We Were Liars

Contributed by Eli, gr. 12, June 2019

I did not know what to expect when I started We Were Liars, but it ended up being one of my favorite books I have read this year. A contemporary mystery about a wealthy family living on a private island every summer, it follows a member of this family trying to figure out what happened two years ago, after an incident on the island left her with memory loss. It is a short novel and a few of the chapters are written in a poetic format, but I was impressed by how much emotion and detail it conveyed.

The aspects of this story that I enjoyed were the simplistic but atmospheric writing style, the suspense that builds with each new discovery, and the close relationship between the four main characters. While it could be entertaining to read about such an affluent group of people, their habits and interactions also made me consider my own privilege and impacted my outlook on the world. I related in some ways to the narrator, but her lifestyle is different enough from that of a typical teenager that she was not overly predictable. Her love interest and her two cousins, who play integral roles as well, struck me as being realistic in their various flaws and prejudices. However, I feel that this does not overshadow their better qualities, primarily their love for the protagonist and each other.

I would recommend We Were Liars for people who can handle swearing and descriptions of injuries, but who are not hugely familiar with the mystery genre. Despite my own surprise at the ending, I think fans of thrillers might be unsatisfied or see the final“reveal” coming. The author does not follow up with every piece of foreshadowing and leaves it unclear whether there is a paranormal explanation,which could be a shortcoming for readers who prefer solid answers and thorough conclusions.