Book Review | We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

So… I finally read We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. This is a difficult review to write, partially because I’m a bit late to the game and many people have reviewed it already but also because I truly believe knowing less is more with this one. That being said, I promise: this review will have NO SPOILERS (same with my other reviews). Instead, it will give you a hint of what the story is about and hopefully give you an idea of whether it’s a book you’d be interested in. (This will also be a shorter review as the book is shorter and I can’t divulge too much information!)

We Were Liars is about the beautiful Sinclair family. They are rich, beautiful, and care-free. They own a private island, Beechwood, where they vacation every summer. Could they be any more perfect? On the island, there are four Liars: Cadence, Mirren, Johnny, and Gat. They are all hiding something… and that’s all I can say.

Besides the fact that this book will almost definitely give you a book hangover, I think it also raises very interesting points about materialism and privilege, and I found myself agreeing with a lot of what it has to say on that topic. I didn’t always like all of the characters, but I had a feeling that we weren’t supposed to. The book is written very lyrically, almost as if it’s in a trance, which adds to the mystery and intrigue of the story. There are also some allusions to fairy tales, Shakespeare, and Emily Bronte and that made the literature nerd in me smile. The best part about it, in my opinion, is that the ending is written very gently. It isn’t written for shock value; it genuinely wants you to pause and think. At under 250 pages, it can be easily read in one or two days. In short? If you haven’t, you should read this book. And then come back and discuss it with me.

Verdict: One of the most intriguing books I’ve read in the past year. So many people have read it yet miraculously, no one had spoiled it for me before I read it. Besides the lie, this book has a point of view that is sure to make you think.
Read if: You just can’t handle not knowing what this book is about already! If you like stories that are more than just romance, books that will leave you speechless.

Have you read We Were Liars by E. Lockhart yet? What did you think!?!?