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Big Little Lies

Liane Moriarty

Start date: November 1, 2019

Finish date: November 30, 2019

Discussion: After the Book Discussion

Why we're reading this: 50 Must-Read Big Books Challenge
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What Members Thought

Apr 24, 2016 Yodamom added it

Shelves: did-not-finish, annoying-people, i-was-pushed

I didn't like the characters, didn't want to get involved in their mommy drama and just wanted them to shut up. If I was in a cafe with these women I'd move away so I wouldn't have to listen to them. Catty, selfish, backstabbing and cliquish schoolyard games, are just not my thing. SO there is is if I wouldn't want to spend time with them I don't want to invite them into my head for read-time. I am ending this with a DNF at 16% ...more

31 likes · Like · see review

Mar 06, 2015 Colleen Scidmore rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mystery, contemporary-fiction, chick-lit, books-read-in-2015, womens-fiction, 5-star-reads, made-me-ball-like-a-baby, box-to-sell-1

I know It took me forever to do this review! I love reviewing books but am definitely not that great especially compared to some of the really good reviewers like Jennifer @ www.gooodreads.com/featherlashes and others but I always love to try.

I am so glad this book was picked by one of my groups, The Perks of Being a Book Addict for their BOTM. This is the first time I have read anything by Liane Moriarty and it was such a wonderful introduction to her work. I will be reading some of her other b I know It took me forever to do this review! I love reviewing books but am definitely not that great especially compared to some of the really good reviewers like Jennifer @ www.gooodreads.com/featherlashes and others but I always love to try.

I am so glad this book was picked by one of my groups, The Perks of Being a Book Addict for their BOTM. This is the first time I have read anything by Liane Moriarty and it was such a wonderful introduction to her work. I will be reading some of her other books soon!

The book starts out at a Trivia Night Fundraiser for Pirriwee Primary School that takes a turn and goes terribly wrong. Somewhere in between parents socializing and drinking the pink fuzzy drinks a horrible incident occurs. One of the parents are murdered. We as the readers are given no details at this point. We do not know who the victim is or who the perpetrator is until nearly the end of the book. Which definitely adds suspense and I was instantaneously intrigued.

The story then goes back to the past 6 months prior to the infamous Trivia Night, in which the story is told in 3 points of view by 3 main characters.

There is Jane who is the youngest mom, she is is moving to Pirriwee Beach with her 5 year old son Ziggy. Jane is a single mom who has some serious self image and self esteem issues, which is shown through her quiet demeanor. She wears no makeup, constantly chews gum (you find out later what that's all about), and always wears her hair in a severe ponytail. She wasn't always like this, her behavior was brought to life after a horrible one night stand with Ziggy's sociopathic/psychotic father. If I could jump through the book and kicked he crap out of him I would have done so after learning how badly he mistreated her in the course of one night and shredded her self confidence. Jane is searching for something in Pirriwee Beach and hoping the move will help alleviate her unhappiness and help her troubled son.

Then there is Madeline, she is a 40 year old mother of 3 and the complete opposite of Jane. She is always dressed to the nines in some cute ensemble from head to toe. She is never afraid to express herself and at times can be a little aggressive, never afraid of conflict. In fact she seems to thrive on it. Madeline has 2 children, Chloe and Fred with her current husband Ed. Chloe is 5 and a Kindy student that goes to school with Ziggy at Pirriwee Primary. She also has a 14 year old daughter Abigail with her first husband Nathan. Nathan is also remarried to a woman named Bonnie. Bonnie and Nathan have a 5 year old daughter Skye, that also attends Pirriwee Primary. Talk about too close for comfort for poor Madeleine! Madeline is trying to cope with seeing her ex and his new family regularly on Pirriwee’s campus and the fact that her oldest daughter is slowly making a withdrawal from her own home and seems to prefer the company of her dad and especially her stepmom Bonnie. Madeline takes this as a betrayal because Nathan walked out of both of their lives when Abigail was only a few weeks old. He couldn't “handle” the responsibility of being a father. But there he was being a father with new family with Madeline witnessing daily.

And then there is beautiful in looks as well as beautiful in spirit Celeste. She has a flawless beauty without even attempting or even really aware of, even though all eyes are on her constantly. She is now a stay at home mother, giving up her career to raise her two very rambunctious 5 year old twin boys Josh and Max. They also attend Pirriwee Primary as Kindy students. At a glance Celeste seems to have the perfect life. She has a beautiful home, 2 beautiful children and a gorgeous and loving husband who treats her like a queen. She does not want for anything because they are very well off. But her life is very far from being the perfect life that is displayed to the outside world. There are secrets in her household that are starting to unravel her. She cannot concentrate most of the time and comes off as flighty and a bit spacey. In reality she is preoccupied on how to handle her husband and to keep her secret from friends about her true life at home. So now you know the players and the conflict can begin.

It all starts on the day of Orientation for the Kindy students at Pirriwee Elementary. Ziggy is blamed for bullying and choking another child, in turn sets off a series of events that lead up to the night of the murder. Because Ziggy will not admit or apologize for the bullying even after the little girl points him out, he insists he is innocent, the school moms are torn in half. There is team Madeline which consists of Celeste and their friends who take Jane under their wing vs Team Renata (the mother of the victim), Harper (Renatas Lapdog Sidekick), the Blond Bob PTA moms and their group of friends. The reader gets to see how the conflict is affecting everyone involved and the school over the course of 6 months. As well as learning about Madeline, Celeste and Janes own personal turmoils. And everyone's life takes a crazy and unbelievable turn on Trivia Night.

I became so engrossed in their lives that I had tears running down my face at times. Like when Jane opened up about Ziggy's father or when Madeline was so hurt that Abigail started pulling away from her. And definitely when learning how deep Celeste’s problems really run. I really liked that even after everything these 3 women endured, the end left you feeling hope and that they were going to be OK. ...more

21 likes · Like · see review

Apr 22, 2017 Bedelia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, favorite-stand-alones, mystery, narrator-amazing, favorite-authors, trigger-warning, suspense, books-with-tv-shows, chick-lit, audible

I can't say enough good about this book! It was amazing and kept me wanting to read more so much that I had to get the audio book to listen to on my way to and from work! The audio book was also so so good!!! ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Apr 09, 2017 Pr!ya rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, fiction, mystery, contemporary, crime

It took me a while to read this as I was not accustomed to the format - generally, there's a homicide and the author leads us to the perpetrator. This novel was fresh and interesting. The visceral response I had to Celeste's treatment made me relate to the story and thus love the book more. Absolutely brilliant! ...more

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Apr 29, 2021 Atlanta rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mystery, contemporary-fiction, thriller, fiction, mystery-thriller, adult, chick-lit, australia

I think this is the best book I’ve read so far this year. It was a real page turner. I kept wanting to find out who did what to whom. The ending was definitely satisfying . The hbo max series looked good too.

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