Julie Mayhew is the author of Red Ink. She has written plays for radio and the stage and is the cofounder and host of a short-story cabaret and the head of a writers’ workshop. Julie Mayhew lives in England.
Mayhew explores the very unnerving scenario of a world in which the
Nazi regime is still in power and thriving—and why...Terrifying and
eerily timely, this is a difficult read—emotionally—for mature
readers. An excellent choice for most YA shelves.
—School Library Journal (starred review)
Mayhew manages two feats, both crucial: she creates a believable
modern-day Nazi society built on rules, silence, and surveillance,
and a compelling depiction of a girl caught between what she has
always been taught and what she is coming to suspect is true. As
Jessika discovers, the truth is both dangerous and liberating.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Readers who know their World War II history and enjoy extremely
unreliable narrators will find great satisfaction in puzzling out
the truth behind the horrors Jess leaves unspoken.
—Kirkus Reviews
Mayhew’s careful research and richly detailed plot create a
frighteningly real world, and her thoughtful afterword explicitly
spells out questions about our right and responsibility to create
change through revolution.
—Booklist
Mayhew offers an intelligent, complex view of a dystopian society,
one that reflects historical realities and, chillingly, our current
world as well. In writing that’s quick, fresh, and witty she
implicitly challenges readers, the “you” to whom Jess’s narrative
is addressed, to choose between asking questions (“because you
can”) and the alternative: “It’s all so easy, I don’t really have
to think at all.”
—Horn Book
Beyond its alternate history premise, the book deftly examines the
ways in which gender roles and sexuality play out under a society
that strictly delineates them...There are surprises for both Jess
and the reader in the ending, making this a timely piece for teens
to consider what pacifism and/or protest looks like and the costs
each entail; an author’s note explains her inspiration.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Frightening in its realness, The Big Lie is a standout: a warning,
a call to action, and a terrific novel.
—ForeWord Reviews
This haunting, deeply disturbing novel will stay with you long
after the final page is turned.
—Buffalo News
Mayhew includes helpful historical notes and English translations
of the German used in this fast-paced, imaginative story.
—BookPage
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