The Supreme Lie

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Soon, the evacuation begins - pets are rounded up in the streets, the children are sent to safer places, businesses are closed and the politicans continue to do as they always have - lie. For Gloria, the answers are simple - do the right thing for the people. But she hasn't accounted for how just how corrupt and twisted the systems put in place to protect her really are. Light and dark. You need them in life; you need them in art; you need them in writing. I don't want ever to leave my reader depressed. But I didn't feel I could tell a disaster story without bad stuff actually happening in it. At some points, I was glad to remind myself that the country of Afalia doesn't actually exist.

I adore fish out of water situations. Not only does Gloria have to impersonate someone else, but she has the fate of her country in her hands and shady politics to deal with. The antithesis of her small town roots with the powerful woman she must portray is depicted quite well. The evolution of the character and her eyes opening to 'how the world really works' is done quite well too. Her 'simple' questions spark your pondering of societal issues and how life should be. It is ironic reading this when it has been raining a while and our river is flooded, plus with a virus spreading and the mis-handling of that as well as a four-year negotiation fiasco by the Government, I felt a lot of empathy with the people of Praesto as their city slowly is submerged by rising floodwater. Geraldine McCaughrean is a double Carnegie Medal winner for a good reason – the vivid similes, metaphors and thought provoking lines bring her fantasy country to convincing life. The twists and turns of the plot will keep you reading, eager to see what will happen next. I’m still annoyed with myself that I failed to spot a clue hidden in plain sight. Gloria's a servant - a nobody ... except that, of course, nobody is a nobody. As understudy to The Suprema, she finds she has strengths she has never been asked to use before. She knows what it's like to be poor and overworked - so she can empathise with the factory workers. And she's also seen the rich and powerful come and go.

Reviews

In essence, the country's leader 'does a bunk' when unprecedented floods bring chaos to a region. To hide the leader's cowardice, her husband hatches a plot to pretend the leader is still present by dressing up the 15 year old maid, Gloria. As you can imagine, the situation gets pretty fraught. It's quite Shakespearean - think Twelfth Night" or "Measure for Measure." I so wanted to like this book. The premise intrigues, and I'd heard great things about the author. But the first third somewhat disappoints. It drags on, most of the characters and their actions feel false or even ridiculous, and the writing jumps around so much at times that I had to reread several parts more than once to find what I had missed, but I was none the wiser. And yet, I had to know what happened. The Supreme Lie is set in a land devastated by flooding and is a powerful story about courage, power and propaganda. We asked award-winning author Geraldine McCaughrean tells us more about her latest novel: A great piece of writing, and oddly realistic. It made me wonder what extreme conditions can be brought about by natural disasters. I also loved the language."

So, I suppose my main theme is how disaster brings out the best and worst in people, as well as altering their lives for ever.This is the calamity facing Madame Suprema and her senate. With the surging floodwaters lapping at the ancient walls, threatening the five great factories, manufacturing (the source of the country's wealth) must be preserved at all costs. But how great a cost are they willing to pay? Madame Suprema doesn't care to stay and find out, leaving her 15 year old maid, Gloria, magnificently out of her depth in the face of the rising storm, to face the senate. Can Gloria help both the citizens of Praesto AND the displaced Afalians seeking refuge at Rose City? The lives of her friends, the lives of her family, depend on her...but will she have to choose? Bestselling author Alexandra Christo, author of TikTok sensation To Kill a Kingdom, introduces her new book, The Night Hunt (Hot Key Books), a dark... As our Guest Editor on LoveReading4Kids, Geraldine McCaughrean tells us more about The Supreme Lie and her other brilliant novels. year old Gloria is maid to the all-powerful Suprema, ruler of the country of Afalia. When Afalia is devastated by the worst flood its people have seen in their lifetimes, the Suprema becomes terrified that the tide of public opinion will turn against her, and so flees the country in secret. But the people of Afalia need a leader, and with the help of the Suprema’s ex-husband and her dog, Daisy, Gloria finds herself very literally in the shoes of the most powerful person in the country – impersonating the Suprema herself. As the city collapses around her and the people become desperate, Gloria must decide who among her political advisors she can trust – and learn that every action has a consequence.

The newspaper is important to the plot. It gives us a glance, now and then, at what's happening in the city, drops hints, pumps up the danger level, influences public opinion. The anagrams are actually clues of a sort for the reader - though it doesn't matter if you don't stay to solve them. I love that the illustrator, Keith Robinson, captured the 1920s period style perfectly. It also serves to say, 'Look, we're not talking 21st century here.' Take a Look at Our Summary of November Highlights, Whether You're Looking for the Latest Releases or Gift Inspiration The main premise of the story is that their is a disastrous flood that is affecting the country. The Suprema, at the start of the story, takes a train in secret to the north of the country to see what she can do to help, or so she says. As it turns out she has in fact run away from her responsibilities, leaving her husband, the maid and the dog to face the music. Timor, the Suprema's husband, decides to hide the fact that his wife has abandoned the city in its hour of need and gets Gloria, the maid to pretend to be the head of state. Geraldine McCaughrean was born and educated in Enfield, North London, the third and youngest child of a fireman and a teacher. She attended Christ Church College of Education but instead of teaching chose to work for a magazine publishing house. Her favourite assignments included the best-selling children’s partworks Storyteller and Little Storyteller. Only in 1988 did she become a full-time writer. Since then, Geraldine has established herself as one of the most exciting children’s writer’s today.I won't go any further into what actually happens in the story suffice to say that it is fascinating and engaging and there are plenty of twists in the tale that left me guessing what was going to happen a lot of the time. The characters are portrayed brilliantly, from the world weariness of Timor to the wide eyed innocence and idealism of Gloria (and of course, the clever, manipulating, power hungry politicians). I took up writing as a child, for the fun of it,' says Geraldine, 'to go somewhere else and be someone other than me. It's still my chief pleasure, and the thing I want children to get from my books. If writing ever became more laborious than that, then I don't think anyone would enjoy reading what I wrote.'

Anne Finnis, Fiction Deputy Director, Usborne says “ Geraldine never ceases to surprise with her incredible imagination and ability to find a totally unique story to tell, and this blistering new novel is no exception. What remains constant in her writing however is her ability to create totally relatable characters, her complete and utter mastery of the English language, offering up some of the most glorious sentences I’ve ever read.” About This Edition ISBN: Fifteen-year-old Gloria is maid to Afalia's tyrannical Head of State, Madame Suprema. When the country is hit by unprecedented flooding, Madame Suprema runs away, fearing she will be blamed for the crisis. To cover up this cowardly act, Gloria is made to step into Madame Suprema's shoes and is thrust into a world of corrupt and desperate politicians. As Gloria becomes aware of the forces toying with her every move, she must take decisions that could save, or end, thousands of lives - including her own... About This Edition ISBN: A few of the names in the book do somewhat signify things, though. Kovet covets power. Timor's surname - Philotapantasol - means 'lover of peace'. Ap(p)is means ‘bee'; Praesto means 'pride'; Afalia sounds like ... well, try saying it out loud. Heinz gives us a glimpse of the world outside Praesto city. Separated from his human 'family', he is on a mission: to find his boy, Clem. On his way downriver, he meets with people and animals who behave not so very differently from the villains and victims in Praesto City. Fifteen-year-old Gloria is maid to Afalia's tyrannical Head of State, Madame Suprema. When the country is hit by unprecedented flooding, Madame Suprema runs away, fearing she will be blamed for the crisis. To cover up this cowardly act, Gloria is made to step into Madame Suprema's shoes and is thrust into a world of corrupt and desperate politicians. As Gloria becomes aware of the forces toying with her every move, she must take decisions that could save, or end, thousands of lives - including her own... A brilliant and darkly funny commentary on our present times.Bravo Geraldine McCaughrean! The pace is as fast as the surging river with brief respite given by Daisy, a golden retriever. Greed, lies and corruption muddy the already murky floodwaters and misinformation jostles for space as circumstances demand action. If you're reading this to a class or sharing it in a book group, there are no shortage of topics for discussion. Flooding events - the likely causes and the need for planning to avert or at least mitigate. Water wars - the diverting and control of water through dams and the inherent effect on different communities. Moral dilemma - the value of lives, sacrificing a few to save many. What happens in a news vacuum? The power of the media, and the need to be able to critically evaluate the news we're fed. Exploitation - of natural resources and people. Greed, lies, corruption! A smorgasbord of discussion topics! And that's before you compare and contrast the two cities - the industrial city of Praesto, and the predominantly agricultural Rose City!