Thursday, April 8, 2010

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

Published: 2008
Pages: 281
Genre: YA Fiction
When Evie's stepfather returns from the war, her life quickly returns to its normal pace. But when Peter Coleridge, an ex-GI shows up, Evie falls in love and is suddenly mixed up in a web of lies that she only slowly discovers. Evie ignores everyone's warnings and is oblivious to the secrets that surround Peter, until a tragedy occurs that changes everything. Now, she must choose between loyalty for her parents and her feelings for Peter.
I learned about this book by reading a review on another blog (which I sadly forget the name of!) and was instantly intrigued. I then logged on to my library's website and reserved the book straight away. What I Saw and How I Lied turned out to be a quick but compelling read that I enjoyed very much.

Evie, a fifteen year old girl, is the main character and also the narrator. I loved the innocence and naivety that she portrayed, and commend Judy Blundell for accurately depicting the mind of a teen girl. Every sentence she said was authentic, and every thought in her mind seemed all too real. The rest of the characters were sufficiently developed, but I sadly didn't have the time to truly connect with any of them. The book seemed a tad on the short side, and at times I felt that the romance between Evie and Peter moved too fast. Other than those minor points, I have no complaints in that department.

I really enjoyed the plot line. Like I said, it did move a bit too rapidly but still managed to convey emotion, mystery, doubt, and frustration. I won't mention any spoilers, but it's great how the conclusion isn't quite a conclusion - on the surface it seems as if all the issues have been resolved, but they haven't been; not quite. This also leads you to form your own opinion, which is something that I appreciate and cherish in books.

While I would have preferred What I Saw and How I Lied to be at least twice its length, the book is still solid and provides a tightly-wound plot. I stayed up late last night to read. I simply didn't want to put it down! And even when I did, I couldn't seem to stop contemplating the book and going over what I just read in my mind.

Recommendation: Truthfully, I think everyone should read this. It has a bit of everything - romance, mystery, thrills, and it gets you thinking. Follow my lead and go reserve this from your local library!

10 comments:

Tales of Whimsy said...

Of all the reviews I've read of this book, I do believe it is your review that has convinced me to read it. Thank you!

Library Cat said...

This is the second review in as many days that I have read and both were positive, so I think I have to find it and read it! Thanks for the review.

Ana S. said...

Aw, it's too bad it wasn't longer - but it sounds well worth reading all the same.

Emidy @ Une Parole said...

Juju - Aw, I'm happy to hear that! Hope you decide to read it.

Library Cat - Yes, you should read it for sure.

Nymeth - Exactly! I still enjoyed it a lot.

Amy said...

This book looks intriguing! Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Beth said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog! I have seen "What I Saw and How I Lied" on many Scholastic book orders that I hand out to my students and it grabs my attention every time ....maybe now I will get it. Great review.

Alee said...

I'm new to your blog (found you on book blogs). This sounds like a great read! Thanks for sharing!

Athira said...

I've also seen this book a lot in the blogosphere. So I'm glad you like it. I'll look this up too!

Anonymous said...

This sounds interesting! And since you are recommending it I'll look for it at our library!

I became a follower so I can keep track of all the good books on your blog :)

Anonymous said...

I own this book. Now I want to move it to the top of my TBR pile.