4 out of 4 stars
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The debut novel of Kai Raine is appropriately titled These Lies that Live Between Us, a fascinating fantasy story that explores how lies and secrecy isolate us from those we love and prevent us from having the fulfilling relationships we crave in life, all while balancing wit with poise.
We read about Ceryll where three princesses, “the heir, the airhead and the dead,” live together in a castle with their father. This land is magical, but magic and witchcraft, or “the Words,” are forbidden. The book opens on one of the princesses tossing herself off a cliff, apparently overcome by the madness of the Words. A year later, the “airhead” princess, Gwen, embarks on a journey to find the legendary phoenix, a weapon powerful enough to save her nation from invading magicians who ignore the laws against magic. Meanwhile, the “heir” Nicole must protect herself and her father from foreign agents infiltrating their castle.
I review and read a lot of fantasy, and this book explores and employs the pillars of the genre. There are magical creatures, supernatural beings, witches and wizardry, a medieval-esque setting—you get the idea. This novel excels, as do most good novels, in its originality. Almost every fantasy book has people who control the elements; this was the first I’ve read where they had to ask the elements very nicely for consent to be used. The chosen one narrative has been hashed and re-hashed into oblivion; while These Lies uses that trope, it also obfuscates it with a possible second chosen one.
Perhaps most impressive of all is how themes about honesty and secrecy meld perfectly with the plot. “Speakers” are magicians bound to tell the truth and capable of seeing when a person lies, and it’s fascinating to watch how these characters use half-truths to keep their secrets. Besides that, the three main characters all possess their own secrets which they hide from those close to them, secrets about their real identity, about their real plans, and about their futures, secrets which ultimately create more problems than they solve. The climax of the story comes, not in an epic battle scene, but in a moment of truth between two characters, a satisfying end to both the plot and the characters’ arcs.
Besides that, it’s a delight to read. The craft is clean, precise, and beautiful. Characters are fleshed-out and hilarious. On her quest, Gwen’s companion Nier is shot by a bowman while protecting her. When she points out he’s bleeding, he says, ”Just a scratch. Now get down before you get shot!” to which Gwen replies, “Yes, of course. When I see a man lying in a pool of his own blood, I think how all right he is.” Every character has their funny moments that enrich the dialog and story outside of the well-plotted action scenes.
I think this could be a difficult novel to love for people who don’t already love fantasy. As I mentioned, there is a lot of playing with established tropes, and those less-well-read in the genre may miss some of the charm of those inversions. There’s so much I could say about this novel, but I’ll leave the review with my 4 out of 4 star rating and my hopes that you’ll pick up a copy for yourself.
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These Lies That Live Between Us
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