The word 'excited' could certainly be used to describe how I felt to finally get around to reading Liar, Dreamer, Thief by Maria Dong. With phrases like "gripping page-turner" used to describe the story, I knew at the very least I was in for a wild ride, most likely filled with a few twists and turns.
The Situation: Katrina Kim is a 25 year-old woman who is barely hanging on...to everything. Katrina has, at the best of times, a tenuous hold on her job as a temp at Advancex; on the apartment she shares with her roommate Leoni; on her rapidly deteriorating clunker of a car; on the few friendships she has managed to maintain; and also on reality. She will insist she is not a stalker, but the amount of attention she pays to Kurt, a coworker to whom she has never even been introduced, would say otherwise. The way Katrina tells it, Kurt is simply another one of her coping mechanisms, along with her obsession with the number 11, and her ability to enter and see things through the world of her favorite book from childhood.
The Problem: One of Katrina's rituals involves a nighttime visit to the Cayatoga Bridge, which she insists holds some kind of power, except this time Kurt is there, and he blames her for everything, right before he jumps. What follows causes Katrina's already incredibly weak hold on her life to become almost nonexistent. Just as she was watching Kurt, Kurt was also watching her. Now Katrina must do what she can, making the most of her limited resources and skills, to obtain more clues and put together what is really going on. The further she goes, the more clear it is to her that even the little she thought she knew to be the truth was little more than a carefully crafted facade. And Katrina's inability to let things go may be what helps her figure out what is really going on.
Genre, Themes, History: This mystery/thriller novel is set in and around Grand Station, Illinois, where the 25 year-old Katrina lives and works after being cut off from her parents. As a Korean-American, Katrina is used to being one of the few Asian women in any given situation, and the same is true for her job as a temporary employee for Advancex. Each section of the book begins with a brief description of a stellation: a geometrical process that allows for the type of shape that is one of Katrina's many obsessions. Following the description is an excerpt from Katrina's favorite childhood book, Mi-Hee and the Mirror-Man, which contains the fictional world that Katrina often escapes to, and where she can often see analogues for the real-life people she encounters. Mental health is a big theme here, as is obsession, stalking, fraud, and the perception of reality.
My Verdict: There were more than a few surprises that came from the book, which worked out well for the most part since it is a mystery/suspense thriller. The story contained an appropriate amount of twists and turns. Even the one of Kurt knowing about Katrina was somewhat shocking despite it being included in the synopsis. But one surprise I was not expecting was how difficult it would be to follow Katrina's story as she is the only narrator, and is as unreliable as a narrator can be. Also, the plot moves slower than what I am used to with thrillers, with a lot of information being thrown in at the end, leading to some confusing final pages and a plotline that makes less and less sense. And the big reveal about Katrina's past did not seem worth the build up, even if it did answer many questions from earlier in the novel.
Favorite Moment: It is hard to choose, but I did enjoy whenever Katrina had to acknowledge the obvious (usually regarding how detrimental her obsessions can be), but it was usually after the damage was already done.
Favorite Character: Katrina's coworker Navya takes some serious risks in order to help Katrina hold onto her job. She certainly does not have to, and doing so could cause real trouble.
Recommended Reading: I recommend The Maid by Nita Prose, which also won the 2022 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Mystery & Thriller.
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