We Were Liars - E Lockhart
“We are liars. We are beautiful and privileged. We are cracked and broken.”
I picked up ‘We Were Liars’ with two other books – and out of the three I chose to read it first, due to the fact it had been highly recommended to me by a friend (Emily) and I knew a couple of the others were also reading it.
Reading through the first few chapters wasn’t difficult, not in the sense that it was impossible to put down but instead I felt it could be lazily read. I didn’t really find the writing style was that impressive and what felt like constant use of the word ‘mummy’ annoyed me. I felt slightly let down by the beginning of the book, and did wonder why it was so highly thought of by my buddy.
It’s fair to say, the only thing that I enjoyed for several chapters were the use of metaphors our main character Cadence tends to use. They can be confusing, but I believe it’s a way to feel as confused as she does, and a way to feel her pain too.
See, our main character, Cadence, has been in an accident, which affected her memory and causes heavy migraines. I think this is why the writing style is almost lazy – our character is slightly dozy, distanced, distracted – possibly due to her medication, possibly due to the frustration of memory loss.
You don’t realise, but you become attached to the writing style, the dozy Cadence who has a mystery to solve. It physically hurt me when she solved it, when I read the ‘Truth’. I cried, and I’m not even going to pretend that I didn’t.
I have to say, I didn’t predict the ending. Maybe it was obvious to others but honestly, I had one of those moments where I read the line, then reread it because my mind just went – blah, blah, bl- WAIT, WHAT?!
However, overall, although I feel it is a slow moving book, especially for only being 255 pages long, it is certainly one I shall remember for a while. I like how the introduction of the book ties in with the end, almost as comfortable as the lace on your most worn shoes – I love how you not only see the character development in Cadence, but feel it too. Lockhart uses her writing skills so well to make you feel how Cadence feels, from fragile, to strong, to annoyed, to longing. What I enjoyed most of all were Cadence’s stories, to fit with reality - the ones that solved the puzzle either just before, or as you did. I felt like that was another method to help us feel closer to Cadence – she would use the stories to organise her thoughts, and we would read the stories to organise and set straight ours. I feel so attached to these characters, the way Cadence sprouts memories makes me feel like some of them were some of mine, and I believe I shall take up writing quotes on both my hands – or write books I must read. It’s not only the memories that shall stay with me however, it’s the quotes used inside the story too. Mirren’s, “Be a little kinder than you have to,” and Johnny’s, “Never eat anything bigger than your ass!” never forgetting Taft’s, “Drugs are not your friend,” Cadence’s, “Always do what you are afraid to do!” and of course, Gat’s, “Do not accept an evil you can change.”
Then again, maybe I only liked this book because I like a twist of meaning.
If you have read the book, then I shall leave you to endure that.
/ Kirsty
Reading through the first few chapters wasn’t difficult, not in the sense that it was impossible to put down but instead I felt it could be lazily read. I didn’t really find the writing style was that impressive and what felt like constant use of the word ‘mummy’ annoyed me. I felt slightly let down by the beginning of the book, and did wonder why it was so highly thought of by my buddy.
It’s fair to say, the only thing that I enjoyed for several chapters were the use of metaphors our main character Cadence tends to use. They can be confusing, but I believe it’s a way to feel as confused as she does, and a way to feel her pain too.
See, our main character, Cadence, has been in an accident, which affected her memory and causes heavy migraines. I think this is why the writing style is almost lazy – our character is slightly dozy, distanced, distracted – possibly due to her medication, possibly due to the frustration of memory loss.
You don’t realise, but you become attached to the writing style, the dozy Cadence who has a mystery to solve. It physically hurt me when she solved it, when I read the ‘Truth’. I cried, and I’m not even going to pretend that I didn’t.
I have to say, I didn’t predict the ending. Maybe it was obvious to others but honestly, I had one of those moments where I read the line, then reread it because my mind just went – blah, blah, bl- WAIT, WHAT?!
However, overall, although I feel it is a slow moving book, especially for only being 255 pages long, it is certainly one I shall remember for a while. I like how the introduction of the book ties in with the end, almost as comfortable as the lace on your most worn shoes – I love how you not only see the character development in Cadence, but feel it too. Lockhart uses her writing skills so well to make you feel how Cadence feels, from fragile, to strong, to annoyed, to longing. What I enjoyed most of all were Cadence’s stories, to fit with reality - the ones that solved the puzzle either just before, or as you did. I felt like that was another method to help us feel closer to Cadence – she would use the stories to organise her thoughts, and we would read the stories to organise and set straight ours. I feel so attached to these characters, the way Cadence sprouts memories makes me feel like some of them were some of mine, and I believe I shall take up writing quotes on both my hands – or write books I must read. It’s not only the memories that shall stay with me however, it’s the quotes used inside the story too. Mirren’s, “Be a little kinder than you have to,” and Johnny’s, “Never eat anything bigger than your ass!” never forgetting Taft’s, “Drugs are not your friend,” Cadence’s, “Always do what you are afraid to do!” and of course, Gat’s, “Do not accept an evil you can change.”
Then again, maybe I only liked this book because I like a twist of meaning.
If you have read the book, then I shall leave you to endure that.
/ Kirsty
This is the type of book which you need to go into blind but if a 10 / 10 rating hasn't sold it to you yet then I'll briefly explain the setting ( or I could just be completely lying, I mean, that's what it tells me to do on the blurb. )
We are out into the damaged mind of Caddence, a girl in a rich family who every summer visits her grandfathers private island with her aunts, uncles and cousins: the family is driven by wealth and inheritance. There are four teenagers in this book - 3 cousins and 1 outsider - who are told; and always have been told, to say things they don't mean and do things they don't want to do in order for their families' to get a part of their father's inheritance. That is until the summer of 15 when they begin to stand up for what they believe in and stop.
- “The island is ours. Here, in some way, we are young forever.” -
I don't quite know how to put into words my feelings for this book. It was beautifully haunting yet tragically wonderful. I just want to live within the words and live within the description because it was so wonderful, every time I think I have exhausted every point and every quote I find more. It's my favourite book i've read this year and in my top 5 of all time.
Sorry this review was so brief but as I said earlier, the best way to read it is not knowing.
Happy reading - or should I say, happy lying.
~ Emily
We are out into the damaged mind of Caddence, a girl in a rich family who every summer visits her grandfathers private island with her aunts, uncles and cousins: the family is driven by wealth and inheritance. There are four teenagers in this book - 3 cousins and 1 outsider - who are told; and always have been told, to say things they don't mean and do things they don't want to do in order for their families' to get a part of their father's inheritance. That is until the summer of 15 when they begin to stand up for what they believe in and stop.
- “The island is ours. Here, in some way, we are young forever.” -
I don't quite know how to put into words my feelings for this book. It was beautifully haunting yet tragically wonderful. I just want to live within the words and live within the description because it was so wonderful, every time I think I have exhausted every point and every quote I find more. It's my favourite book i've read this year and in my top 5 of all time.
Sorry this review was so brief but as I said earlier, the best way to read it is not knowing.
Happy reading - or should I say, happy lying.
~ Emily