Little Fires Everywhere
2 journalers for this copy...
"In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is meticulously planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colours of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.
Enter Mia Warren – an enigmatic artist and single mother – who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenage daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than just tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the alluring mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past, and a disregard for the rules that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.
When the Richardsons' friends attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town and puts Mia and Mrs. Richardson on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Mrs. Richardson becomes determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs to her own family – and Mia's."
Received via PaperBackSwap. (Unabridged on 9 CDs; read by Jennifer Lim)
Enter Mia Warren – an enigmatic artist and single mother – who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenage daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than just tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the alluring mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past, and a disregard for the rules that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.
When the Richardsons' friends attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town and puts Mia and Mrs. Richardson on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Mrs. Richardson becomes determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs to her own family – and Mia's."
Received via PaperBackSwap. (Unabridged on 9 CDs; read by Jennifer Lim)
The Richardson family (mother, father, & their four teenage children) lives a comfortable life in Shaker Heights, OH, a suburb of Cleveland. However, when single mother Mia and her daughter Pearl move into the Richardson's rental property, things subtly begin to change. As the two families' lives begin to intertwine, dynamics shift and secrets bubble beneath the surface.
I enjoyed Ng's previous novel (Everything I Never Told You) for its beautiful writing & intricate examination of a family's internal relationships. Though there was not a lot of action in that earlier novel, the writing was able to carry it forward. This, her follow-up novel, is just as beautifully written and character-driven, but I found the plot more engaging in this one, and for that reason, I'd rank this one a little higher. Ng manages to give each character their own unique voice, yet flawlessly seams them together in an engaging story with an undercurrent of mystery. The central theme in this book centers around motherhood. What constitutes a mother? And what constitutes a GOOD mother?
I think this book is deserving of the hype, and it would make a good discussion book for book clubs. It was especially enjoyable on audio. Jennifer Lim's voice is almost magical, bringing an already well-written book to the next level.
I enjoyed Ng's previous novel (Everything I Never Told You) for its beautiful writing & intricate examination of a family's internal relationships. Though there was not a lot of action in that earlier novel, the writing was able to carry it forward. This, her follow-up novel, is just as beautifully written and character-driven, but I found the plot more engaging in this one, and for that reason, I'd rank this one a little higher. Ng manages to give each character their own unique voice, yet flawlessly seams them together in an engaging story with an undercurrent of mystery. The central theme in this book centers around motherhood. What constitutes a mother? And what constitutes a GOOD mother?
I think this book is deserving of the hype, and it would make a good discussion book for book clubs. It was especially enjoyable on audio. Jennifer Lim's voice is almost magical, bringing an already well-written book to the next level.
Sending off to rebekkila. Enjoy! :)
This came as a trade, thank you.
