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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
What an amazing introduction to Necessary Lies! Despite being only 35 pages long, Chamberlain did an amazing job of pulling you into this world and not letting go. This book is nothing but a tease! And I mean that in a good way.
Ivy comes home after sneaking out with her friend Henry, they had been playing with a Oujia board in the church, to her sister screaming for their mother. A lost cause as she is "locked up with the other crazy people at Dix Hospital."
Ivy is an amazing narrator, despite being 13 years of age. She goes into detail and we really feel her confusion when the adults tell her she must call the social worker and not the nurse they have been working with. (I myself was a bit lost over the reasoning to this... at first.) However, she does what she is told and eventually Mary Ella is driven to the hospital by Eli - another tenant and worker on the farm Ivy and her family live on. It is also speculated that Eli is possibly the father of Mary Ella's baby, which is a huge scandal as Mary Ella is white and Eli is black. Keep in mind, we are somewhere rural in 1958.
By the end of the novella, Ivy has committed herself to helping out her grandmother and her sister with the new addition to their family. I love that a 13-year-old is ready and willing to do such a thing for her family.
This short introduction to Ivy's world is the right amount of story to leave you begging and asking for me. I am curious to find out where this family is going to be headed, what's going to happen, and what more lies are going to be told - because if it's anything like in The First Lie, it's going to be good. I'm excited to see Ivy step up into the role she is placing herself in and how drastically these lives are going to change over the course of Necessary Lies.
Ivy comes home after sneaking out with her friend Henry, they had been playing with a Oujia board in the church, to her sister screaming for their mother. A lost cause as she is "locked up with the other crazy people at Dix Hospital."
Ivy is an amazing narrator, despite being 13 years of age. She goes into detail and we really feel her confusion when the adults tell her she must call the social worker and not the nurse they have been working with. (I myself was a bit lost over the reasoning to this... at first.) However, she does what she is told and eventually Mary Ella is driven to the hospital by Eli - another tenant and worker on the farm Ivy and her family live on. It is also speculated that Eli is possibly the father of Mary Ella's baby, which is a huge scandal as Mary Ella is white and Eli is black. Keep in mind, we are somewhere rural in 1958.
By the end of the novella, Ivy has committed herself to helping out her grandmother and her sister with the new addition to their family. I love that a 13-year-old is ready and willing to do such a thing for her family.
This short introduction to Ivy's world is the right amount of story to leave you begging and asking for me. I am curious to find out where this family is going to be headed, what's going to happen, and what more lies are going to be told - because if it's anything like in The First Lie, it's going to be good. I'm excited to see Ivy step up into the role she is placing herself in and how drastically these lives are going to change over the course of Necessary Lies.
Amazing how much this very short prequel piqued my interest for NECESSARY LIES.
A great pre-chapter to the book Necessary ies. Looking forward to reading the next book.
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Pregnancy
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The First Lie a novella, short-story as a prequel to the upcoming, riveting, haunting, and absorbing NECESSARY LIES, offers readers a glimpse into the early life of thirteen-year-old, Ivy Hart.
It is 1958 in the rural deep south of North Carolina, where we meet the Hart family. A poor teenage girl, Ivy currently living with her elderly grandmother, and older sister on a tobacco farm.
Having read NECESSARY LIES first, it was nice to go back to revisit and learn more about the early days of Mary Ella, and of course Ivy, with injustice, poverty, secrets, and lies.
A powerful short story to set the stage for the unraveling of many more dark secrets to come.
NECESSARY LIES
Highly recommend both books, and as always, Diane never disappoints!
It is 1958 in the rural deep south of North Carolina, where we meet the Hart family. A poor teenage girl, Ivy currently living with her elderly grandmother, and older sister on a tobacco farm.
Having read NECESSARY LIES first, it was nice to go back to revisit and learn more about the early days of Mary Ella, and of course Ivy, with injustice, poverty, secrets, and lies.
A powerful short story to set the stage for the unraveling of many more dark secrets to come.
NECESSARY LIES
Highly recommend both books, and as always, Diane never disappoints!
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
The First Lie is a prequel short story of sorts to go before the full novel Necessary Lies. I read Necessary Lies in March of 2016 and at the time didn't know there was a prequel short story, I kind of wish I had. So if you haven't read Necessary Lies, read this one before you dive into that book - this sets such a good foundation for where that story is going to go. If you have already read it, this is still worth the time, I enjoyed it.
The First Lie is a prequel short story of sorts to go before the full novel Necessary Lies. I read Necessary Lies in March of 2016 and at the time didn't know there was a prequel short story, I kind of wish I had. So if you haven't read Necessary Lies, read this one before you dive into that book - this sets such a good foundation for where that story is going to go. If you have already read it, this is still worth the time, I enjoyed it.
The First Lie (Necessary Lies #0.5) by Diane Chamberlain
In preparation for the audiobook, Necessary Lies, I read the short story, The First Lie, which introduces us to characters in the novel that follows. Thirteen year old Ivy is confused how the local social worker knows her fifteen year old sister, in early labor, will need surgery for a health issue, right after she has her baby. The First Lie is our first introduction to a real life state wide mandated program that was forced on those who could not fight back.
Published June 4th 2013 by St. Martin's Press
In preparation for the audiobook, Necessary Lies, I read the short story, The First Lie, which introduces us to characters in the novel that follows. Thirteen year old Ivy is confused how the local social worker knows her fifteen year old sister, in early labor, will need surgery for a health issue, right after she has her baby. The First Lie is our first introduction to a real life state wide mandated program that was forced on those who could not fight back.
Published June 4th 2013 by St. Martin's Press
A nice supplement for Necessary Lies. I enjoyed seeing what lie ahead BEFORE reading this book, as a lot of their references made more sense. The Ouija board I found quite interesting....
3 STARS
(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review).
In 1958, Ivy tries to sneak into her house but comes upon a panicked scene. Her 15 year old sister is in labour and her grandmother doesn't know how to help. As Ivy runs up the big house to get help she drifts over her life and those who live around her.
A good premise for an interesting plot but so short that you do not really get into the story. I am looking forward to the novel that hopefully explains this story.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review).
In 1958, Ivy tries to sneak into her house but comes upon a panicked scene. Her 15 year old sister is in labour and her grandmother doesn't know how to help. As Ivy runs up the big house to get help she drifts over her life and those who live around her.
A good premise for an interesting plot but so short that you do not really get into the story. I am looking forward to the novel that hopefully explains this story.