With its steamy, cinematic writing, it's no wonder that What I Saw and How I Lied is nominated for the National Book Award in Young People's Literature. In film noir style, Judy Blundell tells the dramatic story of Evie and her family post World War II. When Joe, Evie's father, returns home from the war, Evie expects that life will go back to normal, but then the phone calls start, and Joe decides to whisk the family away to Florida for an extended vacation. There, they meet Peter Coleridge, an ex-GI who served under Joe in Austria. Evie comes to realize that Peter's appearance in Florida is not coincidental. There is a secret between Peter and Joe, but Evie falls in love with Peter anyway. Then an accident occurs, and Evie is forced to decide whether to be loyal to her first love or save her parents from ruin.
Much Like Godbersen's The Luxe, Blundell has given readers a dark, secretive historical novel with a contemporary feel. This is a coming-of-age story with a sharp edge that is sure to entice even those young readers who believe all historical novels are boring and banal.
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