Blagging A Bestseller (The Liar)

I know I have professed my deep admiration for Stephen Fry in a previous post (reviewing Fry's book Making History), so I won't bore you with all that again. However, my interest in the actor/comedian/presenter/writer/genius (okay, okay) was re-awakened when I recently watched the television documentary which explores his battle with manic depression. In the aftermath of that insightful, yet tragic show I pulled out copy of The Liar that had been sitting in my wardrobe for a fair few months.

Published in 1991, The Liar was Fry's much-awaited first novel. It received rave reviews and became a number one bestseller.

Drawing heavily on many situations, settings and people from his own life, Fry's debut novel tells the story of protagonist Adrian Healey, a compulsive liar and extrovert whose dishonesty gets him in way over his head. The style is similar to the wacky, almost fantastical storytelling of Making History, but on a smaller scale.

When it was published, the main criticism of this novel was its extreme similarities to Fry's own life. Of course, every writer draws from life experience but, after reading Fry's autobiography, I have to agree with these criticisms to an extent. However, I also feel that the critics may have underestimated Fry's perceptiveness and ability to predict this feedback. Many of the situations from the book are surely embellished (and many are works of complete falsity), yet this merging of fiction and non-fiction works well to keep readers wondering about Fry's past.

It is hard for me to determine whether or not I truly liked this novel because I am biased. I suppose my feelings are best compared to those of watching a film with a favourite actor and appreciating his/her performance, but ultimately feeling disappointed by the overall package.

Nonetheless Fry's personality shines through and there are many a laugh-out-loud moment in this book. In retrospect, this was not a bad start to what is a thriving writing career for Stephen Fry, who (fortunately for the British public) is getting better with age.