We Were Liars by E. LockhartMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
We were liars is definitely a unique book. But, I am not certain how I feel about it.
As a YA librarian I am not sure if YA readers will enjoy this title. But, my gut tells me this book is either going to drop like a rock or be the biggest thing since Hunger Games. Reading the reviews, I can see that there are many readers who absolutely adore the book. But, there are others like me, who find the literary writing style to be annoying and possibly a bit esoteric.
The Sinclairs are similar, in my mind, to the Kennedys. They are wealthy, own their own island off of Massachusetts, and are a stoic family who do not discuss problems. They keep a smile on their face at all times, and they do not talk about things.
Cadence is the eldest grandchild in the King Lear ish family. She is very close in age to her cousins Mirren and Johnny, and Johnny's friend Gat. These four form the group of Liars, and they spend all summer each year on their family island.
We learn early on that Cadence has had some form of accident. She struggles with migraines. Her parents are divorced. Cadence has fallen in love with Gat, but Gat has a girlfriend back home. We find that although the Liars are a tight knit group during the summer, they have little contact the rest of the year.
Beyond what I have said so far, there is little to say which would not be a spoiler. The book is being marketed with a strong admonition not to reveal the ending. Each person will have to read this book for themselves to determine how they will view it. I recommend at least a quick read through as the story is intriguing and everyone will want to know about the secret.
I am going to just sit back and see if this becomes a big hit or not. I am just too torn to determine that for myself.
Added note August 2014: This book continues to get rave reviews and is appearing on a lot of lists of best books of 2014. I will up my rating to 4 of 5 stars, since it appears teens have no issue with the language.
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