for me I was intrigued by the story and fascinated with how it all played out.
Now the challange for me with these sorts of books is that although they are not my initial choice I find it hard to describe especially with my own self imposed "no spoilers" rule.
So what you have here is not so much a tale within a tale but rather a series of events that eventually tell several tales spaced over a series of years - each independent to the other but which have have ramifications on each other none the less.
I will say that I know next to nothing of the Channel Isles and especially of Guernsey during the German occupation of the Second World War. However it feels like this book is not just a meticulously researched book but is in fact a labour of love from people (or persons) who are true experts in the field. This is one of those books that drives you to wanting to know more.
Now the challange for me with these sorts of books is that although they are not my initial choice I find it hard to describe especially with my own self imposed "no spoilers" rule.
So what you have here is not so much a tale within a tale but rather a series of events that eventually tell several tales spaced over a series of years - each independent to the other but which have have ramifications on each other none the less.
I will say that I know next to nothing of the Channel Isles and especially of Guernsey during the German occupation of the Second World War. However it feels like this book is not just a meticulously researched book but is in fact a labour of love from people (or persons) who are true experts in the field. This is one of those books that drives you to wanting to know more.
July 1, 2011
Unlike the teenage protagonist, I’ll be kind: none of the positive reviews on this site is a lie. It’s just that, as only one other reader has written, I never warmed up one degree to any of the characters. I did finish the book, but only out of the same sense of duty felt halfway through Smilla’s Sense of Snow, when I started counting down the page numbers.
Catherine Rozier – 15, drama queen, self-confessed murderer and our narrator – is as cold as what I imagine the Channel Islands to be. She does have a distinctive and credible voice, but the point of a wisecracking teen voice is to put people off, and … well, yes, the author does succeed in pulling this off. A backhanded compliment, to be sure. It’s because Catherine’s got secrets but is desperate to divulge everything all the same; hence her writing this diary of confessions. Speaking of divulging, Catherine is a top History student (regardless of what she does to her favorite teacher), so she interrupts her narrative every too often with distracting little numbers pointing to pointless footnotes. I would have taken the Guernsey-born author at her word about all things Guernsey, sans documentary references. (Rampant teenage drinking, for instance – very interesting.)
As for the history that repeats itself, it is told in my least favorite storytelling style, the split narrative, so the chapters alternate between Catherine’s journal entries and her late uncle’s account of wartime German occupation, which she is reading or has already read. Charlie Rozier, too, is vividly developed through his patois-inflected voice, which kept taunting my long-diminished high-school French. I ended up liking him better than his niece. Yet the payoff in his tale came like the British at Liberation: much too late, seemingly long after the conflict was over.
Characterization is clearly a strength of Horlock’s, so now that she’s placed her hometown squarely on our literary maps, I hope there will be more of that in her next release. And far fewer of the history lessons, please.
Catherine Rozier – 15, drama queen, self-confessed murderer and our narrator – is as cold as what I imagine the Channel Islands to be. She does have a distinctive and credible voice, but the point of a wisecracking teen voice is to put people off, and … well, yes, the author does succeed in pulling this off. A backhanded compliment, to be sure. It’s because Catherine’s got secrets but is desperate to divulge everything all the same; hence her writing this diary of confessions. Speaking of divulging, Catherine is a top History student (regardless of what she does to her favorite teacher), so she interrupts her narrative every too often with distracting little numbers pointing to pointless footnotes. I would have taken the Guernsey-born author at her word about all things Guernsey, sans documentary references. (Rampant teenage drinking, for instance – very interesting.)
As for the history that repeats itself, it is told in my least favorite storytelling style, the split narrative, so the chapters alternate between Catherine’s journal entries and her late uncle’s account of wartime German occupation, which she is reading or has already read. Charlie Rozier, too, is vividly developed through his patois-inflected voice, which kept taunting my long-diminished high-school French. I ended up liking him better than his niece. Yet the payoff in his tale came like the British at Liberation: much too late, seemingly long after the conflict was over.
Characterization is clearly a strength of Horlock’s, so now that she’s placed her hometown squarely on our literary maps, I hope there will be more of that in her next release. And far fewer of the history lessons, please.
June 21, 2014
Our narrator is a teenage girl, Cat, who is a bit of a social outcast. She lives on the small island of Guernsey and her family has a of a checkered past due to the German occupation during WW II. Added to that is the fact that she is a little odd, overweight and has no confidence. She opens the book with a confession of murder.
The book alternates chapters between Cat’s first person narrative and historical evidence about, and or against, her family’s actions during the German Occupation. As we read we realize that history tends to repeat itself and that we can never run from our past no matter how hard we try. It also becomes very apparent that history is recorded by those with the means to do so and does not necessarily reflect what actually happened. There is always more than one side to every story, and often, many sides. Reconciling these versions of a story almost never happens.
Cat is not a likable girl, but Horlock managed to keep me interested mostly because I wanted to know if her confession was accurate. She seems to tend toward, not only exaggeration, but outright lies (it’s the name of the book after all!) So I had my doubts. She drinks quite a bit and is desperate for attention. Negative attention in place of positive if that’s all she can get. Having raised three children of my own, I know this is sometimes true of every child, but it seemed to be constantly true of Cat.
While I can’t say I had grown to like her by the end of the book, I can say that I developed some sympathy. In addition to her family’s legacy, her mother’s inattentiveness, her loneliness and coming to terms with the sudden death of her father she must deal with the guilt of a false accusation she makes that ruins a life and her possible murder of someone else. She’s got a lot of crap on her plate!
The book alternates chapters between Cat’s first person narrative and historical evidence about, and or against, her family’s actions during the German Occupation. As we read we realize that history tends to repeat itself and that we can never run from our past no matter how hard we try. It also becomes very apparent that history is recorded by those with the means to do so and does not necessarily reflect what actually happened. There is always more than one side to every story, and often, many sides. Reconciling these versions of a story almost never happens.
Cat is not a likable girl, but Horlock managed to keep me interested mostly because I wanted to know if her confession was accurate. She seems to tend toward, not only exaggeration, but outright lies (it’s the name of the book after all!) So I had my doubts. She drinks quite a bit and is desperate for attention. Negative attention in place of positive if that’s all she can get. Having raised three children of my own, I know this is sometimes true of every child, but it seemed to be constantly true of Cat.
While I can’t say I had grown to like her by the end of the book, I can say that I developed some sympathy. In addition to her family’s legacy, her mother’s inattentiveness, her loneliness and coming to terms with the sudden death of her father she must deal with the guilt of a false accusation she makes that ruins a life and her possible murder of someone else. She’s got a lot of crap on her plate!
April 10, 2011
Catherine Rozier is wonderful - you might not like her, but her view of the world is vivid, funny and heart-breakingly sad by turn. She's a wonderfully unreliable narrator, and Mary Horlock gets under her skin incredibly well. Writing as a teenager isn't easy - she cracks it.
The alternating Uncle Charlie wartime narrative worked for me too - this isn't Potato Pie Guernsey, this is cruel and raw.
This is a really clever and well written book exploring issues like truth and guilt in a dark, funny, and original way. And a word about the footnotes - they irritated me to death at the start, but provided a wonderful opportunity for witty asides that really grew on me as the book went on. Different and really enjoyable.
The alternating Uncle Charlie wartime narrative worked for me too - this isn't Potato Pie Guernsey, this is cruel and raw.
This is a really clever and well written book exploring issues like truth and guilt in a dark, funny, and original way. And a word about the footnotes - they irritated me to death at the start, but provided a wonderful opportunity for witty asides that really grew on me as the book went on. Different and really enjoyable.
October 28, 2024
Qualche capodanno fa io e una mia amica, dopo aver guardato il film tratto dal romanzo Il Club del libro e della torta di bucce di patata di Guernsey, abbiamo prenotato un 3 giorni sull'isola.
Vacanza bellissima, e 3 giorni non sono abbastanza.
Ora ho trovato questo libro, ambientato nella Guernsey contemporanea, quella da noi visitata (in minima parte), e ho dovuto leggerlo.
La trama in sè non è originalissima: la protagonista è un'adolescente tormentata che diventa amica della ragazza popolare. Un po' Peyton Place, un po' Twin Peaks... l'isola è piccola e il numero di coetanei è proporzionato, tutti si conoscono e in privato le personalità non sono quelle mostrate in pubblico.
Ma ai capitoli moderni si alternano quelli storici, che parlano dell'invasione nazista e della resistenza degli isolani, della deturpazione delle spiagge per costruire bunker e cunicoli, delle deportazioni e del disinteresse di Churchill alla sorte di Guernsey.
I fili alla fine si riannodano in un tentativo di colpo di scena, che non è riuscito come forse sperava l'autrice. Il finale è aperto, la nostra Cathy ribalta tutto sulla madre. Peccato che la madre sia stato un personaggio a mio parere secondario, le accuse contro di lei non sono forti come le accuse contro l'antenata.
Vacanza bellissima, e 3 giorni non sono abbastanza.
Ora ho trovato questo libro, ambientato nella Guernsey contemporanea, quella da noi visitata (in minima parte), e ho dovuto leggerlo.
La trama in sè non è originalissima: la protagonista è un'adolescente tormentata che diventa amica della ragazza popolare. Un po' Peyton Place, un po' Twin Peaks... l'isola è piccola e il numero di coetanei è proporzionato, tutti si conoscono e in privato le personalità non sono quelle mostrate in pubblico.
Ma ai capitoli moderni si alternano quelli storici, che parlano dell'invasione nazista e della resistenza degli isolani, della deturpazione delle spiagge per costruire bunker e cunicoli, delle deportazioni e del disinteresse di Churchill alla sorte di Guernsey.
I fili alla fine si riannodano in un tentativo di colpo di scena, che non è riuscito come forse sperava l'autrice. Il finale è aperto, la nostra Cathy ribalta tutto sulla madre. Peccato che la madre sia stato un personaggio a mio parere secondario, le accuse contro di lei non sono forti come le accuse contro l'antenata.
May 1, 2024
Ratings:
Writing 4
Story line 4
Characters 4
Impact 4
Overall rating 4
Writing 4
Story line 4
Characters 4
Impact 4
Overall rating 4
August 5, 2016
The Book of Lies provides fascinating insight into what it’s like living in both present day Guernsey and past, throughout the German Occupation (during World War II and also after the allies had won) and how the Channel Islands were perceived by other nations.
When I first picked up The Book of Lies, I thought it was young adult fiction because this is what I had seen others referring to it as, but then I noticed that the publisher was marketing it as adult fiction. Not that this makes any difference to me, but I thought it was interesting how it fit easily into both, alongside books such as The Book Thief and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close . Like these books, I believe The Book of Lies can be classified as both due to its dual narrative and narrators (a 15-year-old girl and her uncle Charlie) and the underlying themes presented in the book.
I loved everything about The Book of Lies. I loved Cat’s commentary, which is blunt, amusing and honest in a way only a teenager can be. Cat writes to us about her life; mourning the death of a family member and being treated as an outcast. Cat's school friends torment her and spread lies, leading to the death of Nicolette – Cat's best friend and number one bully. I loved that Cat’s story is interwoven with a transcribed account: Charlie tells us of his time living under the German Occupation, dealing with lies, betrayal and anguish of his own. I loved the footnotes and historical information, which I found to be both informative and engaging. I loved the messages presented in the storyline as well as the mystery aspect – what really happened and why? It teaches us that the truth can differ depending on perspective.
The Book of Lies is a wonderful, unforgettable novel about the complexities of truth and lies. I found it to be a thoroughly emotive and enlightening read. The Channel Islands were not something I knew much about and so I’ve now moved The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society up on my “wishlist” as it is also about the German occupation of Guernsey.
This book was obtained as an eGalley from Harper Perennial.
I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.
When I first picked up The Book of Lies, I thought it was young adult fiction because this is what I had seen others referring to it as, but then I noticed that the publisher was marketing it as adult fiction. Not that this makes any difference to me, but I thought it was interesting how it fit easily into both, alongside books such as The Book Thief and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close . Like these books, I believe The Book of Lies can be classified as both due to its dual narrative and narrators (a 15-year-old girl and her uncle Charlie) and the underlying themes presented in the book.
I loved everything about The Book of Lies. I loved Cat’s commentary, which is blunt, amusing and honest in a way only a teenager can be. Cat writes to us about her life; mourning the death of a family member and being treated as an outcast. Cat's school friends torment her and spread lies, leading to the death of Nicolette – Cat's best friend and number one bully. I loved that Cat’s story is interwoven with a transcribed account: Charlie tells us of his time living under the German Occupation, dealing with lies, betrayal and anguish of his own. I loved the footnotes and historical information, which I found to be both informative and engaging. I loved the messages presented in the storyline as well as the mystery aspect – what really happened and why? It teaches us that the truth can differ depending on perspective.
The Book of Lies is a wonderful, unforgettable novel about the complexities of truth and lies. I found it to be a thoroughly emotive and enlightening read. The Channel Islands were not something I knew much about and so I’ve now moved The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society up on my “wishlist” as it is also about the German occupation of Guernsey.
This book was obtained as an eGalley from Harper Perennial.
I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.
March 28, 2015
really enjoyed this book for so many reasons. It is well written set in 1985 mainly in the style of a teenage journal where Catherine Rozier tells the tale to her mother of what happened to Nicolette. This story is cleverly intersperced with the writings of her father Emile Rozier, a baby at the start of the occupation, who is obsessed with events during the Occupation of Guernsey by the Germans. Emile is trying to expose the truth of what happened within his own family during this time and he has notes dictated by his brother Charlie dating back to the 1960's.
The book uses footnotes, which I would normally find irritating but Cat's are often funny wry observations "Guernsey has no Value Added Tax which means you get 15% more alcohol for your money. This also means most people have a drink problem" There are also links between the last part of Cat's writings and that of Emile's. We are treated to some Patois which is Guernsey French but in bite size phrases so you get a good idea of what the translation is. These devices give the book a fresh feel for this amazing debut by Mary Horlock.
This story deals with complex subjects, what is the truth, if something is repeated often enough does it become true. The nature of guilt and how people cope with it. Peer pressure and a fear of not being part of the crowd for teenagers of both sexes. Teenagers wanting to be grown up and powerful and adults who are acting stupidly. Family relations, Cat misses her father but acknowledges they didn't have the relationship she would have liked. The reality of living in a community where everyone knows everyone, secrets are hard to keep and rumour can spread fast through the population.
The Book of Lies is an easy read despite all of this, but it is also one of those books you will want to return to in case you missed something the first time round.
For all of the above reasons, and more, I have awarded this book 5* despite living in Jersey where we have a friendly rivalry with our sister Channel Island, Guernsey. Jersey was also occupied during the war with the same issues of those who didn't evacuate living under German rule, coping with this, and the starvation rations caused Islander to turn against Islander. The book is so believable as, despite the title, it is based on truth. Would be a great book to give a teenager too.
The book uses footnotes, which I would normally find irritating but Cat's are often funny wry observations "Guernsey has no Value Added Tax which means you get 15% more alcohol for your money. This also means most people have a drink problem" There are also links between the last part of Cat's writings and that of Emile's. We are treated to some Patois which is Guernsey French but in bite size phrases so you get a good idea of what the translation is. These devices give the book a fresh feel for this amazing debut by Mary Horlock.
This story deals with complex subjects, what is the truth, if something is repeated often enough does it become true. The nature of guilt and how people cope with it. Peer pressure and a fear of not being part of the crowd for teenagers of both sexes. Teenagers wanting to be grown up and powerful and adults who are acting stupidly. Family relations, Cat misses her father but acknowledges they didn't have the relationship she would have liked. The reality of living in a community where everyone knows everyone, secrets are hard to keep and rumour can spread fast through the population.
The Book of Lies is an easy read despite all of this, but it is also one of those books you will want to return to in case you missed something the first time round.
For all of the above reasons, and more, I have awarded this book 5* despite living in Jersey where we have a friendly rivalry with our sister Channel Island, Guernsey. Jersey was also occupied during the war with the same issues of those who didn't evacuate living under German rule, coping with this, and the starvation rations caused Islander to turn against Islander. The book is so believable as, despite the title, it is based on truth. Would be a great book to give a teenager too.
August 3, 2011
The Book of Lies by Mary Horlock is written in chapters that alternate between the present with Catherine Rozier in 1984-5 and the past during the German occupation of Guernsey during WWII and her uncle Charles Rozier’s story. Like her uncle, Cat is a liar. Lies are often told to protect loved ones, to gain acceptance among peers, or to cover up bad behavior, and the lies told here are no different. Unreliable narrators are tricky in that readers can often get frustrated with the lies or become disenchanted with the story because they no longer know how to gauge the truth. However, Horlock hovers on the edge of that line so as to keep readers engaged by presenting “historic” documentation for the WWII portion of the story.
Cat’s father, Emile, often shut himself away from his family and buried himself in historical research about the German Occupation of Guernsey, and this isolationism led Cat to believe she needed to make up stories to fit in and gain attention from not only her peers and parents, but from everyone else on the island. In a way readers will wonder throughout the novel if she is still lying to gain the attention of readers with her sensational narrative of murder and teen hijinks.
Read the full review beginning Aug. 5: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2011/08/b...
Cat’s father, Emile, often shut himself away from his family and buried himself in historical research about the German Occupation of Guernsey, and this isolationism led Cat to believe she needed to make up stories to fit in and gain attention from not only her peers and parents, but from everyone else on the island. In a way readers will wonder throughout the novel if she is still lying to gain the attention of readers with her sensational narrative of murder and teen hijinks.
Read the full review beginning Aug. 5: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2011/08/b...
April 17, 2011
The premise for this book was good and the author had clearly done her research into the history of Guernsey. I learned a lot about the island's past and this was a saving grace because to be honest I didn't enjoy too much of the rest of the book. I found the constant jumping back and forward in time to be confusing and a hinderance to the enjoyment of the book. Contrary to many other reviewers, I did like the voice of Cathy - yes, she was angsty, but so are most teenagers and I guess I'm used to this as I read a lot of YA. I liked that she was fiesty. On the other hand, I couldn't connect at all with Charles, which I found really annoying as his story makes up at least a third of the book.
In all, this was an ok read, but I felt a little let down as I'd heard lots of buzz and was expecting to enjoy it a lot more than I did.
In all, this was an ok read, but I felt a little let down as I'd heard lots of buzz and was expecting to enjoy it a lot more than I did.
August 3, 2014
I found this to be a rather disappointing read. I couldn't help but compare it to the excellent "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" as both books look back at the German occupation of Guernsey during the war and the effects on the inhabitants. Unfortunately, this book has neither the style nor substance of the other. Told alternately from the point of view of a teenage girl and extracts from her father's writing about the war and the effect on his family, notably his brother, the truth about her and about what happened to her father and uncle is gradually revealed. I can see how the author has tried to be clever in the structure of the book, but I'm afraid it just didn't work for me.
February 29, 2024
Engrossing, intriguing. I really enjoyed this.
July 1, 2011
We talk about getting away and seeing the world, but we never do. We stay here making the same mistakes, over and over. (8)
The Book of Lies opens in late 1985 with 15-year-old Cat Rozier admitting that she's murdered her best friend, Nicolette. Her narrative then begins to chart the short history of Cat's tumultuous relationship with Nic. Cat's written confession is interspersed with pages of documents that Cat found in her late father's office. Those documents tell the story of Cat's uncle Charlie, "who got in trouble with the Germans and ended up being starved and tortured and driven mad. He only just survived the War and he was the reason Dad made himself an expert on said German Occupation" (27).
Cat is such a wonderfully real character, a teenager through and through. Self-satisfied and self-loathing by turns, Cat is angsty and witty, judgmental and clueless. She's also a bit of a drama queen, a snarky one. Her voice is so very authentic (and that can be very hard to pull off). One line in particular made me laugh out loud.1
Some readers may be put off by the novel's format (split narrative with footnotes), but I thought it worked really well for the story Horlock was trying to tell.2 And, while Cat and Charlie's stories are quite different, they parallel nicely.
The novel is also full of truisms. This one had particular resonance for me: "I suppose that's the thing about History, there are always several versions of that thing we call the truth" (213).
The Book of Lies is a strong debut for Horlock. I do hope that people people aren't Guernsied out after The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The Book of Lies does deal with occupied Guernsey, but it has so much more to offer (if nothing else the 1980s storyline deals with bullying). I know lots of book clubs read Guernsey Literary (mine included) and while I think that The Book of Lies would provide plenty of discussion fodder on its own, it would be a perfect follow-up for Guernsey Literary.
Full review with footnotes posted on my blog: http://morsiereads.blogspot.com/2011/07/book-of-lies-by-mary-horlock.html
The Book of Lies opens in late 1985 with 15-year-old Cat Rozier admitting that she's murdered her best friend, Nicolette. Her narrative then begins to chart the short history of Cat's tumultuous relationship with Nic. Cat's written confession is interspersed with pages of documents that Cat found in her late father's office. Those documents tell the story of Cat's uncle Charlie, "who got in trouble with the Germans and ended up being starved and tortured and driven mad. He only just survived the War and he was the reason Dad made himself an expert on said German Occupation" (27).
Cat is such a wonderfully real character, a teenager through and through. Self-satisfied and self-loathing by turns, Cat is angsty and witty, judgmental and clueless. She's also a bit of a drama queen, a snarky one. Her voice is so very authentic (and that can be very hard to pull off). One line in particular made me laugh out loud.1
Some readers may be put off by the novel's format (split narrative with footnotes), but I thought it worked really well for the story Horlock was trying to tell.2 And, while Cat and Charlie's stories are quite different, they parallel nicely.
The novel is also full of truisms. This one had particular resonance for me: "I suppose that's the thing about History, there are always several versions of that thing we call the truth" (213).
The Book of Lies is a strong debut for Horlock. I do hope that people people aren't Guernsied out after The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The Book of Lies does deal with occupied Guernsey, but it has so much more to offer (if nothing else the 1980s storyline deals with bullying). I know lots of book clubs read Guernsey Literary (mine included) and while I think that The Book of Lies would provide plenty of discussion fodder on its own, it would be a perfect follow-up for Guernsey Literary.
Full review with footnotes posted on my blog: http://morsiereads.blogspot.com/2011/07/book-of-lies-by-mary-horlock.html
Read
September 21, 2014Lies are all around us. White lies, lies of omission, lies of ignorance, and the more egregious deliberate whoppers. Because of their prevalence, one is left to wonder, just what is truth? Is it indeed subjective or is it more concrete? Can one ever truly differentiate between lies and the truth? Does it mean the same thing to each person? The Book of Lies explores truth more flexible edges, that which allows one to blur the line between truth and fiction until the truth in its pure form is lost forever.
Another novel taking place of the island of Guernsey, The Book of Lies focuses on the aftermath of its occupation and how it affected survivors for generations. How has history portrayed Guernsey’s compliance with the Nazis who inhabited the island for three years? Alongside this exploration between fact and fiction about island events during World War II is the story of Cat, a teen who is trying to find her way among the scrutiny of island living after the death of her father. Flipping back and forth between Cat’s story and that of her father’s brother, who is unburdening himself of the truth of his experiences during the war, the two stories merge in unusual and unexpected ways. While the switch between teen angst and the more mature, and in my opinion valid, anguish over past actions and their consequences can be jarring at times, one story does flow into the other, all the while highlighting the theme.
Ms. Horlock shines in her characterization. Cat is not the most likable of characters. She is a drama queen, who influences her own sense of flair and dramatics to all of her actions and commentary. It is frankly exhausting after a while, if only because it is too familiar and authentic. In Nicolette, she embodies the queen bee with all of the social underpinnings and cruelty that come from being at the top of the social ladder. With Charlie, and later Emile’s stories, Ms. Horlock focuses on the emotional damage and regret that weigh so heavily on people. The entire story is not an easy one to read from an emotional perspective because each of the characters is a different emotional roller coaster. The reader is left to be flung about, only able to catch a breath/break when s/he stops reading for a while.
While many recent stories have been set on the island of Guernsey and focused on what occurred there during World War II, The Book of Lies is refreshing in that the reader is allowed to see what happened after the Allies won the war. It is this unique perspective that breathes a breath of fresh air into what is quickly becoming a somewhat stale story line. It is the aftermath of any trauma that defines a person, and both Cat and Charlie embody this idea with their own reactions to trauma. It is not light summer reading; instead The Book of Lies Is a thought-provoking commentary on the fluidity of truth.
Another novel taking place of the island of Guernsey, The Book of Lies focuses on the aftermath of its occupation and how it affected survivors for generations. How has history portrayed Guernsey’s compliance with the Nazis who inhabited the island for three years? Alongside this exploration between fact and fiction about island events during World War II is the story of Cat, a teen who is trying to find her way among the scrutiny of island living after the death of her father. Flipping back and forth between Cat’s story and that of her father’s brother, who is unburdening himself of the truth of his experiences during the war, the two stories merge in unusual and unexpected ways. While the switch between teen angst and the more mature, and in my opinion valid, anguish over past actions and their consequences can be jarring at times, one story does flow into the other, all the while highlighting the theme.
Ms. Horlock shines in her characterization. Cat is not the most likable of characters. She is a drama queen, who influences her own sense of flair and dramatics to all of her actions and commentary. It is frankly exhausting after a while, if only because it is too familiar and authentic. In Nicolette, she embodies the queen bee with all of the social underpinnings and cruelty that come from being at the top of the social ladder. With Charlie, and later Emile’s stories, Ms. Horlock focuses on the emotional damage and regret that weigh so heavily on people. The entire story is not an easy one to read from an emotional perspective because each of the characters is a different emotional roller coaster. The reader is left to be flung about, only able to catch a breath/break when s/he stops reading for a while.
While many recent stories have been set on the island of Guernsey and focused on what occurred there during World War II, The Book of Lies is refreshing in that the reader is allowed to see what happened after the Allies won the war. It is this unique perspective that breathes a breath of fresh air into what is quickly becoming a somewhat stale story line. It is the aftermath of any trauma that defines a person, and both Cat and Charlie embody this idea with their own reactions to trauma. It is not light summer reading; instead The Book of Lies Is a thought-provoking commentary on the fluidity of truth.
August 20, 2011
"The Book of Lies" by Mary Horlock is certainly an interesting read. The protagonist, Cathy (aka),Cat is the epitome of a confused, angst suffering teenage girl with issues of abandonment and loneliness. Cat's tale takes place on the small island of Guernsey, once a place ravaged by German occupation in the Second World War. Though Guernsey has made great strides in recovering from that dark time, Cat cannot get passed the events that haunted her father and permeated his writings before his untimely death.
Cat's obsession with her father, Emile Rozier's historical accounts of the German occupation and her willingness to exaggerate, garner her much attention. Once Cat draws the attention and friendship of the enigmatic and fickle Nicolette (aka, Nic), Cat's life spins out of control, which ultimately results in the death of Nicolette. As Cat's certainty of her role in Nic's death torments her with guilt, she searches for a way out of her misery.
Cat's uncle, Charles Rozier's letters to his brother regarding his personal account of how the Nazi occupation caused the destruction of the Rozier family are interspersed throughout Cat's own account of the destruction of her own family, which began for her with her own father's death.
What makes this book special is the historical references to the Nazi occupation of Guernsey, starting in the 1940's, and the strength of the connections Horlock draws between the past and the present within one family in a small society. Mary Horlock shows that the secrets we keep can affect generations to come.
Note I received this book from the Goodreads First Reads program
Cat's obsession with her father, Emile Rozier's historical accounts of the German occupation and her willingness to exaggerate, garner her much attention. Once Cat draws the attention and friendship of the enigmatic and fickle Nicolette (aka, Nic), Cat's life spins out of control, which ultimately results in the death of Nicolette. As Cat's certainty of her role in Nic's death torments her with guilt, she searches for a way out of her misery.
Cat's uncle, Charles Rozier's letters to his brother regarding his personal account of how the Nazi occupation caused the destruction of the Rozier family are interspersed throughout Cat's own account of the destruction of her own family, which began for her with her own father's death.
What makes this book special is the historical references to the Nazi occupation of Guernsey, starting in the 1940's, and the strength of the connections Horlock draws between the past and the present within one family in a small society. Mary Horlock shows that the secrets we keep can affect generations to come.
Note I received this book from the Goodreads First Reads program
September 30, 2011
Mary Horlock’s The Book of Lies is an engaging and (dare I say it) sprightly story set on the island of Guernsey in the English Channel. The novel takes up the role of islanders under German occupation and the life of a chubby teenage girl who, early in her narrative, cops to murdering her best friend, Nic. Horlock tells her story with two first-person narrators, Cathy (the aforementioned teenage girl) and via a diary and other papers from the brother of Cathy’s father.
Cathy’s father, recently dead, was a historian of Guernsey. Though Cathy is unable to recognize it, his theories of the island and what roles islanders played during the occupation have an air of the crackpot about them; his writing nevertheless influences her own, down to the extensive footnotes she scatters throughout her narrative. In Cathy Horlock effortlessly catches the teenager’s voice, reminiscent at times of Georgia Nicolson from Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging. Cathy appears to write so guilelessly about her life that it is hard not to fall a little bit in love with her and her voice, as with her vaguely defined crush on a teacher she runs into on the beach:
Mr. McCracken asked after Mum and called her a “trouper,” but I thought he said a “grouper,” which is a fish. I replied that Mum didn’t like water and hot climates. We stared at the steps and the seaweed and the rocks.
Horlock reaches, with Cathy, for something more than a simple narrative of high school, boys, and fights with friends....
[Complete review at http://fatbooks.org/2011/09/08/review-mary-horlocks-the-book-of-lies/]
Cathy’s father, recently dead, was a historian of Guernsey. Though Cathy is unable to recognize it, his theories of the island and what roles islanders played during the occupation have an air of the crackpot about them; his writing nevertheless influences her own, down to the extensive footnotes she scatters throughout her narrative. In Cathy Horlock effortlessly catches the teenager’s voice, reminiscent at times of Georgia Nicolson from Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging. Cathy appears to write so guilelessly about her life that it is hard not to fall a little bit in love with her and her voice, as with her vaguely defined crush on a teacher she runs into on the beach:
Mr. McCracken asked after Mum and called her a “trouper,” but I thought he said a “grouper,” which is a fish. I replied that Mum didn’t like water and hot climates. We stared at the steps and the seaweed and the rocks.
Horlock reaches, with Cathy, for something more than a simple narrative of high school, boys, and fights with friends....
[Complete review at http://fatbooks.org/2011/09/08/review-mary-horlocks-the-book-of-lies/]
March 29, 2012
Well, The Book of Lies is one of my new favorites! It's funny because this book has been sitting on my shelf for nearly a year. I'm glad I finally cracked it open.
Such an emotional and exciting book. There are two story lines that alternate between chapters, one is the story of Cat which is set in the 80's and the other is of her father's family in the 40's. The point is that history repeats itself, and the execution was done brilliantly. The different story lines involve 1.) The Nazi occupation of Guernsey and 2.) Evil teenage girls. Although the Nazi occupation was of course saddening to read, the bullying of the girls was just painful. I read a few reviews on Good Reads for this book and found that some people found Cat's behavior to be unrealistic. To me, that is false. As only a few short years ago I myself was a teenager, I know too well how evil high school age girls are.
The main character, Catherine Rozier, is a clever and hilarious character. I enjoyed reading about her. There were several parts in the book that caused me to laugh out loud. I also liked the footnotes throughout the book. I found that they offered a unique quality to the story. Both story lines are set on the claustrophobic island of Guernsey. (The claustrophobic part is stressed heavily throughout the book. In one part, it is said that the island is only three miles wide. Living in such a tiny atmosphere builds to the events that occur on the little island) Horlock described the island in such depth that it was easy to envision being there myself.
Such an emotional and exciting book. There are two story lines that alternate between chapters, one is the story of Cat which is set in the 80's and the other is of her father's family in the 40's. The point is that history repeats itself, and the execution was done brilliantly. The different story lines involve 1.) The Nazi occupation of Guernsey and 2.) Evil teenage girls. Although the Nazi occupation was of course saddening to read, the bullying of the girls was just painful. I read a few reviews on Good Reads for this book and found that some people found Cat's behavior to be unrealistic. To me, that is false. As only a few short years ago I myself was a teenager, I know too well how evil high school age girls are.
The main character, Catherine Rozier, is a clever and hilarious character. I enjoyed reading about her. There were several parts in the book that caused me to laugh out loud. I also liked the footnotes throughout the book. I found that they offered a unique quality to the story. Both story lines are set on the claustrophobic island of Guernsey. (The claustrophobic part is stressed heavily throughout the book. In one part, it is said that the island is only three miles wide. Living in such a tiny atmosphere builds to the events that occur on the little island) Horlock described the island in such depth that it was easy to envision being there myself.
October 9, 2011
The feral nature of adolescent girls and the vagaries of history...set on the Isle of Guernsey.
The lies told by the Rozier family during the Nazi Occupation in WWII resound down the years to impact on fifteen year old Cat Rozier
Cat the brain, the outcast, becomes fast friends with Nicolette, the new girl in town...The lovely and wild Nicolette. they become inseparable.....partying, drinking, hooking up with the local boys. All the while Nicolette alternates her friendship with taunts and bullying. A personal betrayal ends in murder...and Cat lays the blame on her family's history of lies and betrayal
Interspersed within this tale of "teens gone wrong" is Cat's father's account of the Nazi Occupation and the part played by his older brother as a collaborator.....and the disclosure of other family secrets
Hence, this [Book of Lies] penned by Cat...History does repeat itself..and adolescent girls, by their nature and hormones, are not innocent.
I liked this book. I read it back-to-back with[Light From a Distant Star] by Mary McGarry Morris ...another story of a teenage girl in crisis...although that child didn't resort to murder. In this case, the girls were none of them very likable, but the interweaving of family history, secrets and lies...made the whole ghastly, central Act a little more justified....but just a little
Recommended...but only to those who don't see teenage girls as angels...to those who see the blood still on the lip
4 Stars
***This was a Net Galley***
The lies told by the Rozier family during the Nazi Occupation in WWII resound down the years to impact on fifteen year old Cat Rozier
Cat the brain, the outcast, becomes fast friends with Nicolette, the new girl in town...The lovely and wild Nicolette. they become inseparable.....partying, drinking, hooking up with the local boys. All the while Nicolette alternates her friendship with taunts and bullying. A personal betrayal ends in murder...and Cat lays the blame on her family's history of lies and betrayal
Interspersed within this tale of "teens gone wrong" is Cat's father's account of the Nazi Occupation and the part played by his older brother as a collaborator.....and the disclosure of other family secrets
Hence, this [Book of Lies] penned by Cat...History does repeat itself..and adolescent girls, by their nature and hormones, are not innocent.
I liked this book. I read it back-to-back with[Light From a Distant Star] by Mary McGarry Morris ...another story of a teenage girl in crisis...although that child didn't resort to murder. In this case, the girls were none of them very likable, but the interweaving of family history, secrets and lies...made the whole ghastly, central Act a little more justified....but just a little
Recommended...but only to those who don't see teenage girls as angels...to those who see the blood still on the lip
4 Stars
***This was a Net Galley***
March 8, 2012
Drenched in a dramatic wave of teen-speak mingled with a patois developed during the war-time Nazi occupation of Guernsey, The Book of Lies drips truth through layers of deception.
15 year-old Cathy describes herself as ‘a murderer before she was born’, revealing this at the conclusion to the opening chapter in which she has confessed to the murder of Nicolette, her ex- best- friend, the girl-everyone-wants-to-know.
The language used by Mary Horlock plunges the reader into that skewed morality of a mid-teen mindset, with typical quirky observations on everyday life. We are exposed to the ugly and the negative side of Cathy, but somehow she shines through by sheer depth of personality. She aches for acceptance, and for answers to why her father died.
Guernsey is pulled and dragged into a gaping, cracked void – at one point Cathy describes it as ‘25000 alcoholics clinging to a rock’, and the claustrophobia of a small island is well portrayed.
At times, the story crashes and breaks in myriad directions – kaleidoscopic confusion reigns for Cathy as she negotiates her acceptance into the teen in-crowd, and staggers through her blurred relationships with boys, girls and also through her history.
She’s looking for answers she knows she will never find. Not completely.
The author has developed a strong character voice, and the storytelling is compelling. The tone of this novel is complex, and yet it tells the story of an ordinary person, in an ordinary voice, but throws a strong spotlight on an extraordinary piece of history.
15 year-old Cathy describes herself as ‘a murderer before she was born’, revealing this at the conclusion to the opening chapter in which she has confessed to the murder of Nicolette, her ex- best- friend, the girl-everyone-wants-to-know.
The language used by Mary Horlock plunges the reader into that skewed morality of a mid-teen mindset, with typical quirky observations on everyday life. We are exposed to the ugly and the negative side of Cathy, but somehow she shines through by sheer depth of personality. She aches for acceptance, and for answers to why her father died.
Guernsey is pulled and dragged into a gaping, cracked void – at one point Cathy describes it as ‘25000 alcoholics clinging to a rock’, and the claustrophobia of a small island is well portrayed.
At times, the story crashes and breaks in myriad directions – kaleidoscopic confusion reigns for Cathy as she negotiates her acceptance into the teen in-crowd, and staggers through her blurred relationships with boys, girls and also through her history.
She’s looking for answers she knows she will never find. Not completely.
The author has developed a strong character voice, and the storytelling is compelling. The tone of this novel is complex, and yet it tells the story of an ordinary person, in an ordinary voice, but throws a strong spotlight on an extraordinary piece of history.
May 1, 2011
From the opening page, when Catherine admits to the murder of her best friend, this book had me gripped. Catherine then goes on to explain the events that led up to her murdering her friend and these chapters alternate with those of her uncle who tells his story of life during the war in German occupied Guernsey.
I felt that Catherine’s voice rang very true throughout the novel. A highly intelligent yet lonely and naïve teenager. Much of what she said was simply repeating the mantra of her recently deceased father, a local historian who wanted the locals to acknowledge what went on during the German occupation.
As the novel progressed the two stories alternated with parallel themes. Catherine’s loneliness and dismay at being ostracised by her friends felt very real and echoed her uncle’s feelings at trying to convince the islanders that his family were not collaborators.
We learn from the past and it helps us to shape the future. However the message from this book is that we don’t always want to acknowledge the recent past. For the islanders the German occupation was something they preferred not to talk about. Friends, families and neighbours were pitted against one another and years later the truth behind some events is still not known.
A great insight into a little known period of history, recommended reading for anyone who enjoyed “The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society”.
September 1, 2011
There was an interesting parallel between the lives of Charlie Rozier, a young Guernsey boy during the German occupation in WWII and Cat Rozier, his 15 year old niece figuring out her way through high school in 1985 Guernsey. I liked the way the author alternated the perspectives chapter by chapter, and was looking for the connected moments between Charlie's and Cat's experiences. Cat had an interesting voice and view during her rough time at school. One of my take aways is that the "mean girl" cliques in high school can be compared to Nazis. But that might just be me. Cat is dealing with the loss of her father and the knowledge she gains about her family through her father's extensive research and writing on the occupation of Guernsey. Their family suffered and he was trying to find the truth. The entire book is based on lies and they way they can affect us and shape us, even generations later. Oh, and did I mention that Cat killed the mean girl? It's no spoiler. The book starts out with that information.
Quote: I was becoming the weirdo everyone said I was. And why did Nic matter so much? She didn't care about me, so why did I let her hurt me? It's a question I still can't answer.
Maybe I need THE WISDOM OF HINDSIGHT. (p. 197)
Quote: I was becoming the weirdo everyone said I was. And why did Nic matter so much? She didn't care about me, so why did I let her hurt me? It's a question I still can't answer.
Maybe I need THE WISDOM OF HINDSIGHT. (p. 197)
September 22, 2011
This is barely a three star book. The author weaves a tale of a teenager who accidently murders her ex-best friend, now enemy AND the story of her father's account of her uncle who was sent to a German work camp in WWII. The jumping between stories was confusing for awhile but I eventually got the rythm of it and its purpose. I read this book as an e-book which led to some confusion for me. Throughout the book there were "foot notes" where if you clicked on them you went to the individual foot note. I eventually stopped doing this because I couldn't figure out how to jump immediately back to my place in the book. Then I thought I was about 100 pages from the end of the book when the book suddenly ended, the reason being the last 100 pages were the footnotes, a page for each foot note. I wasn't really ready for the end, especially since in the last couple of pages the author introduced a whole new story line and I was left wondering what was in store for the main character. Probably if I had realized I was nearing the end of the book the ending would have worked for me, instead I was just trying to figure out if my e-book was damaged.
February 23, 2012
We learn from the very beginning that our narrator, Catherine, has killed someone, her former friend, Nicolette. Catherine leads us through the twists and turns that have resulted in Nic's death in this fascinating and slightly morbid first-hand account of her life as an adolescent girl on Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands between the UK and France.
Sprinkled between Catherine's narrative is the story of Guernsey's history during World War II, when it was occupied by the Nazis. This secondary tale is told largely in the voice of Catherine's uncle but also through her father's eyes, and Catherine's family's past history ties, although, quite honestly, only rather tangentially, into Catherine's contemporary circumstances.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this novel. It was a very quick read that easily held my attention throughout. The author, Mary Horlock, does an exceptional job of giving an authentic voice--a voice oftentimes petty and mean but also brave and curious and even frightened--to her protagonist. This is a great novel of of adolescent angst and emotion.
Sprinkled between Catherine's narrative is the story of Guernsey's history during World War II, when it was occupied by the Nazis. This secondary tale is told largely in the voice of Catherine's uncle but also through her father's eyes, and Catherine's family's past history ties, although, quite honestly, only rather tangentially, into Catherine's contemporary circumstances.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this novel. It was a very quick read that easily held my attention throughout. The author, Mary Horlock, does an exceptional job of giving an authentic voice--a voice oftentimes petty and mean but also brave and curious and even frightened--to her protagonist. This is a great novel of of adolescent angst and emotion.
October 5, 2013
I could not get into this one. Admittedly, I read it while traveling (and maintaining crazy work hours) but I did not care for it. The beginning starts strong the main character’s voice is distinct and hilarious, and completely believable for a fifteen year old. Despite the fact she killed someone (not a spoiler), Cat is funny and ironic and there were many chuckles and smirks to be had.
Interestingly, a large chunk of this novel involves Cat reading letters written by her father (transcriptions of her uncle’s exploits), which is normally a hook I enjoy. However I could not stand the flashbacks for some reason, even though it involves Nazis and Guernsey, both interesting topics (I used to travel to Guernsey for work and am fascinated by the island’s history as well as its present-day dynamics).
Somehow the plot didn’t hold together for me, though I must say Cat’s complaints about small island life are hilarious. Very well written but a plot that left something to be desired.
Interestingly, a large chunk of this novel involves Cat reading letters written by her father (transcriptions of her uncle’s exploits), which is normally a hook I enjoy. However I could not stand the flashbacks for some reason, even though it involves Nazis and Guernsey, both interesting topics (I used to travel to Guernsey for work and am fascinated by the island’s history as well as its present-day dynamics).
Somehow the plot didn’t hold together for me, though I must say Cat’s complaints about small island life are hilarious. Very well written but a plot that left something to be desired.
August 14, 2011
Two parallel stories of a young girl who is mad at her best friend, and her grandfather and whether or not he was a traitor. Everything is set on Guernsey, which was occupied by the Nazis during WW2. Some of the novel is told through transcriptions and diary entries, but is easy to read and has a lot of historical footnotes. (I'm not sure how accurate they are, or if they are merely the main character's notes to herself).
It did drag on a bit, and I think some of the characters could have been developed more, because at times I was more interested in them than in the main story. I also didn't like the ending, but don't want to spoil it by discussing it here.
"I liked the idea of living on an island. Personally, I think it's good to be a little bit cut off from things."
It did drag on a bit, and I think some of the characters could have been developed more, because at times I was more interested in them than in the main story. I also didn't like the ending, but don't want to spoil it by discussing it here.
"I liked the idea of living on an island. Personally, I think it's good to be a little bit cut off from things."
November 28, 2011
This narrator is wonderful. With such gems as "I won't go into the details of how I know this, but I won the Inter-Island Junior Mastermind so, trust me, I'm rarely wrong"; " I was doing the world (or Guernsey) a favor . . . What I did was not an Abomination (excellent word)"; and " I'd only ever heard of whores in the Bible and Jackie Collins, so I got a bit excited" I got sucked in immediately and tore through the first 100 pages or so. I lost a bit of interest, though, as the timeline got somewhat confusing and I started to wonder exactly what the point was. Clearly, this is about the greater themes history and truth, but I kept waiting for something more to happen in terms of plot and I wasn't a huge fan of the ending.
June 24, 2011
Definitely a good summer read ...and recommended for anyone looking for their next beach book. Parallel family secrets on the odd Channel Island of Guernsey weave together a teenage Mean Girls-type tale (only far more sinister) with a tragic World War Two story. The teenage parts maintains a lighter tone and I quite enjoyed the narrator's voice, her amusing footnotes and even her very teen misuse of phrases like "as per" and "vis-a-vis".
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