Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty: Mini Review

Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

I'm not going to lie, I didn't expect to like this as much as I did. The set up is relatively simple; one child is accused of bullying another at the kindergarten orientation of a beachside community public school on the Golden Coast (I think) of Australia. Lines are drawn, sides are taken and the whole thing culminates in a death 6 months later, on the night of the school fundraiser. Moriarty gets the cutthroat, teeth-gritting politics of the playground just right. She's disturbingly accurate, actually, and as someone finally (FINALLY *fistpump* Booyah!) phasing out of that stage of parenthood, I certainly found the storyline relatable. While the main characters weren't particularly unique, they were likeable and engaging. The success of the story though, really relied on the pacing and tone and Ms. Moriarty definitely pulled it off. There's a lot of skill at play here. I found myself reading compulsively as each secret was disclosed, becoming more and more invested in the outcome. And I have to say I was pretty satisfied with the ending. I hear that HBO is making it a series. I can't wait to see if it lives up to the book. :)