I think most everyone has heard the buzz about this book by now. And if you haven't, you're reading about it now! I find this novel hard to summarily describe, so I will use the words of its author, E. Lockhart, instead. These are some of the bits and pieces of his original book proposal to his editor: "[This is] a book about memory loss. And plain old loss. And recovery. It's a book about privilege and money, the way they can warp people and rip families apart -- and the drastic steps some self-righteous kids might take to free themselves of the tyranny of material possessions." These rather vague descriptions perfectly encompass just what this novel deals with without giving its major plot twist away. As to my opinion about said plot twist and the book overall, I definitely enjoyed it. I can see what all of the hype is about, and I appreciate why so many people have set to sharing it with their reading communities. It deals with white privilege, fierce obstinacy, a grief-stricken family, illusioned grief, and the strangely idyllic Beachwood Island of Cadence Sinclair Eastman, her cousins, Johnny and Mirren, and her lover, Gat. I appreciated the distinct time that Lockhart took to develop his key themes and how he used physical things, like the island and its houses, as symbols. The integration of Cadence's symbolic stories was also incredibly instrumental to the unfolding of the plot for me. I loved how they subtly revealed the emotions that she couldn't seem to work out verbally.
At first, I didn't know if I liked the writing style all that much; it is very prose like and lacks the heavy description I am used to in my usual fantasy novels. But upon reaching the end, I realized that this particular style was not only necessary for the type of story being told, but very intricately crafted. It reminds me of Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, now that I think of it. I also appreciated having the story told from the point of view of Cadence, who is most certainly an unreliable narrator; I love narrators like this because I have to constantly evaluate whether I can completely trust the information I am being given.
Now, my one main disappointment has to do with the plot twist. Don't get me wrong, it's an amazing turn that I thought I had figured out but was still genuinely surprised by. It's the fall out from the big reveal that left something to be desired in my eyes. There is one particular scene that had me pretty emotional as all of the puzzle pieces fit together, but then the story proceeded to end. It felt a little abrupt. Luckily, my copy has some bonus content like notes and maps from the author that made the ending feel a little less cut off. So I most certainly consider this to be a very enjoyable, complex, and carefully written book with great character development and writing. I highly suggest seeking out the bonus content I was able to read, as it really adds to the story. I definitely think I will have to reread this novel to fully take in all of the details I missed upon my initial reading.



Some of my favorite quotes from We Were Liars:

"One day I looked at Gat, lying in the Clairmont hammock with a book, and he seemed, well, like he was mine. Like he was my particular person."

"Someone once wrote that a novel should deliver a series of small astonishments. I get the same thing spending an hour with you."

"One day, she ventured to the palace library and was delighted to find what good company books could be."

"For a moment, the two of us were alone on the planet, with all the vastness of the sky and the future and the past spreading out around us."

"What if we could stop being different colors, different backgrounds, and just be in love?"

I've had this book on my Goodreads "Want to Read" list for quite a while, and I finally decided to check it off as "Read." Right off the bat, I will admit that the concept of this novel is what intrigued me the most. Imagining an America that has never known the concept of democracy, especially in such a turbulent time of very real political unrest? Brilliant. It's what kept me from taking it off of my initial list and what eventually moved me to actually read it. But I also have to admit that I was slightly disappointed on the whole. I read the book pretty quickly, but I was definitely motivated by a mixture of "if I keep reading maybe it will get better" and "I want to finish this so I can move onto something else." As harsh as that sounds, this book wasn't terrible in any way. It had its enjoyable moments and characters, and its very well-written, but overall, I just didn't really get connected or invested like I do with other stories. Overall, I felt like I just didn't connect with the characters on deep levels. At times I felt like their motives and emotions were predictable and even a little bland. But each character had redeemable as well as raw, human qualities that I appreciated. I also commend the author for balancing the perspectives and viewpoints of four different characters. I also wasn't too thrilled with the way the novel ended. I totally understand why it ended the way it did -- to lead directly into the series' second book; to keep some questions unanswered and readers wanting more. But unfortunately, like I already said, I was never completely hooked. I don't think I'll be continuing with the story, but I would recommend it to readers into modern love stories centered on the complications of royal life and the constant spotlight, duties, and regulations that come with it.



Some of my favorite quotes from American Royals:

"Jeff smiled: a lopsided, genuine smile, which was how Nina knew that the other one -- the one he showed the rest of the world -- was false."

"They were being reckless and foolish; they were tempting fate; they were breaking the rules; they were falling in love. Or they had fallen in love a long time ago, and only now had the chance to act on it."

"The people who love you know you for who you are. The rest is all just noise."

"The only people free from censure are people who've never taken a stand."