My Rating: 4/5
Amazon Rating: 4/5
Date Published: May 13, 2014
Length: 240 pages
Summary (spoiler-free):
The Sinclair family is infamous for its wealth and power, and for the four “Liars” (Cadence, Johnny, Mirren, and Gat). Protagonist Cadence has suffered from amnesia and migraines two years after an accident at the family’s private island. Cadence returns to the island for the first time since the accident in order to decipher what happened to her, but she only seems to find more confusion.
Review (spoiler-free):
This book isn’t for everyone, but it’s definitely for me. Lockhart’s prose captures me and gives me such detail and metaphor that I’m entranced each time I read "We Were Liars." Her use of concrete details to define abstract concepts such as emotions and personalities makes this novel so much more realistic and relatable.
“He was contemplation and enthusiasm. Ambition and strong coffee. I could have looked at him forever.”
Lockhart uses descriptive language to build an unforgettable cast of characters whose motives stream in and out of focus throughout the novel.
I’ll admit that the book intentionally tries to confuse and disorient you, which is something many friends have told me they dislike. I, however, think it’s a great way to put us in protagonist Cadence’s shoes, because she endures quite a bit of confusion.
I’m not usually into contemporary young adult, but the dreamy structure and fairy tales wrapped into bits of the book make this almost feel like fantasy. They’re beautiful, rich teenagers on a breathtaking private island where they can do anything they want, so it’s easier for me to step into as opposed to a contemporary novel in which the characters are stumbling through high school halls.
If there were an Instagram that only posted scenes from "We Were Liars," I would follow it in a heartbeat because of how amazing the setting sounded. This is a book that you can not only read, but also hear, see, smell and taste.
If you liked this, try: "The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender," "Dangerous Girls," and "Choker."
What did you think of "We Were Liars"? Does it deserve the hype or does it fall flat? Let me know your opinion in the comments!
