"The Twins on Thursday" is reserved for the Twins' joint reviews. It is a special feature of our blog that discusses books that we either both like, dislike, or have mixed feelings about. This is also the day where we post reviews for books (and ARCs/Galleys) that have been sent to us by authors/galley sites/publishing houses. And because we don't believe much in uniformity, we'll be trying to mix things up a bit by adding random stuff in relation to our review (well, mostly for books we purchased anyway).
Title: The First Lie
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Format Acquired: eARC
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Format Acquired: eARC
Publication Date: June 4, 2013
Publishing House: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 9781466839403
Source of Copy: Invited by publisher for review
Summary:
An e-original short story that sets the stage for bestselling author Diane Chamberlain's upcoming novel Necessary Lies (September 2013).
The First Lie gives readers an early glimpse into the life of thirteen-year-old Ivy Hart. It's 1958 in rural North Carolina, where Ivy lives with her grandmother and sister on a tobacco farm. As tenant farmers, Ivy and her family don't have much freedom, though she and her best friend, Henry, often sneak away in search of adventure... and their truest selves. But life on the farm takes a turn when Ivy's teenage sister gives birth - all the while maintaining her silence about the baby's father. Soon Ivy finds herself navigating the space between adolescence and adulthood as she tries to unravel a dark web of family secrets and make sense of her ever-evolving life in the segregated South.
Review:
The great thing about The First Lie is that it is quite an immersive read. Chamberlain has managed to give Ivy an undeniably realistic voice, and you can't help but go along with Ivy as she narrates a snippet of her life in 1958 North Carolina. Ivy is a very persuasive character, and we have to give props to Chamberlain for managing to capture that innocence so aptly. We enjoyed reading about Ivy's relationship with the people around her; with Henry, her sister and even Mary Ella. She's a perceptive child and it doesn't hurt that she's got an engaging voice. When the novella ended we couldn't help but want more.
The First Lie, as a prequel e-novella, has done its job of making us interested in Chamberlain's upcoming title, Necessary Lie. We can't wait to delve back into the 1950s and reconnect with the characters we have met with.
Source of Copy: Invited by publisher for review
Summary:
An e-original short story that sets the stage for bestselling author Diane Chamberlain's upcoming novel Necessary Lies (September 2013).
The First Lie gives readers an early glimpse into the life of thirteen-year-old Ivy Hart. It's 1958 in rural North Carolina, where Ivy lives with her grandmother and sister on a tobacco farm. As tenant farmers, Ivy and her family don't have much freedom, though she and her best friend, Henry, often sneak away in search of adventure... and their truest selves. But life on the farm takes a turn when Ivy's teenage sister gives birth - all the while maintaining her silence about the baby's father. Soon Ivy finds herself navigating the space between adolescence and adulthood as she tries to unravel a dark web of family secrets and make sense of her ever-evolving life in the segregated South.
Review:
The great thing about The First Lie is that it is quite an immersive read. Chamberlain has managed to give Ivy an undeniably realistic voice, and you can't help but go along with Ivy as she narrates a snippet of her life in 1958 North Carolina. Ivy is a very persuasive character, and we have to give props to Chamberlain for managing to capture that innocence so aptly. We enjoyed reading about Ivy's relationship with the people around her; with Henry, her sister and even Mary Ella. She's a perceptive child and it doesn't hurt that she's got an engaging voice. When the novella ended we couldn't help but want more.
The First Lie, as a prequel e-novella, has done its job of making us interested in Chamberlain's upcoming title, Necessary Lie. We can't wait to delve back into the 1950s and reconnect with the characters we have met with.
Rating:
Great review! I love that the author nailed the voice of the main character. That is always the most important thing for me when reading. I'm not a big historical fiction reader, but I love the premise of this one and how it's a prequel :D
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