Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
From Goodreads:
Sometimes it’s the little lies that turn out to be the most lethal. . . .
A murder… . . . a tragic accident… . . . or just parents behaving badly?
What’s indisputable is that someone is dead. But who did what?
Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.
Once again, Moriarty has completely blown me away with her characters and her story-telling. When the story begins it is clear that a tragic accident has occurred at the Pirriwee Public School's Trivia Night, but we do not know what has happened or to whom. Normally, I find it hard to enjoy plots like this one because if it isn't done well then it can be a put off. But the lives of the residents of Pirriwee are so twisted and, let's just admit it, interesting, I didn't have time to be bored.
This book felt very real to me in some ways, and in others like a caricature of real life. I know that the majority of people do not act the way these characters do, but I also know that there are people out there who DO behave this way. And to be clear, I'm talking about all of the helicopter moms at the school. There are other behaviors that I will address momentarily.
But, these mothers. Oh my wow. It is true what someone says in the book( can't remember who, it was an obscure comment from a minor character) about how involved parents are these days in the minutiae of their children's day to day lives. I am somewhere on the line with this though. Things are different from when I grew up, and I'm only 24. There are so many different kinds of danger out there, and we are the test dummies on how to go about preventing it. But truly, these moms are a different breed. And I have seen their type. Drama mamas. Meddlesome. But the first person anyone calls to head a fundraiser. At their core, they have the best intentions. It's the execution that is a little off.
While it was wildly entertaining to read about these crazy women, kicking each other in the sandbox and sneering at canteen duty, there were some truly dark topics being brought to light. Perry and Celeste's relationship is one just like hundreds of thousands of others across the entire world. And they have more in common than a vicious abuser. They also all have victims who think that it is okay. That they deserve it. That what they are going through really isn't that bad. That it doesn't affect anyone else around them. That it will get better. Each time I read a scene with Perry and Celeste, I could feel myself physically flinching, preparing myself for the blow. It really was hard to read sometimes.
I felt the same way about Jane's story with Saxon. The build up around the story was really good, and when she finally told it I was a little shocked. No where near as shocked as I was when I read the ending though.....
I gave this one five stars. This is my second read by Moriarty. I read The Husband's Secret last year and was also very pleased. I am crossing this one off my resolution list for #7- A book by an author you love.
I will be looking for more titles by Liane Moriarty in the future, and if you are reading this, I hope you do too!
Happy Reading!
HLP
