The Best Lies is a book that follows the story of Remy Tsai, a high school student who seems to regard life as bearable because she is with her two favorite people, her boyfriend Jack and her best friend, Elise. Suddenly, Jack was murdered by no one other than Elise, upending Remy’s life. As Remy recounts her story of finding and befriending Elise and how their once lighthearted friendship turned into a heavy, codependent relationship. We see how Elise and Remy not only bond over their shared trauma from their families but how that trauma affects people, especially Elise, to fashion themselves into a persona they aren’t. The worst part is that Elise’s need for Remy grows to a point where she isn’t afraid to eliminate any people who may stand in the way of her and Remy’s friendship, even Jack. Even after Jack is murdered, Remy realizes that she can’t reveal the truth to the police, even if that means lying to protect Elise from being punished.

I read this book over the course of Thanksgiving Break, and I was very intrigued by its plot. To start off, the book explores the consequences of an obsessive friendship between the two girls, Remy and Elise, and demonstrates how dark the effects truly are. The books explored an extreme aspect of teenage life that I hadn’t previously read before, and it showed me that there are some decisions that do not have a right and a wrong. The book highlights themes of maturing, codependency, and mainly toxicity, which all together make for a twisting read. This book was a very interesting read and a good way to explore different types of books. Rating: ⅘

Reviews by: Tanvi

Tanvi is a 10th grade virtual volunteer with the Lincoln Heights Library.

—Kelcey Soderstrom, Young Adult Librarian, Lincoln Heights Branch Library