We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

• Release Date  :  May 13th 2014

• Genre: Contemporary

• Pages : 240 

• Publisher : Delacorte

Okay This is going to be
a hard review to write. One of the reasons I had to read We Were Liars was
because I  kept hearing that this was the
book to read, but you can’t know what it is about. . . you just have to read it.

Honestly, if you
don’t see it coming (which I did but the book made me doubt myself)  I think this book will shock you and have you flipping back and re-reading over and over again.

We Were Liars
centers around   Cadence Sinclair and
the extended Sinclair family. Each summer  he family summers on their private island. Blonde, pretty and
privileged on the outside the Sinclairs seems to have everything, but on the inside  greed,
jealousy and denial threaten to take over.

Something happens on  Cady’s  15th summer at the island that she has no memory of, now two years later she’s going to find out how far the lies go.

This was exactly the type of contemporary novel that works for me because it takes on so many topics. Lockhart explores  race, class, romance and family in a way
that makes you doubt what you know and what you think you know about the characters. 

The setting for this novel is Beachwood Island, the family’s private New England estate. You can imagine how tensions can flate and the unthinkable can happen when you are secluded with your family on an island. And OMG, do things happen ! I found the Sinclair family interesting in all there ups and downs, divorces and losses. 

On the family aspect,  I liked how the Liars (Cadence and her cousins)  get together once a year and have these adventures and how she realizes how little their lives connect when they aren’t together. I think people with extended family will be able to relate to that.

 I enjoyed Cady’s voice but I can’t say I found anything unique about it. I miffed to see the return of the Jerk Divorce Dad,  however I think it worked well in this book.

We Were Liars made me feel something for unlikable characters.  Cady’s Mom and Aunts  lives are in constant upheaval due to how spoiled and greedy they are, so it’s interesting to take this into consideration at the end of the novel.

A mysterious little contemporary read at just 240 pages, it’s the perfect book to read in one sitting

The book has a Tumblr page : http://wewereliarsbook.tumblr.com/ which is a great way to get the visuals of the novel.

Barnes & Nobles | Indiebound | Powell’s Books

 

* Received for review from NetGalley