29 Jun Book Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars burst onto the scene in 2014, quickly earning acclaim for its haunting voice, twisty plot, and unforgettable conclusion. A departure from typical contemporary YA, it feels less like a teen beach read and more like a psychological puzzle—one that slowly unfolds and then punches you square in the gut. Built on themes of privilege, memory, and grief, this novel lingers long after you turn the final page.

What’s it about?

Cadence Sinclair Eastman is part of a wealthy, old-money dynasty that spends summers on their private island, Beechwood. The Sinclair clan—her cousins Johnny, Mirren, and Gat, as well as her grandparents—compose an insular world full of luxury, but also bubble-wrapped routines and unspoken tensions. They call themselves “the Liars” when together; it’s their own private club, founded on carefree summers, coded games, and youthful conspiracy.

Summer One
Cadence remembers the island as sunlit bliss: sailing races, water fights, midnight dares, and slumber parties in bunked houses. She and Gat—a wealthy heir from a different world—and her cousins built a bond beyond blood. In those early summers, they were reckless, liberated, enchanted by their own mischief and idealism.

Summer Two
The carefree vibes continue, but you start to feel a subtle disturbance. A quiet strain in the family dynamics: whispers about who’s favored, who’s kept out, who’s sinking into old habits of entitlement.

Summer Three
Everything fractures. A mysterious accident leaves Cadence with traumatic head injuries, memory loss, and debilitating pain. She leaves the island, not fully healed, and returns home in exile—haunted by migraines and missing chunks of her past.

Return to Beechwood
Now seventeen, Cadence is invited back to the island. Her pain persists. She can’t sleep. She can’t remember. She feels a pull—to Gat, to the house she’s partly forgotten, to the programmed routines of the Sinclairs that should comfort her even as they oppress her. Her cousins and friends greet her as if nothing’s changed, yet everything has.

Cadence begins a desperate quest to piece together what happened in “Summer Four.” Small clues—a crossword puzzle slipped into a drawer, a half-finished song on her phone, cryptic jigsaw puzzles—begin to appear. Her migraines intensify when she tries to remember. But step by step, she reconnects with the Liars, who initiate her into their secret mission. They’ll do something to stop the dysfunction. Something big, something dangerous.

Then, gradually, cracks appear in the reality she’s been handed. She sees the island as a stage more than a paradise. She sees her family not as loving elders, but as actors in a selfish performance. And when the final pieces fall into place, you aren’t just surprised—you feel air knocked out of you.

What This Chick Thinks

A Psychological Puzzle Disguised as a Beach Novel

Lockhart’s structure is hypnotic. She’s playing with memory like a magician with cards, showing you glimpses, then pulling them away—and then delivering the reveal when you’re off-balance. I was reading with my heart in my throat.

Wealth and Silence Cut Deep

This isn’t just a shocker—it’s a critique. The Sinclairs are rich, entitled, and it comes through in everything: the way they talk, how they plan vacations, even how they gaslit Cadence. There’s something devastating about seeing how love, money, and silence can warp logic and bury guilt.

Cadence: Smart, Fragile, Unreliable

She’s deeply believable. She wants the truth and hates herself for not remembering. That tension is raw. You root for her as she navigates pain, guilt, and the weight of losing herself.

The Twist Already Feels Iconic

I won’t spoil it. But let’s just say it’s the kind of reveal that makes you want to talk to literally everyone you know about the book—even the ones who don’t read. It lands so perfectly, in a way you feel while you’re still turning that final page.

Minor Quibbles

The prose leans lyrical and sparse, which amplifies the voice—but occasionally it felt too stylized, like the author was reminding us how clever she is. But honestly, that style matched the tone and themes, so I let it go.

Final Thoughts

We Were Liars isn’t just a book—it’s an experience. It sneaks up on you, then won’t let you go. You’ll finish it hours later, heart pounding, mind buzzing with questions about memory, love, and what we do to protect our own. It isn’t perfect—but it is unforgettable.

Rating: 9/10

Try it if you like:

• The Secret History by Donna Tartt – A group of privileged students spiral into tragedy, wrapped in atmosphere, intellect, and darkness.
• When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole – A slow-burn thriller that explores race, gentrification, and private secrets in an eerie, suspenseful way.
• Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers – A lyrical and tender adult YA crossover about identity, anxiety, and rebuilding your life after a life-changing night.