Check out the #1 New York Times bestseller Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, called “a surefire hit” by Entertainment Weekly. “The secrets burrowed in this seemingly placid small town…are so suburban noir they would make David Lynch clap with glee…[Moriarty] is a fantastically nimble writer, so sure-footed that the book leaps between dark and light seamlessly; even the big reveal in the … seamlessly; even the big reveal in the final pages feels earned and genuinely shocking.” —Entertainment Weekly
“Reading one [of Liane Moriarty’s novels] is a bit like drinking a pink cosmo laced with arsenic… [BIG LITTLE LIES] is a fun, engaging and sometimes disturbing read” –USA Today
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 follows three women, each at a crossroads:
Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?).
Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay.
New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all.
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.
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I’ve read my fair share of Moriarty’s books, but this one is my favorite. It’s well plotted out with some pretty messed up characters that can be scary than any boogeyman you read in a horror story. This is one of those books that I described as one of those car accidents that you can’t help but slow down and watch even though you know you shouldn’t. You can’t pull your eyes or your attention away.
Apart from the well-constructed characters and their spot-on interpersonal dynamics, I loved that every chapter drew me closer to a dire, mysterious ending. It kept me turning the pages. The subject matter, at times intense, was handled respectfully, the consequences appropriate and satisfying. I appreciated the loose ends believably tied up. The story didn’t rush (even though sometimes I wanted it to) and every character, every setting, was fully realized. I could picture it all. A book that can do that, plus keeping you hooked from beginning to end, is a book worth reading. Now I get the pleasure of watching the HBO series based on this book. I can’t wait!
Favourite book of 2015. Such intricacies of personality. I loved Moriarty’s willingness to show her characters in all their pettiness, flaws, and insecurities.
I am currently reading my way through Liane Moriaty’s novels. What a fabulous writer she is. This novel is no exception. We join a group of parents of children starting at what in the UK, would be a primary school (5 years upwards). I was embedded in the lives of Madeline, Jane and Celeste (it’s now a TV series of course – I have yet to see this). Moriaty writes her characters (whether unsympathetic or downright unpleasant) with warmth, she expresses their humanity. And all the while she tells a rattling good tale.
I used to live in Sydney, this makes me want to go back there.
One of my all time favorite reads. I was leery at first. I don’t generally jump on the hype train to read what everyone else is, but boy am I glad I read this one. I don’t want to give anything away so I won’t say much, just that the big mystery had me constantly guessing, believing I knew the answer only to be proven wrong in the next chapter. The characters have so many secrets but they feel real and relatable. I loved this book and that it tackled some hard issues as well as provided intrigue and fun, was just an added reason to give it even more stars. Well done and Moriarty gained a fan with this one.
It was hard to put this book down! I loved how the book went from present to past. It mostly centers around a group of women, their lives, and their children. The women are all varying ages, and two older moms take a new younger mom under their wing.
Madeline Mackenzie had just turned forty, who struggles with trying to co-parent with an ex-husband, Nathan, who is remarried and lives in the same place. His daughter attends the same school as Madeline’s two children. Nathan and Madeline share a teenage daughter, Abigail. Madeline is the type to hold grudges, and she holds a big one against Nathan.
On the way to Kindergarten Orientation, Madeline has a misstep and rolls her ankle. Jane Chapman, driving behind Madeline to the same orientation, stops to help. Jane is new to town, and the mom of Ziggy.
Celeste White, and Madeline become Jane’s friends and help her adjust to her new surroundings. The three women, although different ages and backgrounds, have quite a lot in common with each other. The secrets of two women are on a collision course, and not only change their lives, but give new perspective to all the parents whose children attend the same school. Sadly, it’s sometimes the parents that need a lesson.
I loved this book. Think that is mostly because it was so character driven, and not even the mystery murder at the end mattered overall. It was surprising to me who the murderer was more than who was murdered, but excellent. Would definitely recommend
This was an interesting book with a really good plot twist at the end. The story focuses on the lives of three-four families at a primary school in Australia. Something happens at a fund raiser for the school and you don’t really find out what happened until you are well into the book. The story is told mainly through the eyes of three mothers – Jane, Madeleine, and Celeste, and the chapters alternate between their lives and backgrounds and interviews with a myriad of other characters. I had a little difficulty at first following this style of writing and keeping up with all the children and their parents. But in the end it worked. I was surprised by the twist at the end and the author did a good job of wrapping things up for everyone involved. I would classify it as a mystery with LOTS of drama! Definitely worth reading!
Although the book starts out slow, it is over all a great story. It’s mysterious and you truly get to know the characters and feel the way that they feel. If you like stories that are similar to those of Stephen King, then you will enjoy this book.
I sure loved the ending of this book! So many secrets and lies all woven intricately together. Liane did an amazing job of tying all these little threads together in the end. I have no idea how she kept it all straight while writing! I’ll miss these characters, especially Madeline and her tell-it-like-it-is ways. I hope these characters come back in another story sometime.
Drove me crazy that I didn’t know who was killed until near the end but couldn’t put it down. Great summer read.
Holy shit! Excuse my language, but this book was freaking amazing. I was not expecting to be blown away so much by this Big Little Lies. The size of it certainly made me nervous, but once I got into this book, I honestly couldn’t put it down. I was dying to find out which character did what! Liane Moriarty truly out did herself with this book!
With 480 pages there were enough character to delve into, but more importantly it is about three women. They all have children entering kindergarten in the same year. While each of them live different lives, thy become closely connected in ways even they don’t know at first. Then, well, there’s a murder. Someone dies at a trivia night at their children’s school. You don’t know who was killed and you also don’t know who was the killer. The whole book dives into this mystery and it keeps you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out who did what. The story revolves around the weeks leading up to the fateful evening of the murder but also snippets of interviews from people after the night of the murder.
I’m not going to spoil this, so I’ll say no more. But I assure you all, this book delivers on every aspect — from romance, to suspense, and even horror — Moriarty gives you the full range of all genres into one, fairly large, book!
What I can’t praise enough of this book is the writing and dialogue of the characters. It was so natural and even the abusive spats between these three women and the other women in the interview room, were so plausible– even I could hear myself saying these things to my girlfriends.
Another aspect that I truly couldn’t praise more is Moriarty’s approached on important issues in this book: domestic violence, bullying, and even rape. The way the characters handle these issues is realistic and satisfying without being predictable, sappy, or preachy.
Having read two of Moriarty’s other books (check out my previous posts!) I was very much so on the fence about how this one was going to turn out. I’ve had mixed feeling about her books, but this one certainly blew me away. I was not expecting this at all!
If you enjoyed Girl on the Train or Gone Girl, I’d put Big Little Lies on their level. This book was gripping, suspenseful, and even a little funny at times. If you haven’t read this book, go out and get it! I have to go watch the HBO series on this now!
Read more of my review here: https://bit.ly/2GnIT7Y
I’m so in love with Liane’s style. The intricacies, multiple viewpoints, and of course, the story! She’s artful and fun to read, highly recommend.
So much has already been said about this book, so I’ll just praise the author a little: Liane Moriarty writes like a snarky angel wielding a razor sharp sword. What does that even mean? Beats the hell outta me. But this book was great. My only gripe might be that it was a little repetitive at times and got bogged down by the characters’ introspection. This is kind of a backhanded compliment, I suppose, because within the first fifty pages or so you already know the characters so well that some of the beating over the head about “who” they are gets redundant.
Hidden under the shiny, light-hearted surface of a chick-lit suburban drama, Big Little Lies is a book of such depth and complexity it really surprised me. This is not a one-sit reading (at least it wasn’t for me!), but it is one of those books that deals with such rich themes and features such wonderful, enchanting characters that you keep going back to it like a familiar cafe or a soft blanket. It is truly a fantastic book and I highly recommend it.
I loved this novel by Lianne Moriaty – brilliantly entertaining, at times funny and at times dark and confronting. It’s a story of friendship, badly behaved parents and the lies behind the perfect facade that many present to the world.
I love, love, loved this book. It had me from the start and didn’t let me go until the end. But to be honest, I didn’t want it to. I want more. Give me a book like this any day and I’ll read it.
I did this backwards because I watched the show before I read the book and while I do regret that a bit–read the book first–they both BLEW ME AWAY. There are some differences between the two, but a lot of similarities, and both are flawless.
The book is so gripping and yet relatable. The female friendships are beautifully portrayed as are the rest of the relationships, and this really is a book about relationships–the good, the beautiful, the bad, the horrifying. It’s the kind of book that will stay with you long after you’ve finished it and it has such depth.
I loved the structure of the novel and the inclusion of some of the parents and school administrators as a Greek chorus of sorts really enriches the reader’s experience. This is a twisty novel, but each of these twists and turns feel organic to the story rather than done for shock value, and much like the jigsaw puzzles Jane loves to complete in the book, each piece falls together in perfect synchronicity.
I really can’t say enough about how much I loved this book (and the show). I highly recommend it, especially if you love women’s fiction. It’s staggeringly good.
One of my most favorite books ever! Loved everything about this book…the characters, their stories, the way it all unfolds, etc. Do not miss reading this one!
Great story with a powerful message! Once I got into the story I was completely absorbed and couldn’t put it down. It offers mystery and intrigue with twists along the way to keep you guessing at what happened.