A teenage misfit named Hawthorn Creely inserts herself in the investigation of missing person Lizzie Lovett, who disappeared mysteriously while camping with her boyfriend. Hawthorn doesn't mean to interfere, but she has a pretty crazy theory about what happened to Lizzie. In order to prove it, she decides to immerse herself in Lizzie's life. That includes taking her job... and her boyfriend. It's a huge risk — but it's just what Hawthorn needs to find her own place in the world.
Source: e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Have you ever met someone who left a lasting impression on you - good or bad? You're always wondering about them in the back of your mind, almost creating this fictional persona for them as they take up permanent residence in your subconscious. They become some sort of measuring stick that you hold yourself up against. This is how Hawthorn has operated for the last few years since she first met upperclassman, Lizzie Lovett as a freshman, and has continued even after Lizzie has graduated.
Hawthorn has always felt like an oddity. She lives inside her head most of the time conjuring up theories and scenarios for entertainment and to escape her reality. This makes her seem rather immature and self-absorbed. A lot of that stems from her sense of alienation at school, although i do think that the wall she built around herself has only served to insulate her. When she hears that Lizzie has gone missing, she becomes obsessed with the case. She comes up with wild fantasies about where Lizzie has gone or what she's become, even going so far as to infiltrate aspects of Lizzie's life. She's so consumed with Lizzie that it disrupts her relationships with everyone else and borders on worrisome.
The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett is altogether strange and absorbing, where Hawthorn's behaviour at times becomes so confounding that you wonder what exactly she's attempting to pull off. Even with all that weirdness, it was hard not to become engrossed in this fantasy she had created. In the end, not only does she learn the truth but she figures out something about herself. A definite read if you're up for a mystery and something a bit offbeat.
~ Bel
