LIAR - Justine Larbalestier

It's been a Long Time since I was a young adult - or whatever it was that they called us in those days.  I should declare I'm not 100% sure I know why I was reading a book that's so obviously for young adults as LIAR is.  I should also declare that I'm profoundly and very dogmatically allergic to some aspects of the "fantastic".  I am, however, not completely opposed to the entire "other", the mystical or inexplicable (otherwise a couple of my all time favourite books are completely unfathomable), but I am twitchy about these things.  Very very twitchy.

 

LIAR is therefore not the book for me.  Having said that, I could see how it might work for lots (okay well probably most) other readers.  It's an interesting idea.  It's presented well (I'm sure that sinking feeling of the obvious that I felt as things started to reveal themselves was just my problem).  It's well written, I can see how it would be extremely engaging.  In it's favour - there's sod all swooning romance in sight, that vampire / sighing romance thing that's around at the moment being my most particular pet-loathing.  There was an attraction between two young kids that works, and is oddly realistic (in terms of the rest of the stuff that's going on).  The way the truth is revealed is elegantly done and I can really see how this book would appeal to anybody without a pathological barf reflex at the central premise.