We Were Liars

Description

The Sinclairs are athletic, wealthy, and beautiful. They are prim and proper, smart, and respected by all. But, they are liars. The novel We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is a shocking and twisted tale about the seemingly perfect Sinclair family who hides their secrets, lies, and flaws behind their tall and handsome builds.

The story takes place on a private island off the coast of Massachusetts, where the Sinclair family spends their summers. The New York Times Bestselling novel is narrated by 17-year-old olf Cadence Sinclair, who spends her summers on her grandfather’s island, where her entire family gets together every year. Cadence has a very close-knit relationship with her two teenage cousins Johnny and Miriam as well as Gat, her uncle’s step-son who joins them on the island every year.

The story centers around a mysterious tragedy that occurred two years prior when Cadence was 15. This summer was spent falling in love with Gat and spending time with her cousins. Toward the end of the summer, Cadence has an accident or breakdown of sorts. Due to the trauma and possible amnesia, Cadence can’t remember what happened.

With migraines and pills clouding her judgment, 17-year-old Cadence goes to the island again, determined to discover the truth of what happened two years ago. Perhaps my favorite aspect of this book is the sentence structures. The prose isn’t elegant, and the structure isn’t restrained. Instead, the structure is messy and fractured, mirroring Cadence’s mental state throughout the novel. The book resembles a more poetic structure.