The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett

The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett

Chelsea Sedoti

*This review is based on an advanced reading copy. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read the book in exchange for an honest review*

Even though I wasn't a huge fan of the book in general, I do have to admit that it made me think.

Our protagonist, Hawthorn, is obsessed with finding out what happened to Lizzie Lovett. Lizzie was camping with her boyfriend and disappeared, but things like that don't happen to Lizzie (according to Hawthorn). Lizzie was a senior when Hawthorn was a freshman, and Hawthorn idolized her. She was the perfect cheerleader that everyone loved and obviously nothing bad could ever happen to her and everything good in the world was handed to her (obviously the main character is already delusional). When Hawthorn starts to come up with a theory of what happened, she comes to the conclusion that Lizzie has turned into a werewolf and ever since obsesses over said theory. She even goes to lengths of getting Lizzie's old job as a waitress in a few towns over and befriends her boyfriend, Enzo.

I'm not kidding. This whole book is about a girl missing and the main character is convinced that she's a werewolf. But, that's the thing. As readers, we live in fantasy worlds most of the time, so who's to say whether these things are real or not? That's what I was thinking most of the time throughout the book. No, her theory isn't logical, but we've read about these things so often: a strong girl that has powers she knows nothing of and goes on a crazy adventure when they're revealed; so why should we be so quick to dismiss such a 'crazy' theory?

But in the end, we all know what happens. She's a missing girl, not someone in a fairytale. And I just couldn't bring myself to like Hawthorn enough to sympathize with her facing reality. Underneath the story, there are lessons to be learned. More specifically, life as a teenager in high school. Relationships with boys, enemies, embarrassment, dealing with ridicule, and dealing with your hippy mom and ex-jock brother. I just couldn't relate.