We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
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Web ID: 14352412Amazing!!
Total plot twist and be prepared to be a mess!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Absolutely amazing
I had to read this for a class my freshman year of high school, and it was phenomenal! I love Cadences relationship with the liars. I felt very connected throughout the book. I highly recommend reading this book if you are in high school or really any age!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A book which reveals itself gradually - tense
I liked We Were Liars. It's a book which is to be respected for the way in which the truth is unfurled throughout the book; in the way that the author keeps us guessing from start to finish; in the way that secrets that divide are dripped into the narrative. The action of the book is set on an island where Cadence, her mum and her aunties spend the summer. Cadence's grandparents are the island's owners and there is initially, this sense of a great family gathering, built on tradition. The first part of the book is spent establishing relationships between the sisters and the cousins as Cadence is joined every summer by Mirren and Johnny. But the most important person in Cadence's life is Gat, not a blood relation; a member of the limited circle by association and for whom Cadence holds a torch. At first, the sense of their being a close unit is illustrated through summer days and camaraderie, the four of them tight in their activities together. A picture is created of an environment shared and of a lazy summer drifting past, peppered with swimming and boat trips and family meals. But, as if a mist is being lifted, a clearer, less idyllic picture emerges of family tensions and posturing for favour as well as more disturbing mental instabilities and so, as a reader, you are not sure what to think. The book is not intense in terms of its readability but there is an intensity to it, created by the uncertain feel of what you are being shown as well as the insular location of the island, which can be escaped but with the family connections, has a hold still over everyone who summers there. And it all leads very windingly to the big reveal which is effectively done, if not wholly surprising, but I think that the strength of this book lies in the build up and the delivery of the denouement, rather than the denouement itself and as this is a Young Adult fiction book, I think, that as a YA, I would have been more than pleased with the given ending. As someone who has read (and written) a lot, it perhaps lacked power for me but please, don't let that put you off. It has been praised and I can see why as it is a good book.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
it was just “okay”
nothing about this book really stuck out to me. it wasn’t necessarily a poorly written plot, but it was just simple in its entirety. it wasn’t until the very end of the book that it gets shockingly interesting. glad i read it, but probably wouldn’t read it again
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Mysterious and Suprising
The novel, “We Were Liars” by E. Lockhart was an attention grabbing book. This novel had a shocking ending that was very unexpected. The author describes each character well which helps the reader understand each situation better. This was a great read because it kept me on the edge of my seat, wanting to read more and more. I recommend this book if you love drama. This book gets four out of five stars.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Speechless
This is a YA novel, but don't let that deter you from reading. Lockhart's writing is poetic, sophisticated, and there's layers upon layers of meaning in the book, so much so that I read it in almost one sitting and then immediately went back to read certain sections over. I should also point out that as a reader of countless thrillers and murder mysteries, I guessed the big twist early on, but that didn't dull the gut punch it gave me. There are so many clues, but most are so subtle that a reader could easily miss them. Interwoven through the mystery of exactly what happened to Cady on her grandfather's private island the summer she was 15 are scenes of her very wealthy and privileged family and the battle between the three adult sisters for their father's attention - and their inheritance. Cady and her cousins Mirren and Johnny are the oldest grandchildren, and are unable to distance themselves, as they bear the pressure of trying to manipulate their grandfather on behalf of their mothers. When one aunt's boyfriend brings his nephew, Gat, to the island, the four ('the Liars") become a clique and Cady and Gat eventually begin a romance that her grandfather immediately frowns upon. Gat is an outsider, definitely not rich and *gasp* is of Indian heritage. He is also very political and becomes the Liars' conscience. All of this conflict comes to a head in the summer the Liars are 15, and something happens to Cady that's so traumatic she develops amnesia and thus is an unreliable narrator. And that's all I'll say. Just read the book.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
6.5/10 but an easy read
honestly i am so conflicted on how i feel about this book. it felt like i was reading everything and nothing all at the same time. the concept of the plot twist overall was ~very~ intriguing, but it felt rushed towards the end. i wish there was more context and elaboration afterwards
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Disappointed
I bought this having very high hopes considering many it went viral and there were so many good reviews. It left me feeling very confused. The writing and grammar was poor. I thought I would enjoy this book so I bought the sequel, and now I don’t even want to read it. Cady is very spoiled and her whole personality is how she has migraines. It was very hard to get into and the only reason I kept reading it was because I wanted to know what the plot twist was. Very disappointing.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com