We Were Liars

Book Review

“Live in the moment because life is short” - advice young people frequently hear. But is living in the moment always the right decision? If you're constantly living in the moment and making impulsive choices, couldn’t your actions spiral out of control like a tornado ripping through a town, destroying everything in its path? It’s important to consider the consequences of your actions before doing them because when the dust settles, you can see what you’ve truly done…how do you go back? In We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, Cadence Sinclair, the main character, wishes she asked herself questions like those before making one of the worst decisions of her life one summer at her beach house. E. Lockhart develops the characters so they each possess a distinct and unique personality, and the plot keeps the reader intrigued and on the edge of her seat throughout the book...until the surprise conclusion… The Sinclairs had a perfect little family that vacation on a perfect little beach, Beechwood, during the summer. They were athletic, beautiful, and rich. They walked in straight lines and held sophisticated discussions around the dinner table. They were the definition of quintessential. At least, they used to be. But everything changes one summer when Cady, Gat, Mirren and Johnny craft a foolish plan. Now, two years later, Cady is back at Beachwood for only four weeks. Four weeks to go through the twisting chaos of her memory and find out how consequential her actions really were. But after Cady finds out the truth, she finds that it was more beneficial to her fragile state of mind to be left in the dark. Friendship and family are important, but they are also fragile. What happened that summer? With her perfect family crumbling down around her, will Cady be able to overcome and accept what she did? The way Cady, Gat, Mirren, and Johnny are portrayed is vital to the success of the book. As you read, each personality floats out of the pages and can be seen as a reality. The rea...