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aplace_inthesun's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Set against the backdrop of a northern New South Wales town, The Liars by Petronella McGovern was a gripping Australian noir book, involving environmental activism, LGBTQIA+ phobias, sexual assault, misogyny, and the role of mothering against the lure of a career.
Meri has been stuck in Kinton Bay her whole life, despite dreams of travelling the globe as a news journalist. Instead she's a small-time journalist at a small-town paper, writing only feel good stories to give a positive bent on the businesses that rely on the tourist dollar around town. When one of her twins Siena stumbles across a skull, Siena embarks upon a quest to expose the town's history, and ensure the local First Nations people have a platform for giving their own take on the history of the town. It ruffles a few feathers, and when the skull is discovered to be more recent than Siena anticipated, it becomes apparent there are locals who have been faking good for many years. Meri and her husband Rollo, Siena's father find they are at odds - Rollo wants to keep things quiet, Meri wants to follow the evidence and see where it leads.
This book had the elements of a great Australian noir novel. A strong sense of setting, interconnectedness between the multitude of involved characters, multiple characters to point the finger at, and layers and layers of misdirection and half-truths. It maintained my interest and I read this over two days.
Thanks to Allen and Unwin for a copy of The Liars to review. All opinions are genuine and my own.
4.5 stars
Meri has been stuck in Kinton Bay her whole life, despite dreams of travelling the globe as a news journalist. Instead she's a small-time journalist at a small-town paper, writing only feel good stories to give a positive bent on the businesses that rely on the tourist dollar around town. When one of her twins Siena stumbles across a skull, Siena embarks upon a quest to expose the town's history, and ensure the local First Nations people have a platform for giving their own take on the history of the town. It ruffles a few feathers, and when the skull is discovered to be more recent than Siena anticipated, it becomes apparent there are locals who have been faking good for many years. Meri and her husband Rollo, Siena's father find they are at odds - Rollo wants to keep things quiet, Meri wants to follow the evidence and see where it leads.
This book had the elements of a great Australian noir novel. A strong sense of setting, interconnectedness between the multitude of involved characters, multiple characters to point the finger at, and layers and layers of misdirection and half-truths. It maintained my interest and I read this over two days.
Thanks to Allen and Unwin for a copy of The Liars to review. All opinions are genuine and my own.
4.5 stars
emmillig's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-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
4.25
roreads28's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kryten's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
midlifehedgewitch's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A secret cave, a human skull and an idyllic town desperate to keep its past hidden.
When 15 year old Siena Britton discovers a human skull in a secret cave, she's convinced it's evidence of the unrecorded massacre of Aboriginal families by shipwrecked colonists. Hoping to rewrite Kinton Bay's past, she posts a video and makes national headlines. As Siena forges ahead with her search for truth, her parents, Meri and Rollo, are forced to confront their own connections to the cave and its violent past.
As more remains are found, Kinton Bay's community fractures over its past, its present and its future - with many in the town wanting the past left dead and buried, no matter what the cost.
The Liars is a twisty and intricately plotted tale, with many themes deftly woven through it. I'm a person of Aboriginal blood, so I was impressed with the sensitive handling of the Aboriginal culture, history and characters. They felt real with none of the cringeworthy, heavyhanded represention you find in other books.
I liked the fast pace and the multiple points of view. Every character had a secret and at least one lie (and often more) to keep it safe. There were so many red herrings, twists and turns, I honestly had no idea where the story was going and didn't care because I loved the ride. The final twist was something I wasn't expecting, but then I'm not one of those readers who picks the killer in chapter 1.
I couldn't put the book down. This was the very first book by Petronella McGovern I've read. It won't be the last.
Many thanks to Better Reading (Australia), Allen and Unwin and Petronella McGovern for the ARC
When 15 year old Siena Britton discovers a human skull in a secret cave, she's convinced it's evidence of the unrecorded massacre of Aboriginal families by shipwrecked colonists. Hoping to rewrite Kinton Bay's past, she posts a video and makes national headlines. As Siena forges ahead with her search for truth, her parents, Meri and Rollo, are forced to confront their own connections to the cave and its violent past.
As more remains are found, Kinton Bay's community fractures over its past, its present and its future - with many in the town wanting the past left dead and buried, no matter what the cost.
The Liars is a twisty and intricately plotted tale, with many themes deftly woven through it. I'm a person of Aboriginal blood, so I was impressed with the sensitive handling of the Aboriginal culture, history and characters. They felt real with none of the cringeworthy, heavyhanded represention you find in other books.
I liked the fast pace and the multiple points of view. Every character had a secret and at least one lie (and often more) to keep it safe. There were so many red herrings, twists and turns, I honestly had no idea where the story was going and didn't care because I loved the ride. The final twist was something I wasn't expecting, but then I'm not one of those readers who picks the killer in chapter 1.
I couldn't put the book down. This was the very first book by Petronella McGovern I've read. It won't be the last.
Many thanks to Better Reading (Australia), Allen and Unwin and Petronella McGovern for the ARC
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