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.

Before I Let Go

      Contributed by Eli, gr. 12, Jan 2019

      
This book is engrossing and atmospheric, and it made me want to read other mystery novels, but I think the number of unanswered questions and the ambiguous ending might frustrate readers. The story is marketed as a contemporary thriller about a girl who returns to her former hometown, a remote Alaskan community, to investigate the death of her friend. However, I found the description misleading, as the book feels more like a cautionary tale about the dangers of neglect and prejudice.

While I personally enjoyed my reading experience, the elements of magical realism do not quite fit into the novel’s overall plot. The main character appeared scientific and rational at first, but her understated reactions to the bizarre events and the disturbing behavior of the townsfolk prevented me from fully understanding her. Many of the strange coincidences that she discovered were not explained, and it was unclear whether certain scenes only took place in her imagination. The book has excellent suspense, but the details did not all add up, and there was not enough information about the protagonist and the history of the town for me to feel fully grounded.

I would recommend this novel primarily because it deals with important topics: intense friendship, mental illness, the desire to belong, crimes going unpunished, and suspicion toward someone who is “different”. It can be a difficult story to read, since loss and loneliness are central to the plot, and it also contains violence. The conclusion in particular does not seem intended to be satisfying, but to leave the reader with a sense of unease. Despite its weaker aspects, this is one of the most gripping books I have read recently, and the themes and writing style left a lasting impression on me.