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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Starts off as a light hearted part mystery/part soap opera and ends up being a poignant look into women’s friendships, marriage, domestic abuse
I wanted to read the book before checking out the television series, which I understand is quite good. Each and every one of the novel’s characters are fully realized and unforgettable, and while you may not always like all of them, you will certainly understand even the worst of their decisions. The unconventional format, a “countdown” of sorts to the pivotal scene told from several POVs, added to my enjoyment of the book, although not everyone will agree. There are more than a few twists and turns along the way, and most caught me by surprise. I hope they will do the same for you, as it was a completely delicious read. I devoured the entire 460 pages in two long nights that seemed to fly by.
Wow, what a book! Liane Moriarty has a way with creating dozens of individual voices in her story that baffles me. This book lured me in, and I could barely put it down. It’s amazing to me that she can keep things shallow enough that you don’t feel like you’re drowning in the terrible things but also brings up issues like rape and spousal abuse. This story makes you think about death and whether some people deserve it. It was fascinating.
What is not to love about this book? Fantastic characters and realistic storylines. Gritty hard hitting topics and fabulous detail. Highly recommended.
Loved these women and found them extremely relatable and familiar! Several surprises make for a great read!
I absolutely loved this book! I just couldn’t put it down. I loved the characters and the story. Just amazing! A definite must read!!
What more can you ask for?
Intriguing, unpredictable, engagingly entertaining story of how the lives of a group of women in a community become entertwined through their children & families. The back stories are very interesting, & what seems perfect on the surface is anything but.
The was a great book about friendship, the problems caused by making quick judgements, and the consequences of lies and bullying in all its various and subtle forms. It really is a gem of a book. You become deeply invested in the characters. Also the social satire is great.
Liane Moriarty has a way of presenting extremely realistic characters that we begin to love despite their very real flaws. She has a hidden agenda to explore difficult societal problems that appear gradually behind the scenes of the characters’ outward presentation of their lives. Once the reader begins to realize there are difficult issues coming to light, we are fully invested in finding the way to understand and deal with problems that might be hiding in our own community. And even though there is pain and heartache, the author finds ways for us to also laugh with the characters we’ve come to know.
Was extremely detailed and definitely a great book. I did find myself having a hard time paying attention is some points but I also don’t usually read this type of book. Would recommend
This was rather brilliant. Terrific storytelling! It won’t be for everyone, as it includes bullying at school, domestic violence at home, and other abuse – along with the horrible, inevitable results on innocent lives. But it’s really well written, and many of the characters are thoroughly endearing. Things pretty much worked out just as they should, just as I wanted them to, without it feeling contrived – which is an astonishing feat on the part of the author! A genuine page-turner, and just what I needed right now.
I really liked this book and love this author.
After watching the HBO series, I wanted to read the book to see how close the two were. And Liane Moriarty has become a favourite author of mine (this is the 3rd book I read of hers). I wasn’t disappointed or felt like I wasted my time reading a story I already knew. I feel like I know these characters even better now.
This was a hard book to get into though I’m glad I didn’t give up on it. It definitely gets more interesting as it goes on. But that’s why I gave it 3 stars.
Moriarty focuses on the lives and relationships of three women friends, all of whom have children in the same kindergarten class. The book is constructed around events leading up to and immediately following a death that occurs at the school, though you won’t find out the identity of the person who dies until quite late in the book. In that sense this is more of a mystery than a novel.
Along the way the characters and the reader have to deal with some heavy issues like bullying (by both children and parents), economic inequality and the prejudice that too often goes along with it, and domestic violence. Through secrets shared and not shared, this story slowly unfolds until you find yourself having to question your own ideas about morality and justice.
I love this book. I was very sad to come to the end. Just a wonderful book the characters come to life whether you’ve seen the series or not highly recommend this book
complex story and characters, but worth following through to see where it ends up
memorizing!! couldn’t put it down!!
I just could not get into this book eventually gave up!
I liked getting to know the characters.