by Alison Standish
1 February 2018
Many books follow a certain format: beginning, middle, and end. It’s also typical to see a character introduced — sometimes in crystal clear focus — and then developed slowly as the plot nears its often cliched or scripted conclusion.
In her new book Genuine Fraud, author E. Lockhart rewrites the standard format of a novel by masterfully creating an overwhelmingly complicated yet extraordinarily interesting plot that moves backwards, unravelling slowly and gradually, and that features a complicated character who is far from honest in her self-explanation.
The style of Genuine Fraud is delightfully nostalgic, with scenes of beaches and pretentious mansions against a background of travel and discovery. The heart-racing, action movie feeling of the story is effectively offset by the prestigious nature one might find in a Victorian novel.
Elements of action are combined with the stylistic tendencies of an adventure novel and thrown into an Agatha Christie-like world.
The primary plot of the novel revolves around protagonist Jule’s former relationship with her best friend Imogen, and the gradually-revealed truth about Imogen’s suicide. The plot itself is riveting and fascinating, but the truly thought-provoking and intriguing aspect of the story is that of the protagonist herself.
Julietta West Williams, referred to throughout the book as “Jule” is aptly labeled as a “genuine fraud.” The novel begins in a hotel in Cabo St. Lucas, Mexico, in the summer of 2017. In the first chapter, readers learn a lot about Jule, when an unexpected incident soon forces Jule to run away.
The style of Genuine Fraud is delightfully nostalgic, with scenes of beaches and pretentious mansions against a background of travel and discovery. The heart-racing, action movie feeling of the story is effectively offset by the prestigious nature one might find in a Victorian novel.
This is where Lockhart’s novel begins: in flight. And from here, the novel becomes a tasteful mix of prestige and mystique, as the stereotypical– yet always rightfully applauded– world-travelling plot draws readers into a completely unique kind of mystery: The sophisticated puzzle of a liar, the gradually surfacing truth of a character who is never who she says she is, and the contradiction of multiple stories, some true, some false.
The concept of a character who lies to her audience is a unique and intriguing one, and Lockhart’s character Jule is just that. Setting aside the typical format for a character who lets their audience view their innermost thoughts, Lockhart instead creates a strong, personable protagonist who never explicitly reviews the stories of her past or the motives in her mind. Rather, readers will witness Jule’s true nature and motives through the gradual unfolding of the plot. Each turn of a page takes them deeper and deeper into the truth about Jule’s past.
Though the reversed movement of the plot might be confusing to some, it’s easy to invest in this story. This is the kind of book that’s unique enough to be interesting, even if it might be complicated enough to be puzzling. Readers will find themselves enraptured by the mysterious nature of the plot and will eagerly rush through the book’s pages in order to uncover the story’s center.
For anyone who enjoys reading about adventure, crime, or mystery, Genuine Fraud is the perfect choice.
Alison Standish is a critic for Oswego East High School’s online news magazine the HOWL