Date Published: 11/17/2020
Publisher: Lands Atlantic Publishing
Nineteen-year-old Juliet can't shake the nightmares after surviving a brutal bank robbery. In order to put those terrifying memories behind, she'll have to testify against the criminal known as the Half Face. She convinces herself that she is perfectly safe, until he manages to break free and grab the nearest hostage he sets his sights on. Her.
In an effort to escape the captivity of the law, and his tortured past, the Half Face takes Juliet on an obsessive search for answers and redemption. During the harsh journey, his unpredictability fuels Juliet's worst fear, that he just may be insane and beyond any hope of saving.
Interview with Mara Li
How did you become involved with the subject or theme of your book?
I’ve always had a fascination with wilderness survival and travelling, one way or another those two themes always seem to find a way back into my stories. I feel like, being on a journey such as the one Juliette and Half Face make, forces people to get in touch with their bare, naked self. There isn’t a lot of hiding when you’re out alone on the steppe. Throwing together a very normal, sane girl with a wildly dangerous, over-the-top character like Half Face only helped to explore themes such as what makes us human, what defines our sense of good and bad, etc. Obviously, Half Face himself is already pretty close to his raw, naked self, so it was interesting to me to explore how this journey helps him find a more humane side.
What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
I wanted to explore human nature, as seen from very different perspectives. Half Face and Juliet, through the different shamanistic rituals they have performed on them, each are forced to reconsider what they think of themselves and each other. I’m rather proud of how those themes worked out in the story.
Anything you would like to say to your readers and fans?
Thank you for giving this unknown, foreign author a try!
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Definitely Half Face’s weird way of talking! I kinda looked at Heath Ledger’s Joker for inspiration, then mixed it a bit with that slightly insane sound of Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean.
Can you tell us a little bit about your next books or what you have planned for the future?
My latest novel is called Ironheart (“IJzerhart” in Dutch). It’s historical fantasy, set in early medieval Ireland, and follows Cliona, a young woman who encounters a very charismatic, but very dangerous chieftain. It’s a story about friendship, love and magic and I’m so happy with how it turned out! It’s unfortunately only available in Dutch right now.
How long have you been writing?
I remember dictating my own made-up stories to my sister, because I couldn’t write yet. Writing and thinking up stories is something I’ve always done, it’s a part of who I am. I suppose my first ‘real’ attempt at writing a novel was when I was 14 years old…(Yes, I did finish that book, it took me three years, and yes, I still have it, and yes, it’s pretty bad! So many fond memories though :))
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Half Face?
Short version: one’s insane and the other one isn’t.
Slightly longer version: Juliet is obviously in a scary and vulnerable position, but as the story progresses, she’s forced to face her fears and confront the (literal?) demons in front of her. Half Face, you could say, makes the same inner journey only backwards. Also, he’s pretty insane.
If you could spend the day with one of the characters from Half Face, who would it be? Please tell us why you chose this particular character, where you would go and what you would do.
Oh, boy. Well, the safe choice would obviously be Juliet. The more interesting choice of course is Half Face, though I’m not sure anyone should want to spend a day with him. It would probably be during visiting hour in prison.
About the Author
Mara Li has been writing from an early age. She is inspired by fairytales, myths and legends from all over the world. In 2016 her debut novel De Stem van de Zee was nominated for the Harland Awards Roman Prize for best Dutch fantasy. Winter is her writing season (summer never gets much of it). Tea and ginger nuts are her writing food, her cat's attention can sometimes be an obstacle. Her novel, Half Face, launches her as an international author with books published in multiple countries and languages.
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