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A review by tuan
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
2.0
So, let me just start this off with a classic "It's not you, it's me". I had such high hopes for this book. I mean, I'm all about murder mysteries. I eat them up, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But this one? It turned out to be a salad bowl filled with high school stereotypes and over-the-top drama. It gave me the same vibe as those high school drama shows with the cringe-worthy acting that goes on for too many seasons. This is probably a ridiculous comparison, but picture "Glee," but with murder vibes and none of the humor or musical numbers. Again, I loved "Glee" growing up. Again, I can understand the appeal of this story. But ultimately, it left me disappointed and wanting more.
This book was drenched in predictability and clichés, in its characters and plot points. Usually, when I dive into a whodunit, I don’t put a lot of effort into solving the murder because I wanted to be surprised, you know? But with over a quarter of the book left, I was like, "I think I got it." And the answer? Total cop-out,. I had hoped that my hunch would be wrong, but alas, it wasn't. Such wasted potential.
Now, let's give credit where it's due. The story and the writing managed to keep me turning those pages. It wasn't a snooze-fest. I finished the book in two days during summer vacation. But I couldn't connect with any of the characters. Their problems and thoughts did not seem believable or worth getting invested in. I don’t doubt people can relate to these characters and love the plot, but for me, it was a whole lotta eye-rolling and sighs. I had to give myself pep talks just to keep plowing through this one.
So, the bottom line? I can't, in good conscience, stretch it to three stars, which implies I liked the book when, quite frankly, I did not. So 2 stars it is.
This book was drenched in predictability and clichés, in its characters and plot points. Usually, when I dive into a whodunit, I don’t put a lot of effort into solving the murder because I wanted to be surprised, you know? But with over a quarter of the book left, I was like, "I think I got it." And the answer? Total cop-out,
Spoiler
especially considering the book's title and its multiple revolving perspectives, which were among the few interesting features it offeredNow, let's give credit where it's due. The story and the writing managed to keep me turning those pages. It wasn't a snooze-fest. I finished the book in two days during summer vacation. But I couldn't connect with any of the characters. Their problems and thoughts did not seem believable or worth getting invested in. I don’t doubt people can relate to these characters and love the plot, but for me, it was a whole lotta eye-rolling and sighs. I had to give myself pep talks just to keep plowing through this one.
So, the bottom line? I can't, in good conscience, stretch it to three stars, which implies I liked the book when, quite frankly, I did not. So 2 stars it is.