Little Liar

by Julia Gray

Nora has lied about many things. But has she told her most dangerous lie of all?

There’s a new art assistant at Nora’s school, and he’s crossed a line. Nora decides to teach him a lesson he won’t forget.
But not everything goes quite to plan, and Nora needs an escape. She befriends the rich and talented Bel, who longs for a part in a remake of a famous film. Bel is unpredictable, jealous and crazy, but she opens up a new world for Nora, and that makes her irresistible.
As events start to spin wildly out of control, Nora must decide where her loyalties lie – and what deceits she can get away with.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary

Paperback

Published June 7, 2018

About the author

Julia Gray is a writer and singer-songwriter. She studied Classics at UCL and has a diploma in Children's Literature and an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck, for which she received the Sophie Warne Fellowship. She has released three albums with the trip-hop/jazz collective Second Person, and more recently two solo albums, I Am Not The Night and Robber Bride.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantasist cum compulsive liar with intent, Nora Tobias does what she does maybe just to navigate the world. First person narrator Nora pulls the reader into her life recounting her lying ways from early childhood as well as her current evolving relationship with Bel. Bel is as compelling as Nora as she takes her late teen-dom to a possible place of self destruction! Two well written main characters whose lives intermingle to create this surprisingly intriguing young adult pseudo psychological thriller. A Three Star, 6 out of 12, everyone should give this writer a try.

[Kayla Silverss · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got sent this book in exchange for a honest review, all my opinions are my own and thank you so much to the publishers for sending me this book!

In this story, we follow Nora who is studying at an art school and it's all about her maturing into an adult and facing new experiences and new people.
She has to face new relationships with people who are very different from her and it was a really great story and perspective to follow.

My main problem with this book is that it was very basic and not the story but the writing itself. The writing was just so incredibly bland.
It reminded me of Narnia with the very childish writing like it started with "Hey I'm Nora, I go to art school. My Mother's name is Evie" or something along those lines.

It was a great story but it just wasn't fun to read, I felt like I was reading a five years old's personal story.

If you want to try this for yourself, this book will be hitting stores on June 7th!

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gripped me right from the very start. There was so much mystery, so much happening and a main character who couldn't be trusted, let alone believed. Little Liar was such a good story that was impossible to predict. I loved Nora so much, despite how much she lied and how awful she was to the people around her, there was something about her that made me want her to succeed. Despite being a terrible person, she was incredibly likable.

Bel also was a great character. She made me think a lot about the manic pixie dream girl trope and how there is a friendship version as well. Bel is beautiful and unpredictable and spontaneous. There are often books about quiet girls befriending girls like her and having their world changed around them. Of course it usually ends in tears.

Little Liar was no exception and I enjoyed the book right until the very end. I was very sorry to finish it and have no more to read. I'm really excited to explore other books by Julia Gray.

[Karen Barber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nora is a liar. She fabricates truths and surrounds herself with alternative versions of reality.
This in itself could just be a coping mechanism, a cry for help. But the lies become more and more preposterous, and I never really understood why she is so predisposed to lying.
Nora is not a particularly likeable character, but her attempts to manipulate those around her are chilling.
Not what I expected, but I’m intrigued by the wider appeal of this. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this prior to publication.

[maia! · Rating 2 out of 5]

page 175/376 | 47% (DNF)

i really loved the writing style of this author
however, the plot was decidedly underwhelming which is unfortunate because the premise was really exciting to me

[Kiera O'Brien · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a mostly fine, fairly enjoyable read—it does feel like it's taking a long time to get to its point, but that's about it—until the ending, which I'm going to spend the rest of this review talking about.

So, what the hell?! I feel like this book gaslit me. The whole build-up is Nora telling the reader what a terrible person she is, how she lies and manipulates people, and the awful things she did to Bel... but then it turns out Bel locked her on a boat in the Thames and set it on fire, and Nora... copied out Bel's exam timetable wrongly on purpose. Which Bel didn't even know about. Then at the end, Nora is still trying to be Bel's friend... Nora, get out of this toxic situation! I couldn't help but feel that Bel's crimes well outweighed Nora's, especially as Nora really only capitalised on situations where Bel had already screwed up—e.g., when she goes to the fancy Cannes dinner because Bel hasn't turned up. Nora didn't spike Bel's drink the night before, or abandon her somewhere without transport—Bel didn't get herself together enough to be there on time, through her own fault. The whole book is essentially telling you Nora is the villain, but having read the ending, the narration reads as if Nora is beating herself up for the actions of others—including the Jonah Trace storyline. He was a teacher in a position of responsibility, and had already tried it on with another schoolgirl—no matter what Nora did, he's still in the wrong (and her form tutor really shouldn't be accusing groomed teenage girls of being little liars). Anyway, unless I read the blurb wrongly and Bel is actually the Talented Mr Ripley figure (as well as being the most supremely annoying character since literature was invented) this was the opposite of what I was expecting.

[kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok another assigned book and let me tell you, this book is so dumb for a number of reasons

1. nora has no personality other than being a pathological liar
2. nora has mental problems in gen who lies about being groomed and sexually assualted by their teacher bc they were bored
3. the plot of it in itsels is basic "hi im nora i tell lies a bunch heres a few.."
4. its so insensitive about nora being friends with an alcoholic while her mum is recovering
5. evie deserved better in gen
6. darian & nora never got together
7. sarah cousins accuses nora of lying and never brings it up again
8. bel as a whole (def has mental problems)
9. nora all of a sudden wanting to go into showbiz nd risking her life for it
10. the fact anton used nora as bels babysitter (that girl deserved some cash)
11. WHY NORA IS STILL FRIENDS WITH ANNABEL
12. glossing over the fact bel tried to burn nora alive

dumb book with dumb plot and dumb characters but at least it was written somewhat decently

[Zenizole Gqada · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn’t like it. 1 star⭐️
The part about Mr Trace was interesting. I felt it was left hanging. I thought he was going to come back or something... Or maybe the form teacher would go beyond just calling her a liar.

I lost interest completely when she met Bell. Nothing about that girl made sense to me.

[Chocolaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't the kind of storyline I go for usually, and to be honest, I found the cover doesn't really fit the book, but what a read! I was completely hooked from the start, loved Nora's voice, and was wondering where it'd go all along. One of my best read recently!

[Ioanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nora has lied many times in her life before. She has three different versions of her father's death, and uses a different on depending on who asks. She lies for important and small things alike. But, what she hasn't realized, is that by constantly lying, you can easily lose your true self.

When her false accusations about an incident with an Arts assistant starts to break surface, Nora will need a friend. Bel, an eccentric, talented senior and aspiring actress is the ideal candidate. But as their friendship becomes closer, she realizes that Bel is a lot more dangerous than what she had thought. Can Nora find her way out of her own lies? Or is she going to weave herself an even more intricate web of lies? Could she be in actual danger?

Little Liar is a captivating story of a pathological liar in need of an escape. Perfectly narrated, it is an interesting book with a complex and intriguing heroine. Not stopping there, however, the author has created a second character as interesting as Nora: Bel is in the verge of falling apart, and the reader follows her way down, while at the same time wonders if Nora will be a savior to her, or if she is going to administer the final blow.

The heroine's complexity is, to me, the book's greatest asset. Here is a character you cannot call inherently good or bad. There are actions, well constructed reasons behind them, and unavoidable consequences after them. Is Nora a bad person? Is she good? That, even after having read the book, I cannot tell. And that's the beauty of the story: not everything is black or white. A lot of gray lines will guide you through a fascinating read.

Whatever you come to think of the heroine, what is sure is that Little Liar is a book to love.

[Chrissi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure whether I was going to enjoy this book or not. I’m always a bit dodgy about reading books about teachers being one myself. It does tend to feel a little uncomfortable. However, I thought I’d give Little Liar a go and I’m glad I did. It’s a story about deceit with an awful female character narrating the story. Despite her being such a liar, I did enjoy the story even if I didn’t enjoy her!

Little Liar is about a girl named Nora who is prone to lying. Nora finds it easy to lie. One day when the new art assistant at school dares to cross her, she decides to seek revenge , teach him a lesson and once again expand on the truth… The situation doesn’t end up like she intended though and she needs an escape from reality. Nora befriends Annabel (Bel). Bel introduces Nora to a new world of drama…which once again leads Nora’s life spiralling out of control.

This book is a decent read, despite me disliking the main character. I didn’t trust Nora much at all. All along Nora lied and you’re left wondering whether she was ever going to tell the truth. Don’t expect twists and turns in this book, because they’re not there. Yet something about it captivates you and keeps you turning the pages. It is quite a dark read, but there’s still something utterly readable about it.

I really enjoyed Julia Gray’s writing style, it was easy to read and I loved the setting of the school and Nora’s past in France. I’m all for reading more British Writers so it’s great to add another to my list!

[Katy Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unreliable narrator in a YA story about friendship, loyalty and truth.

3.5 stars. Sometimes 3, sometimes 4 stars. A YA look at a liar, which sometimes worked but the plots didn’t weave together consistently.

Nora has already lied - she admits it to us. She’s got an art teacher fired for an ‘inappropriate relationship’. We are almost her confession box, it appears she hides nothing from us.

Now she has a new passion though - Nora is cultivating a friendship with the slightly mysterious Bel, herself passionate about following in her dead mother’s acting footsteps.

From assisting Bel with her coming exams, we watch Nora become a vital friend and confidante. We wonder what she’s up to. Is there another motive behind her selflessness?

There are a few surprises along the way, though I was expecting much more from a known liar as a narrator. The conclusion did satisfy but there were many plot points I had questions about: I still didn’t really see the point of the relationship with her art teacher for example, what motivated Nora to act as she did really.

Some enjoyable teenage machinations, but not the best example of the untrustworthy narrator I’ve come across.

One for teenage readers who enjoy mysteries, twists and some background ideas on theatre and acting.

[Ellie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book, and for the majority I did. The first two parts were thrilling, and I thought that it would be building to a dramatic plot twist. Sadly, it just fizzled out. Not to mention the character of Bel was insufferable, especially when interacting with the main character Nora- who would then become equally as insufferable. The ending wasn’t that satisfactory either.
I was a fan of Gray’s writing however, she was very good at building suspense even if it amounted to nothing. I especially enjoyed the stories about Nora’s Dad, he was the most interesting character in the book despite being dead.

[becky higgins · Rating 2 out of 5]

‘This is no fairytale’

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, for me, is one of the most clever books of the teen fiction genre, because it avoids stereotypical story lines in favour of a more subtle and developed plot. It follows Nora, a teenage girl who manipulates those around her in cunning ploys to take revenge on those who displease her. A parody of the unreliable narrator, Nora is a compulsive liar. Although she says that 'this is a true story', there is a continual doubt over whether she is revealing everything as she knows it. As a reader, it forms a challenge: "How much do we believe?".
I love the way the time frame of the book jumps around, returning to a story and adding the details which were previously withdrawn, since 'my memories aren't arranged in such a linear way'. It gives the book the feel of a crime mystery, despite being told from the perspective of the culprit. The author manipulates the reader in a way which parallels the character's own tendencies, and for this reason I found the novel compulsive and instantly intriguing. The reader is taken on a carefully calculated journey, and unpredictable characters leave you continually surprised, never able to guess what will come next.
I admire Gray's use of imagery and vocabulary to embellish the writing, whilst keeping it engaging and not weighed down by overly symbolic passages: a rare and precious attribute for an author. I always think that believing the narrator's 'voice' is hugely important in a book told from the first person perspective. This is achieved successfully in Little Liar and the writing appears genuine throughout, because Nora is a character who is intelligent and talented enough that she could realistically produce this gripping, psychological thriller.
It is always a brave choice not to make the protagonist typically likeable, but it works completely in this case as it provides the unique perspective which makes the ordinary events comprising the book seem interesting.
As the story progressed, I found myself warming to Nora more and more. Though disturbing in her capacity to get what she wants, and frighteningly good at lying, once we learn of her childhood, the reader can start to understand the reasons behind her morally corrupt actions. Gray explores the theme of grief through the loss of Nora's father, and this conjures up sympathy for her which I was not expecting as I started the book. A difficult childhood is glossed over with the cynical eye, and there is no sense of self-pity, no indication that this forgives her actions. As I read, I felt an increasing sense of empathy with her; she shares her loneliness and begins to become more vulnerable. Her plans start to become flawed, and her facade of control wavers: it is at this point that guilt and worry begin to surface, and the underlying knowledge that what she is doing is wrong. In this way, we are introduced to the idea of morality, wherein Nora occupies a grey area between right and wrong. It is never clear whether she is the victim or the villain in each scenario.
This is particularly apparent in her relationship with Bel, a girl who Nora makes it her mission to befriend. She is initially desperate to please this irresistibly enchanting character, but the power dynamic shifts as each tries to claim dominance over the other, which made the friendship particularly interesting
In short, I adored this book, and would recommend it to anyone, bookworm or not, as I believe it can be universally enjoyable. I'd also encourage you to keep reading, and not give up because you find the first passages inaccessible. As I said, I warmed to Nora and when I began to empathise with her is where the book became more enjoyable for me.

[Daisy May Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia Gray is quietly producing some of the most complex and challenging books out there, and Little Liar is a spectacular addition to her canon. I'm fascinated, really, by books that do not do what you expect of them nor what you think they should, and this is one of those books that quietly and determinedly does what it has to do in its own way and pulls you in with every step it takes. I have time for books that do that, and I have such time for books that do it well.

Nora, the narrator, is a liar. She has told lies before, about many things, but one lie in particular starts to change everything. Like a pebble dropped in water, there are ripples and aftershocks that reach farther than Nora can imagine. Her new friendship with the rich, unpredictable and talented Bel is impacted; her world changes. And choices, inevitably, have to be made.

I devoured this. I'm not sure the ending quite delivered on what I wanted it to be, but then I'm not sure something like this can ever do what you want it to do because of the nature of the beast. I'm also not sure the title is the best one, and I have concerns about it being overshadowed by more visible titles. I say these sorts of things because the story here is so very good that I do not want that to happen. It's precise, pained, and beautifully crafted, and every now and then Gray has the skill to throw in a minute that makes you genuinely gasp. And I did, and can I tell you how rare that is? To physically pause and gape at a book and have that moment of full body reaction?

Little Liar is a complex book full of complex characters and it's often unattractive, dark and challenging. There's a level of bravery in that because nobody can easily, nor coherently, be rooted for and nobody gives you those (so often impossible or ripe with cliche) moments of fictional happiness. But then, do you have to root for somebody in a book? You can root, perhaps, for the way that a book makes you feel; the way it may bring you to the edge of your senses and block out the world beyond it; the way that you can't describe it in one sentence; or, perhaps, the way that you are genuinely part of this world and at a loss for what will happen next but knowing, knowing that you can't stop reading?

I can root for that.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy.

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I think that the version you gave me, of what you say happened, was untrue. Do I think you're blameless? No. Not in the slightest. In fact..."

At last she met my gaze, with Antarctic eyes that drilled without compassion into mine.

"I think you're a little liar," my form tutor said.

I was absolutely hooked by the first section!! The pacing was cracking, and I was drawn to the evasive and calculating Nora. However, the middle two sections slowed down quite a bit, and I honestly didn't get what Nora saw in Bel, or why she suddenly wanted her as a friend? Luckily, Nora was such a compelling character that this didn't matter too much, and I was keen to find out what happened at the end -- only to be slightly disappointed. Causing someone to miss their exam (which they CAN retake, pretty easily) is not on the same level as ATTEMPTED MURDER??? What the actual fuck. But I'm so glad Megan told Nora that she wasn't to blame for the Trace Incident, that Mr Trace had hit on Megan too and she didn't tell anyone because she was afraid she wouldn't be believed:

How often, I wondered, were true stories told and their tellers disbelieved?

"I should have said no too," I said. "But I wanted to punish him, I guess."

She hugged me, and it was a proper, no-nonsense hug. "Glad someone did."

Um HELL YEAH. Mr Trace was the adult in this situation, and it didn't sit right with me that Nora's form tutor was victim-blaming an underage girl.

[Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

To start this review, I must say that I am very hard to please when literature is concerned. I also want to add that I applied to read this book on a whim, having been interested by the cover. Reading the blurb for Little Liar, I didn’t even realise that Bel was a girl, and when I started reading, I had forgotten the blurb entirely.

I read this book in an entire afternoon, unable to stop. Little Liar is a mastery of the young adult genre, exploring many different themes over the course of its 384 pages. Gray’s sensory detail of Bel’s home, of France, of the simplicity of an art room make the book a delight to read.

The protagonist, Nora, is a liar. This is repeated to us over and over again, Nora schemes and deceives and makes up fantastical stories. And yet, you root for her as the main character. Not once did I ever stop and decide that she had gone too far, that the lies had stacked up against her. I genuinely wanted her to succeed, and I actually enjoyed the lies she told to get what she wanted.

One of my favourite things about the story is it’s setting. An English school, St Agatha’s, that feels like an English school. St Agatha’s is almost identical to the school that I was brought up in, right down to the strange friendships that happen between girls, pressed together with no space to breathe.

Read the rest of my review here (thereviewmeistersite.wordpress.com/20...)

[Isobel Ramsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

A psychological thriller about a self-confessed 'little liar' and her attempt to set the record straight about various lies she's told. There is a lot in Nora's story that makes you want to like and trust her but whether or not she has completely reformed and is telling us the whole truth about things complicates the narrative throughout.

Nora's story focuses on her friendship with the glamorous, eccentric Bel who takes an interest in Nora, despite their different ages and backgrounds, when they meet one day in the library. Bel has what Nora sees as 'raw talent', she is a natural performer on stage and in any social situation. Nora too is able to put on an act but only later in her story sees this ability in a positive light. She auditions for the school play and gets the part of Nora in 'The Doll's House' and starts to dream about becoming an actress.

To write much more would spoil the plot but Bel and Nora's friendship has many a twist and turn, exploring a darker side of female friendship in a perceptive and intriguing way. It is refreshing to read a book where the two main female protagonists are thoroughly flawed and where a feeling of unease lingers after the last page. Julia Gray also wrote songs to accompany the book. At some points the book lost momentum for me but the ending was brilliantly suspenseful and unnerving.

[katie tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting character and POV!! I liked how her mother and "aunt" was written. I also liked how we kinda knew why she lied in some cases (like her father's death). I was really hoping that she would have gotten together with Darian, although it would complicate her friendship with Bel. I hated the ending because it just showed me that both she and Bel were crazy and toxic but it's okay?? Like go off I guess #girlboss #gaslight #gatekeep The way this was written was a bit messy too, like some of Nora's thoughts were all over the place. Overall, this book is so so and it's not something I would recommend. Great use of words though and nice cover (the reason why I picked up this book :D)

Also!! I may not have read carefully, but what happened to the mother's ashes. Like if it is not in the urn, then where?? If it was not answered in the book, then I think that it should have been. Like is Bel's family hiding something too??

Btw this is one of the first few books I picked up since not reading in a while. I am not a avid reader so my rating may be a little...eh!

[Ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book. It gripped me from the very first page, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a good twisting storyline with an unpredictable ending.

The book is form the first person, our protagonist is Nora Tobias. She is a devious girl who spins stories and make up lots of lies, and can twist peoples lives around so she can watch them fail miserably. However with this all said you can’t help but to like Nora just by the way Julia Gray has written her.

She befriends Annabel (bel) and gets very close to her and begins to help bel to sort her life out and to stay out of mischief. Bel is also likes ruling and she threatens people if they don’t collaborate with her the way she wants. Together they are both toxic to each other yet they stay together

There is so many turns to this book that it will want you to keep turning onto the next page. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I give it five stars ⭐️

[Thomas Hale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gray is a musician I've loved for a long time, so when I heard she'd written a book (with an accompanying album!) I was really excited. The results are a little mixed, but mostly positive. Nora is a 17-year-old girl with a cool goth mum and a bohemian upgringing whose lies and exaggerations of the truth act as a defence mechanism to stop her dealing with the realities of life. She starts out getting an art teacher fired for their inappropriate relationship, and then infiltrates the life of one of the teacher's other victims, a troubled rich girl with similar parent-issues. What follows is a story of deception and misplaced trust that ends up in a pitched climax where characters are forced to confront uncomfortable truths. While I initially bounced off the prose style, Nora's voice grew on me, as did the larger-than-life but familiar characters that populate the book.

[Niki Deepak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. What a stunning book. The best part of this is undoubtedly Nora's narration. It's full of smart little observations and the kind of transparency that is uncommon but oh-so-good in a first person story. The story itself, it doesn't have many twists and turns like a regular thriller (i think this may count as a thriller) but the events unfold in a very natural way. It doesn't feel contrived at any point, even with the larger-than-life characters. The only thing I could possibly say in criticism of this is that I wish there were more main characters than just Nora and Bel. But what a glorious book!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an arc.

[Tanya · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was intrigued by this book as you're always taught that lying gets you nowhere and I couldn't wait to see what web of lies was built and how this unravels. However, in reality the plot focussed around a few central lies and more on the friendship between protagonist Nora and her dramatic friend Bel.

Nora's perspective on life wasn't hard to read but I just wasn't grabbed by this story. It just highlighted to me how toxic friendships can become when they are based on each person using the other and how hard you can work to keep a friendship going.
There are some unexpected turn of events throughout the book to keep it flowing but overall wouldn't read again, just not for me.

[Kiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a fearful premonition that this book won't quite get the attention it deserves because it doesn't meet the current trend for black and white morality I'm seeing resurging in YA where all female characters have to be woke beyond their years and ethically unimpeachable. This is a dark little book and my only real criticism is based on a personal preference. I would have preferred if Nora hadn't 'learned her lesson' and instead committed to making sure Bel got her just deserts. But I'm horrible like that so...

[Alex Devlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really had high hopes for this book, I wanted to love it but it took me a while to really get into it. Nora is a liar and some of her stories I enjoyed, but she was such a hard character to like.
Then we met Bel and my goodness she was even worse.
The build up for the ending I had high hopes for but they deflated so quickly.
I wouldn’t recommend this book but I also wouldn’t advise you to stay away from it 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Shane Abainza · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me so long to finish this book. My problem with this is the pacing. It’s so slow, and I thought that’s just how they want to convey the message and when it gets to the climax the pacing would quicken, but it did not. It feels dragged, prolonged, lengthen, like how this sentence is and it doesn’t make sense with the personality of the narrator.

I just tried to finish this to find out how it reached the conclusion after reading some spoilers.

[Sharron Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was going to be a 5 star right up until the very end. Saying that, I enjoyed the narrators voice, the story has so many twists and turns I had no idea where it was going, which made it a real page turner! Then I remembered Whatever Happened to Baby Jane & Single White Female & the sinister friendships made an even more engaging read.

[Bumblebee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book and I think that Nora was a well developed character although she seemed to have very little guilt towards her actions. I thought that the book was overall pretty good but I HATED the ending. In no way shape or form should Nora have reconciled with Bel who tried to kill her!

[Lydia Hephzibah · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 42%. this has so much potential but I'm just bored. I wanted to read more about the lies and the relationship with the teacher (I've honestly forgotten all the names except Bel and I only put down the book half an hour ago) but it dipped into boring, tedious territory with Bel, which kind of came out of nowhere then took over. It felt like two books squashed into one.