This book definitely has originality. The combination of all the unusual characters and scenarios may not work well, but it is absolutely something that has never been done before. Stead is always consistent about originality. The writing in this book is fantastic. I love how Stead throws in random facts or scientific things that readers usually don't think about, for instance, the taste buds on your tongue, and make it something that readers can consider as they are progressing through the novel. Stead can take something so small and insignificant and make it into a wonderful theme, and I love that quality about Liar & Spy. Readers can connect mostly everything together at the end. Though it isn't very exciting, the resolution is clean. Everything ties together at the end, and that makes for an ending that the audience can at least be satisfied with.
Overall, this book could have been a lot better. I would have liked to see more action in the book, and I just don't think the plot was up to par. This book might please younger audiences, but the older readers will probably find themselves getting bored, and possibly even closing the book before it's finished. I was expecting something as fantastic as Stead's previous novel, When You Reach Me, but this book lacked the ability for the reader to dwell on the themes for days afterward. Liar & Spy was a disappointing novel that I probably won't reread or remember. I would give it 2/5 stars.
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