When browsing books, I kept coming across We Were Liars; a young adult novel by E. Lockhart. The book description I kept seeing was always the same, and it never really said much. It did, however, still give you the basic formula for what it is about. And as it turns out, that was all you needed.
We Were Liars begins with Cadence “Cady” Sinclair – one of the Liars – recounting her life and the summers she spent on a private island owned by her grandparents. The island, located near Martha’s Vineyard, consists of four houses – a large estate belonging to the grandparents, and then one house for their three daughters. Cady also recalls who she grew to know an Indian boy called Gat, who she fell deeply in love with, and some of the incidents that occur within her wealthy, seemingly perfect family.
During Summer Fifteen Cady and Gat begin a brief relationship, but then something goes horribly wrong and Cady is involved in an accident. She explains some details of what she remembers, but mostly Summer Fifteen is a blur. Cady’s mother makes her spend Summer Sixteen travelling Europe with her father, even though she’d rather go back to the island. Summer Seventeen, she finally returns.
Whilst back at the island, Cady continues to suffer from awful migraines, a result of her accident, as she tries to enjoy the summer and figure out what no one will tell her. Due to doctor’s orders, Cady has to remember what happened during Summer Fifteen by herself, in case it overwhelms or upsets her too much. She only remembers waking up, seriously injured, in the water near the beach. The rest of her memories surrounding the incident are based on what she has been told by doctors and her mother.
E. Lockhart’s writing is gripping and sophisticated, yet easy to read. Cady is an incredibly likeable character, who takes you on a journey of the intricacies of the Sinclair family as she explores the themes of self-acceptance and family morals. We learn more about her mother, Penny, and her two aunts. Who are they as people? Who wants the estate the most? How do they police each other and their family? We learn about their children, The Littles and the other Liars – Gat, Johnny and Mirren. What are their interests and their hobbies? Who is the funniest, the most political, and the most sincere? What does it mean to be in love during your teens? Especially with the Indian boy, who is always subtly outcast by Cady’s grandfather for being the child of the Indian man her auntie fell in love with.
Told in small chapters, the book is fascinating and tells a story of summer friendship and family values. It’s enthralling learning, along with Cady, the truth of what happened Summer Fifteen. It’s heartbreaking, devastating and was a twist that I did not see coming. It felt like I had been hit in the chest when I got to those pages. And then I still couldn’t put it down, with details from chapters before suddenly falling into place. The entire book and its endless meanings will always stay with me.
Is being affluent and prestigious enough to save the Sinclair family from tragedy? In We Were Liars, that just might be the tragedy. As the book description says, “Read it. And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.”
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