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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
I've tried to write an in-depth review of this book a couple times, but still haven't quite got the words together. So, let's try this:
Surface-level, The Lie Tree is a fantasy story about Victorian science, but the more I read it, the more I realized it was a story about girls and women. It is a fantastic piece of storytelling, not just because it takes the basics of plot and character and narrative and executes them almost perfectly, but also because the things that drive it still resonate deeply in a thoroughly non-Victorian, non-fantastic world.
What I am trying to say is: it's very good. Trust me on this.
Surface-level, The Lie Tree is a fantasy story about Victorian science, but the more I read it, the more I realized it was a story about girls and women. It is a fantastic piece of storytelling, not just because it takes the basics of plot and character and narrative and executes them almost perfectly, but also because the things that drive it still resonate deeply in a thoroughly non-Victorian, non-fantastic world.
What I am trying to say is: it's very good. Trust me on this.
YAS FEMINISM AND MAGIC AND MURDER. also, the writing is beautiful and the characters are great.
slow-paced
{3.5 stars rounded up}
I think I might have liked this one better if I had not read another of her books, the wild undersea steampunk adventure that was Deeplight, and fallen head over heels in love. Compared to that epic world-building – sea monsters, undersea gods, island communities, steampunk invention – The Lie tree was just okay.
Full review to come.
I think I might have liked this one better if I had not read another of her books, the wild undersea steampunk adventure that was Deeplight, and fallen head over heels in love. Compared to that epic world-building – sea monsters, undersea gods, island communities, steampunk invention – The Lie tree was just okay.
Full review to come.
How long have I been trying to read The Lie Tree now? Like a year?
I know one thing. It’s been on my TBR many, many times and finally, finally, you guys are getting a review.
Let me start off by saying, there really wasn’t anything bad about The Lie Tree. It’s not often that I can actually say that about a book and The Lie Tree receives that honor today.
Set in 1865, Frances Hardinge does an amazing job of showing the issues women face. I don’t mean she just showed readers that women were more property than people. I mean that Hardinge mapped out the ways women moved through social circles in an attempt to do the things they wanted with their lives. She mapped out the “unimportance” of the female mind at this time and the obvious attempts men made to diminish women’s successes.
The story is amazing, but Hardinge creates more than a story. She creates commentary on women’s rights.
I liked to think of The Lie Tree as Pretty Little Liars in some ways as you literally expect everyone to be the one doing wrong. There was a point where I literally just decided that Faith, our main character, was our person of interest.
The hardest part for me with The Lie Tree was that it took about 130 pages for the story to really get going. Because Hardinge wanted a fully fleshed 1865 society she had to set the scene and social standing of all of the characters before things could really get going. Once the story started moving I didn’t want to put the book down.
Overall I gave The Lie Tree 4/5 stars simply because of how long it took me to get into the meat of the book.
I know one thing. It’s been on my TBR many, many times and finally, finally, you guys are getting a review.
Let me start off by saying, there really wasn’t anything bad about The Lie Tree. It’s not often that I can actually say that about a book and The Lie Tree receives that honor today.
Set in 1865, Frances Hardinge does an amazing job of showing the issues women face. I don’t mean she just showed readers that women were more property than people. I mean that Hardinge mapped out the ways women moved through social circles in an attempt to do the things they wanted with their lives. She mapped out the “unimportance” of the female mind at this time and the obvious attempts men made to diminish women’s successes.
The story is amazing, but Hardinge creates more than a story. She creates commentary on women’s rights.
I liked to think of The Lie Tree as Pretty Little Liars in some ways as you literally expect everyone to be the one doing wrong. There was a point where I literally just decided that Faith, our main character, was our person of interest.
The hardest part for me with The Lie Tree was that it took about 130 pages for the story to really get going. Because Hardinge wanted a fully fleshed 1865 society she had to set the scene and social standing of all of the characters before things could really get going. Once the story started moving I didn’t want to put the book down.
Overall I gave The Lie Tree 4/5 stars simply because of how long it took me to get into the meat of the book.
I loved everything about this book.
Great protagonist, intelligent and clever plot, amazing imagery and setting. The writing wasn’t hard to read, but it wasn’t juvenile and I didn’t talk down its readers.
I really liked how this was a YA book, but the only thing really YA about it was the protagonist. There wasn’t any inappropriate content, yet we still got dark details and a well-plotted murder mystery. Also, thank you so much for leaving out the typical YA romance side plot.
I love the historical-fantasy setting. I think this type of setting is my favorite in any novel- seems realistic, but has the slightest bit of fantasy, but not too much fantasy so that suddenly you’re running around with fairies and witches.
Definitely one of my new favorites!!
Great protagonist, intelligent and clever plot, amazing imagery and setting. The writing wasn’t hard to read, but it wasn’t juvenile and I didn’t talk down its readers.
I really liked how this was a YA book, but the only thing really YA about it was the protagonist. There wasn’t any inappropriate content, yet we still got dark details and a well-plotted murder mystery. Also, thank you so much for leaving out the typical YA romance side plot.
I love the historical-fantasy setting. I think this type of setting is my favorite in any novel- seems realistic, but has the slightest bit of fantasy, but not too much fantasy so that suddenly you’re running around with fairies and witches.
Definitely one of my new favorites!!
In the late 1800's, Faith's family moves to a remote island after a scandal has forced them from their home. She adores her father, who keeps her at arm's length, but when he dies, she knows he has been murdered for a scientific discovery. Faith, who wants to be a scientist, but knows it's not 'proper,' finds his diaries and learns about The Lie Tree, which is supposed to bring the owner absolute knowledge. By feeding the tree lies, and spreading those lies, Faith tries to find the truth to her father's death. But she finds that lies are hurtful, and lies cause people pain, and they can get people hurt. I enjoyed this one, and didn't think I would.
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
L’île aux mensonges est un roman qui, en plus de porter son nom à merveille, le mensonge se nourrissant du mensonge, se révèle d’une profondeur inattendue. Au-delà d’une plume ciselée et d’une précision incroyable, capable d’instaurer en quelques phrases une ambiance sombre de laquelle on n’a aucune envie de s’échapper, l’autrice possède le talent rare de captiver ses lecteurs, tout en les baignant dans l’inconnu. Ainsi, en commençant ce roman, vous ne saurez pas où l’autrice veut vous emmener, mais vous saurez que vous avez très envie d’y aller ! Fort d’une réflexion sur la foi face aux progrès de la science, et d’une dimension féministe subtilement amenée à travers, entre autres, une jeune héroïne en avance sur son temps, ce thriller, teinté d’une pointe de fantastique, se démarque par son ambiance et une montée en puissance de la tension jusqu’à un final inattendu et remarquable de justesse. Un roman d’une grande sensibilité et rare intelligence qui transcende les âges pour convenir à un très large public !
Avis complet sur https://lightandsmell.wordpress.com/2021/11/05/lile-aux-mensonges-frances-hardinge/
Avis complet sur https://lightandsmell.wordpress.com/2021/11/05/lile-aux-mensonges-frances-hardinge/
I actually really liked this book. I enjoyed watching Faith come of age in an era where women are looked upon not only as lesser creatures in a societal sense, but also intellectually, and how she deals with all that happens. A little bit Victorian murder mystery, natural history, repressed women, and truth, lies, and rumor mixed with a little bit of the unknown.
It's got a broad children's literature classification apparently, but was shelved in with Young Adult fiction here in my library. It was a quick, easy read but had enough substance to keep interest.
It's got a broad children's literature classification apparently, but was shelved in with Young Adult fiction here in my library. It was a quick, easy read but had enough substance to keep interest.
A dark, sinister, well-written fantasy murder mystery-esque story. I'm not a fan of thrillers in general, but I enjoyed this book and the atmosphere it created.