Liar by Justine Laralestier review

Title: Liar
Author: Justine Larbalestier
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA, September 29, 2009
MSRP (Hardback only): $16.99
Pages: 384
Rating: * * * */ 5

I was so excited when I found Liar in my mailbox 2 months ago- I had been waiting for it forever, and didn't even know I would recieve an ARC! But then I realized something, like many others may have- I don't know how to read Liar. I mean, I get the words being put into coherent (most of the time) sentences part down, obviously- but I was scared that I would get to the end of the novel, having been totally wrapped up in a story, only to have it all ripped away- Micah just saying, "Oops, it was all a lie! You people buy everything, don't you?" Could I trust this book at all? Even for fiction that was trying. But, because I had a job to do, I read it (it took a while, as you who check up regularly might know!).

I can't say much, but yes, to a certain extent, my expectations were met. Lies were sometimes admitted, another world was spun together as Micah went from "compulsive to pathological", in such detail- then taken away sharply. Even these "tiny white lies" of hers, these things she said were for fun or to protect people were taken away. But was I disappointed by it? Definitely NOT!

"Liar" was, above all, an unbeatable character study. Micah was so real- yet everything about her was not. Even though it was what I feared most, it was so exciting to go looking for clues that might prove she's lying- didn't she go somewhere else before? I thought she didn't know him or her? Liar is a book that will have you reading constantly and nervously.

But that's not to say it didn't have it's definite faults. There was a point in the book where some people might just give up, put down the book and sigh, "Really? You expect me to believe this?Please!". And Micah- as interesting a character to read about as she was- was an awful person sometimes. Frankly, she got on my nerves a little more than a few times.

If you're up to a challenge, give this new book a try. I definitely don't regret it!

Many thanks to the publishers at Bloomsbury USA for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book!