Her Book Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (2014)

Why she read it: author John Green recommendation

Would she recommend it: Yes

Her review: I’m pretty sure John Green’s positive review of this book is what drew me to it and I am so glad that it did.

Using language that is poetic and evocative, Lockhart tells the story of Cady, her cousins (as well as an “adopted” cousin),and the rest of the wealthy and privileged Sinclair family. The book starts by painting this family somewhat Kennedy-ish on their on private island for the summer. Then the book sets out to systematically dismantle the mythical (and even fairy-tale like) family, until at the end, there is nothing left, not even memory.

Cady, the narrator is highly unreliable for more than one reason. When she wakes up on one of the beaches of the private island with no memory, she sets about as best she can to recollect Summer 15, when everything she thought she knew crumbles. Cady thinks in poetry, in revised fairytales, and refuses after a time to “act normal” and “suffers migraines, but does not suffer fools.”

To say more would be to spoil the twists and turns the book takes as Cady’s memories gradually come back to her. But what I found is that I cared for Cady and the tragedy that the Sinclair family brought down upon itself. Wealth is indeed corrupting, this book will tell you, and it is up to the youth to jump into the deep water without care of the rocks below, in search of truth.