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finnevic44's review against another edition
2.0
I really expected more of a historical fiction detail since it was set partially in Cuba in the 1950s and 60s. The blurb also made it seem like it could be mystery. Instead to me it was a depressing family with filled with secrets who run away from their problems.
thereza's review against another edition
2.0
everything about this book was underwhelming.off to the unhaul pile i guess
kba76's review against another edition
4.0
A very different book from Jennifer Mathieu, but I’m grateful to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this prior to publication.
The ARC I received has the simple title ‘The Liars’ and this definitely indicates more characters could be given this title than the family of three we predominantly focus on.
The majority of the story focuses on 17 year old Elena, and her attempts to carve a life for herself away from the controlling behaviour of her mother. Her older brother, Jouqain, is allowed to work and go out at night but he recognises their mother’s behaviour is abusive and does what he can to support Elena in her attempts to develop her own life. With nobody else to support him though, Jouqain doesn’t know what to do to improve their situation.
Alongside the story of these two and the summer that starts to signal change, we get the background to their mother’s life. It is jarring at first, but the details about her wealthy home in Cuba and the change in lifestyle when she’s sent alone to America do explain - at least in part - some of her actions.
Nothing is really resolved by the end of the book for Elena, but the circumstances around Jouqain do give some hope that things might change in time.
The ARC I received has the simple title ‘The Liars’ and this definitely indicates more characters could be given this title than the family of three we predominantly focus on.
The majority of the story focuses on 17 year old Elena, and her attempts to carve a life for herself away from the controlling behaviour of her mother. Her older brother, Jouqain, is allowed to work and go out at night but he recognises their mother’s behaviour is abusive and does what he can to support Elena in her attempts to develop her own life. With nobody else to support him though, Jouqain doesn’t know what to do to improve their situation.
Alongside the story of these two and the summer that starts to signal change, we get the background to their mother’s life. It is jarring at first, but the details about her wealthy home in Cuba and the change in lifestyle when she’s sent alone to America do explain - at least in part - some of her actions.
Nothing is really resolved by the end of the book for Elena, but the circumstances around Jouqain do give some hope that things might change in time.
itsme_lori's review against another edition
2.0
I was so excited when I got my hands on a review copy of this book because I loved Moxie but this was nothing like that book. To put it nicely, this just didn't work for me. This was a character-driven story centered around lost and hopeless characters stuck in an unhealthy home environment and the effects that situation has on their lives outside the home as well as their hopes, or lack thereof, for their futures and potential happiness. It's a book that deals with lots of disappointments and addictions and abuse and sadness. It's a hard book to read in places and readers should go in knowing it's dark and unhappy and difficult to read.
I thought I was going to be reading a book about family drama and lies and dysfunctional families. And that I got. But what I was really hoping for was something that was different from other books I've read about dysfunctional families. (Similar to how Moxie brought a different feeling to YA feminist characters.) Something that had more to say about the lies we tell each other and ourselves and how one lie can have such a huge impact on so many people. But this really was a just a book about all of the lies this family tells each other. (There was one big lie I didn't see coming and another that I did and was kind of disappointed in how it was found out.) We get to read from both Elena and Joaquin's POVs and also get chapters about their mother's past. It was interesting reading about how they ended up where they are but I'm just not a fan of books where people just avoid and lie and hate each other and then the book ends. There is no conclusion, no happy ending (though I wasn't really expecting that) and what seems like no way out for Elena. And I'm not even sure she'd want one. But I like books to have a bit of closure. And this one just didn't have that for me.
If you like books that leave a lot of questions open and provide no resolutions for almost anything, this one might be for you. If you like books that talk about messed up families and drunk mothers and unhappy children and pretty much everything depressing, you might like this one more than I did. If you don't mind reading books with unlikeable characters and constant lies but nothing really happens, this might be one for you. If not, I'd stay away. I know it's worked for a lot of people, so you might enjoy it too, but it just didn't work for me. Also, it's historical fiction, not contemporary.
Also, I know this is weird to put in a review, but the Callahan's kids' names are Jennifer and Matthew and every time I saw that, I was so distracted by it. But I think that's just me.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I thought I was going to be reading a book about family drama and lies and dysfunctional families. And that I got. But what I was really hoping for was something that was different from other books I've read about dysfunctional families. (Similar to how Moxie brought a different feeling to YA feminist characters.) Something that had more to say about the lies we tell each other and ourselves and how one lie can have such a huge impact on so many people. But this really was a just a book about all of the lies this family tells each other. (There was one big lie I didn't see coming and another that I did and was kind of disappointed in how it was found out.) We get to read from both Elena and Joaquin's POVs and also get chapters about their mother's past. It was interesting reading about how they ended up where they are but I'm just not a fan of books where people just avoid and lie and hate each other and then the book ends. There is no conclusion, no happy ending (though I wasn't really expecting that) and what seems like no way out for Elena. And I'm not even sure she'd want one. But I like books to have a bit of closure. And this one just didn't have that for me.
If you like books that leave a lot of questions open and provide no resolutions for almost anything, this one might be for you. If you like books that talk about messed up families and drunk mothers and unhappy children and pretty much everything depressing, you might like this one more than I did. If you don't mind reading books with unlikeable characters and constant lies but nothing really happens, this might be one for you. If not, I'd stay away. I know it's worked for a lot of people, so you might enjoy it too, but it just didn't work for me. Also, it's historical fiction, not contemporary.
Also, I know this is weird to put in a review, but the Callahan's kids' names are Jennifer and Matthew and every time I saw that, I was so distracted by it. But I think that's just me.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
heykellyjensen's review against another edition
This was a really solid read, about the children of a Cuban immigrant who struggles with alcoholism as a means of dealing with grief. I wasn't super taken with the structure of the book -- the voice changing didn't have a consistency to it and the chapter dividers were odd (may be more clear in the final version, as I read an ARC). I did love the exploration of lying in a way that was less about deceit and more about protection.
thepottedplant's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
campbelldms's review against another edition
3.0
I actually gave this book 3.5 stars but goodreads doesn't let you do half ratings. This book was interesting at first but then the reoccurring theme of lying kept coming through. This novel wasn't the best and could use a better ending but overall a quick read that was kind fast paced
vanquished_tomes's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Child abuse
Minor: Car accident