THE BASICS
- Title: Little Fires Everywhere
- Author: Celeste Ng
- Genre: Contemporary Fiction
- Structure: Linear third-person narrative
- First Line: “Everyone in Shaker Heights was talking about it that summer: how Isabelle, the last of the Richardson children, had finally gone around the bend and burned the house down.”
Synopsis: Everyone in Shaker Heights was talking about it that summer: how Isabelle, the last of the Richardson children, had finally gone around the bend and burned the house down. In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is meticulously planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colours of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules. Enter Mia Warren – an enigmatic artist and single mother – who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenage daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than just tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the alluring mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past, and a disregard for the rules that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community. When the Richardsons’ friends attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town and puts Mia and Mrs. Richardson on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Mrs. Richardson becomes determined to uncover the secrets in Mia’s past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs to her own family – and Mia’s. Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of long-held secrets and the ferocious pull of motherhood-and the danger of believing that planning and following the rules can avert disaster, or heartbreak.
THE GOOD
I’ve had this book in my library since it was released. The hype has mostly died away by now, but everyone knows this book and for good reason. You probably don’t need me telling you that it’s good. You can probably come to that conclusion all on your own based on the lively discussions in the book community and the itty bitty fact that it’s been picked up by HBO, Reese Witherspoon, and Kerry Washington for a mini-series. That being said, I went into this book with very high expectations and it did not disappoint.
- This book dives deep into heartbreak. When we first think of “heartbroken”, we think of a romantic relationship gone wrong. As we get older, we realize that many things can break our heart: friends, family, life. I think this book does an excellent job at capturing the internal suffering people have when faced with utterly heartbreaking situations.
- Even though the book moves slow, the story is rich with context. Plots within plots. It’s one of those books that feels like you’re out for a stroll more than a run, but you’re constantly moving forward. Each character has the same story play out differently for them. I think Ng did an excellent job at giving different angles without losing the plot.
- The characters are part of what makes this book so interesting. I think which character you like and dislike in this novel is telling of the challenges you’re currently facing. Everyone has varying opinions on each character, including myself, which makes this novel uniquely versatile.
- The book takes a hard look at morals. This is a great choice for a bookclub because it makes you stop and question what you would do in certain situations and where moral/ethical lines could be drawn. Again, everyone has a different opinion on the topics approached in this book, which adds even more interest.
THE UNFAVORABLE BITS
I think there were moments in this book where I felt myself skimming because you’re given a lot of information. Sometimes, it was interesting and relevant. Sometimes, it was just there with no other purpose than “just because”. There are quite a few filler words and filler situations that the book could’ve done without. At times, all that filler muddled the situation instead of clarifying.
As always, I give you a heads up about strong language or graphics in case you’re sensitive, or if the person you’re recommending the book to is sensitive. This book does have some occurrences of strong language and graphics.
CONCLUSION
I rate this book 4/5 stars. I think this book is unique in many ways, particularly when it comes to characters and how their perspectives are presented. This is a great choice for a book club or to talk about amongst friends because it brings to the forefront many “what would you do?” situations. However, there were multiple moments where the story got trampled by filler words and details. Overall, this is a beautiful novel about heartbreak, hard choices, and love. An excellent read and addition to anyone’s personal library.
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