Becoming-woman: Deconstructing Adolescent Stereotypes through McManus’ Bildungsroman One of Us Is Lying

Karen M. McManus’ novel One of Us is Lying is a carefully crafted teenage Bildungsroman that brings together a group of stereotyped adolescents and blenders them with intense triggers such as murder, homosexuality, budding romance, relationship gaslighting, and second-generation immigration. These experiences catalyze their painful yet inevitable breaking free from the stereotypes. This essay examines how McManus’ novel resonates with French philosopher Gilles Deleuze’s concept of “becoming-woman.” The concept refers to a dynamic process of transformation and deterritorialization, where individuals move away from fixed identities and categories. It involves breaking down rigid structures and embracing fluidity and change. Although the term explicitly refers to gender, its implications extend beyond gender, challenging fixed identities and hierarchical structures related to race, class, sexuality, and more. The concept fosters a more fluid and open-ended approach to understanding identity and subjectivity among adolescents.