The Supreme Lie

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The chapters are short and fast-paced, passing from Gloria’s experiences in lie-laden Praesto city to Heinz’s truth in his journey in the desert around Rose City to reunite him with his owner. Dogs are given an unusual but entertaining role as protagonists in the story and we can parallel their nature and relationships with those of the humans we meet, as well as exploring the interactions between the two. I took up writing as a child, for the fun of it,' says Geraldine, 'to go somewhere else and be someone other than me. It's still my chief pleasure, and the thing I want children to get from my books. If writing ever became more laborious than that, then I don't think anyone would enjoy reading what I wrote.' In essence, the country's leader 'does a bunk' when unprecedented floods bring chaos to a region. To hide the leader's cowardice, her husband hatches a plot to pretend the leader is still present by dressing up the 15 year old maid, Gloria. As you can imagine, the situation gets pretty fraught. It's quite Shakespearean - think Twelfth Night" or "Measure for Measure." Madame Suprema, the head of Afalia runs away when the land is in danger of flooding, to avoid the consequences. To cover up her disappearance, Gloria her 15 year old maid takes her place, a feat accomplished since the leader hasn't shown her face in years, hiding behind a veil. How does writing The Supreme Lie compare with your other novels? Do any of your books stand out for you from your writing career?

Geraldine McCaughrean's latest book is another brilliant read. A dual narrative laced with dark humour, it cleverly weaves many contemporary issues - climate change, fake news, trust in politicians - into a smart and original storyline. As ever, the characterisation is wonderful and the format of the book is visually stunning. A political/eco-thriller with plenty of twists and turns, this is a book to be devoured by confident readers and dog lovers alike! Light and dark. You need them in life; you need them in art; you need them in writing. I don't want ever to leave my reader depressed. But I didn't feel I could tell a disaster story without bad stuff actually happening in it. At some points, I was glad to remind myself that the country of Afalia doesn't actually exist. The role of the press is examined in spreading ‘Fake news’, power is abused, refugees are blamed for misfortunes, man’s interference in nature has consequences, all current concerns in our world.A few of the names in the book do somewhat signify things, though. Kovet covets power. Timor's surname - Philotapantasol - means 'lover of peace'. Ap(p)is means ‘bee'; Praesto means 'pride'; Afalia sounds like ... well, try saying it out loud.

The relationship between Gloria and Timor is my chief source of comedy - them and perhaps Mycar, the brainless dog who 'owns' everything.Commenting on the situation of there being haves and have-nots and the glaring differences between them. The 'powerful" and the 'powerless'. How we wield power says a lot about our character, what kind of people we are. How a crisis can bring out the best or the worst in people. How resilient people can be. I so wanted to like this book. The premise intrigues, and I'd heard great things about the author. But the first third somewhat disappoints. It drags on, most of the characters and their actions feel false or even ridiculous, and the writing jumps around so much at times that I had to reread several parts more than once to find what I had missed, but I was none the wiser. And yet, I had to know what happened. And there was Peter Pan in Scarlet, of course: a terrifyingly important commission which I won in a competition and which went on to sell in 50 countries. It was useful, since it was in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital. You can't often say a work of fiction is useful.

I think the cleverest thing about this book is the way it uses narrative perspective to expose the class divide. First of all, the concept itself involves a lower class character stepping into the shoes of an upper class character. McCaughrean has already created opportunity for highlighting the contrast in their lifestyles. But it works even more deeply, because Gloria is a child - an emblem of innocence - being thrust into a world of corruption and lies. Placing a young and untainted character inside this dishonest government is a clever way of challenging the corruption, because Gloria and the readers who take her side are able to question the way Praesto's government handles the crisis. David Almond introduces his new picture book, A Way to the Stars, a story about perseverance and finding a way to make dreams come true.Geraldine McCaughrean was born in 1951 Twice Carnegie medal winning Geraldine McCaughrean's enthralling new novel is set in a world paralysed by natural disaster and dangerous lies. 15-year-old Gloria is maid to Afalia's tyrannical Head of State, Madame Suprema. When the country is hit by unprecedented flooding, Madame Suprema runs away, fearing she will be blamed for the crisis. To cover up this cowardly act, Gloria is made to step into Madame Suprema's shoes and is thrust into a world of corrupt and desperate politicians. As Gloria becomes aware of the forces toying with her every move, she must take decisions that could save, or end, thousands of lives - including her own...A brilliant and darkly funny commentary on our present times by one of our greatest writers. Twice Carnegie medal winning Geraldine McCaughrean’s enthralling new novel is set in a world paralysed by natural disaster and dangerous lies. Normally, if I'm going to set a novel somewhere I've never been, I'll research the flora and fauna, geography, traditions, history, beliefs ... But here, for the first time I was writing about somewhere imaginary, so I was free, as I went along, to invent everything about Afalia. Great fun. I can recommend inventing places. I did draw myself a map to begin with, but it had to shimmy a bit, to accommodate the plot!

Dystopian Fiction Books Everyone Should Read: Explore The Darker Side of Possible Worlds and Alternative Futures The Supreme Lie was fun; its continuity and plotting were complicated, but I hope that doesn't show. I enjoyed the company of Timor, Gloria, Clem and the dogs very much. The best thing an author can say for a book is that they didn't want to write "The End", and I didn't. Gloria's a servant - a nobody ... except that, of course, nobody is a nobody. As understudy to The Suprema, she finds she has strengths she has never been asked to use before. She knows what it's like to be poor and overworked - so she can empathise with the factory workers. And she's also seen the rich and powerful come and go.Diving in, the book was a slow start, introducing the characters and fictional land known as Afalia. The Supreme Leader wears a veil to cover her face so no one knows what she looks like. She comes across as selfish and cruel. The land is in danger from the constant rain and other towns and cities are flooding and wanting help from Afalia. Determined to escape, she boards a train. As we follow her journey as the new Suprema, we also get a first hand view of the broken city she is trying to protect through the eyes of a dog who lives in it's streets and sees everything. The narration was so uniquely engaging and vivid - each voice so distinct. Take a Look at Our Summary of November Highlights, Whether You're Looking for the Latest Releases or Gift Inspiration This book defies a simple explanation. Just when Gloria was thinking a solution was obvious, the consequences were pointed out to her and each decision became more and more convoluted as she tied herself up in knots trying to do the right thing. Daisy (my Daisy) was dozy, loving and lollopy. The only time she trod on an unseen pheasant which then collided with her mouth, she didn't know what to do. She was such a joy: she deserved to be immortalised in a book.