What if the Allies never won the second world war? What if Germany won, and in 2014 Britain was ruled by a Nazi regime? Jessika Keller, the book’s protagonist, is a good girl, and always does what is expected of her as a dutiful daughter of the ‘Greater German Reich’.
Jessika’s best friend, however, is far from a conformist good girl; she’s a free thinker and her actions threaten to knock Jessika from the pedestal her world is so precariously placed on. This book is smart, political and explores teenage self discovery, and the secrets Jessika’s society is shrouded in. As you delve further and further into this book, you uncover more about the total wrongness of it all.
The Big Lie is groundbreaking and truly remarkable, confronting and challenging ideas about sexism, feminism, sexuality and freedom. Yes, whilst we may not live in a country ruled by a Nazi regime, that doesn’t mean the messages and themes in this book are irrelevant; in fact, I believe they’re more relevant than ever.
Mayhew is an extraordinary writer, and in my opinion The Big Lie is poised to be one of the most controversial, celebrated YA books of the decade. You don’t have to be a history boffin to understand this, as it’s written in a way that makes it accessible for everyone. As a matter of fact, it’s inspired me to read up on the Nazis (Mayhew helpfully supplies a list of books that helped shape The Big Lie).
I adored this book, and as a result, I am encouraging (AKA forcing) my friends to read it, because it was that good, and that clever. Note: if you read this book, don’t skip the Historical Notes On The Big Lie section, it’s one of the best bits.
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