The Lie Tree
by Frances Hardinge
AUCK IN STOCK
WGTN OUT OF STOCK
432
Mar 2018
Paperback
Pan Macmillan
Macmillan Children's Books
9781509868162
Winner of the Costa Book of the Year
'I can't think of anyone who would not love this story' - Matt Haig, author of The Midnight Library
The Lie Tree is a wonderfully evocative and atmospheric novel by Frances Hardinge, award-winning author of Cuckoo Song and Fly By Night.
Faith's father has been found dead under mysterious circumstances, and as she is searching through his belongings for clues she discovers a strange tree. The tree only grows healthy and bears fruit if you whisper a lie to it. The fruit of the tree, when eaten, will deliver a hidden truth to the person who consumes it. The bigger the lie, the more people who believe it, the bigger the truth that is uncovered.
The girl realizes that she is good at lying and that the tree might hold the key to her father's murder, so she begins to spread untruths far and wide across her small island community. But as her tales spiral out of control, she discovers that where lies seduce, truths shatter . . .
'Dark, thrilling, utterly original' - Patrick Ness, author of A Monster Calls
The Lie Tree is an exquisite Victorian murder mystery, a winding tale of lies and revenge. At the centre of the story is Faith, a reliable young woman who always does what’s expected of her. But when her brilliant but disgraced scientist father dies, she is determined to find out the truth. Faith finds a mysterious tree which feeds on lies and delivers hidden truths; as you turn the pages her whispered lies gain strength and momentum, transforming into something uncontainable. The novel is so atmospheric and while reading you are immersed in Faith’s 19th century world, finding yourself somewhere eerie and wonderfully peculiar. The fantasy elements shine through in the second half and the characters grow in significance and complexity. A deeply satisfying read and a fascinating look at the ways women have been silenced throughout history.
Elka, Little Unity
