Review: None of This Is True

None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I want to start by saying Lisa Jewell has done it once again. I was so engrossed in the story that her tales reached out and grabbed me somehow, she created such a twisted universe that I wanted to stay in it. She has this way of just keeping you wanting more, and I was here for it.

None of This Is True is a story that follows the lives of two main characters — Alix and Josie, who have the detailed personalities like I was getting to know real-life friends. There is a wealth of detail in their secrets, and they all have hidden motivations. I was either rooting for some characters and suspicious of others. This is one of those books that makes you wonder, "who can I really trust?". It was that tantalizing mystery that had me up far past my bedtime.

I really enjoyed the way this story was told because I love true-crime documentaries and podcasts, which Jewell managed to introduce here so well. I felt like I was solving a real-life mystery, as if I were a detective and someone was playing tricks on me. The story has so many twists and turns that I didn't know the who, why until the end.

I enjoyed the pacing for the most part, but there were a couple of times when things got dragged on. Initially, I kept wanting something more exciting to happen, however in hindsight, the slower elements were some very clever set-ups that would only pay off later. Well, as much as I was waiting for things to happen, I really respect those quieter moments of the show and how it helped in enriching the overall story line. It is a real visualization that we do need to breathe in challenging moments to feel the drama and tension.

The build-up was brilliant, however on the other hand... I was left feeling a little underwhelmed by the climax. (view spoiler here) The end reveal should also have been expanded on a little more. It felt as if Jewell had built this amazing suspense tower, and then just given us a paper roof. Either I was too attached to his journey ending or maybe I just wanted something more explosive to conclude everything.

Overall, None of This Is True is a great book for fans of books with great mysteries, thorough character development, and plot twists. Lisa Jewell writes stories that seem to be more than just fiction; these are experiences with characters every reader can relate to. This book is definitely worth adding to your reading list and the more you enjoy a story that keeps you wondering, the better!

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