What I Saw and How I Lied

By: Judy Blundell

Narrated by: Caitlin Greer

National Book Award, Young People's Literature, 2008

Evie slowly finds herself caught in a complicated web of lies in this brilliant mystery, which won the 2008 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.©2008 Judy Blundell (P)2009 Scholastic, Inc.

Critic reviews

"In this sophisticated thriller, 15-year-old Evie grows up quickly when she discovers her adored parents are not the people she thought they were. While on vacation in Palm Beach in 1947, Evie's parents, Joe and Bev, get involved in a shady business deal with the Graysons, another couple on holiday. Meanwhile, Evie begins a flirtation with Peter, a handsome ex-GI who served with Joe and just happens to be staying at their hotel. Evie soon learns that Peter's presence is no coincidence and that he threatens to uncover a terrible secret that Joe has kept since the war. Then Bev, Joe, and Peter go boating, but only two of them return. Evie must sort through secrets, lies, and her own grief to find the truth. Using pitch-perfect dialogue and short sentences filled with meaning, Blundell has crafted a suspenseful, historical mystery that not only subtly explores issues of post - WWII racism, sexism, and socioeconomic class, but also realistically captures the headiness of first love and the crushing realization that adults are not all-powerful." ( Booklist)

Slow start... but worth the listen

This was a good book once I got going. It has a slightly slow start and it wasn't until a few chapters in that I was invested in the storyline and looked forward to each opportunity I had to listen. Narrators voice was okay, but nothing terribly warm or engaging about her when she did the voices of other characters in the book. Overall enjoyable.

Very good listen

What did you love best about What I Saw and How I Lied?

I liked how well the time (after WWII) was described.

Any additional comments?

At first I thought this book will be something silly, probably because it is narrated from the point of view of a teenage girl, but as I listened I got into it. An addictive book.

Predictable; but cute

Would you try another book from Judy Blundell and/or Caitlin Greer?

No. This was okay; but not interesting enough to make me want to explore the author further.

What do you think your next listen will be?

The Chaperone.

What three words best describe Caitlin Greer’s performance?

Monotonous; but clear.

Do you think What I Saw and How I Lied needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

I think the ending is a nice place to leave the story. I wasn't too terribly interested in finding out whether Joe and Bev actually killed Peter. It almost didn't matter.

Any additional comments?

The story got more interesting towards the end. The beginning was kind of a drag.

Wonderful read, but not for the young, young adult

National Book Award winner for a reason...beautiful writing, unique style and complex characters... as an adult I enjoyed immensely. The reader should be comfortable with the issues of a daughter and mother both loving the same man, a possible murder by the father, overt discrimination, lying in court and to parents and a sexual encounter by 14 yr old trying to go all the way. They are not written in a profane way, however, emotions are real and intense. I wouldn't want my bright middle schooler to be anywhere near this... but the senior in high school would be ready for the numerous themes that weave beautifully and cause one to think deeply.

Palm Beach, 1947

This is a "mature" YA book. 15 year old Evie is confronted with a number of difficult emotional and moral choices, and realizes that the adults in her live are not always truthful. Good narration.

I always recommend

okay sooo I read this book back in high-school and I got the audio book as well and I wa tes to rekindle this book again and OMG SOOO MANY THINGS CHAGED from a 15 year old kid to a 23 year old holpes romantic I knowtice things that at the time I did not see within this book even the twist were somewhat predictable to an adult but to a kid the twist were more like complet 90 degre turns In a high way. but I digress this book is amazing

hooked!

So worth the credit I used. I could not stop until I finished it. Thank you Judy!

Great Story!

A simple family. A complex time. Everyone wanted to make their dreams come true. Wow.

Intrigue, moral ambiguity and coming of age

2008 National Book Award for Young People. Almost 16 Evie Spooner moves through August and September experiencing adult intrigue between her mother, her Veteran stepfather, a young GI Peter and a Jewish couple in Palm Springs. She begins the story wanting to wear lipstick and smoke cigarettes and ends the story the mature adult of the lot, having made difficult decisions that most of us thankfully have not had to face. This is an excellent read, and a great way for young adults to explore moral ambiguity.

Rough start, but ultimately pretty good!

I had a little trouble getting into this at first, mainly because I hated the voices that the narrator of the audiobook used for all the men in the story, and how the voices she used for the women sort of kept changing. But I did eventually get sucked in, and I listened to most of it in one sitting. I wasn't all that fond of Evie for the first half of the book or so, but her character grows up a lot during the last third, and I really like how Blundell finished this. It's not what I was expecting it to be, but that's a good thing!