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A review by brittaniethekid
Liar City by Allie Therin
4.0
This is a very ambitious premise and I'm just glad Therin can pull it off. It wasn't quite a can't-put-down book because it's so complex and I needed a break but overall really enjoyable.
In this world, there's a rare genetic mutation (?) that leaves the individual with heightened empathy - like a psychic ability but more. It also affects the person's personality and ability to function in normal society. Simply touching another person can put the empath in a fugue state or knock them out, depending on the strength of the person they touch's emotions and the type of emotions, but can also hurt the "normal" person. In this world, these empaths just started being born for no discernable scientific reason only a few decades prior so people are still learning about them and there's strong prejudices. There's also, as there always is, corporations making money through research at the detriment of the empaths. All of this isn't a new idea in literature, of course, but this world reads pretty unique and rich especially for a pretty moderately sized book.
This also isn't quite a MM romance, which is what I expected from Therin and the premise. There are some hints that Reece and Evan Greyson will eventually get together in some capacity but their abilities will be a big hurdle. Because you can't help make the X-Men comparison, it's just like Rogue's abilities. Reece, our MC, can't touch anyone without hurting them or himself, especially as we learn he's been "corrupted". Even though Greyson is somewhat immune to Reece's abilities, Reece is not immune to his and that will definitely prevent any kind of relationship going forward.
The ending is left very ambiguous because it's already planned to be a series so not a wholly satisfying ending. Since this is a murder/mystery type premise, you're learning about empathic abilities, this world, and the crime all at the same time so it's a lot to take in and then the last chapter is rushed through some sort of resolution. There's a lot of questions that will hopefully be answered throughout the series.
I very much look forward to the next installment.
In this world, there's a rare genetic mutation (?) that leaves the individual with heightened empathy - like a psychic ability but more. It also affects the person's personality and ability to function in normal society. Simply touching another person can put the empath in a fugue state or knock them out, depending on the strength of the person they touch's emotions and the type of emotions, but can also hurt the "normal" person. In this world, these empaths just started being born for no discernable scientific reason only a few decades prior so people are still learning about them and there's strong prejudices. There's also, as there always is, corporations making money through research at the detriment of the empaths. All of this isn't a new idea in literature, of course, but this world reads pretty unique and rich especially for a pretty moderately sized book.
This also isn't quite a MM romance, which is what I expected from Therin and the premise. There are some hints that Reece and Evan Greyson will eventually get together in some capacity but their abilities will be a big hurdle. Because you can't help make the X-Men comparison, it's just like Rogue's abilities. Reece, our MC, can't touch anyone without hurting them or himself, especially as we learn he's been "corrupted". Even though Greyson is somewhat immune to Reece's abilities, Reece is not immune to his and that will definitely prevent any kind of relationship going forward.
The ending is left very ambiguous because it's already planned to be a series so not a wholly satisfying ending. Since this is a murder/mystery type premise, you're learning about empathic abilities, this world, and the crime all at the same time so it's a lot to take in and then the last chapter is rushed through some sort of resolution. There's a lot of questions that will hopefully be answered throughout the series.
I very much look forward to the next installment.