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One Great Lie

BY DEB CALETTI

A “quietly triumphant” (Horn Book Magazine) and atmospheric YA story of romance, mystery, and power about a young woman discovering her strength in lush, sultry Venice—from the Printz Honor–winning author of A Heart in a Body in the World.

When Charlotte wins a scholarship to a writing workshop in Venice with the charismatic and brilliant Luca Bruni, it’s a dream come true. Writing is her passion, she loves Bruni’s books, and going to that romantic and magical sinking city gives her the chance to solve a long-time family mystery about a Venetian poet deep in their lineage, Isabella Di Angelo, who just might be the real author of a very famous poem.

Bruni’s villa on the eerie island of La Calamita is extravagant—lush beyond belief, and the other students are both inspiring and intimidating. Venice itself is beautiful, charming, and seductive, but so is Luca Bruni. As his behavior becomes increasingly unnerving, and as Charlotte begins to unearth the long-lost work of Isabella with the help of sweet, smart Italian Dante, other things begin to rise, too—secrets about the past…and secrets about the present.

As the events of the summer build to a shattering climax, Charlotte will be forced to confront some dark truths about the history of powerful men—and about the determination of creative girls.

One great Lie Cover Large
  • Praise One Great Lie:

    * "Printz Honoree Caletti leads her readers through intertwined stories of sexual harassment and misogyny with assurance and a fierce feminism, all while steeping her prose in sensory detail that creates an atmosphere of mystery." -- Booklist, Starred Review

  • * "[A] work that is respectful and restrained yet powerful and emotional. . .The introspective and quiet narrative is beautifully written, with rich sensory details and nuanced explorations of sexuality, artistic motivation, loneliness, and jealousy . . . " -- School Library Journal, Starred Review

  • * "Third-person–present narration foreshadows the dreadful events to come, giving the story a fairy-tale tone and inspiring readers to absorb every luminous detail as the narrative slows down to describe Venice in gorgeous, flowing prose. . . A potent story of how one young woman finds the power to write her own story." -- Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

My Review:

5 Stars:


This book will be a good read for teenage girls that haven't done a deep dive into the history of feminism. It pulls from poets and history that, for me personally, was told over and over again. This is a compelling storyline for newbies to learn how the feminist movement was still a continued struggle. I had to keep putting this book down and coming back to it. It's 2 stories being told about women being treated hundred of years ago and how they are still treated today. Charlotte, the main character, goes on a lifetime trip to a summer camp in Venice, a writing camp with her favorite author. You will learn new things from this novel - great for people who love historical fiction, but a YA take on it.
⭐⭐

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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AUTHOR

Deb Caletti is the award-winning and critically acclaimed author of nearly twenty books for adults and young adults, including Honey, Baby, Sweetheart, a finalist for the National Book Award, and A Heart in a Body in the World, a Michael L. Printz Honor Book. Her books have also won the Josette Frank Award for Fiction, the Washington State Book Award, and numerous other state awards and honors, and she was a finalist for the PEN USA Award. She lives with her family in Seattle.

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SIMON & SCHUSTER BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS

PUBLISHER

Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, one of the leading children’s book publishers in the world, is comprised of the following imprints: Aladdin, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Beach Lane Books, Libros para niños, Little Simon®, Margaret K. McElderry Books, Paula Wiseman Books, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, and Simon Spotlight®. While maintaining an extensive award-winning backlist, we publish acclaimed and bestselling books for children of all ages.

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