Turning Page - We Were Liars

My bookclub has been together for SEVENTY BOOKS!! We can hardly believe it. Each of us gets to pick the book in alphabetical order of our first names...and it just so happened that the 70th book was my pick! I chose We Were Liars by E. Lockhart.

"Thrilling, beautiful, and blisteringly smart, We Were Liars is utterly unforgettable."

That's what John Green said about We Were Liars, and truth be told, was what made me pick it up. Other than those eleven words, I didn't know a single thing about this book, and I am sooo glad it worked out that way!

There's much about this book that I enjoyed - but it really is true, what people are saying - that it is better if you go in blind. For that reason, I wont reveal too much here, today. I will say that the writing, while not for everyone, had me mesmerized. It's so different and fragmented, almost poetic in a way. It's full of carefully crafted imagery and is a style that is really out of the box. You will either love it or hate it. Me, I was enamored.

I appreciated how smart the book was. While it wasn't a difficult or deep read, it was a thoughtful and well told story with twists and turns I could feel coming, but didn't predict. When I was done with it, I immediately had to go back and re-read passages. And I wanted everyone I knew to read it too, so I could process my thoughts and feelings with them. This books makes you want to discuss! 

I will also say this - while they were dark and spoiled and broken and naive - I loved the Liars. I loved their mottos and attic kisses, their rock jumping and rooftop lemonade sipping, their writing on hands and tending of wounds. The more I think about this book, the better it gets. With that in mind, I am sooo excited to get together this week to finally hash out this beautiful, haunting, mind bending tale of greed and secrets and love and loss.

I made a pinboard to inspire us as we read/discussed. I'm super visual and being able to bring the words/world of the book to life with pictures is great fun for me. You can check it out HERE. (That's a collage of some of it above.) If you've read this book, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments - without spoilers, of course! 

on AMAZON

on GOODREADS

A few of my favorite quotes/passages:

"Welcome to the beautiful Sinclair family. No one is a criminal. No one is an addict. No one is a failure. The Sinclairs are athletic, tall and handsome. We are old-money Democrats. Our smiles are wide, our chins square, and our tennis serves aggressive."

"If you are going crazy, it's your own damn choice."

“I like the idea of a motto,” she goes on. “I think an inspirational quote can get you through hard times.” “Like what?” asks Gat. Mirren pauses. Then she says: “Be a little kinder than you have to.” We are all silenced by that. It seems impossible to argue with.

"Always do what you are afraid to do." 

Two more things:

One // I recently had someone ask me of all the books I read last year, what one was set in a place I'd like to travel to/visit/have a home. I would very much like to visit Beechwood Island. 

Two // the undercurrents of King Lear and Wuthering Heights in this book made me giddy.