Helpful Score: 2
Whatever preconceived ideas I had about this novels were consummately shattered upon reading five chapters in. I went into this thinking it would be an angst-ridden, emotional tale of one girls struggle to balance right and wrong. Perhaps the most valuable lesson Caroline Bock taught me is that there is no simple answer, and one story can have many sides.
Lie is, in fact, told by ten different people. Each person gives their own take on what happened the night Jimmy and Sean attacked two El Salvadoran boys simply because those boys were Hispanic. While it might seem that so many voices telling the tale could get muddled or jumbled, Bock does a surprisingly good job at keeping them separate. Instead of confusion, each person adds a new layer and dimension that brings focus to the story.
The only drawback to this is that I felt I couldnt really establish a strong connection to any of the characters. Skylar is the most prevalent narrator, but the entire novel is told in such a fragmented and fractured way that I couldnt really nail her character down and bond with her. On the flip side, the bonus to this method is that it kept me from making any assumptions or judgments.
Theres no denying the tragic nature of this book. Unfortunately this book is rife with real world truths and beliefs that plague our society as a whole. Bock is careful not to press her own beliefs onto the reader, which is commendable. Lie could have easily served as a soapbox platform for her, but she kept it objective. I dont know that I could have done the same. She was able to explain hatred and bigotry in a way that didnt make me immediately repulsed. I could actually understand. That, my friends, is the power of a gifted writer.
Lie is, in fact, told by ten different people. Each person gives their own take on what happened the night Jimmy and Sean attacked two El Salvadoran boys simply because those boys were Hispanic. While it might seem that so many voices telling the tale could get muddled or jumbled, Bock does a surprisingly good job at keeping them separate. Instead of confusion, each person adds a new layer and dimension that brings focus to the story.
The only drawback to this is that I felt I couldnt really establish a strong connection to any of the characters. Skylar is the most prevalent narrator, but the entire novel is told in such a fragmented and fractured way that I couldnt really nail her character down and bond with her. On the flip side, the bonus to this method is that it kept me from making any assumptions or judgments.
Theres no denying the tragic nature of this book. Unfortunately this book is rife with real world truths and beliefs that plague our society as a whole. Bock is careful not to press her own beliefs onto the reader, which is commendable. Lie could have easily served as a soapbox platform for her, but she kept it objective. I dont know that I could have done the same. She was able to explain hatred and bigotry in a way that didnt make me immediately repulsed. I could actually understand. That, my friends, is the power of a gifted writer.
