Simon From One Of Us Is Lying の小説・ストーリー

Simon's role in 'One of Us Is Lying' is such a fascinating gray area! At first glance, yeah, he seems like the villain—he runs that gossip app, spills everyone's secrets, and then dies under suspicious circumstances, framing the main characters. But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if he’s more of a tragic figure. His own secrets get revealed posthumously, and you realize he was just as trapped by the high school hierarchy as everyone else. The book does this brilliant job of making you question who the real antagonist is—is it Simon, or the system that pushed him to act out?

Honestly, I spent half the novel hating him and the other half pitying him. Karen M. McManus really nails that 'every villain is the hero of their own story' vibe. By the end, I wasn’t sure if Simon was the villain or just a messed-up kid who took things too far. It’s one of those stories where the lines blur, and that’s what makes it so addictive.

Oh, Simon's secrets in 'One of Us Is Lying' were like a ticking time bomb—each one meticulously chosen to unravel the lives of Bayview High's so-called 'perfect' students. His gossip app, About That, wasn't just for clout; it was a weapon. He knew Addy was cheating on Jake with TJ, had dirt on Cooper's hidden sexuality, and uncovered Nate's probation violations. But the juiciest? Bronwyn's academic scandal—she paid someone to take a test for her. Simon's whole vibe was 'I see you,' and he weaponized that knowledge ruthlessly.

What fascinates me is how Karen M. McManus made Simon simultaneously terrifying and pitiable. His death turns him into this specter haunting the group, but flashbacks reveal his loneliness. He wasn't just a villain—he was a kid who felt invisible until he held secrets over others. The irony? His own secret—the truth about his suicide ideation—was the one thing he couldn't weaponize. It adds this tragic layer that makes the book more than just a whodunit.

Man, 'One of Us Is Lying' was such a wild ride, especially with Simon's fate hanging over the first season. For those wondering about season 2—yeah, it’s complicated. Simon’s death was the catalyst for everything, but the show plays with flashbacks and memories a lot. He does pop up in those, almost like a ghost haunting the others. It’s eerie but adds so much tension. The way they weave his presence into the story without undermining his death is pretty clever. I binged the whole season in a weekend, and those moments hit hard.

Honestly, if you’re expecting Simon to be alive somehow, you’ll be disappointed. But his influence is everywhere. The characters can’t escape him, and neither can the audience. It’s less about his physical appearance and more about how his secrets keep unraveling. The writers really leaned into that psychological aspect, which made season 2 just as gripping as the first.