Review
A sizzling debut - The Times
Book Description
New from Walker/Canongate: an uncompromising debut about the trials of growing up and the dark histories we all harbor.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 35 people found the following review helpful
By Clare Combe
Format:Paperback
I was given this book as a present and read it, in the whirl of London life and work, within three days, using every free moment I had. It is a gripping story, impresssively told, deep and complex - a rare exploration of an important moment of real history, kept under wraps for decades, in the suspenseful style of a crime novel with memorable characters and racy language. The Book of Lies is about history, but also about the darkest corners of the human psyche, the desire for truth and the dangers of both truth-telling and lying. It probes into the dark side of an oppressed, constrained society, teenage angst, viciousness and resilience with a power that made me think of Lord of the Flies.
A very rewarding read. Unputdownable.
A very rewarding read. Unputdownable.
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By A. READER
Format:Paperback
I read a lot - in my lunch hour, in bed, in the bath, while I cook supper - my books take a lot of punishment! Rarely do I find one that I sinmply CANNOT put down but The Book of Lies was one of these rare treasures. It really became quite inconvenient, between my desperation to find out what happens to Cat and, in the parallel story, to her Uncle Charlie, I read far too late into the night, while the water cooled and saucepans overflowed - oh yes and I also nearly got into trouble at work! The voice of Cat is utterly convincing and chilling and yet (especially the footnotes which I loved) somehow at the same time very funny. The historical background to Guernsey's Occupation has obviously been thoroughly researched and friends who live on the Island tell me that - unlike some other books - it is very accurate. So despite the title of the book, no lies there. Having reached the end I was then immediately compelled to read it again so I could relish the wonderful use of words and pick up on nuances I had missed the first time. A truly brilliant book by a new author - I cannot wait for her next one!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By Welsh Annie
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Catherine Rozier is wonderful - you might not like her, but her view of the world is vivid, funny and heart-breakingly sad by turn. She's a wonderfully unreliable narrator, and Mary Horlock gets under her skin incredibly well. Writing as a teenager isn't easy - she cracks it.
The alternating Uncle Charlie wartime narrative worked for me too - this isn't Potato Pie Guernsey, this is cruel and raw.
This is a really clever and well written book exploring issues like truth and guilt in a dark, funny, and original way. And a word about the footnotes - they irritated me to death at the start, but provided a wonderful opportunity for witty asides that really grew on me as the book went on. Different and really enjoyable.
The alternating Uncle Charlie wartime narrative worked for me too - this isn't Potato Pie Guernsey, this is cruel and raw.
This is a really clever and well written book exploring issues like truth and guilt in a dark, funny, and original way. And a word about the footnotes - they irritated me to death at the start, but provided a wonderful opportunity for witty asides that really grew on me as the book went on. Different and really enjoyable.
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
By Sarah Brown
Format:Paperback
I am a busy mum of 2 with a part-time job and very little time but once I started this I could not put it down and MADE time to read it. Right from the attention-grabbing opening of a teenage girl hovering on a cliff edge. Catherine Rozier is a brilliant creation - full of teenage angst and melodrama - scribbling frantically in her diary in 1985 she tells the tragic story of her ill-fated friendship with the now dead Nicolette. Catherine's a proper know-it-all, and she just can't help adding footnotes, and congratulating herself when she uses a particularly long word. Add to this her misery at being stuck on what she calls a 'miserable rock' - the island of Guernsey - and her daily entries make for for heady and hilarious reading.
But Catherine's breathless rantings are intercut with another voice. Her (now long dead) Uncle Charlie recorded his own memories of the island from when he was a teenager. His story, punctuated by snippets of old Guernsey patois, is very different in tone, but then Charlie was a teenager when Guernsey was occupied by the Germans during the war. He's eager to tell you all the things the Guernsey Tourist Board don't ever want you to hear. He talks of mass graves and informers, and, most importantly, he talks about his closest friend, the friend that betrayed him to the Nazis and ruined his chances of escaping.
Now it gets complicated: Charlie is telling his story to his brother and Catherine's father, Emile Rozier, a man who devoted his life to exposing the truth about the German Occupation, and whose books and journals care crammed in every corner of the family home.
It's soon apparent that Catherine isn't just trying to explain what happened between her and Nicolette, she's trying to explain what happened to her family.... Read more ›
But Catherine's breathless rantings are intercut with another voice. Her (now long dead) Uncle Charlie recorded his own memories of the island from when he was a teenager. His story, punctuated by snippets of old Guernsey patois, is very different in tone, but then Charlie was a teenager when Guernsey was occupied by the Germans during the war. He's eager to tell you all the things the Guernsey Tourist Board don't ever want you to hear. He talks of mass graves and informers, and, most importantly, he talks about his closest friend, the friend that betrayed him to the Nazis and ruined his chances of escaping.
Now it gets complicated: Charlie is telling his story to his brother and Catherine's father, Emile Rozier, a man who devoted his life to exposing the truth about the German Occupation, and whose books and journals care crammed in every corner of the family home.
It's soon apparent that Catherine isn't just trying to explain what happened between her and Nicolette, she's trying to explain what happened to her family.... Read more ›
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
A gripping story, that I read in one sitting on a train journey - an excellent debut from Mary Horlock, who portrays her principal characters so well, and evokes such vivid memories of teenage years.
It alternates between 1985 with the story of Cat, and 1965 as her Uncle Charlie relates his memories of the German occupation of Guernsey to his brother, and the parallels of love, hate, betrayal and guilt are beautifully drawn.
It may be fiction, but is based on a strong framework of historical accuracy and an intimate knowledge of this island, with its flawed beauty.
The characters do lie, with both good and not-so-good intentions, but the story is as much about our perception of history to fit our current situation, and as it draws to a close the facade of accepted/convenient truth is peeled aside layer by layer until uncomfortable reality is laid bare.
An excellent read - I feel I need to revisit it in case I missed anything in my haste to finish the story - I hope you enjoy it as much as I did
It alternates between 1985 with the story of Cat, and 1965 as her Uncle Charlie relates his memories of the German occupation of Guernsey to his brother, and the parallels of love, hate, betrayal and guilt are beautifully drawn.
It may be fiction, but is based on a strong framework of historical accuracy and an intimate knowledge of this island, with its flawed beauty.
The characters do lie, with both good and not-so-good intentions, but the story is as much about our perception of history to fit our current situation, and as it draws to a close the facade of accepted/convenient truth is peeled aside layer by layer until uncomfortable reality is laid bare.
An excellent read - I feel I need to revisit it in case I missed anything in my haste to finish the story - I hope you enjoy it as much as I did
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Alright..
This was an okay book, quite confusing in parts. Pretty average. Good character s and plot though. Quite a lot of time changes which got confusing.
Published 24 days ago by Loz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful Book
Such a great book, full of endless possible answers to the book and keeping your imagination fueled completely. Its a great book, well reccommended.
Published 28 days ago by Daisie
4.0 out of 5 stars
Really good read
A compelling and credible character leading a rich plot that switches back and forth between 1980sand 1940s. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ce Murphy
3.0 out of 5 stars
bought for book club read.
found it difficult to get into and not as intriguing as blurb suggested. I would not recommend it to friends.
Published 4 months ago by Louisa
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Book of Lies
A very informative read, and thoroughly enjoyable. Provides a powerful insight into an important part of the history of Guernsey, as well as an idea of what it would be like to... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Yolanda
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent fiction
This is the very interesting story of a 15 year old,angst ridden,girl who believes she has killed her best friend (later enemy) and writes the story of her life and her families... Read more
Published 7 months ago by G. I. Forbes
1.0 out of 5 stars
Couldn't get into it
I couldn't get into this book at all. Its rare for me not to finish a book once i've started it, even if I'm not enjoying it all that much I will usually persevere to find out how... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mrs H
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great new voice in Young Adult fiction
Here we have two stories skilfully woven together to form one brilliant debut novel. One story takes place on the island of Guernsey in 1985 and Catherine, our wonderfully... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Jan
5.0 out of 5 stars
book of lies
i really enjoyed reading this book , it was a mixture of fiction and non fiction, put together very well. Read more
Published 9 months ago by ptost
5.0 out of 5 stars
An @kindlescout 'Good Writing' recommendation
'Sampling Kindle so you don't have to', Twitter @kindlescout trawls for low cost, high quality, contemporary fiction on Kindle, and recommends The Book of Lies, simply for its good... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Atlantic
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