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ofpaperandplanes 's review for:
We Were Liars
by E. Lockhart
“LIFE FEELS BEAUTIFUL that day. The four of us Liars, we have always been. We always will be. No matter what happens as we go to college, grow old, build lives for ourselves; no matter if Gat and I are together or not. No matter where we go, we will always be able to line up on the roof of Cuddledown and gaze at the sea. This island is ours. Here, in some way, we are young forever.”
Usually if I’m going to read a YA book, I gravitate to the romantasy offerings. However, I picked this book up because everyone was talking about the new TV show, and if you know me, you know I have a neurotic need to have read the book before I watch a movie or TV adaptation. I prefer introspective lit fic, lyrical classics, and fantastical romantasy novels, though I read a little bit of everything. I say this because it’s important to note that I am not the target audience of this book. However, I did find the plot compelling enough to finish in one sitting.
The premise of “we were liars” is that the fmc, Cadence Sinclair of the Sinclair family (think the Kennedy family) was in a traumatic accident one summer on her family’s private island. Due to the nature of the accident, she has very few memories of the summer it occurred. So as she spends her first summer back since the accident with her beloved cousins, Johnny and Mirren, and her closest friend, Gat, Cadence tries to piece together what happened to her.
Going into it, I was expecting a mystery-thriller. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons I struggled with this book somewhat. While the mystery of Cadence’s accident is woven throughout, the plot itself is really more of a family drama full of teen angst, depression, and the classic materialism and greed which pervades high society. It didn’t really feel like there were any stakes either, as everyone basically agrees to just pretend like nothing happened until Cadence remembers on her own. It doesn’t even feel like Cadence is really trying to remember, as she calmly accepts that she isn’t supposed to ask any questions about the forgotten summer.
Because of the title, I was expecting lots of lying, misdirection, and untrustworthy people. Instead, I found a group of kids who nicknamed themselves the Liars, but with absolutely no justification for the name. And, instead of falsehoods, it was really more of a tale of avoidance and memory, saturated with melodramatic reactions and immature choices.
However, the setting was beautiful and vivid. Cadence’s relationship with her cousins was so relatable and precious. The whole Sinclair family felt like real people, which is hard to do with that many different relatives. I’m literally obsessed with their pack of golden retrievers. The romance subplot was full of the sweetness and innocence of first love, of childhood friendship metamorphosing into something shining and simple and stunning. And the plot twist was shocking and devastating. We’re talking, full-on ugly crying levels of devastation.
This is a solid book that I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves YA family dramas, teen romance, and crazy plot twists. My own lack of interest in the genre, as well as misguided expectations for the book, lessened my overall enjoyment. However, I enjoyed “we were liars” more than I expected. I’m curious how the tv adaptation will compare!
Usually if I’m going to read a YA book, I gravitate to the romantasy offerings. However, I picked this book up because everyone was talking about the new TV show, and if you know me, you know I have a neurotic need to have read the book before I watch a movie or TV adaptation. I prefer introspective lit fic, lyrical classics, and fantastical romantasy novels, though I read a little bit of everything. I say this because it’s important to note that I am not the target audience of this book. However, I did find the plot compelling enough to finish in one sitting.
The premise of “we were liars” is that the fmc, Cadence Sinclair of the Sinclair family (think the Kennedy family) was in a traumatic accident one summer on her family’s private island. Due to the nature of the accident, she has very few memories of the summer it occurred. So as she spends her first summer back since the accident with her beloved cousins, Johnny and Mirren, and her closest friend, Gat, Cadence tries to piece together what happened to her.
Going into it, I was expecting a mystery-thriller. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons I struggled with this book somewhat. While the mystery of Cadence’s accident is woven throughout, the plot itself is really more of a family drama full of teen angst, depression, and the classic materialism and greed which pervades high society. It didn’t really feel like there were any stakes either, as everyone basically agrees to just pretend like nothing happened until Cadence remembers on her own. It doesn’t even feel like Cadence is really trying to remember, as she calmly accepts that she isn’t supposed to ask any questions about the forgotten summer.
Because of the title, I was expecting lots of lying, misdirection, and untrustworthy people. Instead, I found a group of kids who nicknamed themselves the Liars, but with absolutely no justification for the name. And, instead of falsehoods, it was really more of a tale of avoidance and memory, saturated with melodramatic reactions and immature choices.
However, the setting was beautiful and vivid. Cadence’s relationship with her cousins was so relatable and precious. The whole Sinclair family felt like real people, which is hard to do with that many different relatives. I’m literally obsessed with their pack of golden retrievers. The romance subplot was full of the sweetness and innocence of first love, of childhood friendship metamorphosing into something shining and simple and stunning. And the plot twist was shocking and devastating. We’re talking, full-on ugly crying levels of devastation.
This is a solid book that I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves YA family dramas, teen romance, and crazy plot twists. My own lack of interest in the genre, as well as misguided expectations for the book, lessened my overall enjoyment. However, I enjoyed “we were liars” more than I expected. I’m curious how the tv adaptation will compare!