we were liars
why poetry works in novels and why is this book so hated?
BEFORE YOU READ: Possible spoilers. In this review, I mention things that happen within the book that may not necessarily spoil the ending, but may interfere with how much you enjoy the book if you haven’t read it before and wish to. Please read with caution!
I just want to preface this review by saying that I am just a girl who reads for fun. I am not good at dissecting books and deciphering hidden meanings, though I do try my very best. What I am good at, though, is reading them and either enjoying them or disliking them. And for my next act, I will explain why I absolutely loved ‘We Were Liars’ and why I am very confused that not many others did.
Cadence Sinclair Eastman is the eldest grandchild of Harris Sinclair, a very wealthy and well-known man. The Sinclair family are notoriously rich, privileged and ‘perfect’. The book follows Cadence spending her summers on Beechwood Island, which Harris owns. She spends most of her time with her dearest cousins, Johnny and Mirren, and Gat, the nephew of Cadence’s aunt’s partner Ed. However, one day during summer 15, Cadence suffers a head injury, resulting in memory loss. Through trying to regain her lost memories, she begins to uncover the truth about her ‘perfect’ family, discovering rotten relationships and actions destined to destroy the family.
I have seen many people describing the writing style in this book as ‘Marmite’ - you either absolutely love it or cannot stand it. And I can completely understand that. I think if you’re not the biggest fan of poetry and prefer authors to just say it how it is, then this won’t be your cup of tea. Personally, I love the poetic style of writing.
“So lie. Tell him the ones from the Boston house. The cream ones with the embroidery.”
It was easiest to tell her I would.
And later, I told her I had.
But Bess has asked Mirren to do the same thing,
and neither one of us
begged Granddad
for the fucking tablecloths.’’
I think the poetic-style added suspense, almost like something was lurking beneath the fancy tablecloths and expensive vases. I think it was a great choice given what Cadence had been through, and solidified the fact that there were things going on within the family that didn’t make any sense. It’s like she was trying to make sense of what she was discovering, and I think it worked very well.
“She is sugar, curiosity, and rain.’’
I love, love, LOVE the metaphors used as well. They were so perfect for the characters and fit their personalities very well. It added more of an essence to each character and allowed a more vivid picture of them to form in my mind!
Upon reflection, however, the only time I found this poetic-writing style confusing was when mental pain was described with physical injury.
“Then he pulled out a handgun and shot me in the chest. I was standing on the lawn and I fell. The bullet hole opened wide and my heart rolled out of my rib cage and down into a flower bed. Blood gushed rhythmically from my open wound,
then from my eyes,
my ears,
my mouth.
It tasted like salt and failure. The bright red shame of being unloved soaked the grass in front of our house, the bricks of the path, the steps of the porch. My heart spasmed among the peonies like a trout.”
Just for context, I believe this is describing the split between her mother and father, and how it felt when he left. I spent a few good pages thinking she had genuinely been shot. This made it more difficult to navigate Cadence’s feelings, but I still wouldn’t trade the poetic-writing style for anything else.
Cadence, being the main character, carries a lot of the story. But, in my opinion, characters like Gat and Harris showed the true and hidden meaning of We Were Liars. Gat is the nephew of Carrie’s partner Ed. Carrie is Cadence’s aunt. Gat begins to spend summers with Cadence, Johnny and Mirren and they form a deep friendship. They all refer to themselves as ‘The Liars’. As Gat spends more time with Cadence, they begin to form a relationship; Cadences speaks a lot about her feelings towards Gat and how important he is to her. This is why I find Gat so interesting. In my eyes, Gat’s character is used as a reminder to Cadence about the Sinclair family and her attachment to it. She falls in love with Gat, who Harris views as an outsider, and it’s almost like, no matter what she does, she will always be a Sinclair.
I also liked Mirren’s character. Mirren was the ‘rational’ individual within their little group - she was always questioning whether their actions were right or whether they were dangerous. But, interestingly, she is the one who points out how awful the Sinclair family are and pledges to do something about it. Her rationality seems to disappear when she discusses the Sinclair’s, and I think that’s a great display of distrust and dislike.
“Be a little kinder than you have to.”
Overall, I think this book sent me on a journey, and for that I am grateful.
I think it teaches us a great lesson about greed, honesty, regret and love. Lockhart incorporated all of that into what I believe to be a very well-written story. It made me feel a wave of emotions, and that’s exactly what I want from a book.
Now, onto the next!