“Ultimately The Proof of My Innocence is about writing—about how to tell a story, including: while also reflecting reality. Several layers of reveals come, as some of the ‘reality’ we’ve been presented with in the novel proves different from what it had initially seemed to be. Even the murder-mystery, in its resolution (and, it turns out, its fundamentals), isn’t quite what it seemed. It’s very cleverly put together, with seemingly incidental pieces proving to be basic building blocks of the greater whole—and that whole turns out to be considerably more substantial than initially would have seemed possible. It’s also, all along the way, an entertaining and entertainingly-told story—good fun as murder-mystery, political commentary, slice-of-1980s-university life, and portrait of a young woman grappling with becoming a writer, among other things. Vote: A-.”
Read the full starred review in The Complete Review.
