What I Saw and How I Lied

Evie thinks she is just on a glamorous vacation with her mother and stepfather. Evie thinks that Peter is her first real love. Evie thinks her life is about to begin. Only too late does Evie learn the truth. The truth about her mother, her step father, Peter, and the world at large. And once she does learn the truth, she abandons it, in favor of what she thinks is necessary.

What I Saw and How I Lied is really a fascinating character study, a mystery of sorts and a coming of age novel. The characters are just so well done, from Evie to her mom to her dad to the Graysons to Peter. I wouldn't say they are all top-notch “likeable” people, but they are flawed. Imperfect. Joe has a temper - but he really does love his wife and daughter and wants to do right by them. (I also think he shows potential signs of PTSD, which made me think of all the men from WWII who came home with PTSD but never got it treated.) Bev has a wandering eye, hates being a housewife - but she LOVES her daughter and would do anything for her. And Evie comes across as naive, but when she needs to grow up, she does so.

This was a powerful book, one that definitely stuck with me, but also one I feel you have to be in the “right” mood to read. It's not happy or super uplifting, but it's important and impactful.

Judy Blundell has really showed me that she is a great crafter of words, that she is just as good outside Star Wars as in, that she is better at young adult than middle grade, and that more Young Adult authors need to write like she does - conflicted characters, great stories with touches of realism, and important messages without the feeling of being clubbed over the head. I would definitely pick up another of her books in the future.