"Lies offend our sense of justice: generally, we want to see the liar unmasked and punished. But when the deception brings no material gain, we might also be curious about what purpose the lie serves what particular need of their own the liar is attempting to meet. This is precisely what Grace Murray's witty, assured debut explores: not just the consequences of a lie but the ways in which it can, paradoxically, reveal certain truths."
"At a small liberal arts college in upstate New York, Charlotte begins her final year by claiming that her father has just died of a heart attack. In fact, he is alive and well back in Lichfield, England. This lie is the jumping-off point for an unpacking of Charlotte's psychology, as well as the catalyst for her relationship with fellow student Katarina, a quasi-love story that forms the book's main narrative."
"There's some excellent art school satire throughout, as when Charlotte's academic adviser tells her, by way of encouragement: We don't like failing people here. She responds, laconically, I know, before silently reflecting on previous final projects students have turned in, including de-shelled M&Ms; a bathroom selfie series; a felt-tip drawing of Jeff Buckley. Murray's comedy is perfectly judged throughout: it never overplays its hand or outstays its welcome."
Charlotte, a student at a small upstate New York liberal arts college, begins her final year by falsely claiming her father has died, though he lives in Lichfield, England. The lie initiates an exploration of Charlotte's psychology and becomes the catalyst for her relationship with fellow student Katarina, a quasi-love story marked by emotional detachment and doomed precariousness. The prose combines energising precision and originality with sharp art-school satire, highlighting absurd final projects and campus social dynamics. Comedy is carefully calibrated yet undercut by sadness, as deception reveals personal needs, opposing emotional temperaments, and the novel's moral and psychological tensions.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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