The Lie Tree by author Frances Hardinge is one of the rare books that I have given a full 5 stars everywhere possible from Amazon to Goodreads and other review sites.
I even thought of writing my review of The Lie Tree for SpookShelf.com. However, I just did not know where to begin and give my genuine thoughts without adding spoilers for those who haven’t read the book yet.
Instead, I decided to answer some questions that many readers have who are still undecided whether to read this book or not. These are questions that I myself have pondered upon before reading The Lie Tree.
Honestly, I decided to go ahead and read simply because I love Frances Hardinge and I was fascinated by the fact that The Lie Tree was only the second book classified under children’s fantasy literature to win the Costa Book of the Year award in 2015. I am so glad I did give this book a try and hence wanted to answer the frequently asked questions so that other readers can make up their minds as well.
1) Can adults read The Lie Tree?
Yes they absolutely can! It is fascinating that this book is classified under children’s literature mainly because the protagonist Faith Sunderly is 14 years old. The story is from her perspective and deals with her emotions during the events that take place in the book.
However, make no mistake that the overall theme of the book including some of its content and settings is quite adult. I believe that even though this is marked as children’s literature, some of the subtle points of the book will be completely lost on younger readers.
So if you are holding back wondering as an adult would you enjoy The Lie Tree, please go for it. I believe adults will enjoy and understand this book way more than tweens.
2) What exactly is the book about?
Is it a Victorian drama? Is it a pure fantasy? Is it a murder mystery? Is it about women’s rights, their treatment during the Victorian Era or is it about a young girl’s love for her father.
That is the beauty of the book. It is everything. The Lie Tree if a beautifully written book that combines a number of elements bringing them all together into one cohesive unit.
Obviously there is a fantasy element with a tree being able to reveal certain truths in exchange of lies spread far and wide. However, the fantasy element is quite minimal and the book deals with some very real issues.
3) Does it have a slow beginning?
So this point is in reference to some of the reviews I have read on various online book stores. One of the rare criticisms in some reviews is that nothing really happens for a long time into the book. This is due to the timing when the Lie Tree makes an appearance and the story starts moving towards the lies and truth exchange.
I am guessing some readers were expecting the fantasy element to be the central idea of the story and come in quickly. After all the book is classified as fantasy children’s literature and is named ‘The Lie Tree.’
However, on reading the book, I felt the whole story leading up to the Lie Tree was absolutely necessary. The emotions and helplessness felt by Faith Sunderly was critical to understand why and how she acted in the later chapters. The build up to the Lie Tree was one of the key components of the story and it was definitely needed to establish why certain characters acted the way they did or for the appropriate progression of the overall theme of the book.
4) Does The Lie Tree have anything inappropriate for younger readers?
For parents buying this book for middle graders, there is nothing inappropriate in it for young minds. There is a hint of two people having an affair. There is also something extremely subtle towards the end of the book that will go over most young readers.
Overall though, it is a great book for readers of all ages. It deals with some really important issues and also handles the negative side of spreading lies for personal gain in a beautiful way.
5) Is this a stand-alone book or part of a series?
The Lie Tree is a stand-alone book. It is actually one of the reasons why I love Frances Hardinge so much. Her books are all stand-alone unique stories. I believe she just has one follow-up, like a sequel in her repertoire. However, all her other books are not part of any series or do not have continuations later.
