The Big Lie by Julie Mayhew – review

‘A book so beautiful, so raw and real, that it becomes almost painful to read’

I wrote and deleted the first sentence of this review no less than seventeen times. I can’t think of what to say about a book so beautiful, so raw and real, that it becomes almost painful to read. A re-imagined twenty-first century, in which Nazis won the second world war, is an idea that I recently criticised as being boring and tired, but here I truly take that back as this book is a compelling page-turner.

The Big Lie is a stark and gripping tale of Jessika Keller, the perfect daughter of a British Nazi family. As a model student, ice skating superstar and the daughter of a very important man, she is sheltered, protected, and entirely loyal to the regime. Except for one thing. Her best friend Clementine is a rebellious and outspoken teenager, who can see the Greater German Reich for what it is and isn’t afraid to say so. Funny, opinionated and brave, Clem is the real heroine of the story. Jess is simply the always slightly inadequate sidekick, who goes along with whatever she may be told. So when her growing feelings for Clem begin to challenge the ideals she was brought up to believe in, the tension really begins to build.

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