Big Little Lies Kindle Edition

I've been watching the HBO series and thoroughly enjoying it. So when a friend mentioned that it was adapted from a book by an Australian author (and the setting changed from a ritzy Sydney North Shore suburb to Monterey) I couldn't resist buying it.

WARNING: if you're watching the series and don't want the end spoilered, don't buy the book. The series has followed along pretty faithfully so far, with one or two smallish changes (the theater production isn't an issue in the book, for example).

Big Little Lies is beautifully written, with a rising air of tension throughout the book as we get closer and closer to the murder foreshadowed from the beginning. I won't spoil who the victim is for you, but suffice it to say I was a little surprised. I'd already figured out who the real perpetrator of the playground bullying probably was - it's always nice when you guess SOMETHING right - but there were definitely a few shocks in the last quarter of the book that I didn't see coming. It's an excellent book and well worth reading.

That said, if you haven't watched the HBO series, get on that right away. It's incredible; Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon are compelling as a pair of 'yummy mummies' who on the surface appear to have the perfect life, but beneath the surface things are far from the polished facade they portray. Alexander Skarsgard steals every scene he appears in as the poised, rich, handsome husband with violent tendencies behind closed doors.

Big Little Lies is a compelling story on the screen or on the page. HIGHLY recommended.

I rarely write reviews, but I have to for this book. It is just too good. It is not a mystery. You know someone dies. It is not a crime novel. It is a novel about women and people. There are three main characters, all mothers with kindergarten children in the same school. They are all so different, but so vividly portrayed in all their goodness and their flaws. You wish you knew them. The scene where the death actually occurs is so wonderfully written that I had to read it twice. Sounds odd, doesn't it, but you will understand when you read it. The book is so clever and so witty. The characters are so interesting. I am going to watch the tv show but I don't know how it can measure up to the book! Read this book!

I gave this 4 stars because with all of the "hype" over this book and HBO series I guess I expected so much more. The twists didn't really happen until the last few chapters and the rest of the story was just building up to it. It was kinda dull for a bit, but I did enjoy the chapters being only a few pages so I can stop or if I only had a few minutes I was able to finish a chapter or two here and there.

I got addicted to the show first and had to buy the book so I could read ahead of the show. This is truly a book for women and I say it with the best of meanings. I've seldom felt so understood in literature. The matter of the book was sometimes dark but the book was fun and ultimately very satisfying

I saw the miniseries first, watched it originally for the wonderful cast. When I saw that there was a book, had to read it. I loved it! The characters were all so different, yet made great friends. I loved the suspense built until the end, never knowing who was the victim, and who committed the crime. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author!

There is so much to say about this book – I could probably write a novel! At first, it was hard to get into and follow but because I love this author, I had faith and kept reading. And because I did, I read an amazing book!

This is a book within a book – one book is a murder mystery told through eyewitness accounts. The other book is about three friends and how their lives are intertwined. Both books are joined together through the premise of kindergarten parents (some first year school parents and some returning) thrown together by circumstance.

The entire book is like a three-ring circus, similar to a school with gossipy parents and PTO types and all the other stereotypes. I think this is why it was so hard to get into the book at first. The chapters are very short and end with quotes from various parents and faculty at the school. There are a lot of characters and storylines and action. Everything comes together in the end in a predictable way (we know it’s a murder mystery, after all), but the aftermath is very poignant and important.

Some great themes that could and should be explored in book discussion/analysis:
-avoidance of touchy or sensitive topics in groups of people
-the iceberg effect, especially when meeting new people (only 1/10 – 2/10 of icebergs are visible above water – similar to people. We only see what is shown to us.)
-judgments we all make about people based upon what we see
-the tendency for women to rationalize reality and don’t actually see reality
-the tendency for women to blame themselves, leading to personal guilt
-female competition, especially when children are involved

Even though the shorter chapters made it more difficult to attach myself to the three main characters at first, it did happen. I especially enjoyed reading the parent statements, used to differentiate sections and action and chapters, to try and figure out who was murdered, by whom, and why. Even though I had a good guess, I was still stunned. I love the author’s use of pop references in all of her books, and especially this one. This book is truly funny and yet very deep and meaningful.

What I love most about Liane Moriarty (this is the fifth book of hers that I have read) is the way she is the voice for women: she writes what we are really feeling. She goes there in an unapologetic way. It’s raw and authentic writing at times. As a woman, she helps me feel normal and similar.

What I love most about this book is that the author takes something silly and three-ring circus-like and turns it into a very powerful and moving message. It was a ride well worth taking.

I like how Liane's writing style shows so many perspectives. I just re-read it after watching the mini-series on HBO. I know this book was about bullying, but it goes much deeper than that. As a survivor of domestic violence in my home as a child, in which I was the victim, I could relate to these women. They are so strong. I want to read more stories like this. The voiceless finding their voices is inspiring to me.