Best Books Ever: A 'We Were Liars' Book Review

This book has got to be one of the most memorable ones I have ever read. I encountered this book when I stumbled upon a magazine article of an interview of its author months ago. It’s a YA novel and has been making it to bestsellers’ lists so I thought it might be worth my time. And heck it did! It is brilliantly narrated, masterfully planned leaving E. Lockhart another potential author to match the works of today’s distinguished YA writers.

Cadence Sinclair Eastman spends her summer in her grandfather’s private island two summers after being involved in an accident that also occurred at the same place. Cadence belongs to a very respected family of the Sinclairs. The accident caused her to lose her memory, and after spending the previous year’s summer with her dad in Europe, she’s now back where it all happened as she try to figure how to retrieve the memory she had lost of the accident and how the tragedy really took place. The Liars seen in the title of the book is Cadence with her two cousins Mirren and Johnny and her aunt’s husband’s nephew, Gat, who is also seen in the story to share a romantic bond with Cadence. Together, the Liars help Cadence to bring her memory back of the accident. It later turns out that the accident, ignited by the Liars’ rebellion, was brought about by the conflict between Cadence’s mother and her aunts over her Grandfather’s will on who possesses the houses in the island when he dies. Now these children of her grandfather, in order to bring to them the most favorable house, tried to use their own children, the Liars, to earn grandfather’s favor. The Liar’s, resistant to this kind of manipulation, conspired to bring an end to this in the story’s climax, and what happens after the revolution in the island makes up the story’s most remarkable resolution.

As I mentioned, the best part about the book would probably be it’s ending. It’s very astonishing, very unconventional, and very original. You will also love how the E. Lockhart had assembled her story together in such a way that the effect of the climax is mighty. The protagonist, a broken, disarrayed girl is also not difficult to empathize with, and I figure how Lockhart had molded her protagonist is a job excellently done. It is written in first person so be assured that you will find yourself in no time comprehending what’s really happening in the story no matter how confusing it may be in the beginning. It is the protagonist’s tragic story anyway, so better let her do the talking. The language is also very welcoming and will not disappoint those who are still new to reading. If you want a book that will guarantee you tears before you even turn the final page, this would be it.

What you might find upsetting would be the the sequencing of the parts of the story. Yes, it will all be revealed why the story is strung that way in the end that’s why I would still say it’s effective, but it’s not as seamlessly done as to ensure no reader would scratch his forehead while reading the book or would get confused. You might also find yourself questioning the title of the book for you might come up with better titles for it. The title says little about what’s going to happen in the book. Other people are also commenting on how ineffective Lockhart is in forming the other characters’ in the readers’ heads. She tends to just touch the superficial parts of the characters and sometimes even lacks the ability to describe successfully their outside appearances.

This book is a must-read. There is no other way to put it. I opened this book without expecting anything grand, but boy, it stung when it had to sting. Nothing prepared me for the beautiful, captivating ending that is sure to dismantle anyone who reads the book. Take my word for it. You will be caught up with the ending and will possibly fling the book to the wall out of the impact it will leave you once you’re done reading it. It is that amazing. I won’t doubt if you’d tell me right after reading the book that you want another copy for your shelf no matter how pricey the available version is in the market.