A review by branomir
The Liar by Stephen Fry

4.0

Well, well. Well. I don't quite know what to make of this one. This was a highly confusing book and for the longest time I was thinking of giving it three stars but then it had a very good ending and bit of a "oh, I see what you did there" moment for me which raised it up a little. You really can't fully appreciate this novel until you've read it to the end. It has a very fitting title, you're sometimes at a loss, trying to make sense of what is true and what is not and wondering at times if the book itself isn't lying to you. In order to keep you confused the timeline is completely mixed up jumping back and forth at random and without indication. This was the part that was hardest for me to warm up to. Sometimes it was very confusing as to where we were, both in the story and the actual time itself. Sometimes I would be halfway across a chapter before realising "oh right, we're ten years before". It was a neat trick, but not the most pleasant one to read. Best I can explain is that I could appreciate it but not always enjoy it. This is a novel written by Stephen Fry however so the dialogues are nothing short of brilliantly witty and hilarious. One could read the book just for those alone. It's an acquired taste perhaps but definitely a good novel in the end.