Big Little Lies

 

Big Little Lies

by Liane Moriarty

★★★★★

 

I’m officially a huge fan of Moriarty. She has an incredible skill for introducing friendly, women who seem like people you know, building up their lives and then taking a sharp turn into the unexpected. Despite the sweet friendships that sit at the core of the story, the book deals with some very serious and real problems, yet it reads like a mystery you can’t put down.

 

From the first pages we know that the police are trying to solve a murder case. Then we skip back in time to months before the fateful night of the crime. Sprinkled throughout are interviews with witnesses and suspects, adding layers of depth to the plot. We touch on topics as diverse as bullying, financial status, blended families, domestic violence, and more. The book explores the social dynamics and pitfalls of elementary schools’ hierarchy and the personal lives of some of the mothers of students.

 

Madeline, Celeste, and Jane are all mothers of children in the same kindergarten class. Jane is new to town, a quiet single mother who is overwhelmed by it all. Madeline is the brash center-of-attention who, though well-meaning, tends to stir up trouble wherever she goes. Celeste is the gorgeous wife of a wealthy financier. Each woman has a much more complicated life than what first appears to be happening on the surface.

 

BOTTOM LINE: A big book, but a fast engaging read. The author makes the characters come alive. She can deal with dark subject matter without making the whole book feel dark. She manages to hit a delicate balance between gravity and readability. I couldn’t put it down and I will be reading whatever she writes next.

 

 

*Read as part of the R.I.P. Challenge hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings.

 

Reconstructing Amelia

 

Reconstructing Amelia

by Kimberly McCreight

★★★★

 

Kate, a successful lawyer, is shocked when her daughter dies after falling from the roof of her Brooklyn prep school. The death is ruled a suicide and Kate is left reeling. She begins to question everything she knows about her daughter Amelia and starts to research her life before that fateful day.

 

The story is told from a rotating point-of-view. We see it from Kate’s side, Amelia’s and even a catty blog called gRaCeFULLY. There are emails, texts and personal thoughts combined to have the feel of a slow-burning thriller. It’s a mean-girls style novel that delves deeper into the subjects of bullying and how technology is used in that sense.

 

**SPOILERS**

- There were a few things that bugged me about the book. Listening to it on audio was frustrating because you have to hear every single individual time stamp and to/from for every text. I would recommend reading a hard copy.

 

- It really bugged me that Ben was Amelia’s father. That relationship was wildly inappropriate and with all the horrible things she was going through and confiding in him, he should have told Kate what was going on.

 

- When they finally revealed the author of the gRaCeFULLY blog it just wasn’t believable in my opinion.

 

- Sylvia, the best friend, drove me nuts though. The fact that the author kept reminding the readers why the main character was friends with her is not a good sign.

**SPOILERS OVER**

 

I really loved the relationship between Amelia and her mother. It felt realistic, both the struggles and the strengths gave a layer of depth to the characters. I also thought that the final reveal at the end made sense in the context of the story and was a satisfying ending. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: Fast paced and interesting, read this one when you want something to keep you on your toes. Some of the finer details fell flat for me, but I was definitely entertained throughout the book.