By Samantha Flores, Sports & Health Editor
Looking for a novel that is categorized as a dramatic mystery with a comedic twist? Try reading Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. I give this book ten out of ten stars; I couldn’t put it down. I am the type of reader who likes action in the plotline, and I love murder-mysteries, so Big Little Lies checked both of those boxes.
Big Little Lies is set in a small town on the coast of Australia. The pretty beaches, big, perfect homes, and beautiful schools make the location seem flawless. However, the same characteristics do not apply to the characters themselves. Jane is a single mother who was raped during her college years by a mystery man. The rape results in her having a child named Ziggy. Jane suffers from PTSD and many psychological problems throughout the story. Madeline is the stereotypical “blonde mom” who has two children- one with her husband (Chloe, age 5) and one with her ex-husband (Abigail, age 15). Madeline has anger issues and loves to keep secrets as well as gossip. Celeste is the definition of a “perfect woman” with her gorgeous looks, perfect family, and loads of money. However, she keeps a secret from everyone, including her twin boys, that her husband, Perry, is constantly abusing her. These three women, with their elementary aged children, are the three main characters of the novel.
The story revolves around the children’s elementary school, where the main characters’ children attend. The book starts with the ending scene and works backwards. The ending scene is set at the elementary school on “Parent Trivia Night”, and the story ends with a murder. All of the main characters were present at the scene of the crime, including two other moms named Renetta and Bonnie (who both have external conflicts with Madeline, Celeste, and Jane), and they all knew the truth of what had happened. The description of the scene indicates that all of the women have lied about what had happened, however, the description does not include who the murder victim was. The story then goes back and forth between the past and the interviews with parents at the school discussing the murder investigation and their theories on the main characters’ involvement. This creates excitement and thirst for the answer to the mystery: who has been killed, and by whom?
The twists and turns throughout the novel create the suspense that hooks readers and makes the book a quick read. The author did a great job with the detailed characters and their internal as well as external conflicts. I loved this book and I would definitely recommend it to those who love a good thriller to read in their spare time!
Trojan Times 