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A review by finding_novel_land
The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
*Was read during a reading slump*
I was recommended this book by a friend under the preface that it was one of the best books she had ever read.
I'm sorry to say that it did not live up to such high expectations.
The Lie Tree has one of the most unique concepts I have come across in a while. Faith, keen to have any closeness to her distant father and be respected for her interests in the natural sciences, becomes the unexpected guardian of a tree which feeds on lies. After her father dies of presumed suicide, Faith uses the tree's powers to prove her father was murdered and to give him the burial he deserves, all while trying to keep the hostile community they have recently taken up residence in at bay.
The setting of Victorian England, with a scientific backdrop of the beginnings of evolutionary theory, is a fascinating and well chosen one which suits this story well. Hardinge is able to play into the strong religious and supernatural beliefs of the time, as well as provide a feminist commentary about the position of women in the past, the few ways they could exert power and people's tendency to overlook them (albeit with some questionable corsetry commentary). It also gave the book a creepy aura, such is the aesthetic and gothic feeling of the period.
While the concept was 10/10, I found the pacing to be quite slow due to the observational feel the book had until the last 70 pages. There was little action, with most of the book dedicated to Faith solving the mystery in her head. As someone who loves lots of action in a book to keep me interested, this novel failed to keep my interest enough for me to follow the nuances of the plot and therefore pick up enough of the clues laid down before me.
I was recommended this book by a friend under the preface that it was one of the best books she had ever read.
I'm sorry to say that it did not live up to such high expectations.
The Lie Tree has one of the most unique concepts I have come across in a while. Faith, keen to have any closeness to her distant father and be respected for her interests in the natural sciences, becomes the unexpected guardian of a tree which feeds on lies. After her father dies of presumed suicide, Faith uses the tree's powers to prove her father was murdered and to give him the burial he deserves, all while trying to keep the hostile community they have recently taken up residence in at bay.
The setting of Victorian England, with a scientific backdrop of the beginnings of evolutionary theory, is a fascinating and well chosen one which suits this story well. Hardinge is able to play into the strong religious and supernatural beliefs of the time, as well as provide a feminist commentary about the position of women in the past, the few ways they could exert power and people's tendency to overlook them (albeit with some questionable corsetry commentary). It also gave the book a creepy aura, such is the aesthetic and gothic feeling of the period.
While the concept was 10/10, I found the pacing to be quite slow due to the observational feel the book had until the last 70 pages. There was little action, with most of the book dedicated to Faith solving the mystery in her head. As someone who loves lots of action in a book to keep me interested, this novel failed to keep my interest enough for me to follow the nuances of the plot and therefore pick up enough of the clues laid down before me.