"We Were Liars"

“We Were Liars”

Written by E. Lockhart

Reviewed written by Diana Iozzia

I believe that this book is one of those that you should absolutely go into blindly. The plot is very small at first, but the book develops into a very intriguing direction, causing the reader to be rapt with attention.

“We Were Liars” is a very twisted and complex summer read, with our main character, Cadence, struggling to remember a horrific accident. Cadence has grown up with her cousins, Johnny, Mirin, and their uncle’s stepson, Gat. Cadence tells us of her summers gone by at the fancy summer home and her awkward family drama. Cadence also starts to remember small details about the accident, asking questions of her mother and her cousins, wondering why no one will tell her the truth. As she begins to remember, she realizes that her family and her past were gilded, rather than golden.

The story has a few unexpected plot elements. For one, we have small hints and suggestions at the accident, as Cadence describes some small details in a grotesque manner. For example, she tells us that on the day that her father left her and her mother, he pulled a gun and shot her in the chest, her blood pouring out onto the cement. However, this is only a bizarre metaphor. In addition, she speaks about her headaches being so terrible, that her head cracks open and scavenger birds pick at the insides. These are just such strange metaphors, but I enjoyed the implementation. The story keeps you on your toes, as you question every sentence. To continue, a second plot element that I enjoyed was vignettes of fairy tales and folklore. They did not seem to have a direct correlation to the story but were used as a foreshadowing technique.

In the climax and conclusion of the story, Cadence remembers the full accident, which is an absolutely horrifying one indeed. There were many moments that I felt that I was tangled with emotion. 

In conclusion, this is a very worthy read, although it is very confusing and unconventional. I believe that if you enjoy reading “The Great Gatsby”, “Riverdale”, and “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”. I also felt that this author’s writing style reminded me of Gillian Flynn’s, especially her style in “Sharp Objects”. I also have to mention that I listened to the audiobook version of this, and I truly think it was a great listening experience. I highly suggest readers consider using this format. I rated the book as a whole as four out of five stars.