Plot Summary
Prologue: Death and Blame
In a tense prologue, Fern and Haven, once close to the deceased Danielle, are summoned by police during high school. The officers probe for clues about Danielle's death, hinting at suicide, but Fern's grief is tangled with guilt and hatred for Haven, her childhood bully. The moment is thick with unspoken accusations and the paralyzing fear of telling the truth. Fern's silence, and the way she sees Haven manipulate the narrative, sets the stage for a lifetime of trauma, self-doubt, and the corrosive power of secrets. The emotional wound of this day will haunt Fern, shaping her relationships, ambitions, and sense of self-worth for years to come.
Fern's Obsession with Haven
Years later, Fern is a struggling writer in New York, haunted by Haven's online presence. Haven, now a beloved food influencer, seems to have everything Fern lacks: family warmth, beauty, and effortless popularity. Fern's life is a grind of menial work and social invisibility, her only solace found in baking and the sourdough starter she treats as a friend. She compulsively follows Haven's curated life, feeling both envy and a sense of theft—Haven has even co-opted Fern's love of baking. The emotional core is Fern's desperate longing for validation and the ache of being perpetually overshadowed by her tormentor.
The Dream of Authorship
Fern's life changes when her agent, Poppy, calls with news: a publisher wants her book. The offer is modest, but to Fern, it's a lifeline—a chance to finally matter. She dreams of literary success filling the void left by years of bullying and neglect. The process is fraught with anxiety, as rejections from other publishers sting, but Fern clings to the hope that being published will heal her. She joins an online debut author group, seeking the community and acceptance she never had in real life. The emotional arc is one of fragile hope, tinged with the fear that happiness is always just out of reach.
The Offer and the Group
As Fern's book deal becomes official, she is swept into the world of debut authors. She forms tentative friendships with Lisa and Jenna, sharing manuscripts and encouragement. Yet, the old wounds of exclusion and comparison resurface—Fern is acutely aware of her small advance and lesser status. The group is a microcosm of the social hierarchies that once destroyed her. When Haven's own book deal is announced—massive, glamorous, and accompanied by a media blitz—Fern's insecurities explode. The emotional tension is a mix of pride, dread, and the terror of being eclipsed once again.
High School Scars
The narrative weaves in Fern's memories of high school: failed attempts to fit in, clubs sabotaged by Haven, and the slow, methodical isolation that left Fern friendless. Even her love of baking is weaponized against her. These flashbacks are raw and painful, showing how deeply Haven's bullying shaped Fern's psyche. The emotional impact is one of helplessness and shame, as Fern internalizes the belief that she is fundamentally unlovable and doomed to be an outsider.
Debut Group Dynamics
The debut group becomes both a sanctuary and a battleground. Fern, Lisa, and Jenna bond over their shared anxieties, but the arrival of Haven—invited by her adoring friends—threatens Fern's fragile sense of belonging. Old patterns reemerge: Fern is hypervigilant, reading every interaction for hidden slights, terrified that Haven will poison this new community as she did in school. The group's move to Slack intensifies the drama, as real-time chats amplify misunderstandings and alliances. The emotional core is Fern's desperate need for safety, constantly undermined by paranoia and the specter of her bully.
The Announcement and Rivalry
Haven's book is not just successful—it's a phenomenon, winning a seven-figure deal and a coveted book club pick. Fern's envy curdles into obsession as she stalks Haven's every move online, convinced that Haven is manipulating the group and sabotaging her behind the scenes. The group's admiration for Haven is salt in Fern's wounds, and every perceived slight is magnified. The emotional arc is one of spiraling jealousy, self-loathing, and the fear that no matter what she achieves, Fern will always be second best.
The Past Revisited
More flashbacks reveal the roots of Fern's trauma: the loss of her best friend Dani to Haven's influence, the humiliation of public pranks, and the helplessness of being disbelieved by adults. These memories are not just background—they actively shape Fern's present, fueling her suspicion and need for vindication. The emotional weight is crushing, as Fern realizes how much of her identity is built on old wounds that never healed.
Social Media Wars
The pandemic intensifies the group's reliance on social media, and the lines between public and private blur. Fern's attempts to shine—creating a baking channel, organizing gifts—are always upstaged by Haven's effortless charisma. When Fern is fired from her job and forced to move home, her sense of self unravels. The group's shifting loyalties, the performative nature of online support, and the ever-present threat of cancellation create a pressure cooker. The emotional arc is one of desperation, as Fern clings to the only community she has left, even as it becomes toxic.
Slack, Sabotage, and Paranoia
Fern's paranoia peaks as she becomes convinced that Haven is actively sabotaging her—sending complaints to her boss, turning friends against her, and orchestrating her failures. In a moment of desperation, Fern retaliates by sabotaging Haven's home internet, inadvertently endangering Haven's sick father. The guilt is immediate and overwhelming, but Fern's attempts at atonement—organizing a group gift—are met with further humiliation when Haven discards her offerings. The emotional core is the cycle of hurt and retaliation, and the realization that trauma can turn victims into perpetrators.
The Edit Letter Crisis
Fern's editor sends a brutal edit letter, demanding a near-total rewrite. Already fragile, Fern spirals into despair, convinced that she is a failure and that Haven is somehow behind her misfortunes. The group's support is tepid, and Haven's subtle undermining continues. Fern's sense of reality fractures—she can no longer distinguish between genuine slights and imagined conspiracies. The emotional arc is one of breakdown, as Fern's last hopes for success and connection seem to slip away.
Coping and Comparison
Fern tries to rebuild: she bakes, she runs, she throws herself into her second book. But every effort is tainted by comparison to Haven, whose every success is a personal affront. Even her closest friends, Lisa and Jenna, seem to drift toward Haven's orbit. The pandemic's isolation magnifies Fern's loneliness, and her coping mechanisms—once healthy—become compulsive. The emotional core is the futility of self-improvement when the past is never truly past.
Pandemic and Collapse
The pandemic wipes out Fern's job and savings, forcing her to move back in with her emotionally distant parents. The humiliation is compounded by Haven's continued online dominance and the group's shifting allegiances. Fern's attempts to find meaning—through baking, through online connection—are met with indifference or betrayal. The emotional arc is one of regression, as Fern is forced to confront the roots of her pain in the very house where she first learned to be invisible.
Childhood Betrayals
Flashbacks reveal Fern's own capacity for harm: in a moment of jealousy, she sabotages Haven with a laxative-laced cookie. The guilt is immediate and formative, teaching Fern that she, too, can be cruel. This memory complicates the narrative of victim and bully, showing how trauma begets trauma. The emotional weight is the realization that no one is innocent, and that cycles of harm are hard to break.
Moving Home, Losing Ground
Back in her childhood home, Fern is surrounded by reminders of her failures and her parents' emotional distance. She obsesses over Haven's online life, which seems untouched by the pandemic or scandal. Even her attempts at generosity—organizing a group gift—are twisted into new humiliations. The emotional core is the ache of being unseen, and the corrosive power of envy when all other sources of meaning are stripped away.
Haven's Triumph
Haven's book is chosen for a major book club, cementing her status as a star. Fern's group chat explodes with jealousy and resentment, but even her closest friends are drawn to Haven's charm. Fern's attempts to warn them are dismissed, and she is once again cast as the outsider. The emotional arc is one of helplessness, as Fern watches her last supports slip away.
The Breaking Point
Pushed to the edge, Fern's paranoia and resentment boil over. She stalks Haven's house, seeking evidence of her lies, but instead finds proof of Haven's suffering. The realization that Haven's father is truly ill triggers a crisis of conscience, but the damage is done. Fern's actions have real consequences, and the line between victim and perpetrator blurs irreparably. The emotional core is the horror of recognizing one's own capacity for harm.
Retaliation and Guilt
Fern's act of sabotage leaves Haven's family in crisis, and the guilt is overwhelming. In a desperate attempt at atonement, Fern organizes a group gift, pouring herself into baking and crafting a heartfelt card. But when she delivers the gift, she witnesses Haven discarding it, confirming her deepest fears of rejection and worthlessness. The emotional arc is one of self-loathing and the futility of seeking forgiveness from those who will never grant it.
Atonement and Exposure
Fern shares evidence of Haven's rejection with her friends, who spread the story through the group. The debut community turns on Haven, who is forced to leave in disgrace. The narrative of victim and villain is flipped, and Fern experiences a fleeting sense of vindication. But the victory is hollow, as the cycle of exclusion and betrayal repeats itself. The emotional core is the emptiness of revenge and the realization that justice, when rooted in pain, brings no peace.
The Gift and the Trash
The group's outrage at Haven's actions spills onto social media, where the story goes viral. Haven is canceled, her book deal threatened, and Fern is briefly celebrated as a survivor. But the tide quickly turns, as private messages are leaked and the narrative shifts. Fern is exposed as a schemer, and the community that once supported her now turns against her. The emotional arc is the volatility of online justice and the impossibility of controlling one's own story.
The Downward Spiral
Fern's world collapses: her agent Poppy drops her, her book deal is canceled, and her friends betray her. In a final act of desperation, Fern writes a viral op-ed, telling her side of the story and exposing the cycle of bullying and retaliation that has defined her life. The response is overwhelming—some support her, others condemn her—but for the first time, Fern feels seen. The emotional core is the catharsis of confession and the hope that truth, however messy, can be redemptive.
The Reckoning
The op-ed's success brings Fern a new agent and a lucrative book deal for her memoir. Haven, disgraced and isolated, disappears from public life. Fern's story becomes a cultural touchstone, sparking debates about bullying, cancel culture, and the ethics of online justice. But the victory is bittersweet—Fern is haunted by the knowledge that her healing came at the cost of another's destruction. The emotional arc is one of uneasy triumph, as Fern learns that survival is not the same as peace.
The Op-Ed and Aftermath
Fern's memoir is a bestseller, and she is invited to join a new debut group, this time as a celebrated survivor. But the shadow of Haven lingers, especially when news breaks of Haven's suicide. The public turns on Fern once more, blaming her for Haven's death. Fern's team rallies around her, reframing the narrative as a cautionary tale about the dangers of social media and the need for compassion. The emotional core is the impossibility of closure, and the burden of being both victim and villain.
The Final Twist
In a final act of honesty, Fern visits Dani's grave and resolves to come clean about her role in Dani's death. She accepts that healing requires facing the full truth, even if it means risking everything she has gained. The story ends with Fern's memoir and Haven's novel both topping the bestseller lists, their fates forever entwined. Fern finds a measure of peace, knowing that her story—messy, painful, and unresolved—might help others feel less alone.
New Beginnings, Old Shadows
Fern's life is transformed by her newfound success, but the scars of her past remain. She learns to accept her parents' imperfect love, to set boundaries, and to find meaning in her pain. The cycle of harm is not broken, but Fern is no longer defined by it. The story closes with Fern embracing her complicated legacy, determined to use her voice for good, even as she acknowledges the darkness within herself.
Analysis
Read Between the Lies is a razor-sharp exploration of the long shadow cast by childhood trauma, the seductive dangers of online validation, and the cyclical nature of harm. Jesse Q. Sutanto crafts a narrative that is both a psychological thriller and a darkly comic social satire, skewering the publishing industry, cancel culture, and the myth of the "deserving" victim. The novel's greatest strength lies in its refusal to offer easy answers: Fern is both sympathetic and deeply flawed, her pain real but her actions often destructive. The story interrogates the ways in which victims can become perpetrators, and how the quest for justice can devolve into vengeance. Social media is depicted as both a lifeline and a weapon, amplifying every wound and turning private pain into public spectacle. The book's structure—interweaving past and present, confession and accusation—mirrors the messy, recursive nature of healing. Ultimately, Read Between the Lies is a meditation on the impossibility of closure, the dangers of binary thinking, and the necessity of compassion—for others and for oneself. It is a cautionary tale for an age obsessed with narrative control, reminding us that the truth is always more complicated than the stories we tell.
Review Summary
Read Between the Lies receives mixed reviews averaging 3.45/5 stars. Readers praise Sutanto's compelling exploration of bullying, cancel culture, and publishing through an unreliable narrator, Fern, who confronts her high school bully Haven in their debut author group. Many found the psychological thriller addictive despite a slow start, appreciating its dark, unhinged tone and timely themes. However, critics cite Fern's unlikeable, whiny character, repetitive inner monologues, and juvenile tone as frustrating. The pandemic setting and lack of Haven's perspective disappointed some. Comparisons to Yellowface are frequent, with opinions divided on execution.
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Characters
Fern Huang
Fern is the protagonist, a woman whose life is shaped by childhood bullying and the loss of her best friend, Dani. Her relationship with her emotionally distant parents leaves her starved for affection, and she seeks solace in baking and writing. Fern's psychological landscape is a battleground of self-loathing, envy, and longing for acceptance. Her obsession with Haven, her childhood bully, is both a source of pain and a twisted motivator. Fern's journey is one of seeking healing through external validation—first through publication, then through online community, and finally through public confession. Her development is marked by cycles of hope, betrayal, and self-sabotage, as she struggles to break free from the patterns of her past and accept her own complexity.
Haven Lee
Haven is Fern's childhood tormentor, now a wildly successful influencer and author. Outwardly, she is charming, generous, and beloved by all, but beneath the surface lies a ruthless manipulator who thrives on control and exclusion. Haven's relationship with Fern is defined by a toxic dance of power and vulnerability—she is both the architect of Fern's pain and, in some ways, a mirror of Fern's own darkness. Haven's psychological makeup is complex: she is driven by insecurity, a need for adoration, and a deep-seated fear of losing her status. Her downfall is precipitated by her inability to relinquish control, and her ultimate fate is a tragic testament to the costs of living behind a mask.
Dani (Danielle Wilder)
Dani is Fern's childhood confidante, the one person who offered her unconditional friendship. Her gradual drift toward Haven is a source of profound betrayal for Fern, and her untimely death becomes the central trauma of Fern's life. Dani represents the possibility of connection and the pain of its loss. Her memory haunts Fern, shaping her relationships and fueling her guilt. Dani's fate is a reminder of the collateral damage of bullying and the ways in which silence and complicity can destroy lives.
Lisa
Lisa is one of Fern's closest allies in the debut group, offering encouragement and validation. However, her loyalty is not absolute—she is drawn to Haven's charisma and is quick to shift allegiances when the group's dynamics change. Lisa's role highlights the fragility of online friendships and the ease with which support can turn to betrayal. Psychologically, she is pragmatic, seeking safety in numbers and reluctant to take sides until the outcome is clear.
Jenna
Jenna is Fern's other close friend in the group, initially offering unwavering support. She is the first to validate Fern's pain and the last to turn against her, but when the tide shifts, Jenna is the one who publicly exposes Fern's private messages. Jenna's arc is a study in the limits of empathy and the pressures of groupthink. Her betrayal is the most devastating to Fern, underscoring the dangers of misplaced trust and the volatility of online alliances.
Poppy
Poppy is Fern's literary agent, a symbol of hope and professional validation. She is supportive but ultimately pragmatic, dropping Fern at the first sign of scandal. Poppy's role is to highlight the transactional nature of the publishing industry and the precariousness of success. Psychologically, she is driven by ambition and self-preservation, offering warmth only as long as it serves her interests.
Annette
Annette is Fern's employer in New York, a photographer who relies on Fern's labor while offering little recognition or support. She is a minor antagonist, representing the broader world's indifference to Fern's struggles. Annette's relationship with Fern is transactional and demeaning, reinforcing Fern's sense of invisibility and powerlessness.
Fern's Parents
Fern's parents are immigrants who express love through acts of service rather than affection. Their inability to connect emotionally leaves Fern feeling unseen and unsupported, compounding her vulnerability to bullying. Over time, Fern comes to recognize their love in small gestures, but the damage of their distance is lasting. Psychologically, they are shaped by fear, caution, and a desire for stability, unable to offer the warmth Fern craves.
Rachel Reed
Rachel is the literary agent who rescues Fern's career after her viral op-ed. She is savvy, strategic, and genuinely supportive, offering Fern the validation and professional guidance she has always sought. Rachel's belief in Fern's story is instrumental in Fern's redemption, and her presence marks a turning point in Fern's self-perception. Psychologically, Rachel is confident, nurturing, and unafraid to take risks on those she believes in.
The Debut Group
The debut group is both a lifeline and a crucible for Fern, offering community and connection but also replicating the dynamics of exclusion and betrayal that defined her youth. The group's shifting loyalties, performative support, and capacity for collective cruelty are a commentary on the dangers of online communities and the ease with which victims can become villains. Psychologically, the group is driven by insecurity, competition, and the need for belonging, making it both a source of healing and harm.
Plot Devices
Dual Timelines and Flashbacks
The novel's structure alternates between Fern's present-day struggles and formative flashbacks to her childhood and adolescence. This device deepens the reader's understanding of Fern's psychological wounds, showing how past betrayals and bullying inform her adult relationships and choices. The interplay of timelines creates suspense, as revelations from the past cast new light on present conflicts, and the slow unveiling of Dani's fate adds emotional weight to Fern's actions.
Unreliable Narration and Self-Doubt
Fern's perspective is colored by her history of gaslighting and exclusion, making her an unreliable narrator. Her interpretations of others' motives—especially Haven's—are often paranoid, and the reader is left to question what is real and what is projection. This device heightens tension and ambiguity, inviting empathy for Fern while also exposing her capacity for self-deception and harm.
Social Media as Arena and Weapon
The novel uses social media not just as a backdrop but as a central plot engine. Twitter, Slack, and Instagram are battlegrounds where reputations are made and destroyed, secrets are leaked, and groupthink takes hold. The immediacy and volatility of online life amplify every slight and betrayal, turning private pain into public spectacle. This device underscores the dangers of digital mob justice and the impossibility of controlling one's own narrative.
Cycles of Victimhood and Retaliation
The story blurs the line between bully and victim, showing how trauma can breed obsession, paranoia, and even cruelty. Fern's journey from wounded survivor to vengeful saboteur is mirrored by Haven's own insecurities and need for control. The device of cyclical harm challenges simplistic notions of good and evil, inviting the reader to grapple with the messy reality of human relationships.
Public Confession and Narrative Control
Fern's viral op-ed is both a cathartic confession and a strategic move to reclaim her story. The act of public disclosure shifts the balance of power, exposing the group's complicity and forcing a reckoning with the past. This device explores the double-edged nature of truth-telling—its capacity to heal, but also to destroy—and the ways in which narrative control is both empowering and perilous.
Foreshadowing and Irony
The novel is rich with foreshadowing: the prologue's death, the recurring motif of "having nothing," and the ever-present threat of cancellation all point toward inevitable catastrophe. Irony abounds—Fern's quest for validation leads to her own undoing, and her greatest triumphs are inseparable from her darkest moments. The use of foreshadowing and irony deepens the emotional impact, making the story's twists both surprising and inevitable.
