There Will Be Lies By Nick Lake

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Format: ARC

Published: 1^st  January 2015

Number of Pages: 464

Book: For Review*

Genre: Contemporary, Thriller, Mystery, Magical Realism, Suspense, Paranormal, Mythology, Fantasy, Action-Adventure, YA

Recommended Age: 14+

Contains: Swearing, Violence, Alcohol, Smoking, Drug and Sexual References

Author's Blog: Thus Spake Nick Lake

Blurb From Goodreads:

Shelby Jane Cooper is seventeen, pretty and quiet. It's just Shelby and her mom, Shaylene, a court stenographer who wears pyjama jeans, stitches tapestry, eats ice-cream for dinner and likes to keep Shelby safe. So safe she barely goes out. So safe she doesn't go to school. Because anything could happen, to a girl like Shelby. Anything.
When Shelby gets knocked down by a car, it's not just her leg that's broken: Shelby's world is shattered. Her mom turns up to collect her and drives off into the night, like it's the beginning of a road trip, like two criminals on the run, like Thelma and Louise or Bonnie and Clyde. And somehow, everywhere she looks, there's a coyote watching her, talking to her, telling her not to believe.
Who is Shelby Jane Cooper? If the person who keeps you safe also tells you lies, who can you trust?

                                                                   Review:

“I'm going to be hit by a car in about four hours, but I don't know that yet.

The weird thing is, it's not the car that's going to kill me, that's going to erase me from the world. 

It's something totally different.  Something that happens eight days from now and threatens to end the world…”

Shelby Cooper's Mom has always been paranoid and over-protective.  Shelby has been home-schooled, only going out once a week for batting practice and ice cream.  Her Mom knows everything about her, controls everything, is always telling her to be careful, watch out for cars...

One day, Shelby isn't careful enough.  A car comes onto the pavement, hits her and breaks her leg.  As she lies there, she sees a coyote, who says:

"There will be two lies, it says.  Then there will be the truth.  And that will be hardest of all."

The moment Shelby is released from the hospital, she and her mother go on the run.  They pack their car up and flee.  

Shelby's Mom has been lying to Shelby all her life.  Mom isn't who she claimed to be.

The world isn't what it claimed to be.  Because every time Shelby closes her eyes, she leaves our world and appears in another, guided on a quest by the coyote...

“There was a time before time existed and that is called the Dreaming, and that is where we are, he says.

Oh, that clears it up, I say…”

What are the two lies?  What is the truth?  

And why has her whole life been a lie?  Love?  Fear?  Survival...?

I started There Will Be Lies, just intending to read a few chapters to see what it would be like.  Half an hour and a hundred pages later, I was still hooked to every word.  I stayed up 'til three-freaking-o'clock to gobble up as many pages as possible before I pretty much passed out.  There Will Be Lies is the kind of thriller that gets under your skin, until your desire to find out what the hell's going on becomes a burning need, so intense and so strong it can't be denied.  And I must say, There Will Be Lies was like no other thriller I've read before.  It was just... so unique.  I've read real life-fantasy mashups before, but I think TWBL might just be my favourite, thanks to the mystery and Native American folklore.  All this made it so brilliant and so utterly addictive!  It's also going to be hard to write a review for – I mean, how much can I say without giving everything away?  But I'll try my best to ramble on as usual...  Lucky followers.

There were really only a few characters in this book, but they were all so very interesting and unique and intriguing.  I really liked Shelby – in fact, I found her intriguing!  Oh, and yay for the disability diversity – and for her blasé way of telling us!  But she was really brave and strong, but also lost and scared and confused.  Basically, totally understandable for her character – and very likeable and relatable. 

Mark...  Yeah, that was weird and so interesting – as bizarre as it was brilliant, that part of the storyline... more in a minute on that.  Mark: he was cryptic, mysterious, confusing – a puzzle I loved trying to crack.

Shelby's Mom...  I had a few theories concerning her overprotectiveness.  I found this woman, who wore pyjama jeans and was so protective and jumpy, intriguing...  But I  can’t say more, otherwise I might give it away…

This writing... I do like Nick Lake's writing style – his use of bizarre punctuation, his edgy voices.  Shelby really came through – so strong.  The voice was amazing, the prose compelling and the way of writing so different and unique.  I can't really explain it – it was kind of written like a train of thoughts, a stream of consciousness: everything Shelby thought, we heard, no matter the consequences.  It was honest and real and so believable.  Some people might find the weird punctuation annoying or hard to read, but I rather liked it – but that's me.

I really love thrillers.  I love all those big ohhh moments, the ones you discover and think that all makes SO MUCH sense now!  I love it.  And normally I'm actually pretty good at guessing, despite my love of twists and oh moments.  But in There Will Be Lies...  Sure, I guessed a few twists (one of the big ones, actually, though it was only one of my many theories – another so-called 'PLOT TWIST' was very, very obvious for me) but this storyline, thanks to the fantastical elements, was generally unpredictable and insanely exhilaratingly exciting.

The Dreaming was so bizarre and so awesome.  I must say, I guessed aspects of the Dreaming plot, but the world building was brilliant - more so because we're never really sure what, exactly, the Dreaming is.  If it's real, if it's a different plane, world, etc.  Maybe I would have preferred some further explanation, but it all was so fascinating and really rather unique - I really enjoyed my time in the Dreaming!  I’ve also only read a few books focusing on Native American folklore, and found the Coyote aspects simply brilliant.

There was something about this book, something I really can't put my finger one.  It's something I've found in Nick's other books, something that keeps me awake until ridiculous hours, desperate to read on.  It's some weird sort of magic, something inexplicable and powerful.  I read the book as fast as humanely possible, gobbled it all up and was left both wanting more and utterly satisfied.  The ending... it was perfect, kind of.  There Will Be Lies was an intriguing, addictive and beautiful book, one I really enjoyed.  It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it made this reviewer very happy!

Star Rating:
4 Out of 5

Read this book if you liked:

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Ferryman by Claire McFall

Bone Dragon by Alexia Casale

Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson

Happy Reading

Megan

* This book was received from Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review

** Quotes used are from a proof copy and may have been changed in the finished book