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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
I wanted to love this book as much as Moriarty's others but the characters, while well-defined, were unlikeable and the story took a long time to build up to revelations that were somewhat predictable. If I hadn't read her others first and had such high expectations I may have liked it more.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Truly Madly Guilty is my third Liane Moriarty, and I really enjoyed it. One mysterious event has a huge ripple effect on everyone involved, and it so cleverly drip-feeds revelations that there's a new one every few chapters. It's about parenthood, guilt and blame, and it very cleverly balances heavy emotions with the occasional injection of humour and love.
I did think in the middle that it felt a bit long, and I got impatient to learn what had actually happened at that barbecue. But once I found out I enjoyed the fact that there was still more to unpack, which carried on right to the end and redeemed the pace a bit. The way feelings would come to light and the devastating way so many characters took on their share of blame paves the way for a story filled with emotional revelations and ultimately, hope. Perhaps it could have been shorter, and it didn't have quite the impact of Big Little Lies, but it was a great read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The structure of this book is very similar to Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies, in that we jump back and forth from a period of time AFTER the mysterious event, and then flashbacks to BEFORE and during the mysterious event, with introductions of the main characters and hints as to the mysterious event along the way. Unlike the prior book, I didn't find any of the events to be surprising or a twist, but I liked the characters and the interactions of the couples better.
There isn't a ton that I can say without getting into spoilers, but I did really like the exploration of the three couples and how the dramatic event impacted the their relationships, with their partners, and with the other couples (particularly between the two ladies who were childhood friends). As a mom to a son with a serious health condition (cystic fibrosis), my husband and I have seen how tough issues with your kids can either bring families together or tear them apart. Everything gets much more real. The reason this book resonated more with me that Big Little Lies is because we got to see a glimpse of what happens in marriages when things get real.
So while the plot wasn't really as novel and twisty, and the structure was very reminiscent of some of this author's earlier books, I liked the character interactions and story arcs more as they felt more realistic. I liked the main plot about the various adults passing around big buckets of guilt about the event, and also the side plots of the after effects of being raised by a narcissistic hoarder, and other interesting tidbits about what goes on in marriages in general.
This was also a very compelling and easy read, as I read it in one day.
There isn't a ton that I can say without getting into spoilers, but I did really like the exploration of the three couples and how the dramatic event impacted the their relationships, with their partners, and with the other couples (particularly between the two ladies who were childhood friends). As a mom to a son with a serious health condition (cystic fibrosis), my husband and I have seen how tough issues with your kids can either bring families together or tear them apart. Everything gets much more real. The reason this book resonated more with me that Big Little Lies is because we got to see a glimpse of what happens in marriages when things get real.
So while the plot wasn't really as novel and twisty, and the structure was very reminiscent of some of this author's earlier books, I liked the character interactions and story arcs more as they felt more realistic. I liked the main plot about the various adults passing around big buckets of guilt about the event, and also the side plots of the after effects of being raised by a narcissistic hoarder, and other interesting tidbits about what goes on in marriages in general.
This was also a very compelling and easy read, as I read it in one day.
As much as I've liked Moriarty's previous books, I did not enjoy this one. I could never connect with the characters, I found them to be pretty unlikeable, and I didn't care much about their problems other than to find out what had happened at that darn barbecue. The secret isn't revealed until halfway through so I was just bored for most of the first part of the book and it took me forever to read. Which is crazy because I generally devour this author's books in a few days. The twist was pretty good and unexpected, and the second half of the book was decent but overall the book was a big letdown.
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail
I've had issues with the endings of Moriarty's other books, but this one I found to be more all-around enjoyable, with a steady tension wanting to know what happened (maybe a little too much of a drawn-out mystery) and good character development. The ending still had a "big reveal" moment, but it wasn't quite as pat and wrapped-up as other ones.
Although it's a good book, I didn't love it like her others.