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Liar's Dice
An astonishing debut about a teenage girl in 1970s Brazil who is torn away from her twin sister—and who must learn what it means to fight for those she loves when all the odds are stacked against her.
Dolores and Mita grow up in rural Brazil, identical and inseparable. But Mita develops a mysterious illness that challenges the family. One day, Dolores wakes up to find her sister gone—sent to a hospital in their father’s native London. There is no Dolores without Mita. And now Mita is gone.
When the family moves to Rio, Dolores’ parents act as if Mita never existed. Lonely and grief-stricken, Dolores struggles to learn to read and write at the stodgy British School—until she meets Andrea, a headstrong, streetwise girl from the dangerous part of town. Andrea shows Dolores a new side of Rio—and how to survive it. As the dictatorship cracks down on dissenters, and people disappear, Dolores begins to wonder if her sister is dead, and her parents are lying. Determined to uncover the truth, Dolores is willing to do whatever it takes—lie, gamble and steal—to get her sister back.
Liar’s Dice captures the precarious intensity of coming of age in a volatile time—when repression and silence are the fabric of everyday life—and the cost of family secrets. Heartrending and tender, Juliet Faithfull’s debut novel is a testament to the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.
Dolores and Mita grow up in rural Brazil, identical and inseparable. But Mita develops a mysterious illness that challenges the family. One day, Dolores wakes up to find her sister gone—sent to a hospital in their father’s native London. There is no Dolores without Mita. And now Mita is gone.
When the family moves to Rio, Dolores’ parents act as if Mita never existed. Lonely and grief-stricken, Dolores struggles to learn to read and write at the stodgy British School—until she meets Andrea, a headstrong, streetwise girl from the dangerous part of town. Andrea shows Dolores a new side of Rio—and how to survive it. As the dictatorship cracks down on dissenters, and people disappear, Dolores begins to wonder if her sister is dead, and her parents are lying. Determined to uncover the truth, Dolores is willing to do whatever it takes—lie, gamble and steal—to get her sister back.
Liar’s Dice captures the precarious intensity of coming of age in a volatile time—when repression and silence are the fabric of everyday life—and the cost of family secrets. Heartrending and tender, Juliet Faithfull’s debut novel is a testament to the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2026
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May 5, 2026
there is nobody like a sister
(thanks to the publisher for the arc)
(review to come)
(thanks to the publisher for the arc)
(review to come)
April 13, 2026
I loved this debut novel!
I went in blind, not knowing anything about it, really.
It’s a debut, coming of age story.
It’s about a family of four, the parents and twins Dolores and Mita…who live in Rio de Janeiro.
As they grow they see that Mita has some severe problems .. has these fits that cause damage to her body and brain… think, cerebral palsy. She must go to stay at a hospital in England where the father is from.
This story is about the close relationship to a twin and then having to deal with the separation of living without her and not really knowing what is happening to her.
We also see life in a dictatorship and meet some colorful characters.
It’s a very moving story.
After reading this I researched the author…who does have a disabled twin who actually died on the day this book was sold to the publisher😭
This is a new book under Jenna Bush Hagar imprint company.
Available April 28th
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I went in blind, not knowing anything about it, really.
It’s a debut, coming of age story.
It’s about a family of four, the parents and twins Dolores and Mita…who live in Rio de Janeiro.
As they grow they see that Mita has some severe problems .. has these fits that cause damage to her body and brain… think, cerebral palsy. She must go to stay at a hospital in England where the father is from.
This story is about the close relationship to a twin and then having to deal with the separation of living without her and not really knowing what is happening to her.
We also see life in a dictatorship and meet some colorful characters.
It’s a very moving story.
After reading this I researched the author…who does have a disabled twin who actually died on the day this book was sold to the publisher😭
This is a new book under Jenna Bush Hagar imprint company.
Available April 28th
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review!
October 28, 2025
Thank you to Random House for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Liar’s Dice by Juliet Faithfull is a story of a young girl in 1970s Brazil. Dolores, an identical twin, has a life in flux; she’s moved from a bucolic interior town to Rio, and her sister Mita had been committed to an institution an ocean away. This coming of age story follows Dolores as she desperately attempts to reconnect in any way with her missing sister and to acclimate to a new life.
The book manages in a short while yo explore a lot of really deep themes without feeling as if it has abandoned plot. The book centrally discusses feelings of loss and separation for family, childhood feelings of responsibility, and the way that there are often very few satisfying outcomes in disability care. The story also mentions the ideas of secrets, hidden feelings, and keeping up appearances. In all, I thought the author was very artful in blending purposeful themes and motifs with a naturalistic narrative.
I really loved the character of Dolores and felt like she was very well written. She’s loyal and stubborn, even to her own detriment. She’s very smart, even if her education trails behind her ability. She can be very understanding and forgiving of others, but has trouble understanding her own parents. I thought that she was particularly layered and also that she was relatively realistic. She’s twelve or thirteen during most of the book, and while she’s exposed to some adult situations, she often shows a naïveté and immaturity that states with the given age.
Faithfull does a great job of crafting a story that is heartbreaking but not maudlin. The characters are imperfect but relatable all at the same time. I would characterize the story as very tender, treating even less likable characters with moment of sensitivity. In literature it’s easy to attribute characters as “good” or “bad,” especially if they’re minor characters. Faithfull really artfully crafts a cast or characters with layers and shades of sympathy.
I really, really enjoyed this title. As a debut novel, Faithfull has showed off some impressive ability to navigate the literary fiction sphere. I personally will look forward to a second novel in the future. A 5/5 selection for me.
Liar’s Dice by Juliet Faithfull is a story of a young girl in 1970s Brazil. Dolores, an identical twin, has a life in flux; she’s moved from a bucolic interior town to Rio, and her sister Mita had been committed to an institution an ocean away. This coming of age story follows Dolores as she desperately attempts to reconnect in any way with her missing sister and to acclimate to a new life.
The book manages in a short while yo explore a lot of really deep themes without feeling as if it has abandoned plot. The book centrally discusses feelings of loss and separation for family, childhood feelings of responsibility, and the way that there are often very few satisfying outcomes in disability care. The story also mentions the ideas of secrets, hidden feelings, and keeping up appearances. In all, I thought the author was very artful in blending purposeful themes and motifs with a naturalistic narrative.
I really loved the character of Dolores and felt like she was very well written. She’s loyal and stubborn, even to her own detriment. She’s very smart, even if her education trails behind her ability. She can be very understanding and forgiving of others, but has trouble understanding her own parents. I thought that she was particularly layered and also that she was relatively realistic. She’s twelve or thirteen during most of the book, and while she’s exposed to some adult situations, she often shows a naïveté and immaturity that states with the given age.
Faithfull does a great job of crafting a story that is heartbreaking but not maudlin. The characters are imperfect but relatable all at the same time. I would characterize the story as very tender, treating even less likable characters with moment of sensitivity. In literature it’s easy to attribute characters as “good” or “bad,” especially if they’re minor characters. Faithfull really artfully crafts a cast or characters with layers and shades of sympathy.
I really, really enjoyed this title. As a debut novel, Faithfull has showed off some impressive ability to navigate the literary fiction sphere. I personally will look forward to a second novel in the future. A 5/5 selection for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a beautiful story of a young adolescent girl, Dolores, growing up in Brazil in the early 70s. She is an identical twin and her sister, Mita, suffers from cerebral palsy. Her mother, who is Brazilian, is overwhelmed and her father, who is English, is failing to cope. Her parents fail to understand the grief she is feeling (she is the "lucky" one) and do all the wrong things, though without ill intent. Dolores, feeling abandoned and guilty about her sister, finds another family and learns how to cope using her own talents and skills, including those she learned from her father's gambling. Early 70s Brazil is beautifully and unflinchingly depicted, with the rise of the dictatorship and the normalization of police torture and the minefields created by the early sexualization of girls and machismo culture. But the beauty of the country and the yearnings of its people are also well-depicted (her letter writing job was so fantastic). Dolores really fights to experience her own grief in her own way. I loved this story.
October 20, 2025
Heartbreaking and heartwarming read. Twin sisters born prematurely. One healthy (Dolores) the other frail, weakened with cerebral palsy and episodes of epilepsy (Mita). They grow as healthy children until around age 8 when Mita develops uncontrollable seizures that leave her impaired. All is tried but conditions worsen for Mita until she needs permanent placement for care. The family moves to Rio de Janerio for father’s job. Have your hanky ready for the fallout and healing. Good read. I was given an advanced reader copy of this book by NetGalley and I am freely sharing my review. #netgalley @netgalley #julietfaithfull @julietfaithfull #randomhousepublisher @randomhousepublisher
March 13, 2026
I picked up Liar’s Dice right after returning from a trip to Brazil, and it turned out to be the perfect book to stay immersed in the setting a little longer. Set between rural Brazil and Rio de Janeiro during a politically volatile time, this novel blends historical tension with an intimate story about sisterhood, identity, and family secrets.
The story follows Dolores and her identical twin sister, Mita, who grow up inseparable in rural Brazil. When Mita develops a mysterious illness and is suddenly sent to London for treatment, Dolores is left behind in confusion and grief. What makes the situation even more unsettling is that once the family relocates to Rio, her parents begin acting as if Mita never existed at all. The emotional weight of Dolores navigating life without her twin while questioning whether she is being lied to creates a haunting and compelling narrative.
Dolores’ friendship with Andrea introduces her to a very different side of Rio, one shaped by danger, rebellion, and the realities of living under a dictatorship where people disappear and silence becomes survival. As Dolores grows older, her determination to uncover the truth about her sister drives her to take risks she never imagined.
This novel is beautifully written, atmospheric, and emotionally powerful. The Brazilian setting feels vivid and alive, and the story captures both the beauty and the tension of the era. At its heart, Liar’s Dice is a moving exploration of grief, resilience, and the unbreakable bond between sisters.
A powerful debut and an easy 5-star read for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The story follows Dolores and her identical twin sister, Mita, who grow up inseparable in rural Brazil. When Mita develops a mysterious illness and is suddenly sent to London for treatment, Dolores is left behind in confusion and grief. What makes the situation even more unsettling is that once the family relocates to Rio, her parents begin acting as if Mita never existed at all. The emotional weight of Dolores navigating life without her twin while questioning whether she is being lied to creates a haunting and compelling narrative.
Dolores’ friendship with Andrea introduces her to a very different side of Rio, one shaped by danger, rebellion, and the realities of living under a dictatorship where people disappear and silence becomes survival. As Dolores grows older, her determination to uncover the truth about her sister drives her to take risks she never imagined.
This novel is beautifully written, atmospheric, and emotionally powerful. The Brazilian setting feels vivid and alive, and the story captures both the beauty and the tension of the era. At its heart, Liar’s Dice is a moving exploration of grief, resilience, and the unbreakable bond between sisters.
A powerful debut and an easy 5-star read for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 26, 2026
Liars Dice is a somber coming of age novel set against the backdrop of the tumultuous 1970’s in Brazil. It’s a story of sisterhood, grief, friendship, and holding onto hope. The story is told from the perspective of 12 year old Dolores as she moves from rural Brazil to Rio with her parents. She grapples with the challenge of being illiterate at a new school while also feeling unmoored without her disabled twin sister, who was secreted away to a specialty hospital in London. Along the way, Dolores befriends feisty Andrea who shows her another side of Brazil and helps her to believe in hope again.
I really appreciate how this novel pushed me outside of my reading comfort zone. The story challenged me to empathize with an increasingly desperate tween who is growing up in a time and place that I knew nothing about. It’s emotional and well written overall, but I thought the parallel between the Brazilian people’s hope for freedom from the dictatorship and Dolores’ hope to be reunited with her disabled twin was especially striking. Although this is a fiction novel, I read that the author drew on her own experience of having a disabled twin, and refers to this as a “love letter” to her sister. An interesting, well written, emotional debut that I won’t soon forget. 4/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
I really appreciate how this novel pushed me outside of my reading comfort zone. The story challenged me to empathize with an increasingly desperate tween who is growing up in a time and place that I knew nothing about. It’s emotional and well written overall, but I thought the parallel between the Brazilian people’s hope for freedom from the dictatorship and Dolores’ hope to be reunited with her disabled twin was especially striking. Although this is a fiction novel, I read that the author drew on her own experience of having a disabled twin, and refers to this as a “love letter” to her sister. An interesting, well written, emotional debut that I won’t soon forget. 4/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
April 6, 2026
(ARC) A stunner of a debut, just wow. Based on the author’s life, it’s about identical twin sisters growing up in rural Brazil, and what happens to the family after one twin falls gravely ill and is institutionalized.
Thank you Thousand Voices for the advanced copy!
Thank you Thousand Voices for the advanced copy!
March 19, 2026
“I am a watchful girl. I watched my parents for clues, and I always watched Mita for fits, but I didn’t watch close enough, because one day they took her away when I wasn’t looking and suddenly she was gone, and it was too late.”
Beautifully written story! Liar’s Dice is told from 12-year old Dolores’s POV. Her pain, confusion and anger were palpable. I liked Dolores, Andrea, Andrea’s “family” and Mr. “P”; they were all interesting and kindhearted characters. Dolores’ parents were contradictory from her telling, but I began to understand them as the story progressed.
Mita was central to the story and her circumstances are sad, though her spirit was determined and loving. Her connection with Dolores was so sweet; their separation heartrending.
I loved that the story was set in 1970’s Brazil! I soaked up every detail of life there—the good and the bad. Beautiful description by Dolores:
“The rocks of Arpoador glisten in the distance. Ipanema, Copacabana, Leme: one beach leading to the next, like a bracelet sparkling.”
There is a glossary at the end that I should have looked for sooner. Some words I figured out, but others were unclear. After reading through the glossary, I realized I had missed something and had to think back and put pieces together.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.
Beautifully written story! Liar’s Dice is told from 12-year old Dolores’s POV. Her pain, confusion and anger were palpable. I liked Dolores, Andrea, Andrea’s “family” and Mr. “P”; they were all interesting and kindhearted characters. Dolores’ parents were contradictory from her telling, but I began to understand them as the story progressed.
Mita was central to the story and her circumstances are sad, though her spirit was determined and loving. Her connection with Dolores was so sweet; their separation heartrending.
I loved that the story was set in 1970’s Brazil! I soaked up every detail of life there—the good and the bad. Beautiful description by Dolores:
“The rocks of Arpoador glisten in the distance. Ipanema, Copacabana, Leme: one beach leading to the next, like a bracelet sparkling.”
There is a glossary at the end that I should have looked for sooner. Some words I figured out, but others were unclear. After reading through the glossary, I realized I had missed something and had to think back and put pieces together.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.
March 15, 2026
Wow did I love this book. It’s one of those rare treasures that hit all the marks for me. Exceptionally well-written with beautifully flawed characters and a fascinating historic backdrop, I think I will be heartbroken over this story for awhile.
Liar’s Dice is the story of twin sisters Dolores and Mita growing up in 1970s Brazil where the political climate is marked by censorship and human rights violations. For the girls, the tragedy isn’t their country’s repression but the epileptic seizures Mita starts experiencing and their inevitable separation.
I found Dolores’ character to be so relatable. Faithfull portrayed all facets of her personality and thoughts so realistically. I loved hearing her selfish thoughts along with all of her good thoughts…the debate with herself over caring for her sister while wanting things for herself. I was very angry with their parents but as the story went on, I saw the complexity of caring for a disabled child and the impact their decisions had on their mental states.
With themes of Brazil’s political state, caring for a disabled child, sexual assault, being displaced, and literacy, there was a lot of heaviness in the story. Dolores’ found family and learning to read brought a lot of light and hope to the story.
I’m so glad Faithfull persevered in writing this novel.
I was invited by Penguin Random House to read an ARC of this novel via Netgalley.
Liar’s Dice is the story of twin sisters Dolores and Mita growing up in 1970s Brazil where the political climate is marked by censorship and human rights violations. For the girls, the tragedy isn’t their country’s repression but the epileptic seizures Mita starts experiencing and their inevitable separation.
I found Dolores’ character to be so relatable. Faithfull portrayed all facets of her personality and thoughts so realistically. I loved hearing her selfish thoughts along with all of her good thoughts…the debate with herself over caring for her sister while wanting things for herself. I was very angry with their parents but as the story went on, I saw the complexity of caring for a disabled child and the impact their decisions had on their mental states.
With themes of Brazil’s political state, caring for a disabled child, sexual assault, being displaced, and literacy, there was a lot of heaviness in the story. Dolores’ found family and learning to read brought a lot of light and hope to the story.
I’m so glad Faithfull persevered in writing this novel.
I was invited by Penguin Random House to read an ARC of this novel via Netgalley.
October 30, 2025
Dolores and Margarita (Mita) are twins, preteens growing up in Brazil with parents very concerned about fitting in socially and financially. The women in the family are illiterate but that is about to change for Dolores, whose need for reading and writing abilities are as great as her need to be reunited with her twin sister. Dolores must navigate the hallways of the British School in Rîo, the bars and clubs where she learns how to bluff and win at dice games by watching her father, and the seedier parts of the city where her new best friend (and her friend's mother and her friends) make a living. Where she finds love and guidance may surprise readers, and how each member of her family deals with feelings of guilt will elicit readers' compassion. I am grateful for Juliet Faithfull working so long to produce this lovely book and so glad she added the epilogue to give readers a bit of closure.
April 26, 2026
3.75/5 ⭐️
I saw the description for this story and it immediately piqued my curiosity. The fact that it takes place in Brazil only fueled that interest.
The writing was pretty good. The metaphors used for Dolores and Mita’s relationship do not come off as absurd. Every single setting in this story is described so vividly to the point where it feels like you have been there before. I must admit some of the pacing was wonky. The book tackles two timelines simultaneously. The first centers on Dolores’ past in Santanésia, which is the one Mita was a part of. The other covers her present life in Rio, which Mita is absent from. The switches between the past and present felt random. It took me a while getting used to the changes.
Dolores was a strong main character. It is not hard to feel for her. She finds it difficult to live her life while her twin deteriorates. Throughout the story, her biggest struggle is change. Dolores cannot accept Mita will never be the sister she once knew. Her parents act like Mita does not exist, and Dolores resents them for this. Her arc consists of not only learning how to live without Mita, but also doing so without her guilt weighing her down.
I was a bit shocked at seeing the r slur used multiple times. I guess it makes sense given the context of this story, but it still bothered me. It is why I cannot love this book, despite it having so many elements for a great story. Maybe I’m too sensitive, but I felt like I had to say this.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.
I saw the description for this story and it immediately piqued my curiosity. The fact that it takes place in Brazil only fueled that interest.
The writing was pretty good. The metaphors used for Dolores and Mita’s relationship do not come off as absurd. Every single setting in this story is described so vividly to the point where it feels like you have been there before. I must admit some of the pacing was wonky. The book tackles two timelines simultaneously. The first centers on Dolores’ past in Santanésia, which is the one Mita was a part of. The other covers her present life in Rio, which Mita is absent from. The switches between the past and present felt random. It took me a while getting used to the changes.
Dolores was a strong main character. It is not hard to feel for her. She finds it difficult to live her life while her twin deteriorates. Throughout the story, her biggest struggle is change. Dolores cannot accept Mita will never be the sister she once knew. Her parents act like Mita does not exist, and Dolores resents them for this. Her arc consists of not only learning how to live without Mita, but also doing so without her guilt weighing her down.
I was a bit shocked at seeing the r slur used multiple times. I guess it makes sense given the context of this story, but it still bothered me. It is why I cannot love this book, despite it having so many elements for a great story. Maybe I’m too sensitive, but I felt like I had to say this.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.
May 4, 2026
It took me a few days to write a review for this book because the story impacted me so much! I sympathized with Dolores so much while she was trying to find out what happened to her twin sister, Mita, while navigating life in a new city and school.
This was a wonderful debut novel where the author was able to combine so many themes: loyalty, family dynamics, found family...And the story never felt like it was losing its way. The backdrop of dictatorship made the story more complex (and infuriating), but again, the author was able to integrate this seamlessly into the story.
Read this!
Thank you to Penguin Random House and the author for providing a free copy of this book through NetGalley.
This was a wonderful debut novel where the author was able to combine so many themes: loyalty, family dynamics, found family...And the story never felt like it was losing its way. The backdrop of dictatorship made the story more complex (and infuriating), but again, the author was able to integrate this seamlessly into the story.
Read this!
Thank you to Penguin Random House and the author for providing a free copy of this book through NetGalley.
April 19, 2026
I had the chance to read an early copy of “Liar’s Dice” via NetGalley, and it left a deep impression. The novel follows a twin sister’s emotional journey as she seeks answers about her sibling, hidden away in another country. The family’s silence, guilt, and the protagonist’s determination create a heavy, yet beautifully written narrative. It’s a poignant, thought-provoking story that lingers with you long after you’ve turned the last page.
March 28, 2026
Thank you #randomhouse and #netgalley for providing me with the opportunity of an early read of Liar’s Dice. This book is a rare treasure! I will be thinking about Dolores and her identical twin Mita for awhile. Liar’s Dice is set in early 1970s Brazil under the shadow of the Christ the Redeemer statue. The author uses this imagery to contrast the sins of the country during this tumultuous time, the sins of the adults in this novel and the sins of Dolores’ parents. Dolores and Mira are two happy little girls with an amazing twin bond. When Mira suddenly stars having seizures and gets steadily worse she is taken away to live in a hospital in England. None of this is ever discussed with Dolores and suddenly it’s as if Mira never existed. Dolores feels anger, sadness, guilt, betrayal and isolation from almost every adult in her life. There are parts that are hard to read, but they portray the harsh times and culture of Rio during the early 70s, and I believe they are important to the novel. I loved this story!!! Please put it on your tbr! It will be one of my favorite reads of 2026!
March 10, 2026
For all of their young lives, Dolores and Mita have been alike, and not just because they're identical twins. They seem to be able to read each other's thoughts and even have a secret way of communicating. But then Mita begins having seizures and starts losing control of her body, leading to doctors' appointments and time spent in hospitals. And then one day she is gone -- much like many of those who speak out against the regime in early 1970s Brazil. Dolores is told that Mita has gone to live in a children's hospital in their father's native England, but she isn't so sure. Now she is alone at home and lonely at her new school, where she's struggling because she hasn't yet learned to read. But a new friend who, like Dolores, is a native Brazilian and isn't wealthy, and a caring teacher help her to find her way, and she becomes determined to earn enough money to fly to England and see for herself whether her twin is still alive.
Dolores is a sympathetic character, and I felt her sadness at the loss of her twin and her frustration with parents for their unwillingness to discuss her sister and moving on as if she never existed. I did find some of her activities in the seedier parts of Rio to be a bit hard to believe, but without much knowledge of Brazil in the 1970s, I can't say whether they were realistic or not. My biggest complaint in reading this novel is the amount of Portuguese used without a translation; it wasn't until I finished that I found a glossary in the back. Perhaps I would have enjoyed the book more if I had more background knowledge of the history of the setting, but all the same I admired Dolores's tenacity and loyalty to her sister.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in return for an honest review. This book will be published April 28, 2026.
Dolores is a sympathetic character, and I felt her sadness at the loss of her twin and her frustration with parents for their unwillingness to discuss her sister and moving on as if she never existed. I did find some of her activities in the seedier parts of Rio to be a bit hard to believe, but without much knowledge of Brazil in the 1970s, I can't say whether they were realistic or not. My biggest complaint in reading this novel is the amount of Portuguese used without a translation; it wasn't until I finished that I found a glossary in the back. Perhaps I would have enjoyed the book more if I had more background knowledge of the history of the setting, but all the same I admired Dolores's tenacity and loyalty to her sister.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in return for an honest review. This book will be published April 28, 2026.
February 10, 2026
The plot of this book is both haunting and beautiful. With the setting in Brazil during the 70s, I appreciated learning more about the political climate and culture of that time, including the persistent corruption and the anxiety felt with the disappearing of people. It did feel heavy at times, given the current situation in the US and various suicidal ideations.
Faithfull’s cast of characters are well-developed and diverse. A young girl, Dolores, is the main character and despite her many flaws, one could feel nothing but compassion for her. The story centers around her identical twin, Mita, who begins suffering epileptic seizures that become harder to manage. Their Brazilian mother and English father must make difficult choices concerning Mita’s continued care. Part of that journey leads them to a new city, Rio, where Dolores deals with these choices in a destructive manner.
Overall, the book is enjoyable. I did find it slow to start and occasionally, lacking in fluidity. I appreciated the diversity, as well as, the growth of Dolores (and her parents) even with some uncertainty regarding the future. 3.75 ⭐️
Thank-you very much to NetGalley, Random House Publishing and Juliet Faithfull for allowing me to read an advanced copy!
Faithfull’s cast of characters are well-developed and diverse. A young girl, Dolores, is the main character and despite her many flaws, one could feel nothing but compassion for her. The story centers around her identical twin, Mita, who begins suffering epileptic seizures that become harder to manage. Their Brazilian mother and English father must make difficult choices concerning Mita’s continued care. Part of that journey leads them to a new city, Rio, where Dolores deals with these choices in a destructive manner.
Overall, the book is enjoyable. I did find it slow to start and occasionally, lacking in fluidity. I appreciated the diversity, as well as, the growth of Dolores (and her parents) even with some uncertainty regarding the future. 3.75 ⭐️
Thank-you very much to NetGalley, Random House Publishing and Juliet Faithfull for allowing me to read an advanced copy!
May 7, 2026
Liar's Dice immersed me in a part of the world and time that I admittedly know little about. Set in the 1970s in Brasil, Dolores and her identical twin sister Mita are separated suddenly when their parents send Mita to a European hospital better equipped to handle Mita's deteriorating health. Dolores and her parents move to Rio, where Dolores is struggling to fit in at her new posh school until she meets a girl from the wrong side of town and is introduced to a new way of life. Simultaneously, Dolores will stop at nothing to to find a way back to her sister.
This is a beautiful but heart aching coming of age debut that will make you feel all the emotions Dolores is feeling. What really struck me was how personal the story felt, and it made more sense when I read that a lot of events in the book mirror the author's life. She is a twin and her sister was also disabled, sent away at a very young age, and like a ghost in their home - her presence felt but never spoken about. She wrote LIAR'S DICE over 20 years to honor her sister. I am so thankful that Juliet shared her and her sister's story through this work of fiction.
All in all this coming of age story taught me a lot and made me think about how true a sister's love is. At times it just left me wanting more, maybe because there was so much going on and I thought some parts could have used more defining. Maybe too surface level at times? Not quite sure, but this is still a story I'm glad I read. I've seen lots of rave reviews and I'm so glad this story is out in the world!! I gave it 3/5
This is a beautiful but heart aching coming of age debut that will make you feel all the emotions Dolores is feeling. What really struck me was how personal the story felt, and it made more sense when I read that a lot of events in the book mirror the author's life. She is a twin and her sister was also disabled, sent away at a very young age, and like a ghost in their home - her presence felt but never spoken about. She wrote LIAR'S DICE over 20 years to honor her sister. I am so thankful that Juliet shared her and her sister's story through this work of fiction.
All in all this coming of age story taught me a lot and made me think about how true a sister's love is. At times it just left me wanting more, maybe because there was so much going on and I thought some parts could have used more defining. Maybe too surface level at times? Not quite sure, but this is still a story I'm glad I read. I've seen lots of rave reviews and I'm so glad this story is out in the world!! I gave it 3/5
April 30, 2026
Liar’s Dice by Juliet Faithfull is a heartbreaking story of a set of twins, well, one really. One suffered brain damage at birth. It took several years for the symptoms to begin seriously with a seizure that left Mita with some outward injuries. Things got worse and all along and Delores was there for most of it. She had her own problems, though. They had come from a small village out in the Brazilian jungle. Her father white, her mother not. She couldn’t read or write. She had a teacher, Mr. P, who believed in her, and gave her help. Eventually she accepted it. She made friends. Meanwhile, Mita had been institutionalized. Then, in England. Delores was still in Brazil.
The story, while excellent, was so sad. People believe that kids don’t feel things the same way as adult. This story shows us they do and maybe more seriously, as there is a total lack of information. Decent read.
I was invited to read Liar’s Dice by Random House. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #RandomHouse #JulietFaithfull #LiarsDice
The story, while excellent, was so sad. People believe that kids don’t feel things the same way as adult. This story shows us they do and maybe more seriously, as there is a total lack of information. Decent read.
I was invited to read Liar’s Dice by Random House. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #RandomHouse #JulietFaithfull #LiarsDice
May 6, 2026
4.5 🌟
I loved this, and don’t let the bright and beautiful cover fool you, it was a darker slice of fiction. Set in Brazil over a few years, you jump between the family’s life in rural Brazil vs their more affluent life in Rio a few years later. As the coming of age story develops you have one of the twin sister’s physical health deteriorate which is what the entire book is built upon. The other, healthy twin, is expected to go on with her life without having closure or knowing what happened to her epileptic sister, who was placed in a facility back in their Father’s native England. She cannot let it go, and this is her journey to find answers and her sister.
This book tackles heavy subject matter. The dictatorship looms throughout, shaping much of the story but never spoon feeding that to the reader. Violence, oppression, censorship- all exist, along with love, art and the resilience of the people.
Thank you to NetGalley, Thousand Voices Media and Random House Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I loved this, and don’t let the bright and beautiful cover fool you, it was a darker slice of fiction. Set in Brazil over a few years, you jump between the family’s life in rural Brazil vs their more affluent life in Rio a few years later. As the coming of age story develops you have one of the twin sister’s physical health deteriorate which is what the entire book is built upon. The other, healthy twin, is expected to go on with her life without having closure or knowing what happened to her epileptic sister, who was placed in a facility back in their Father’s native England. She cannot let it go, and this is her journey to find answers and her sister.
This book tackles heavy subject matter. The dictatorship looms throughout, shaping much of the story but never spoon feeding that to the reader. Violence, oppression, censorship- all exist, along with love, art and the resilience of the people.
Thank you to NetGalley, Thousand Voices Media and Random House Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 21, 2026
3.5 stars!
A heartbreaking story that takes place in rural Brazil about a little girl named Dolores who gets separated from her twin sister, Margarita, because of Margarita’s cerebral palsy.
Things I loved about this book: immersion into Brazilian culture, seeing the effects of a politically charged time with British control in Rio, themes of classism and racism, and the tumultuous relationships within Dolores’ family.
Things I felt could have been executed better: pacing between the dual timelines, character development for the main characters, and a sense of purpose for the side characters.
Overall, the story and thematics were very touching. However, the book felt a bit choppy and I think I could’ve become more emotionally invested if both the plot and the characters were more smoothly fleshed out.
A heartbreaking story that takes place in rural Brazil about a little girl named Dolores who gets separated from her twin sister, Margarita, because of Margarita’s cerebral palsy.
Things I loved about this book: immersion into Brazilian culture, seeing the effects of a politically charged time with British control in Rio, themes of classism and racism, and the tumultuous relationships within Dolores’ family.
Things I felt could have been executed better: pacing between the dual timelines, character development for the main characters, and a sense of purpose for the side characters.
Overall, the story and thematics were very touching. However, the book felt a bit choppy and I think I could’ve become more emotionally invested if both the plot and the characters were more smoothly fleshed out.
May 4, 2026
I really enjoyed this one!
A dual timeline about twins sisters Mita and Dolores. It follows their lives in rural Santanesia Brazil when Mita falls ill to present day Rio - with Mita having since been institutionalized. The book follows Dolores as she navigates the loss and her new surroundings. Somewhat of a coming-of-age novel, Dolores feels all of the adults in her life are lying to her and so she decides to uncover the truth about her sister.
I loved the sense of place - Brazil feels like its own character. I loved Dolores’s determination and persistence, not only in trying to solve the mystery of Mita, but in her learning to read and write.
There are some unsavory bits about the underbelly of Rio, but in my opinion they were not added in in a way that detracted from the beautiful writing.
Thank you so much to Erica Hernandez at Random House for the advanced digital copy. I liked it so much I purchased a shelf trophy! Liar’s Dice was released last week!
A dual timeline about twins sisters Mita and Dolores. It follows their lives in rural Santanesia Brazil when Mita falls ill to present day Rio - with Mita having since been institutionalized. The book follows Dolores as she navigates the loss and her new surroundings. Somewhat of a coming-of-age novel, Dolores feels all of the adults in her life are lying to her and so she decides to uncover the truth about her sister.
I loved the sense of place - Brazil feels like its own character. I loved Dolores’s determination and persistence, not only in trying to solve the mystery of Mita, but in her learning to read and write.
There are some unsavory bits about the underbelly of Rio, but in my opinion they were not added in in a way that detracted from the beautiful writing.
Thank you so much to Erica Hernandez at Random House for the advanced digital copy. I liked it so much I purchased a shelf trophy! Liar’s Dice was released last week!
March 23, 2026
I really enjoyed Liar's Dice, a powerful story about a girl trying to figure out her role in the world now that her twin sister has become disabled and hospitalized away from her family. The first half was hard for me to get into, but, by the second half, I was hooked. The author incorporated Portuguese language thoughtfully, providing a sense of culture without alienating readers, like me, who don't know the language. I connected with with the way the author captured the protagonist's complicated feelings of guilt and love. From the author's note at the end, it seems that the circumstances may have been autobiographical. I will look out for more work by this author!
Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book.
Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book.
March 28, 2026
thanks to netgalley, the publisher and girls write now for an advanced reader copy
May 1, 2026
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random Hall for an advance copy of this novel.
This is a sparkling debut for American-Brazilian-English author Juliet Faithfull. She acknowledges that it took her ten years to complete, but the many perspectives, characters and stories that meet and separate so beautifully are clearly the outcome of that commitment.
The major part of this story concerns twin girls, Dolores and Margarita (Mita) Hamilton, with Dolores as the narrator. Their father is an ambitious Englishman who emigrated to Brazil after the Second World War to participate in its new development. The nation suffered from exploitation by various imperial powers throughout the twentieth century. By the early 1960s, foreign, especially American, investment was raising hopes for progress.
Yet Brazilians were just as exploited by their own government, a fierce and corrupt dictatorship that permitted torture and police brutality against any individual or group found to have offended those in power. And this was a large, indefinite cluster targeting the usual scapegoats. Some were simply poor people protesting inequality and police oppression. Others were the ‘different,’ gays, transvestites, people with disabilities, mixed-race and Black Brazilians. Faithfull draws on her characters for believable, sensitive and inspiring examples from each group.
Dolores and Mita share the special closeness of twins, and perhaps the particular closeness of twins born prematurely to a young and uneducated mother. Andrew Hamilton married Isabela because she would make him a beautiful, capable and mostly subservient wife. The twins’ birth in the these primitive surroundings was difficult. Severely underweight and premature, they struggled to survive, especially the smaller one, Mita. Yet they developed at the same rate until they were about 7, when Mita began showing signs of birth injury in the form of worsening ‘fits’ requiring longer and longer stays in the more modern Rio hospital. Once their father obtained a transfer, the family moved to Rio. Not long afterwards, Isabela and Mita took a night flight to England, to a special residential school for mentally and physically challenged children. Dolores didn’t even know that she was going. Much in the manner that Brazilians desperately sought the return of the ‘disparacedos,’ the disappeared who were kidnapped and killed by the government, Dolores’ coming of age is marked by the search to reconnect with her ‘disappeared’ sister. Without Mita, she feels that she will also disappear. While enrolled at the ‘English’ school that she loathes, she finally breaks through the walls of her illiteracy. She learns to write solely with the intention of writing to her sister.
The author writes of horrible things with a compassion that makes clear that terrible conditions often necessitate terrible choices. Many of her characters are obliged to make such choices, or at least to rationalize, like the Hamiltons, that their choice was for everyone’s good. Because she deeply resents their choice, Dolores rationalizes that tormenting her parents, lying to them, engaging in risky behavior, are choices forced on her. Dolores’ only friend Andrea raised in a slum by prostitutes, challenges convention at all turns. And the poor prostitutes and other sex workers, such as the beautiful transvestite Sylvia, have to choose degrading and dangerous lifestyles because of the conditions they were born into. Or choose to starve.
Faithful writes poetically, even when many of her scenes are far from poetic. Her descriptions of local feasts, foods, taverns, adult games like the ‘Liar’s Dice’ that the twins’ father obsesses about, the beaches and neighborhoods are so evocative that even a reader who has never visited Brazil (me) will see, hear, and smell the places she captures. This is one of the best books I’ve read all year.
This is a sparkling debut for American-Brazilian-English author Juliet Faithfull. She acknowledges that it took her ten years to complete, but the many perspectives, characters and stories that meet and separate so beautifully are clearly the outcome of that commitment.
The major part of this story concerns twin girls, Dolores and Margarita (Mita) Hamilton, with Dolores as the narrator. Their father is an ambitious Englishman who emigrated to Brazil after the Second World War to participate in its new development. The nation suffered from exploitation by various imperial powers throughout the twentieth century. By the early 1960s, foreign, especially American, investment was raising hopes for progress.
Yet Brazilians were just as exploited by their own government, a fierce and corrupt dictatorship that permitted torture and police brutality against any individual or group found to have offended those in power. And this was a large, indefinite cluster targeting the usual scapegoats. Some were simply poor people protesting inequality and police oppression. Others were the ‘different,’ gays, transvestites, people with disabilities, mixed-race and Black Brazilians. Faithfull draws on her characters for believable, sensitive and inspiring examples from each group.
Dolores and Mita share the special closeness of twins, and perhaps the particular closeness of twins born prematurely to a young and uneducated mother. Andrew Hamilton married Isabela because she would make him a beautiful, capable and mostly subservient wife. The twins’ birth in the these primitive surroundings was difficult. Severely underweight and premature, they struggled to survive, especially the smaller one, Mita. Yet they developed at the same rate until they were about 7, when Mita began showing signs of birth injury in the form of worsening ‘fits’ requiring longer and longer stays in the more modern Rio hospital. Once their father obtained a transfer, the family moved to Rio. Not long afterwards, Isabela and Mita took a night flight to England, to a special residential school for mentally and physically challenged children. Dolores didn’t even know that she was going. Much in the manner that Brazilians desperately sought the return of the ‘disparacedos,’ the disappeared who were kidnapped and killed by the government, Dolores’ coming of age is marked by the search to reconnect with her ‘disappeared’ sister. Without Mita, she feels that she will also disappear. While enrolled at the ‘English’ school that she loathes, she finally breaks through the walls of her illiteracy. She learns to write solely with the intention of writing to her sister.
The author writes of horrible things with a compassion that makes clear that terrible conditions often necessitate terrible choices. Many of her characters are obliged to make such choices, or at least to rationalize, like the Hamiltons, that their choice was for everyone’s good. Because she deeply resents their choice, Dolores rationalizes that tormenting her parents, lying to them, engaging in risky behavior, are choices forced on her. Dolores’ only friend Andrea raised in a slum by prostitutes, challenges convention at all turns. And the poor prostitutes and other sex workers, such as the beautiful transvestite Sylvia, have to choose degrading and dangerous lifestyles because of the conditions they were born into. Or choose to starve.
Faithful writes poetically, even when many of her scenes are far from poetic. Her descriptions of local feasts, foods, taverns, adult games like the ‘Liar’s Dice’ that the twins’ father obsesses about, the beaches and neighborhoods are so evocative that even a reader who has never visited Brazil (me) will see, hear, and smell the places she captures. This is one of the best books I’ve read all year.
May 7, 2026
Once again, I entered a Goodreads Giveaway for a “literary” book, only to win it and find that it’s only “literary” in that it is not a genre book.
Don’t get me wrong: I found Liar’s Dice an entertaining read, but if it’s literary, it’s literary YA. After all, the protagonist is twelve years old. The book might seem a bit sophisticated for younger readers, since it’s set in Brazil in 1972 and sprinkled with a lot of Portuguese. I can understand that a gun-shy publisher might well fear book bans, since the novel includes a sympathetic transgender character, some sexual content, gambling, and quite a bit of alcohol use, including by youthful characters. But guess what? These days, plenty of YA books contain sex and drugs, and I think I can predict that, even if it’s not identified as YA, this novel is going to find its way onto the PEN and ALA lists of banned and challenged books, ANYway. That’s the world we live in. Juliet Faithfull, the author, seems to nod to that fact herself, as her novel includes a bookstore with a back room containing books forbidden by the government that tortures and “disappears” dissidents and other “undesirables” like trans people.
The book is YA because the emotional sophistication of Dolores Hamilton, the narrator-protagonist, matches her age. Appropriately, there’s dramatic irony, but no more so than in, say, the Harry Potter books, where a minimally astute young reader can recognize blind spots that the point of view character misses. The book lacks the adult sophistication of style or the retrospective analysis that one would expect of a literary book for adults.
But, okay, if I read the book as a young adult book, it’s a good story. The premise is that Dolores has recently moved to Rio de Janeiro with her parents, but, importantly, without her identical twin sister Marguerite (“Mita”), who has, we gradually learn, cerebral palsy and has suffered a series of severe seizures that have damaged her mentally and physically. Dolores fears that Mita is dead, because their parents refuse to provide information about her whereabouts. We follow the stages of Mita’s decline in chapters set in the past, beginning when the girls were eight, and the family lived in a village in Brazil’s “interior.” Oddly, the girls had no formal schooling, and because the mother is illiterate, they also got no home schooling, so Dolores shows up at the “English school” in Rio unable to read or write, and is accordingly treated by the other students as a “dunce.” While this seems a bit implausible, since the father is a successful business man and a bit of a snob, it means we get some effective scenes of Dolores learning the alphabet from a sympathetic teacher and then to read and write, her motivation being that she wants to be able to write letters to Mita: “All along, I’ve been thinking letters to Mita inside my head; now I can write them into words and sentences, and I feel a huge gladness inside of me, like a balloon in my lungs that might explode with happiness.” Another angle is that Dolores is one of only a small number of Brazilian students at her school, and she is befriended by one of the others, Andrea, the spunky daughter of a former school employee who is now surviving at least partly through prostitution. Through Andrea, Dolores is exposed to Rio’s impoverished and frequently dangerous underside.
I was fully persuaded and engaged by Dolores’s grief at being separated from her twin, especially in the face of the world’s most obtuse parents—they’re less plausible, as is a scene where people are canoeing upstream during a violent flood (having lived through Hurricane Helene, I REALLY don’t think so). But that one is a minor quibble. The generally straightforward style and constant events make for a very fast-paced, readable book. Just NOT a literary one.
But thank you to Penguin Random House for the ARC. Please consider marketing more accurately in the future.
Don’t get me wrong: I found Liar’s Dice an entertaining read, but if it’s literary, it’s literary YA. After all, the protagonist is twelve years old. The book might seem a bit sophisticated for younger readers, since it’s set in Brazil in 1972 and sprinkled with a lot of Portuguese. I can understand that a gun-shy publisher might well fear book bans, since the novel includes a sympathetic transgender character, some sexual content, gambling, and quite a bit of alcohol use, including by youthful characters. But guess what? These days, plenty of YA books contain sex and drugs, and I think I can predict that, even if it’s not identified as YA, this novel is going to find its way onto the PEN and ALA lists of banned and challenged books, ANYway. That’s the world we live in. Juliet Faithfull, the author, seems to nod to that fact herself, as her novel includes a bookstore with a back room containing books forbidden by the government that tortures and “disappears” dissidents and other “undesirables” like trans people.
The book is YA because the emotional sophistication of Dolores Hamilton, the narrator-protagonist, matches her age. Appropriately, there’s dramatic irony, but no more so than in, say, the Harry Potter books, where a minimally astute young reader can recognize blind spots that the point of view character misses. The book lacks the adult sophistication of style or the retrospective analysis that one would expect of a literary book for adults.
But, okay, if I read the book as a young adult book, it’s a good story. The premise is that Dolores has recently moved to Rio de Janeiro with her parents, but, importantly, without her identical twin sister Marguerite (“Mita”), who has, we gradually learn, cerebral palsy and has suffered a series of severe seizures that have damaged her mentally and physically. Dolores fears that Mita is dead, because their parents refuse to provide information about her whereabouts. We follow the stages of Mita’s decline in chapters set in the past, beginning when the girls were eight, and the family lived in a village in Brazil’s “interior.” Oddly, the girls had no formal schooling, and because the mother is illiterate, they also got no home schooling, so Dolores shows up at the “English school” in Rio unable to read or write, and is accordingly treated by the other students as a “dunce.” While this seems a bit implausible, since the father is a successful business man and a bit of a snob, it means we get some effective scenes of Dolores learning the alphabet from a sympathetic teacher and then to read and write, her motivation being that she wants to be able to write letters to Mita: “All along, I’ve been thinking letters to Mita inside my head; now I can write them into words and sentences, and I feel a huge gladness inside of me, like a balloon in my lungs that might explode with happiness.” Another angle is that Dolores is one of only a small number of Brazilian students at her school, and she is befriended by one of the others, Andrea, the spunky daughter of a former school employee who is now surviving at least partly through prostitution. Through Andrea, Dolores is exposed to Rio’s impoverished and frequently dangerous underside.
I was fully persuaded and engaged by Dolores’s grief at being separated from her twin, especially in the face of the world’s most obtuse parents—they’re less plausible, as is a scene where people are canoeing upstream during a violent flood (having lived through Hurricane Helene, I REALLY don’t think so). But that one is a minor quibble. The generally straightforward style and constant events make for a very fast-paced, readable book. Just NOT a literary one.
But thank you to Penguin Random House for the ARC. Please consider marketing more accurately in the future.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Liar’s Dice is a debut novel by Juliet Faithfull, published by Jenna Bush Hager’s new imprint, Thousand Voices. The backstory of the book gave me all the feels before I even opened the book. The story concerns a teenage girl whose twin sister has a neurological disorder (which sounds like cerebral palsy but is never specifically named). The fact that both Faithfull and Bush Hager are twins led to some special bonding between the two, and like the girl in the book, Faithfull also has a disabled sister who, sadly, died the same week that Thousand Voices agreed to publish the book.
Liar’s Dice takes place in Rio de Janeiro, where Dolores’ family has moved to hopefully have better access to medical care for twin sister Margarita (Mita). When the girls are 13, Mita disappears. Her family has sent her to London to a special medical care residence that deals with others like Mita. Dolores feels as though a part of her is torn away, and she begins planning and scheming to save up money to go to London. Dolores is illiterate, so one of her first tasks is learning to read and write, a struggle at first which turns into a deep joy for her. The book alternates between past and present, so we see Mita’s gradual deterioration and her family’s fruitless attempts to find a cure for her. In the present, we also meet Dolores’ best friend Angela, whose mother and their found family are sex workers, including a transgender woman. They expose Dolores to the seamy side of Rio, where poverty, drugs, prostitution and crime are part of everyday life. One of the most interesting aspects of the book for me is that Angela and her family don’t come off as criminals or outcasts. For Dolores, they are just people, living a life very different than hers, but not a shameful one.
All of this takes place within the context of the Brazilian military dictatorship of the early 70s, where people are disappeared or arrested and tortured regularly. We learn about customs and practices prevalent in Brazil at the time, including foods, music, holidays and other slices of life, often peppered with Portuguese phrases and idioms (a glossary is at the back of the book). This context is ever-present, but not overwhelming - we are viewing all of this through the eyes of a 13-year-old whose primary mission in life is her sister. The fact that it doesn’t make moral judgements or take political stances makes the background even more educational. Dolores doesn’t know about other ways of living, so she takes everything at face value.
A word about the title: since it is called Liar’s Dice I kept expecting people to lie to each other. In fact, Liar’s Dice refers to a betting game played by Dolores’ father in bars. Some players cheat by developing a system of subtle hand gestures to signal other players. Dolores also takes up the game at one point, and learns the hand signals which she then uses as her “twin language” with Mita.
I’ve written a long review here but there is so much to discuss in this book! I think it would be wonderful for book clubs, there’s much to discover and chew on. Many thanks to Thousand Voices (and yay that this imprint exists!) and NetGalley for exposing me to this book. All opinions are my own.
Liar’s Dice takes place in Rio de Janeiro, where Dolores’ family has moved to hopefully have better access to medical care for twin sister Margarita (Mita). When the girls are 13, Mita disappears. Her family has sent her to London to a special medical care residence that deals with others like Mita. Dolores feels as though a part of her is torn away, and she begins planning and scheming to save up money to go to London. Dolores is illiterate, so one of her first tasks is learning to read and write, a struggle at first which turns into a deep joy for her. The book alternates between past and present, so we see Mita’s gradual deterioration and her family’s fruitless attempts to find a cure for her. In the present, we also meet Dolores’ best friend Angela, whose mother and their found family are sex workers, including a transgender woman. They expose Dolores to the seamy side of Rio, where poverty, drugs, prostitution and crime are part of everyday life. One of the most interesting aspects of the book for me is that Angela and her family don’t come off as criminals or outcasts. For Dolores, they are just people, living a life very different than hers, but not a shameful one.
All of this takes place within the context of the Brazilian military dictatorship of the early 70s, where people are disappeared or arrested and tortured regularly. We learn about customs and practices prevalent in Brazil at the time, including foods, music, holidays and other slices of life, often peppered with Portuguese phrases and idioms (a glossary is at the back of the book). This context is ever-present, but not overwhelming - we are viewing all of this through the eyes of a 13-year-old whose primary mission in life is her sister. The fact that it doesn’t make moral judgements or take political stances makes the background even more educational. Dolores doesn’t know about other ways of living, so she takes everything at face value.
A word about the title: since it is called Liar’s Dice I kept expecting people to lie to each other. In fact, Liar’s Dice refers to a betting game played by Dolores’ father in bars. Some players cheat by developing a system of subtle hand gestures to signal other players. Dolores also takes up the game at one point, and learns the hand signals which she then uses as her “twin language” with Mita.
I’ve written a long review here but there is so much to discuss in this book! I think it would be wonderful for book clubs, there’s much to discover and chew on. Many thanks to Thousand Voices (and yay that this imprint exists!) and NetGalley for exposing me to this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Liar’s Dice opens like a quiet betrayal and then slowly tightens its grip until you realize you’ve been holding your breath for chapters, not pages. Random House, thank you to you and NetGalley for the gifted ARC.
This story doesn’t ease you in—it drops you straight into the emotional aftershock of loss and then just… lets it simmer. Dolores is the kind of main character who isn’t polished or easy to love at first glance. She’s stubborn, reactive, sometimes frustrating—but that’s exactly why she works. Because she feels real. When her twin sister Mita is suddenly sent away to London due to her worsening illness, it’s not just separation—it’s erasure. One day she exists, the next day she’s gone, and no one is allowed to talk about it. Imagine losing your other half and being told to just… move on. Yeah. That kind of emotional whiplash.
What hit me hardest is how deeply this book understands silence. The silence inside families, where love exists but communication doesn’t. The silence of a country under political repression, where people disappear and questions are dangerous. And right in the middle of that is Dolores, trying to make sense of a world that keeps shifting under her feet. Her anger toward her parents feels justified, even when it’s messy. Because from her perspective, they chose appearances, social climbing, and comfort over truth—and over Mita.
And then Andrea enters the picture, and suddenly the story expands. Through her, Dolores sees a completely different version of Rio—one that’s gritty, dangerous, and alive in a way her sheltered world isn’t. Their friendship adds texture and contrast, grounding Dolores in something raw and real. It also pushes her to grow, even when that growth comes through mistakes, risk, and choices that made me pause and go, “girl… what are we doing right now?”
“After a while you don’t smell the sewage; you get used to it. Maybe you can get used to anything in this life.”
That line lives rent-free in my head now because it perfectly captures the emotional core of this book. The way humans adapt. The way we normalize the unbearable just to survive. And the way Dolores, despite everything, keeps reaching—keeps trying to hold onto her sister, her identity, and some version of truth.
This isn’t a fast-paced, plot-heavy read. It’s a slow, emotional unraveling. The kind that lingers in quiet moments and sneaks up on you when you’re not expecting it. It’s for readers who don’t need everything tied up neatly, who appreciate flawed characters, and who want to feel something real—even if it hurts a little getting there.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Did this one feel like a slow emotional burn for you too, or did it hit you all at once like a wave you didn’t see coming?
#LiarsDice #RandomHouse #NetGalley #BookReview #HistoricalFiction #ComingOfAge #LiteraryFiction #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #ARCReview #BooksThatStayWithYou #EmotionalReads #SisterhoodStories #SlowBurnReads
This story doesn’t ease you in—it drops you straight into the emotional aftershock of loss and then just… lets it simmer. Dolores is the kind of main character who isn’t polished or easy to love at first glance. She’s stubborn, reactive, sometimes frustrating—but that’s exactly why she works. Because she feels real. When her twin sister Mita is suddenly sent away to London due to her worsening illness, it’s not just separation—it’s erasure. One day she exists, the next day she’s gone, and no one is allowed to talk about it. Imagine losing your other half and being told to just… move on. Yeah. That kind of emotional whiplash.
What hit me hardest is how deeply this book understands silence. The silence inside families, where love exists but communication doesn’t. The silence of a country under political repression, where people disappear and questions are dangerous. And right in the middle of that is Dolores, trying to make sense of a world that keeps shifting under her feet. Her anger toward her parents feels justified, even when it’s messy. Because from her perspective, they chose appearances, social climbing, and comfort over truth—and over Mita.
And then Andrea enters the picture, and suddenly the story expands. Through her, Dolores sees a completely different version of Rio—one that’s gritty, dangerous, and alive in a way her sheltered world isn’t. Their friendship adds texture and contrast, grounding Dolores in something raw and real. It also pushes her to grow, even when that growth comes through mistakes, risk, and choices that made me pause and go, “girl… what are we doing right now?”
“After a while you don’t smell the sewage; you get used to it. Maybe you can get used to anything in this life.”
That line lives rent-free in my head now because it perfectly captures the emotional core of this book. The way humans adapt. The way we normalize the unbearable just to survive. And the way Dolores, despite everything, keeps reaching—keeps trying to hold onto her sister, her identity, and some version of truth.
This isn’t a fast-paced, plot-heavy read. It’s a slow, emotional unraveling. The kind that lingers in quiet moments and sneaks up on you when you’re not expecting it. It’s for readers who don’t need everything tied up neatly, who appreciate flawed characters, and who want to feel something real—even if it hurts a little getting there.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Did this one feel like a slow emotional burn for you too, or did it hit you all at once like a wave you didn’t see coming?
#LiarsDice #RandomHouse #NetGalley #BookReview #HistoricalFiction #ComingOfAge #LiteraryFiction #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #ARCReview #BooksThatStayWithYou #EmotionalReads #SisterhoodStories #SlowBurnReads
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My rating: ★★★★☆ (4–4.5 stars)
sisters 🤝 separation 🤝 “we were one person… until we weren’t”
this book???
this is the kind of story that doesn’t scream it just slowly, quietly… ruins you.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
what i loved was absolutely THE TWIN DYNAMIC.
dolores and mita aren’t just close they’re inseparable. like their shared language, shared world and shared identity they exist as a unit… until they don’t. because when mita’s illness worsens and she’s suddenly sent away to another country??? without warning??? yeah that emotional rupture??DEVASTATING. and what makes it worse is that dolores doesn’t just lose her sister she loses the version of herself that existed with her.
this is very much about identity and grief without closure as well as loving someone you can’t reach anymore.
the setting + atmosphere 1970s brazil during a dictatorship??? adds this constant underlying tension.
it’s not always front and center but you feel it in the silence, the things people don’t say and the way families try to appear “fine” while everything is quietly falling apart.
the emotional core of what this book is REALLY about, what it means to be left behind, how families make impossible decisions and the quiet anger that comes with not being told the truth. dolores spends so much of the story trying to understand ''why wasn’t i enough to be told?'' and that question??? oh it lingers.
also… the title?? ''liar’s dice'' like the game it’s all about the bluffing, hiding truth and pretending you know what’s really happening and that metaphor?? it fits the story so well. because EVERYONE in this book is hiding something and protecting something or lying to survive
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
now what i didn’t fully like was that the pacing is slow and very introspective and the story is more emotional/literary than plot-driven, some sections feel distant rather than deeply immersive and if you’re expecting a big, dramatic payoff…this is more quiet devastation than explosive emotion.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
overall this felt like losing someone who’s still alive and growing up too fast because you have to
and learning that love doesn’t always mean staying, it’s soft it’s painful and it lingers.
So if you liked literary coming of age stories and complicated family dynamics or quiet, emotional books that sit with you…this will absolutely hurt (in a good way).
My final thoughts;
i came for the story about sisters…
i stayed because this book understands that sometimes the deepest losses aren’t deaths they’re separations 💔
Thank you NetGalley for providing me the ARC!
sisters 🤝 separation 🤝 “we were one person… until we weren’t”
this book???
this is the kind of story that doesn’t scream it just slowly, quietly… ruins you.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
what i loved was absolutely THE TWIN DYNAMIC.
dolores and mita aren’t just close they’re inseparable. like their shared language, shared world and shared identity they exist as a unit… until they don’t. because when mita’s illness worsens and she’s suddenly sent away to another country??? without warning??? yeah that emotional rupture??DEVASTATING. and what makes it worse is that dolores doesn’t just lose her sister she loses the version of herself that existed with her.
this is very much about identity and grief without closure as well as loving someone you can’t reach anymore.
the setting + atmosphere 1970s brazil during a dictatorship??? adds this constant underlying tension.
it’s not always front and center but you feel it in the silence, the things people don’t say and the way families try to appear “fine” while everything is quietly falling apart.
the emotional core of what this book is REALLY about, what it means to be left behind, how families make impossible decisions and the quiet anger that comes with not being told the truth. dolores spends so much of the story trying to understand ''why wasn’t i enough to be told?'' and that question??? oh it lingers.
also… the title?? ''liar’s dice'' like the game it’s all about the bluffing, hiding truth and pretending you know what’s really happening and that metaphor?? it fits the story so well. because EVERYONE in this book is hiding something and protecting something or lying to survive
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
now what i didn’t fully like was that the pacing is slow and very introspective and the story is more emotional/literary than plot-driven, some sections feel distant rather than deeply immersive and if you’re expecting a big, dramatic payoff…this is more quiet devastation than explosive emotion.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
overall this felt like losing someone who’s still alive and growing up too fast because you have to
and learning that love doesn’t always mean staying, it’s soft it’s painful and it lingers.
So if you liked literary coming of age stories and complicated family dynamics or quiet, emotional books that sit with you…this will absolutely hurt (in a good way).
My final thoughts;
i came for the story about sisters…
i stayed because this book understands that sometimes the deepest losses aren’t deaths they’re separations 💔
Thank you NetGalley for providing me the ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Real Rating: 3.5* of five
The Publisher Says: A heart-rending and hopeful debut about a teenage girl in 1970s Brazil who is unexpectedly torn away from her disabled twin sister—and who must learn what it means to fight for those we love when all the odds are stacked against us.
Everyone knows, but no one talks.
Identical twins Dolores and Mita grow up in lockstep in rural Brazil, speaking their own secret language, dancing together, inseparable even when they sleep. But at age seven, they discover that Mita has a degenerative condition—and Dolores does not. On the cusp of adolescence, Mita's illness becomes debilitating, and without telling Dolores, their parents send Mita across the Atlantic Ocean to a hospital in their father’s native London.
The rest of the family moves to Rio and begins to live a bourgeois lifestyle, but Dolores is miserable there. She misses her small-town and most especially her twin, who her parents seem to have forgot ever existed. And she has no way to contact Mita—particularly since, at twelve years old, Dolores still cannot read or write. She is desperate to speak to her again—and desperately alone and unhappy at her posh new school. But everything begins to change when she meets a brave, headstrong girl from the favelas who shows Dolores a new side of Rio, and how to survive it.
Tensions are on the rise with the dictatorial government cracking down on protesters and dissenters. Both at home and in the country at large, there are cover-ups at play—and Dolores pushes to find the truth about right and wrong, her lost sister and her place in life. In a setting where repression and silencing were part of everyday life, Liar’s Dice is about the secrets we hold, both personal and political, and the consequences of keeping them. Atmospheric and intimate, Juliet Faithfull's coming of age novel captures the intensity of forming your own identity, and the courage and love required to forge a different life.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Coming of age, authoritarian politics, intellectual disabilities, twinhood bonds, adolescent-female angst, dual timelines, disappearing siblings...holy crap, lady, pick two and master those before going wide! Debut novels get graded on a curve around here but wow is this ambitious story trying to do too much and not succeeding at most of it.
I feel sure the readers who enjoy coming-of-age stories with a political edge, and the readers who recently discovered Brazil's fascinating culture, will love this read.
Random House would like $13.99 for you to legally access an ebook. I myownself would point you to the library.
The Publisher Says: A heart-rending and hopeful debut about a teenage girl in 1970s Brazil who is unexpectedly torn away from her disabled twin sister—and who must learn what it means to fight for those we love when all the odds are stacked against us.
Everyone knows, but no one talks.
Identical twins Dolores and Mita grow up in lockstep in rural Brazil, speaking their own secret language, dancing together, inseparable even when they sleep. But at age seven, they discover that Mita has a degenerative condition—and Dolores does not. On the cusp of adolescence, Mita's illness becomes debilitating, and without telling Dolores, their parents send Mita across the Atlantic Ocean to a hospital in their father’s native London.
The rest of the family moves to Rio and begins to live a bourgeois lifestyle, but Dolores is miserable there. She misses her small-town and most especially her twin, who her parents seem to have forgot ever existed. And she has no way to contact Mita—particularly since, at twelve years old, Dolores still cannot read or write. She is desperate to speak to her again—and desperately alone and unhappy at her posh new school. But everything begins to change when she meets a brave, headstrong girl from the favelas who shows Dolores a new side of Rio, and how to survive it.
Tensions are on the rise with the dictatorial government cracking down on protesters and dissenters. Both at home and in the country at large, there are cover-ups at play—and Dolores pushes to find the truth about right and wrong, her lost sister and her place in life. In a setting where repression and silencing were part of everyday life, Liar’s Dice is about the secrets we hold, both personal and political, and the consequences of keeping them. Atmospheric and intimate, Juliet Faithfull's coming of age novel captures the intensity of forming your own identity, and the courage and love required to forge a different life.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Coming of age, authoritarian politics, intellectual disabilities, twinhood bonds, adolescent-female angst, dual timelines, disappearing siblings...holy crap, lady, pick two and master those before going wide! Debut novels get graded on a curve around here but wow is this ambitious story trying to do too much and not succeeding at most of it.
I feel sure the readers who enjoy coming-of-age stories with a political edge, and the readers who recently discovered Brazil's fascinating culture, will love this read.
Random House would like $13.99 for you to legally access an ebook. I myownself would point you to the library.
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