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A review by bizzybee429
The Big Lie by Julie Mayhew
Did not finish book.
I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I might. The concept intrigued me, as I love learning about World War Two and I love alternative-history novels; however, the writing style and characters didn't really live up to my expectations.
First, the writing. I realized after I stopped reading that this book was first published in 2014, which isn't a bad thing, but it helped me pin down what felt off about the book: it had a very 2014 vibe. In 2014, I was taking part in a YALSA group, and a lot of the mediocre books we read had the same feeling to them when I read them. It was kind of like taking a blast from the past, and even though 2014 was only three years ago, there have been great strides towards diversifying YA fiction. The inclusion of an LGBT plot was something that was honestly very out there and progressive in 2014, and while it is still mildly progressive now, reading a plot about two cisgender white girls just doesn't excite me as much as it would have in 2014. It would have been nice to have more POC diversity.
Second, the characters. At the beginning, I really liked Jessika and the allusions to her eventual rebellion, but after the first few chapters her character fell flat for me. I couldn't get invested into her life or Clem's life, and that was really what broke the book for me.
First, the writing. I realized after I stopped reading that this book was first published in 2014, which isn't a bad thing, but it helped me pin down what felt off about the book: it had a very 2014 vibe. In 2014, I was taking part in a YALSA group, and a lot of the mediocre books we read had the same feeling to them when I read them. It was kind of like taking a blast from the past, and even though 2014 was only three years ago, there have been great strides towards diversifying YA fiction. The inclusion of an LGBT plot was something that was honestly very out there and progressive in 2014, and while it is still mildly progressive now, reading a plot about two cisgender white girls just doesn't excite me as much as it would have in 2014. It would have been nice to have more POC diversity.
Second, the characters. At the beginning, I really liked Jessika and the allusions to her eventual rebellion, but after the first few chapters her character fell flat for me. I couldn't get invested into her life or Clem's life, and that was really what broke the book for me.