None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

Publication date - 20 July 2023

Publisher - Random House, Cornerstone

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Thanks to @netgalley for providing me with an arc!

‘None Of This Is True’ is a dark and twisted look at our fractured reality and how we portray ourselves in society! Sounds deep doesn't but that's because it is, it's a complex look at how two women identify with themselves, those around them and those they love.

Two very different women form the centre of this story and it begins with an off chance meeting in a pub where Alix and Josie realise they are birthday twins. Born on the same day but also in the same hospital. Alix is a successful podcaster who interviews women of merit, with a life to be envious of. Josie is a housewife and women to two grow up girls, with an older dominant husband and works part time as a seamstress. Very different women with very different lives. But are what they are portraying reality? The women begin to meet regularly with Josie to feature on Alix’s podcast and Josie soon opens up about being groomed, abused and her fractured relationships.

With the title ‘None Of This Is True’ you know from the off not to believe what is presented on the page. It makes you question everything you are reading and it slightly put me off the story as I wasn’t that investing in the story as I kept thinking that this won’t be reality! But that’s because as a reader I like to form my own opinions and analyse what is happening. But that's my only kibble as there are so many great things about this book! The formatting of including interviews between the chapters was clever.  The pacing of the book was like a steam train hurriedly pushing along the tracks but the excerpts of the interviews for Netflix give the readers time to breathe and reset ready for the next revelation!

The two women were strong, complex and at times frustrating characters and the dynamic between them sang off the page. Josie in particular was a fascinating woman! I can't say too much without spoiling it! Eek.

I loved this twisty, in-depth look at self-identity, how we portray ourselves to society and how we wish our life could be different. At times this book was chilling, addictive and downright mind-boggling! Let me know if you read it!