The Best Lies by Sarah Lyu
Trigger warning: obsessive friendship, toxic relationships, child abuse, death\murder.
Age rating: 14+
Overall rating: 4.8 out of 5.
Genres: Young Adult, psychological thriller.
A spoiler free summary
Remy Tsai knew what every day looked like.
She used to be content, with Jack, her boyfriend, and her best friend Elsie, who understood her in every way, like no other.
But within one night everything changed. Jack, shot, is now dead and Elise was the one to pull the trigger. As a police investigation takes place, Remy must sift through her own memories to look for the truth. Was it self-defence? Or something that could destroy the one friendship that meant everything to her.
Review
The best lies was a really enjoyable read, an unexpected one to be honest. The author’s writing is simple yet there were many golden moments that were both relatable and devastating. The alternating timeline may have been a little confusing at times as many novels which use concurrent time line are usually, but it allowed for a better understanding of the mentality of the main character, Remy. What initial attracted me to the novel was the fact there was an Asian main character and that the novel was not a fantasy one and I really appreciated that race was not the character’s “flaw” or overcoming nature and was rather a part of them. I loved how the story explored the nature of friendships and the obsessive behaviour which evolved from trauma [in this novel] was not completely unrealistic, but rather something that was blown up and dramatized. The toxic side of family in relation to immigrants and the “perfect family” with the romanticised “American dream” was well addressed and which is unfortunately very real for many, even if that is not the parents’ intentions. I enjoyed how happiness was not forced throughout the book and this definitely affected the ending as well. Something about a best friendship that ends in tragedy is touchingly disturbing to anyone as friendships are part of the human experience which many people crave.
Overall, I really enjoyed the novel and took great pleasure in seeing the disaster of romanticising friendships through trauma connection and support when no one is there for you.
Quotes
“Love is the weapon they wield when it suits them, the justification for everything they do.”
“But then there is the first one, the very first trauma, and isn’t that where everyone’s story begins?”
“What hurt the most was knowing that she was enough for me, but I wasn’t enough for her.”
“Her pain doesn’t diminish my pain. It’s a false dichotomy.”
“Suffering isn’t romantic. It’s just painful.”
Recommendations
If you are looking for a disturbing novel in which friendships can go very wrong written through concurrent timelines and the truth of how trauma effects everyone differently, this novel is for you.
Pros: The main character was Asian; it explored the idea of the American dream for immigrant families and the struggles that come with presenting as the “perfect” family and how some relationships aren’t meant to be.
Cons: Nothing in particular sticks out.
Enna Mari 