What Lies Between Us

The novel explores how obscuring or misrepresenting the truth impacts personal relationships over time. In fact, the title puns on this subject. The word “lies” functions either as a verb or a noun. It suggests that the lies (noun) that lie (verb) between Nina and Maggie are the very things that keep them from coming closer together.

Little is revealed of Nina’s childhood, but if her memory box is any guide, she seems relatively happy during this time. It is not until she is a young teenager that Nina kills her father and lies creep in. Maggie’s deception stems from good intentions. By not telling Nina that she killed her father, Maggie protects Nina from whatever legal or other consequences would result, were the truth to be made public. In fact, Maggie seems more concerned at this point with protecting Nina’s fragile mental state than anything else. As she explains: “I ask myself whether I should have already called for help […] but I’m terrified as to the further psychological damage it could do to my already fragile child” (274).

The novel shows how deception, even when well-intended, can lead to disastrous consequences. Maggie’s decision not to report Nina’s role in Alistair’s death to the authorities only ensures that Nina’s tendencies will go unchecked, leaving Nina vulnerable to future episodes without receiving the care she needs.