Seventeen year old Emma Paxton has bounced in and out of foster homes since she was four years old, when her mother left her at a friend’s house for a play date, never to return again. After being framed by her leering, skeevy foster brother for petty theft and facing an uncertain future, Emma is shocked to discover a video uploaded online that shows a blindfolded girl being strangled and falling unconscious–a girl who looks exactly like Emma. After making connection with this doppleganger, Sutton Mercer, on Facebook and being invited to meet her in Arizona, Emma immediately sets out, thrilled at the thought of finding a family once again. However, what she soon finds is not a pair of welcoming arms, but a missing Sutton. Their resemblance is so remarkable that Sutton’s friends and family, and even the police, not only mistake Emma for Sutton, but don’t believe Emma when she tries to explain the mistake. And while Sutton’s luxurious life may be a far cry from the foster child lifestyle that Emma has lived, Emma soon finds that all is not as it seems in this tony Arizona town. Mysterious notes show up, claiming that Sutton is dead and that Emma must play along—or else. Sutton’s friends are all involved in something called ‘The Lying Game,’ a mean-spirited prank war that is escalating fast. And Emma can’t quite figure out who is responsible for her sister’s death. No one, friend or family, can be eliminated.
The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
I admit, I have read all of the Pretty Little Liars books, and I started reading them even before the show started. They’re not the best written books in the world; they’re cheesy, name drop brands like crazy, and feature pretty damn irredeemable characters. Yet for some reason, I just couldn’t stop reading. The Lying Game is the same way, although just a bit worse, as I pondered just putting the book down about 75 pages in. But I soldiered on, strangely compelled by the characters and by Shepard’s far-fetched plot.
One of my main problems with this book was the point of view, a mixture of first-person AND third-person. While The Lying Game basically follows the story of Emma, told in omniscient third-person, it is also framed through the first-person narration of Sutton, who, in death, is strangely connected to her sister, forced to follow her around as a ghost, observing Emma while unable to participate in anything that is happening. In fact, Sutton has a type of amnesia, is unaware of how she died, and begins regaining her memory in flashes throughout the book. While this ignorance of her past may slightly humanize Sutton, who is revealed to be a pretty horrible person, the presence of the two shifting points of view is just plain distracting.
Perhaps this is just a feature of Sara Shepard’s quick paced, interaction-filled, get-to-the-next-twist writing style, but I honestly didn’t feel like there was much character development in this novel. We know that Emma’s an orphan and that she’s the stereotypical ‘good twin.’ But other than that, I really didn’t feel much depth.
However, Shepard does excel at writing a page-turning plot filled with multiple twists, as evidenced in her Pretty Little Liars series. This was a quite a fast read, and those in the mood for a quick novel that will keep you guessing will most likely not be disappointed with this one. I’d hand this off to Shepard’s existing fans, along with fans of Gossip Girl and Kate Brian.
I actually enjoyed this one. I wonder if it has to do with the fact that I've not read Pretty Little Liars. It wasn't unpredictable of course but as you mentioned it was a quick read with a pretty good plot. Definitely falls in the fluff/entertainment value column.
I had the same problem with The Lying Game – the shifting narration. Rather than humanizing Sutton for me, it actually made me like her less! All we know of Sutton makes her seem like she was a pretty awful person and then the fact that her character's contributions to the narrative are both awkward and unproductive (since she mostly just says she doesn't remember anything) just added to my dislike of her. That being said, I too soldiered through to the end and found the wild plot at times quite gripping.
I know your big problem was the shifting perspective, and it was a little confusing for me also, but i recently discovered what it actually is. basically, sutton tells the story, but she is attached to emma so she sees what Emma sees, and refers to herself as sutton because that’s what emma refers to her as. she has very limited access to her own thoughts.
I still shake my head at the 60k cover shot.
Aw, I actually really liked this one. I never finished the PLL books, but this one sounded interesting, and I found that it gripped me from start to finish. Then again, I really like the Private/Privilege books as well.
Great review! This is exactly how I felt about this book. The shifting narration bugged the crud out of me and I also found the characters very interchangeable. But it is a quick read and I think the mystery itself is intriguing enough to make teens want to read it.
The point of view was super confusing, wasn't it? I liked it overall because it was engaging…I read it in one sitting. But still left me a little flat!
I have to admit I enjoyed the mystery and the fluff of it all. Maybe because I had just finished Hush by Eishes Chayil (excellent BTW) and needed something with a little LESS depth! The narration was awkward at first but after the first couple of chapters I got used to it!
I haven't read this one yet (just got it though!) but I'm excited. I really loved the PLL series; especially how difficult they were to put down! Can't wait to try this one out.