As the oxymoron in the title reveals, a strong girl portrays a real trickster to the world. Jule, a smart and rebellious teenager, and Imogen, a nice and caring best friend, have a tight relationship. Throughout the book, Lockhart writes the journey they experience as the two girls learn more about one another. Jule is expressed as one who fights back and defends herself in a harsh manner. Individually, as she travels to different cities, her sharp character is revealed through interactions as well as her reflexes in certain situations.
In contrast to other books, Genuine Fraud is written in a backward chronological order which represents its complexity. Because it was written in a backwards manner, the book was very confusing to read as I understood the characters, setting, and plot towards the end of the book. If the author did a better job in organization and plot line, the book would be much easier to follow. The characters were also poorly described as it was hard to understand what the author was writing at times. However, the dialogue and scenes were very well written as it portrayed an intense, but loving story.
What is most memorable about this book was the way it was written – backward chronological order. It was interesting to read overall and introduced a new type of fictional writing. Although confusing at first, it was a huge “ahh” moment at the end.
Reviewed by Allyson, Grade 9, Twin Hickory Library
HCPL TeenScene's Read + Review 