In this time of the Me-Too movement, one of the plots of this YA novel was fairly predictable. Charlotte is an aspiring writer who is thrilled to be chosen to spend a summer in Venice under the tutelage of Bruni, her author idol. This will give her the opportunity to research her ancestor, a woman Charlotte is convinced was actually a wonderful but unrecognized poet who was overshadowed by her famous lover. There is plenty of foreshadowing that Bruni is not what he sees, and other female students show signs of being troubled by him, so Charlotte's eventual betrayal by him is not a surprise, but it is nonetheless moving. What is particularly poignant, though, is her tenacious research into early Venetian poets and the relationship that develops with a young archivist and his bookseller mom. This is both a cautionary tale and a satisfying mystery/romance.

“One Great Lie” is a wonderful young adult novel by Deb Caletti.

Charlotte is getting ready to graduate and eager for change. When she sees a flyer for an opportunity to attend a writing retreat with the author whom she idolizes, she is all for it. A chance to spend the summer in a villa in Venice and be mentored by the author you worship? Of course, nothing could go wrong! At the same time, there is side plot where Charlotte tries to find out more about a distant family member’s lost poetry.

If you are expecting your typical coming of age/summer romance, you will be disappointed. The subject matter of sexual harassment (if you see where this is going, you’re right) is very timely. There are scenes that are downright uncomfortable, but also unfortunately realistic. The author handles this subject matter without coming across as preachy. Charlotte’s connection (other than familial) to the poet, Isabella, is made clear, though I think this novel could have been just as strong without that detour.

Deb Caletti has a wondrous ability to capture the heart of teens such as Charlotte. She also is good at building suspense and her dialogue between the characters is highly believable. Three and a half stars.

My thanks to Deb Caletti, the publisher and Net Galley for a chance to read and review this novel.

I didn’t enjoy this. It felt like too much going on and not cohesively. The part from the 1500s felt too dry, I didn’t care for the characters. I’m sure others will love this book but it’s just not for me.

This book begins with a high school senior's acceptance into a summer writing program sponsored by her favorite author, and concludes with her playing a role in resolving a historical mystery. While I enjoyed the book overall, it felt as if this was actually two separate plots that were supposed to mesh, but never really did. I found the story about the workshop, and the famous author turning out to be a sexual predator somewhat predictable, and the blame and disbelief that the young women suffer for coming forward didn't seem credible in the wake of MeToo. In contrast, I really enjoyed the search for the truth about an obscure woman Renaissance poet, and wish the entire book had been focused on this. Certainly a point about how differently men and women writers and artists are treated is relevant today, even without the sexual predator story line. Beautiful atmospheric descriptions of Venice, great author voice and characters, especially the main character Charlotte, and Dante, the love interest.

This was the first book I read by Deb Caletti, and I will most likely be picking up her other books. I did enjoy the plot, especially the twists and turns, but the best part for me was the weaving of history and vivid imagery throughout. And oh my, the lies. All the lies! Thank you for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Deb Caletti’s latest work is a compelling read, offering discussions of lost innocence, fallen idols, and thoughts about one’s sense of “place.”

Caletti does a good job in showing readers how easy it can be to become swept up by the romance of a new place—the sights, the sounds and the people. What existed before becomes secondary to what is happening within the moment, especially when “home” is so far away.

Words and statements can become hypnotic poetry in this other place…stirring the senses, helping one lose track of what one knows they should be doing and feeling, making things that should normally seem wrong and inappropriate, seem acceptable. When paired within a group setting, there’s the added pressure of wanting to make sure that one belongs, especially when one feels that one’s at a disadvantage because of age, as well as perceived sense of a lack of experience compared to everyone else. Luckily for our protagonist, conscience and understanding do prevail, though at the expense of innocence and trust.

It’s also interesting how Caletti pairs the present with the past—stories that complement each other with their ongoing themes of gender politics, with some justice meted out in the final pages.

Well written, enjoyable read by an author that I continue to really enjoy! This was a little slow at the start for me, but it picked up half way and I was hooked! Thank you netgalley for this arc, in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5 stars.

I don’t read too many YA novels, but this description caught my eye. I thought a little more romance and mystery would be in the storyline, but I did also see how the author tied in aspects of the Me Too movement. I wish the characters would’ve gotten more praise rather than flack, especially if younger readers can relate to certain aspects of this book.

In Deb Caletti’s latest novel for young adults, high school senior Charlotte’s dream comes true when she is accepted into an elite writing program in Venice, Italy, working closely with famous author Luca Bruni. One Great Lie offers readers the perfect balance of burgeoning romance and a centuries old mystery, while centered around Charlotte’s experience with the much older, charismatic, and talented author she idolizes. Caletti expertly explores various themes, including women in history being ignored or hidden, and the sometimes unsettling and confusing feelings of sexuality in young women. . Well-paced and well-written, with particular attention to illustrative descriptions of life in Venice, and the complex experience of women and their relationships with men in power. Another brilliant, powerful, and thought provoking novel by author Deb Caletti.

Seattle girl Charlotte graduates from high school and embarks on the experience of a lifetime -- a summer writer’s camp on an exclusive island in Venice with her favorite author, Luca Bruni. There’s a lot going on once the plane touches down. Her fellow students are an eclectic bunch of young adults, Luca Bruni is as brilliant as Charlotte imagined, but also uncomfortably menacing, and then there’s this additional historical mystery that is calling Charlotte to Italy as well. She wants to uncover more about her ancestor, the poet Isabella di Angelo.

For a story told from one character’s perspective, this book has a lot of threads and Deb Caletti manages the complexity well. She mines Venetian history and geography to create greater depth. Women in the Italian Renaissance had very few opportunities. It was either marriage or the convent. Artists and writers of the period had to create and share their work in secret. Each chapter of this book is headed by the name of a writer or artist whose creative output was either cut short by death, claimed by another or is just now coming to light.

The most comfortable moments in the story are when Charlotte is in the company of Dante, a young Venetian scholar who aids Charlotte in her quest to find more information about her ancestor and falls in love with her in the process. There are some extremely uncomfortable parts of this story as well. Those moments are quite real and impactful.

This was a weird one.
I like the author's writing style. The narrative included a lot of witty quotable comments. I also enjoyed the short profiles of various female authors from the 1500s that were included at the beginning of each chapter. However, I am not sure if they were actual historic figures.
Overall, this novel told two stories. Unfortunately, they did not mesh well together. The first story was about the writing workshop for which Charlotte, the main character, won a scholarship. The world famous author hosting the workshop turned out to be a pervert who lured young college women into his lair with the promise of a summer of great literary study. Even though the situation was predictable, the author created a creepy atmosphere. When the students came forward with accusations about their host, they were basically blamed for leading him on. Their frustration and anger were palpable. No surprises, but the fulfillment of expectation was satisfying.
The novel included a second plot. Charlotte planned to research a female ancestor while in Italy attending the pervert's workshop. The story about the workshop ended, and this plot took over. The transition seemed like a giant discontinuity. Charlotte may have had two objectives in Italy, but she actually went home to escape the trauma of her experience then returned when a professor's (?) research uncovered a lead about Charlotte's ancestor. I believe the author's objective was to draw parallels between society's treatment of women in the 1500s and the present day. The final statement in the book made that clear. Paraphrased: "It's now a different world but not different enough". This was a good idea that could have resulted a fascinating blend of two time lines involving these two distantly related young women. However, the execution failed. The relationship between the plots was crude and disjointed.
I found this novel to be bizarre. The author created multiple creepy settings. Suspense built in both plots, but the plots never came together. She essentially created a wall between two story lines that were supposed to resonate together. Simply stated: they did not.
So why 3 stars? I liked the writing style. This author took me to Venice in two time frames. Both of these stories have potential. I would love to see this novel reworked into a more cohesive product.

Sadly I did not finish this book. I loved the concept of it. I just couldn’t understand the characters. The storyline didn’t grasp my attention.

Charlotte wants to be a writer and her dream is to meet the famous author Luca Bruni. She wins a scholarship to do just that but will she find what she expects? Luca doesn't turn out to be the man she thought but a side story of an ancestor that may have written in the 1500s and she gets the opportunity to research may be worth the trip after all. With the help of an Italian guy named Dante she just may find what she is looking for in Venice but didn't know it. I liked this book but it was a bit slower than some of Deb Caletti's other great stories. Still definitely worth the read. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The mystery the summary of this book offered was intriguing. I loved learning about Venice in the 1500's. The modern day storyline was relevant and interesting. I had a hard time connecting to the characters. Overall though, this was an enjoyable historical mystery that made me want to hop on a plane and go to Venice.

This is my first[author, Deb Caletti novel.
Story is based in Italy and the descriptions are so vivid you can totally picture it in your mind’s eye. In fact, you will want to book a flight and start packing.
Story features Charlotte who wins a scholarship to Venice to attend a writing intensive program with a famous author, in fact an author she greatly admires.

There are parts that were a tad slow for me as the genre is a bit different than my typical psychological thrillers. I am a fan and look forward to the twists and turns.
This, however, was a nice change of pace for me.

Want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for professional review purposes.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 1, 2021

Deb Caletti has done it again! One Great Lie was perfect and beautiful and harrowing. I loved the Venice setting (especially since I've been stuck in my house for a year). My heart broke for Charlotte and her naivete - I was reading with my heart in my throat. A stunning book about who gets to tell their stories and who gets left behind and what we lose by making some people (white men) more important than others.

This is a fantastic premise and will no doubt appeal to many readers. Good writing and storytelling. Simply not for me.

Very interesting story. I learned a lot about Venice in the 1500s and the descriptions are incredible. It was so easy to picture it in my mind. Just did not really connect with the characters.

Charlotte has always loved writing and reading, especially when it is written by Luca Bruni. Charlotte family has ties to the Renaissance poet Isabella de Angelo, and she longs to find out more about the poet. The summer after high school, Charlotte gets invited on a once in a lifetime trip to Venice with Luca Bruni. This experience will allow her to research her family and perfect her writing. Charlotte makes many new friend in Venice, but can she gather the information she is looking for?

Loved this book! It had me hooked from the first page until the end. My first book by Deb Caletti, but definitely won't be my last!
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.