A crew of four misfits, charged with murder and the illegal use of magic come together to plan the ultimate jailbreak. This is a world where time altering magic, Edem, is feared and prohibited. Anyone caught using the forbidden magic is locked away in Vardean, a secure prison facility.
Cayder Broduck, has had one goal since the unexpected murder of his mother due to a stranger’s use of Edem; to put away a anyone who uses the unnerving magic. This dream is made true when he accepts an apprenticeship under the best prosecutor in Vardean, Graymond Toyer, despite his father’s wishes. However, when he meets the three offenders he’ll be defending, one being his own sister, he comes to realise that they are teens like him with convoluted pasts. All must rush to distinguish the truth from the lies as their cases unfold.
Astrid Scholte’s inspiration from her childhood, particularly Disney, is clear through the enchanting and magical concepts behind this story. A key feature of the novel is the concept of shadows which are behind Edem. When this black magic is used, shadows appear and take over to fulfil what the user wants. This is almost a metaphor for the explosion of one’s inner turmoil that builds up to a breaking point. The dark, our shadows, take over and we make irrational decisions. But still this fantasy novel still had created pathways and opportunities me to relate to character’s lives.
I highly recommend League of Liars. It offers a richly drawn world where everything is much more than it seems, replete with secrets and perils which will keep you guessing until its final moments. With a riveting plot, unforgettable characters and the immersive world Scholte has created, this book is brimming with originality.
Scholte has done it yet again.
Reviewed by Diya, Year 11
Cerdon College, Merrylands NSW
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Astrid Scholte was raised on a diet of Spielberg, Lucas and Disney, and knew she wanted to be surrounded by all things fantastical from a young age. She’s spent the last 15 years working in film, animation and television as both an artist and manager. Career highlights include working on James Cameron’s Avatar, Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin and Disney’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. She is currently part of The Force and helps movies get made.
Her debut YA novel, Four Dead Queens, was an international bestseller and award winner. Her second novel was The Vanishing Deep and then League of Liars.
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