A review by gracescanlon
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I found Lucy to be a refreshingly unique female main character, and relished that her personality — and how others perceived it and her — is what drove much of the story. I also enjoyed and related to Lucy and Savvy’s friendship — as a late-twenties woman, I’ve had similar friendships myself through my life.
I think my favorite thing, though, was Tintera’s use of casual, embedded misogyny and its microaggressions (from both men and women) throughout the book.
From people singing Matt’s praises for no reason, to everyone believing him and Emmett because they’re men who made statements, to using Lucy’s actions and personality against her in opposite ways they would if she were a man, to Ben’s realizing that it was his word that would exonerate Lucy and using his platform to do so,
Listen for the Lie uses patriarchy and misogyny in realistic ways in addition to their functions as story catalysts. 
I also deeply appreciated the way Tintera presented people’s treatment of those with trauma and/or brain injuries.
She toes the line between sympathy and understanding for other, also suffering characters and disgust with their treatment of Lucy, especially given she was gravely injured and had lost her best friend.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings