Book Review & Synopsis: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
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Book Review: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

I picked up Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty after hearing about the HBO series and wanting to dive into the original story. Plus, Moriarty’s knack for blending humor with dark themes intrigued me. I read it over a couple of weeks, squeezing in chapters during my commute and before bed, eager to unravel the layers of secrets among the seemingly perfect lives of the characters.

What’s it about?

Set in the picturesque coastal town of Pirriwee, Australia, Big Little Lies delves into the intertwined lives of three women, each facing personal challenges beneath their polished exteriors. The story opens with a chaotic scene at the school’s trivia night, where someone has died under mysterious circumstances. From there, the narrative rewinds six months earlier, gradually building up to the event and uncovering secrets along the way.

Madeline Mackenzie is a force to be reckoned with—sharp-witted, fiercely loyal, and juggling a blended family. She’s grappling with her teenage daughter Abigail’s decision to live with her father, Nathan, and his new wife, Bonnie. Madeline’s sharp tongue and fiery personality often put her at odds with others, but her wit masks a vulnerability stemming from her struggle to maintain control in her chaotic personal life. Meanwhile, she’s balancing her marriage to Ed, who has his own quiet insecurities about his place in her life.

Celeste Wright, blessed with beauty and wealth, appears to have the perfect life. She’s married to Perry, a charming and successful businessman, and together they have two rambunctious twin boys. However, behind closed doors, Celeste endures Perry’s escalating abuse. Torn between her love for her husband and her fear for her safety, Celeste secretly begins seeing a therapist, contemplating whether to leave Perry and reclaim her life. The power dynamics in their marriage are chilling, with Perry’s charm contrasting sharply with his violent outbursts, leaving Celeste trapped in a cycle of manipulation and fear.

Jane Chapman, a young single mother new to town, harbors a traumatic past. Quiet and reserved, Jane struggles to fit into the close-knit Pirriwee community. Her son, Ziggy, becomes the center of controversy when he’s accused of bullying a classmate, Amabella Klein. The accusation shakes Jane, who believes Ziggy is innocent, and forces her to confront long-buried secrets about Ziggy’s father—a man whose identity and actions haunt her. As Jane forms unexpected friendships with Madeline and Celeste, she begins to find her footing in the community, but the shadows of her past remain ever-present.

The school’s kindergarten class and its social politics serve as a microcosm of the town’s dynamics, where parents engage in petty feuds and gossip. The narrative is interspersed with snippets of interviews with other parents and teachers, providing a humorous and often contradictory account of the events leading up to trivia night. These snippets add a layer of suspense, as characters’ true motives and alliances are slowly revealed.

As the story unfolds, the relationships between Madeline, Celeste, and Jane deepen, with the three women finding strength in their friendship. However, the secrets they each carry—Madeline’s hidden affair, Celeste’s abuse, and Jane’s unresolved trauma—begin to surface, intertwining in unexpected ways. Tensions escalate further when Jane discovers the truth about Ziggy’s father, a revelation that ties her to Celeste in a devastating and intimate way.

The climactic trivia night is a whirlwind of chaos and revelations. Perry’s abusive nature comes to light in a shocking confrontation that ends in his death. The women’s shared trauma and solidarity lead to a pact of silence about the events of that night, protecting each other from the potential fallout.

Ultimately, Big Little Lies is a story about the facades people maintain, the hidden struggles that bind us, and the power of female friendship in the face of adversity. Through its blend of humor, drama, and suspense, the novel paints a vivid portrait of the complexities of modern life and the lengths people will go to protect their loved ones.

What This Chick Thinks

Diving into Big Little Lies was like peeling back layers of a seemingly perfect cake to find a complex, sometimes bitter, but ultimately satisfying core. Moriarty masterfully balances humor and dark themes, creating characters that are both relatable and deeply flawed. The alternating perspectives and interspersed interview snippets kept me engaged, building suspense and offering multiple viewpoints on the unfolding drama.

However, some plot twists felt a bit predictable, and certain secondary characters could have been more fleshed out. Despite these minor critiques, the novel’s exploration of serious issues like domestic violence and the pressures of maintaining societal facades was both thought-provoking and handled with sensitivity.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Big Little Lies is a compelling read that delves into the complexities of friendships, secrets, and the lengths people go to protect their loved ones. While it has its imperfections, the engaging narrative and well-drawn main characters make it a worthwhile read. I’d rate it an 8 out of 10.

Try it if you like:

  • The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty – Another of Moriarty’s novels that intertwines multiple perspectives and secrets, exploring the impact of a long-hidden letter on three women’s lives.
  • Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng – A story that delves into the complexities of family dynamics, secrets, and the facade of suburban perfection.
  • The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins – A psychological thriller that unravels the secrets of seemingly perfect lives through the eyes of an unreliable narrator.

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