A quaint seaside town in Australia. Three kindergarten mothers. One death at Pirriwee Public’s Trivia Night.
Since Big Little Lies was published in the summer of 2014, I have seen it over and over again on Goodreads and Pinterest lists. While many may write this off as a “beach read” (as if that’s a bad thing), I highly recommend that you pick up Big Little Lies for not only its ability to touch on tough subjects with a bit of humor, but its clever plot structure and suspense.
The novel revolves around three kindergarten moms: Jane, a new single mom with a tough past, Madeline, the nosy and boisterous mom of the bunch, and Celeste, a beautiful and rich mom that no one would envy if they knew her secret. Moriarty delves into each of these three women’s stories as it leads up to Trivia Night, a fundraiser at the school. From the beginning of the story, we know that someone dies, but we don’t know who it is until the very end. Each chapter ends with a testimony from various other minor characters in the book: Madeline’s ex-husband’s new wife, John the handsome stay-at-home dad, and other members of the Parent Organization (AKA: the “Blonde Bobs”). These testimonies are usually hilarious, but also make you eager to find out whodunit (and to whom!).
This book is sure to hook you from the first chapter and lead you through the sometimes tough, sometimes cute, and sometimes funny lives of Madeline, Jane, and Celeste. I loved the mystery aspect and thought the set up was very clever. I'd love to know what you think!
