Big Little Lies
by Liane Moriarty
Published: Berkley, 2014
Pages: 458
Genre: Contemporary, Thriller
"They say it's good to let your grudges go, but I don't know, I'm quite fond of my grudge. I tend it like a little pet."
About the book
A murder ... A tragic accident .... Or just parents behaving badly? What's indisputable is that someone is dead.
Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She's funny, biting, and passionate; she remembers everything and forgives no one. Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare but she is paying a price for the illusion of perfection. New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for a nanny. She comes with a mysterious past and a sadness beyond her years. These three women are at a crossroads, but they will all wind up in the same shocking place.
Review
Big Little Lies is a suspenseful, character-driven read that highlights domestic violence and the importance of being kind to others.
The story is centered around three moms: Madeline, an extroverted force of nature; Jane, a shy, timid young mother; and Celeste, a drop-dead gorgeous woman who has a beautiful family and all the money she could ever need. Jane is new to the area and quickly finds herself in hot water when her son is accused of chocking another child during Kindergarten orientation. School politics and drama quickly elevate when the other child's mother, Renata, finds out her daughter is the victim of bullying and wants Jane's son suspended. Madeline deals with family escapades while it's slowly revealed that Celeste's picture perfect life is hiding a dark secret; this all comes to play in a horrifying murder.
It's reveled at the beginning of the novel that a murder has taken place but no other details are given. The snippets of interviews from minor characters in the story provide an excellent layer of suspense; the reader can tell that the dramas of Madeline, Jane, and Celeste are going to rapidly intertwine and explode into violence, which makes the book impossible to put down.
Throughout this storyline, the author does a great job of flushing out the characters to create what feels like REAL people that I could to and touch. Big Little Lies does a great job of showing the true mindset of domestic violence victims. You may find out a woman is continuously being hit by her significant other and think, "What is she even doing? If a man ever treated me like that I'd leave that night." But it's so different when it's actually happening to you. Victims rationalize to themselves and make themselves believe it was that bad or it was their own fault. I love how the author was able to portray this misconception about domestic violence.
Big Little Lies is a great read, and from what I hear a great show (though I haven't watch it yet!). It's definitely one I'd recommend and that I regret not picking up earlier.
RATING (out of five puppies):
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