The Power of Perception, Manipulation and Deception in Verity by Colleen Hoover

Abstract

Colleen Hoover’s Verity (2018) masterfully explores the interplay between perception, manipulation, and deception within the framework of Gothic horror and psychological thriller. The novel delves into the fragile boundary between truth and illusion, emphasizing how grief, obsession, and self-doubt can distort reality. Through the protagonist, Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer thrust into the eerie world of Verity Crawford’s home, Hoover constructs a narrative that blurs moral lines, forcing readers to question the reliability of perception.