Review: Family of Liars, E. Lockhart

I read We Were Liars a… long, long time ago. It’s one of these books that deeply shocked me and that I certainly did NOT see coming. Slapping me in the face like that, really rude. But also, I loved it.

Obviously, I was eager to read Family of Liars next, this prequel to this book I loved so much, back then. Read my full review below to find out if it met all of my expectations!

Family of Liars by E. Lockhart
Published by Delacorte Press on May 3, 2022
Genres: contemporary, young adult
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley, Penguin Random House INTL
Buy on Amazon, Book Depository, Bookshop, Blackwell's
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The prequel to We Were Liars takes readers back to the story of another summer, another generation, and the secrets that will haunt them for decades to come.
A windswept private island off the coast of Massachusetts. A hungry ocean, churning with secrets and sorrow.A fiery, addicted heiress. An irresistible, unpredictable boy. A summer of unforgivable betrayal and terrible mistakes.
Welcome back to the Sinclair family. They were always liars.

I received this book for free from NetGalley, Penguin Random House INTL in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

☂️ TRIGGER WARNINGS:

attempted rape, death, drowning (in the past), loss of a family member (sister), grief, addiction, mentions of a jaw reconstruction surgery.

There are no spoilers in this review.

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I ENJOYED…

☂️

• Set on the private island of the Sinclair family, in the summer of 1985, Family of Liars follows Caroline as she tries to deal with… let’s say it without spoiling anything: a LOT of family drama.
• Before you ask: there are some ties to We Were Liars, since it’s set on the very same island, and there are some references to the twist We Were Liars, but other than that, it’s a very different story, with different protagonists taking the main stage. At its core, you can clearly feel that it’s made from the same DNA, both with the storytelling and the themes within the story. I found a little bit of that nostalgia of reading We Were Liars here, which was lovely.
• Caroline was an interesting character to follow. I’m not going to say I actually liked her, because she’s a tough, complex character to really fall for, but… in times, I understood her. Some other times, I was really frustrated with her. She’s such a flawed, messed-up character, honestly, but she also felt, in a way, realistically messed-up, too.

• If you’re looking for a dysfunctional family story, you will get it here. Family secrets, tragedy, complex relationships and a whole damn lot of pretending: between the parents, the uncle, sisters, the cousins and the boys getting in between them, Family of Liars is packed with family drama that will keep you turning the pages.
• One of my favorite parts of the book was the complex sister bonds. You know me, I’m a sucker for sister relationships in books and here, I got it. Their connection is far from being perfect (like, really far), but they’re here for each other in the hardest moments and I loved that, too.

I HAD A HARD TIME WITH…

☂️

• I have to say that… the plot was a lot, at times. I’m not going to spoil anything for you, if you want to keep it a surprise, but… damn. It was a whole lot of messiness and it felt a little (okay. WAY) too much, at times, for me personally. Maybe I grew up, but We Were Liars certainly didn’t seem this messed up?

OVERALL

☂️

If you’re looking for an entertaining (and very dramatic, at times) story about a dysfunctional family, I’d recommend trying Family of Liars. While I think you can read it as a standalone, I’d still recommend reading We Were Liars before, to get the full scope of the family drama!

FINAL RATING : 3 stars!

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📚 Books similar to Family of Liars that I’d recommend:

• Try these 10 YA Books With Shocking Plot Twists (I Didn’t See That Coming!)
• For more complicated family dynamics, try When We Were Infinite

Did you read Family of Liars, or do you want to? Any recommendations for me? I’d love a great YA mystery! Let me know in comments!

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