Reviews with content warning for Suicide - « Arrête avec tes mensonges »

First love will always leave a mark, something you carry with you for a long time. And after the years have passed, you look back on that first love with either fondness, bitterness, or simple nostalgia for memories of the past and of a lover long gone.

In Lie With Me, our unnamed narrator is a successful writer reliving his first love after seeing a man who looked exactly like his past lover. His recollections take us back to the winter of 1984. In the story, he is seventeen and attracted to a boy who does not even know him.

“To him, I’m a stranger.
I’m in this state of one-way desire.”

Except this boy, Thomas Andrieu, does know who he is. And he likes him back.

Their love affair begins with secret meetings and carefully planned encounters. The intensity of their connection tells them that what they have is real, even if they’re the only ones who know about it. Because when they’re lying together, everything feels right in the world.

Lie With Me was beautifully written by Philippe Besson, and wonderfully translated by Molly Ringwald. So many moments in this book took my breath away. Even as I wanted to inhale this book, I slowed down to savor every word. It has been a couple of weeks since I finished this book, but I still think about it a lot and I still feel it in my chest.

The main character is telling us a story about his past. Even as we are immersed in those memories with him, his vivid recollections are often punctuated by references to future events. These interruptions by reality as we experience his past made the story hurt that much more. We readers have an inkling of what happens, but we can’t stop it. Instead, we can only inch closer to the end even when we know it’s not going to be the ending we want.

The MC does question whether things happened the way he remembered, or if he has embellished here and there. He is a writer after all, used to making up scenarios. And with this happening 20 years ago, memories can't be that accurate. His penchant for creating stories as a child has often earned him a scolding from his parents: "Stop with your lies!"

If you've read the book, you probably know where I'm going. But I do want to bring up that the title for the French version translates to "Stop With Your Lies" but Molly Ringwald decided to go with a different title for the English Translation. In an interview she says, "There were a few different ones being considered. Lie With Me Felt like the right one–the double meaning of embracing someone, the romantic mixed with the duplicity implied by being a writer and inventing stories for a living."

But the title Lie With Me also fits the story in another way. In asking him to keep their relationship a secret, Thomas asks him to lie. The two of them, lying to protect this secret happiness. There is also the reality of being gay, and lying in order to fit in and conform to the expectations of others.

This book now holds a special place in my heart. The lyrical prose, visceral depiction of yearning, that balanced blend of happy and sad, and the meeting of memory and reality are some of the reasons Lie With Me will be one of those books that stick with me for a long time.

Content Warnings

risemini's review against another edition

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emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Content Warnings

connorkuj's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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janewsom8112's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I am inconsolable

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niia_'s review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

molly_kate's review against another edition

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emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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oceanebooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I really didn't expect to almost cry just by reading these 140 pages...
This book definitely reached all my expectations. It was stunning, and gripping and so, so sad and almost tragic in a way. The language wasn't poetic, it was short and "plain", no metaphors, no excessive talking about feelings or details about this and that. And that was fine, like I honestly didn't think I'd like it as much as I did in that aspect. It was different from what I usually love - poetic words that come together and form a stream, a river of emotions and thoughts and actions and all those things in between. But in this case, it really suited the story. I do wish the author had expanded the love story a bit more and show how Thomas also really falls in love with Philippe (because at least to me he really is). I'm also not entirely sure how much of reality and real experiences played into the writing into this book, as I heard and read some things. Looking at the ending I hope it's not too many...
Though the language was, as I said, plain, there were some really beautiful passages and sentences.

examples: "All of a sudden I see a sort of admiration return to his face, but it's painful admiration; what he likes about me is also what keeps me seperate from him."
"I just wanted to write to tell you that I have been happy during these months together, that I have never been so happy, and that I already know I will never be so happy again."

In my opinion the message of the book goes beyond "first love", one really gets to see the struggles many homosexual and queer people in general have when it comes not only to finding but also accepting and being accepted in their identety. And how it can differ from person to person.
Also, I didn't expect that ending, like I really did not. And when I reached the last sentence, Philippe Besson had done a marvellous job: I'd just gone through a rollercoaster of emotions, was on the verge of tears and my heart was broken into tiny little pieces. If you want a story with a happy ending, go read another book, not this one. But who knew I'd enjoy getting crushed over and over again as much as I did? 100% recommend.

Content Warnings

ashlee_franklin_'s review against another edition

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emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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