We Were Liars

Holy crap! Now that's the way to start off the new year! I picked up this book because it was short and because I heard that there was a mind-blowing twist in it and I was not disappointed! This twist is something akin to Shutter Island and The Silent Patient- it just blew my mind! I also feel like this book is deeper in meaning than your average romance thriller/mystery and I loved the whimsical way that the author brought the story to life since it wasn't written in the most simple way. I'm just ecstatic that I started my reading year off this way!

To begin with, We Were Liars is about four kids from a privileged family who spend summers together on a private island. One summer things get a bit out of hand and repercussions follow not long after. I haven't read many plots like these but this one takes the cake. I loved the way we saw the world through Cadence's eyes and really felt like we were in her mind, even the book was written through a teenagers outlook on life. There were definitely plenty of twists but that last turn at the end, had me gasping out loud in disbelief. I usually don't particularly like books that skip around so much and have lots of flashbacks but in this case it didn't take way from me understanding the gist of the story. Masterfully done.

Further on, the characterization of the main character especially was otherworldly. I loved how we got to see her authentic self, without any airs or falsehoods. Also, the way she saw all her other best friends on the island, it really made me feel like I got to know them really personally as well. Lockhart wasn't afraid to go there, to the very disgusting and miraculous depth of the human soul and it made the main character so relatable, even though I am twice her age and things that concern her aren't really a concern at this stage of my life.

Finally, the writing style, as I have already mentioned above is so unique and yet packs quite the punch. The sentences are written in a whimsical style, at least in some parts and there are even creative renderings written from the heroine's point of view, which are not necessarily always woven in concrete reality and yet never fail to hold a truth to them either. I haven't read a book quite like this one before and will continue to pick up E. Lockhart's works in the future because that choice was absolutely mesmerizing and so unique/different- just a breath of fresh air!

In conclusion, even though this book is considered Young Adult and is written from the perspective of a teen, I think this book could positively affect any adult. There is romance, mystery and thrills in this novel and even though romance isn't a favorite genre of mine, I ate it all up in this one. The author was just able to deliver a story that was so authentically full of truth and hard life facts, that it was heartbreakingly impossible to put down. For such a small book, this sure packs quite a punch! A must read!