Compare and Contrast Two Guy Narrators: Liars Inc and Boys Don't Knit

I love guy narrators and recently read two great -- though very different -- books featuring guy protagonists.

Boys Don't Knit
by T. S. Easton
Published by Feiwel and Friends
on March 24, 2015

Source: eARC for review

Synopsis from Goodreads: After an incident regarding a crossing guard and a bottle of Martini & Rossi (and his bonehead friends), 17-year-old worrier Ben Fletcher must develop his sense of social alignment, take up a hobby, and do some community service to avoid any further probation. He takes a knitting class (it was that or his father’s mechanic class) under the impression that it's taught by the hot teacher all the boys like. Turns out, it’s not. Perfect. Regardless, he sticks with it and comes to find that he’s a natural knitter, maybe even great. It even helps ease his anxiety and worrying. The only challenge now is to keep it hidden from his friends, his crush, and his soccer-obsessed father. What a tangled web Ben has weaved . . . or knitted.

My take: I feel like the cover and title are a little misleading. Boys Don't Knit is Lad Lit, which is a favorite genre of mine. Think Adrian Mole, Nick Hornby, or The Inbetweeners. Think awkward British adolescent boys trying to navigate the confusing world of high school. That's What She Said Jokes (or in poor Ben's case, his parents' creepy double entrendres). I'm also a huge Anglophile -- I love British slang and characters who have friends with names (or nicknames) like Gex and Joz.

For me, Boys Don't Knit started out strong, with some laugh-out-loud moments and a crazy set-up that leads to Ben being enrolled in a knitting class. My interest in the story flagged in the middle a bit, and the ending was a predictable, movie script sort of ending. But overall, I did really enjoy this one. If you're a fan of Lad Lit or funny male narrators, definitely give this one a try!

Liars, Inc
by Paula Stokes
Published by Harper Collins
on March 24, 2015

Source: eARC for review

Synopsis from Goodreads: Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell forged permission slips and cover stories to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money and liven up a boring senior year. With the help of his friends Preston and Parvati, Max starts Liars, Inc. Suddenly everybody needs something and the cash starts pouring in. Who knew lying could be so lucrative? When Preston wants his own cover story to go visit a girl he met online, Max doesn’t think twice about hooking him up. Until Preston never comes home. Then the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead the cops to Preston’s body. Terrifying clues that point to Max as the murderer.

My take: I love thrillers and am always on the lookout for good ones. As I said above, I'm also happy to find a great, relatable male narrator. Liars, Inc. combined the two in a way that made for a fast-paced story with a twist that I didn't (completely) guess.

Liars, Inc. starts with a bang, as Max is being stalked by two FBI agents. Max makes a break for it and runs, then backs up six weeks to tell us how he got into such an unusual situation: his friend is dead and he's being fingered as the culprit. The story then follows Max and his girlfriend Parvati as they try to stay one step ahead of the Feds -- and the killer. Parvati was a great character, so much more than the usual female thriller sidekick. She's the daughter of a Navy Seal and has more than a few tricks up her sleeve. Max is also a classic thriller protagonist, a sort of everyman who finds himself in trouble and has to improvise.

Liars, Inc. is fun and fast-paced and will really keep you guessing!