Sensational Summer Read
Relax poolside and get swept away by We Were Liars
By PHOENIX CARLISLE | Cover courtesy of the book publisher
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is a great summer read.
Cadence Sinclair is going back to her summer home after a year of forgotten memories as she adjusts to a head injury that she has no recollection of how she got. When she returns to the island, she notices that her cousins aren’t there. When she asks about them her family gets weird. The book’s plot goes over two summers after the accident as Cadence continues to mix reality with distorted memories of that summer.
Along with splitting migraines and rekindling memories, Cadence’s family dismisses all of her questions. Anytime she asks about the summer of the accident the air shifts, causing everyone to go quiet and change subjects. As you read, you will follow Cadence as she slowly finds out what happened that summer, what caused her accident, and why her cousins became so distant.
One thing that really drew me into this book was the aesthetics. The Sinclairs are an old money family. They have a private island with an amazing home … yeah, they’re rich. The aesthetics of the book are to die for. The summers spent swimming for hours then coming home to a perfectly cooked meal to eat on the porch with an ocean view is just a dream. We get to experience the ideal summer with Cadence as she discovers what happened. The dramatic problems that they tell as they lounge outside on the patio with the ocean in the back creates the perfect summer vibe.
I also loved all the plot twists. They were perfectly set up and kept me waiting. There were a ton of elements I didn’t see coming. This book is one that you read then go back a second time to catch all the foreshadowing. It is impressive how well Lockhart wrote her hints throughout the book, little details to help readers connect all the dots.
The one element of this book I didn’t like was the relationship between Gat and Cadence. Gat was the nephew of Cadence’s aunt’s boyfriend, yet he was able to come to the house during the summer until the accident. I thought the relationship was pointless and confusing.
Gat’s character was indecisive about his feelings for Cadence and another girl. He also was an underdeveloped character who felt thrown in for fun rather than for plot progression.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is the perfect summer read with its blend of mystery and rich summer vibe. Lockhart brought us a book that will shock us by the poolside. Get swept into the mystery of the Sinclairs lies as Cadence finds out what really happened to the Liars.
