The Lie Tree Review

By Kate A

The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge is a Victorian murder mystery that takes place on a fictional island called Vane. Faith Sunderly and her family, which consists of her brother, her parents, and her Uncle Miles, are leaving England temporarily so her father can join an excavation on Vane. Her father,  Erasmus Sunderly, is a well-known natural scientist, but there are some rumors in England that he has committed fraud. After a few days on Vane, it becomes clear by the way the locals are treating the Sunderlys that the rumors about Mr. Sunderly have spread to the island. Many people seem to despise her father and the rest of the Sunderly family. When her father turns up dead, she suspects that he was murdered by someone on the island and is determined to prove it.
After her father's death, Faith comes across one of her father's journals that explains one of his specimens, which he calls the Lie Tree. When a lie is whispered to the tree, it bears a fruit that, when eaten, tells a hidden truth. Faith uses the Lie Tree to unlock the secrets of her father's death and to prove to the rest of the island that her father was murdered.
One aspect of the book I found interesting was Faith's relationship with her father, which is similar to Kambili's relationship with her father in Purple Hibiscus. Like Kambili's father, Mr. Sunderly is a well-known, wealthy man, and prior to coming to Vane, Faith believes her father could never do anything wrong. However, as the book progresses, she finds out about things her father has done in the past . Faith knows some of the things her father has done are wrong, but she has trouble admitting to herself that he did bad things. She subconsciously knows that her father wasn't a good man, but she wants to remember her father as a perfect person that could never do anything wrong.
Another thing The Lie Tree deals with is feminism. Faith lives in a society where women have no rights. Men are viewed as superior, and it is believed that women can't be clever since they generally have smaller skulls, therefore smaller brains, than men. Faith, who is interested in natural science herself, is determined to prove this theory wrong. She sees herself as clever and wants to be treated the same as any other male scientist instead of being viewed by everyone else as unintelligent.
Overall, I would rate The Lie Tree four out of five stars. One complaint I do have about the book is that it takes too long for the action to actually start, and I think it would have been more exciting if the main part of the story started quicker. However, the rest of the story is never boring, and there is significant character development throughout the book. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in mystery or books set during the Victorian era.