An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson

Hello dear readers.

An Academy for Liars was an interesting read for me. It starts off with our main character, Lennon Carter, who is in the bathroom at her engagement party. Normal stuff, right? Well, the book immediately dumps you into a strange world by telling us that Lennon’s reflection starts moving on its own. From there on, Lennon is thrust into a wild and kind of magical world in a seemingly perfect school, but things aren’t always what they seem.

Before I dive into any more thoughts, here is the synopsis:

"Lennon Carter’s life is falling apart.

Then she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah. Lennon has been chosen because—like everyone else at the school—she has the innate gift of persuasion, the ability to wield her will like a weapon, using it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself.

After passing the test, Lennon begins to learn how to master her devastating and unsettling power. But despite persuasion’s heavy toll on her body and mind, she is wholly captivated by her studies, by Drayton’s lush, moss-draped campus, and by her brilliant classmates. But even more captivating is her charismatic adviser, Dante, who both intimidates and enthralls her.

As Lennon continues in her studies, her control grows, and she starts to uncover more about the secret world she has entered into, including the disquieting history of Drayton College. She is increasingly disturbed by what she learns, for it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption...and it’s a test she’s terrified she’s going to fail.”

While the overall idea of persuasion being more than just using words was riveting, the book was… fine. I myself am not typically privy to books told in the 3rd person (there are several exceptions, but it is not my favorite way to read a story) so it was already a bit of a difficult read for me, but there were other factors in the book that didn’t exactly wow me either.

Let’s start with Lennon. I felt no real connection to her. She was an okay character with an okay story. She would think one way and react in a totally different way that was unexpected, given what the author is trying to tell you about her. She did things randomly, with seemingly no thoughts that corresponded with those actions and then cried that everything bad happens to her. She was contradicting herself and just wasn’t likable, in my opinion.

The only character I truly liked was such a side character, but he felt much more fleshed out than Lennon. (I love you, Sawyer. I wish you were written about more.)

As for the romance, it was over in an instant. There were hints of it and you could definitely see Lennon trying to push those feelings of hers down, but you really got nothing from Dante. The concept of him was cool and he had a nice air of mystery but he gave much more of a “protective big brother” vibe than a love interest. And the random “by the way, he has a child”? That surprise came and went as quickly as the romance. At best, Dante’s kid got a single page, and Lennon was upset with Dante for an even shorter amount of time.

While Henderson had a great idea for this story with the persuasion bit, her character writing and development was lacking. The characters felt bland but erratic, and you literally had no idea what they would do next. I liked the world she created and the idea of how some humans are gifted in a certain way… but the way they’re chosen was a mystery. One I feel should’ve been explained at some point.

Off of my critics, there were things I did like in this story.

For one, it is a singular book, so there’s no cliffhangers. It was (almost) wrapped up in a tidy bow and I went to bed the other night knowing that Lennon and the rest of Drayton would be okay with the new management. While I love a good series, I appreciate books that just end.

Lennon struggling to come into her power was very refreshing to read, too. She wasn’t the best but she wasn’t the worst. In her classes, she was average, and I enjoyed that. Not every main character needs to be the best of the best every single time. And the fact that her emotions were in line with her power and that it was unpredictable felt realistic too. No one should just be able to handle that power easily, especially when it comes to opening gates/elevators to different places or dimensions.

Another thing Henderson did exceptionally well was the explanation of not being able to change the past, regardless of what you do. My biggest gripe with time travel in media is that somehow you’re able to change the present or future by altering something in the past. They never consider the possibility of a paradox or how it can alter things so significantly. Like, for instance, even being able to travel back in time? Henderson did great nipping that in the bud and outright saying “You can’t change the past because it’s literally impossible. It will always lead you back to this moment.” Well done.

Overall, the book was interesting but okay at best. I’m looking forward to reading more from Henderson and seeing how her writing expands, seeing as how her first book came out in 2020. I wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

As for you, dear reader, while my opinions are… well, very opinionated, I recommend checking the book out for yourself. There were good aspects of the book that deserve a read, even if I didn’t love the book.

My rating for An Academy for Liars is a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Sending all of my love,

Vic