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Lie With Me: A Novel
Kindle Edition
Published April 30, 2019
70 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Philippe Besson
58 books1,347 followersIn 1999, Besson, who was a jurist at that time, was inspired to write his first novel, In the Absence of Men, while reading some accounts of ex-servicemen of the First World War. The novel won the Emmanuel-Roblès prize.
L'Arrière-saison, published in 2002, won the Grand Prix RTL-Lire 2003. Un garçon d'Italie was nominated for the Goncourt and the Médicis prizes.
Seeing that his works aroused so much interest, Philippe Besson then decided to dedicate himself exclusively to his writing.
L'Arrière-saison, published in 2002, won the Grand Prix RTL-Lire 2003. Un garçon d'Italie was nominated for the Goncourt and the Médicis prizes.
Seeing that his works aroused so much interest, Philippe Besson then decided to dedicate himself exclusively to his writing.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 24, 2026
“I just wanted to write to tell you that I have been happy during these months together, that I have never been so happy, and that I already know I will never be so happy again.”
this is a queer classic in every sense of the word and I finally got around to reading it and man I was blown away. Harrowing for the times of being queer in the 80’s and NOT having the courage to say the things in your heart. A very troubled story of how shame and “closetedness” can eat away at you. There’s a French film that accompany the book and I watched it and completely sobbed. Read this book and watch the movie you won’t regret it!
I’ll be thinking about this one for awhile.
“I think of all the men I met in bookstores, men who confided in me about having lied for years and years, before finally resolving to leave everything to start all over again (they will recognize themselves if they read these lines). Thomas never found their courage.”
this is a queer classic in every sense of the word and I finally got around to reading it and man I was blown away. Harrowing for the times of being queer in the 80’s and NOT having the courage to say the things in your heart. A very troubled story of how shame and “closetedness” can eat away at you. There’s a French film that accompany the book and I watched it and completely sobbed. Read this book and watch the movie you won’t regret it!
I’ll be thinking about this one for awhile.
“I think of all the men I met in bookstores, men who confided in me about having lied for years and years, before finally resolving to leave everything to start all over again (they will recognize themselves if they read these lines). Thomas never found their courage.”
January 16, 2026
What a book. This one will stay with me. It’s incredible how something so short can hold so much weight. Quietly powerful, deeply sad, and beautifully written. I didn’t expect it to hit me the way it did, but that last paragraph completely devastated me. A story that lingers long after finish it.
February 21, 2026
I have soooo many thoughts after finishing “Lie With Me.” It’s a devastating gut-punch. 💔 I wish that Thomas could see through his perceived inability to change. The story is also written in such poetic fashion; Besson’s use of language is beautiful and profound. I will be rereading this tome for inspiration for years to come. 📖
Here is a smattering of lines from the book that I love:
“I am acutely aware of the impossibility. Difficulty, you can cope with; you can deploy ruses, try to seduce. There is beauty in the hope of conquest. But impossibility, by nature, carries with it a sense of defeat.” 💔
“In later years, I will often write about the unthinkable, the element of unpredictability that determines outcomes. And game-changing encounters, the unexpected juxtapositions that can shift the course of a life.” 🫢
“I could be put off, but instead it moves me. Nothing touches me more than cracks in the armor and the person who reveals them.” ❤️🔥
“I will have to learn how to survive [the deaths of my friends from HIV/AIDS], and perhaps writing is a good means of survival. A way of not forgetting the ones who have disappeared, of continuing a dialogue.” 💔
“I wonder if it’s cold fathers who make the sensitive sons.” 💔 (I’m not sad to be sensitive; I just wish that my dad was more caring and gentle, along with all men.)
“I will discover that these books speak to me, and speak for me (and will become aware of the power of literary minimalism, the neutral voice that’s closer to reality).” 🤯
“I respect everyone’s freedom too much (probably because I can’t bear to have mine undermined).” 👏
“(And when you’ve been hurt once, you’re afraid to try again later, in dread of enduring the same pain. You avoid getting hurt in an attempt to avoid suffering: for years, this principle will serve as my holy sacrament. So many lost years.)” 😔💔
“Today, when I meet children on this beach, when I see them running in the dunes, or lying on the hot stone wall that was once a levee, I remember that I was like them once, with their incredible lightness and insouciance, soaking in the sun. You can never really let go of your childhood. Especially when it was happy.” ❤️🩹
“Have you noticed how the most beautiful landscapes lose their brilliance as soon as our thoughts prevent us from seeing them properly?”
“Living by her side was like living in a fairy tale because she had these moments of pure poetry—she invented whole worlds.” 💙
“He asks if I have a title yet, because they are important, titles.” (Are they? 🤔 They kind of just feel pretentious to me…)
“And I feel a profound loneliness, the kind you feel when you are alone in the beating heart of a crowd.”
“It’s the most simple words that destroy us.” 💔
“You get used to everything, even the defection of those you thought you were bound to forever.” 😰
This book clearly stirs up some ✨feelings✨ for me.
Here is a smattering of lines from the book that I love:
“I am acutely aware of the impossibility. Difficulty, you can cope with; you can deploy ruses, try to seduce. There is beauty in the hope of conquest. But impossibility, by nature, carries with it a sense of defeat.” 💔
“In later years, I will often write about the unthinkable, the element of unpredictability that determines outcomes. And game-changing encounters, the unexpected juxtapositions that can shift the course of a life.” 🫢
“I could be put off, but instead it moves me. Nothing touches me more than cracks in the armor and the person who reveals them.” ❤️🔥
“I will have to learn how to survive [the deaths of my friends from HIV/AIDS], and perhaps writing is a good means of survival. A way of not forgetting the ones who have disappeared, of continuing a dialogue.” 💔
“I wonder if it’s cold fathers who make the sensitive sons.” 💔 (I’m not sad to be sensitive; I just wish that my dad was more caring and gentle, along with all men.)
“I will discover that these books speak to me, and speak for me (and will become aware of the power of literary minimalism, the neutral voice that’s closer to reality).” 🤯
“I respect everyone’s freedom too much (probably because I can’t bear to have mine undermined).” 👏
“(And when you’ve been hurt once, you’re afraid to try again later, in dread of enduring the same pain. You avoid getting hurt in an attempt to avoid suffering: for years, this principle will serve as my holy sacrament. So many lost years.)” 😔💔
“Today, when I meet children on this beach, when I see them running in the dunes, or lying on the hot stone wall that was once a levee, I remember that I was like them once, with their incredible lightness and insouciance, soaking in the sun. You can never really let go of your childhood. Especially when it was happy.” ❤️🩹
“Have you noticed how the most beautiful landscapes lose their brilliance as soon as our thoughts prevent us from seeing them properly?”
“Living by her side was like living in a fairy tale because she had these moments of pure poetry—she invented whole worlds.” 💙
“He asks if I have a title yet, because they are important, titles.” (Are they? 🤔 They kind of just feel pretentious to me…)
“And I feel a profound loneliness, the kind you feel when you are alone in the beating heart of a crowd.”
“It’s the most simple words that destroy us.” 💔
“You get used to everything, even the defection of those you thought you were bound to forever.” 😰
This book clearly stirs up some ✨feelings✨ for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2026
Tragic love story 💔 the ending got me.
January 19, 2026
brutal……
January 8, 2026
Speechless. This book was so beautiful, haunting, devastating… favorite read in a long time.
February 26, 2026
4.25/5 ⭐️
This was a really well written story of a young, queer love that ended in tragedy. I was very invested during the last half, finishing it in one hour. Overall, I enjoyed it but I wasn’t overly attached to the characters. Still, I can very much appreciate it for what it is.
This was a really well written story of a young, queer love that ended in tragedy. I was very invested during the last half, finishing it in one hour. Overall, I enjoyed it but I wasn’t overly attached to the characters. Still, I can very much appreciate it for what it is.
March 2, 2026
Wow. I just read my book of the year and it is March 1st.
February 2, 2026
Best thing I've read in years
I read a lot and cannot believe that I missed this For 5 years. If you want to understand the true Damage that Homophobia Has caused in western culture, This is a must. And the translation is perfect!
I read a lot and cannot believe that I missed this For 5 years. If you want to understand the true Damage that Homophobia Has caused in western culture, This is a must. And the translation is perfect!
February 25, 2026
⭐️ 5/5
🌶️ 0.25/5 (sexual situations are mentioned but are non-explicit)
Page count: 152
This story is told in first person, and follows the relationship between Philippe and Thomas Andrieu.
It’s been days since I read this novel and I’m still not entirely sure how to write a review about it. The writing is gorgeous and (I assume) beautifully translated from French by Molly Ringwald. This story is part memoir and part fiction, blurring the lines between a real and very meaningful experience in the author’s life and his fictional embellishments. The story explores first love and deep desire, the intensity of longing, and the lasting impact people and experiences can have on your life. I loved it because it made me feel, and I hated it because it left me devastated.
🌶️ 0.25/5 (sexual situations are mentioned but are non-explicit)
Page count: 152
This story is told in first person, and follows the relationship between Philippe and Thomas Andrieu.
It’s been days since I read this novel and I’m still not entirely sure how to write a review about it. The writing is gorgeous and (I assume) beautifully translated from French by Molly Ringwald. This story is part memoir and part fiction, blurring the lines between a real and very meaningful experience in the author’s life and his fictional embellishments. The story explores first love and deep desire, the intensity of longing, and the lasting impact people and experiences can have on your life. I loved it because it made me feel, and I hated it because it left me devastated.
March 9, 2026
This book shows how experiences when you’re young can stay with you forever and affect you in ways that you wont be able to let go. Regrets and missed opportunities. Afraid of being honest with yourself can hurt you and those you string along. I will be thinking about this one for a long time.
January 16, 2026
yeah the ending crushed ME.. I did not expect it to go like THAT
January 19, 2026
Devastating. So naturally, I really liked it.
January 27, 2026
one of the most heartbreaking books i've read
February 22, 2026
4.3⭐️ from bookclub 1432
February 26, 2026
What a beautifully written book.
February 17, 2026
I thought this book had a really good plot. I enjoyed how there wasn’t a happy ending, yet there was closure. I found it hard to imagine that Thomas actually loved Philippe until his letter and felt it was always a one-sided love. Would have loved to see more yearning from either party. Overall, I think it paints a really nice picture of the complexity of a secret relationship and how it can destroy both sides of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews