Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Fiction
2017 Penguin Audio
Read by Jennifer Lim
Finished on April 15, 2020
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
From the bestselling author of Everything I Never Told You, a riveting novel that traces the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and the enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives.
In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned—from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.
Enter Mia Warren—an enigmatic artist and single mother—who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.
When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town—and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia’s past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.
Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, and the ferocious pull of motherhood—and the danger of believing that following the rules can avert disaster.
I read Ng's debut, Everything I Never Told You, five years ago and while it was a huge hit with readers, I wasn't as impressed. When reviews for Little Fires Everywhere started popping up on my blog feed, I wasn't even tempted. Fast forward to 2020 when I not only got a new Pixel 4 cellphone, but a free subscription to Hulu, thanks to my updated Sprint account. I started binge watching This Is Us and while scrolling through the Hulu app, discovered a preview for Little Fires Everywhere, starring Reese Witherspoon. I knew right away that I'd want to start watching this miniseries as soon as I finish This Is Us, but I always prefer watching a show or movie after reading the book. So, long story short, I downloaded the audio and dove in. I was quickly swept up by Ng's engaging story of the two families and unlike Everything I Never Told You, I thought it was an exceptional book. Yes, it's filled with sadness just like Ng's debut, but I came to care about these characters and ached for their heartbreaks. Deserving of all the hype, Little Fires Everywhere is a solid read and a great audiobook. I hope the miniseries doesn't disappoint.
I liked this one a lot as well but, I think her first book: Everything I Never Told You is even a bit better.
ReplyDeleteDiane, she does a great job depicting troubled families, doesn't she? I wonder what her next book will be about.
DeleteI've seen the author around but never could track a book down. Thanks for this review. I will be making a note of both books.
ReplyDeleteMystica, if you enjoy audiobooks, this one is quite good. The reader does a very good job with each of the characters personalities. I'm anxious to see if the miniseries lives up to my expectations.
DeleteI am one of the people who loved Everything I Never Told You, but I haven't felt compelled to look for Little Fires Everywhere, perhaps because we don't have Hulu. I'm glad you enjoyed the book so much, and I will be interested to see what you think about the miniseries.
ReplyDeleteDeb, if you get a chance to listen to this book, I highly recommend it. I'll keep you posted on the miniseries (which I will most likely talk about in my monthly summaries).
DeleteI liked this better than Little Fires too.
ReplyDeleteKathy, I assume you meant you liked this one better than Everything I Never Told You. It will be fun to see what her next book is about.
DeleteI liked this one - read it a couple of years ago. I also liked her first book and led a book group discussion of that one. I don't think I will watch the TV adaptation. Somehow it just doesn't appeal. Wonder what she'll bring out next?
ReplyDeleteKay, both of her books would make for good book club discussions. Lots of family drama! Yes, I'm curious about what she'll write about next, too.
DeleteI loved both of Ng's books! We don't have Hulu, so it may be a while before I can get the show anywhere else. Wonder if she has another novel in the works...
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, when I upgraded my phone on Sprint (which I've used for decades), I was given a free membership to Hulu. That pretty much made my day since I've been wanting to watch This Is Us ever since I first heard about it. I'm eager to see how this new miniseries compares to Ng's novel. Wouldn't it be nice if all these TV shows were available with all the providers?
DeleteI loved this one. Curious about the miniseries but we already have Netflix and Amazon Prime so not really wanting to get yet another provider.
ReplyDeleteIliana, isn't it annoying that each provider has their own shows and they aren't available across the board?! We're lucky that with our combined household (living with my mom) we have Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, and Acorn, to name just a few.
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