Celeste Ng’s first novel, Everything I Never Told You, made it onto my personal ‘top five books I read in 2016’ list. In fact, I still get chills thinking about it. Ng’s writing is so powerful and deeply, harrowingly insightful. When Ng’s second novel, Little Fires Everywhere, was released last year, and immediately climbed the ranks as a NYT Best Seller, I was a tad bit skeptical. The same thing happened with Ruth Ware, Paula Hawkins, and Shari Lapena. And you all know how disappointed I was with all three of those authors second novels…
But of course I was going to give Little Fires Everywhere a shot, I mean, how could I not?
THE PLOT
The year is 1998, and we’re given a very detailed description of Shaker Heights, a progressive suburb of Cleveland. Everything here is perfectly planned out, including the bends in the road and the greenery carefully selected. We meet the Richardson’s, a well to do family, with four teenage children, who’ve all played by the rules and lead successful lives, just like everyone else in Shaker Heights.
Mia Warren is an artist and a single mother with a teenage daughter, who are new in town, and begin renting a house from the Richardson’s. Very quickly, Mia and her teenage daughter become entangled with all four of the Richardson children. There’s something about the mother-daughter pair that attracts them.
When the Richardsons’ friends attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town and puts Mia and Mrs. Richardson on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Mrs. Richardson becomes determined to uncover the secrets in Mia’s past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs to her own family – and Mia’s.
THE WRITING
Sure, the plot was interesting, but it wasn’t 5-Star quality. What gives Celeste Ng’s book that edge is her poetic and gorgeous writing. She must know something that we don’t about the inner psyche of the human race. She paints these glorious detailed backstories that explain every little move, gesture, and word a character speaks. I feel so connected to all of her characters, even the ones I don’t particularly like. I think that is serious talent on her end. More than that, the pacing is excellent, and I never felt bored. In fact, it was just the opposite. I finished this book from start to finish in one weekend, and had to force myself to take breaks because I wanted to savor the writing (am I the only one who does that?).
A GREAT CHOICE FOR BOOK CLUB
There are several largely debatable topics inside of the book, and for that reason alone, I would say this would be a great choice. In fact, it’s my little book club of 3’s February 2018 book. The most obvious debate, who should be granted custody of the baby, and why? I’ll tell you right now, I’m on team Mr. and Mrs. Richardson when it comes to this one!
With two books, both I deemed 5-Stars on GoodReads, it’s safe to say that Celeste Ng is one of my new favorite authors. I’m really hoping that she’s just getting started, and will have a third book on the shelves within the next year or so!
PS. Little Fires Everywhere also won the 2017 Goodreads Choice Awards Best Fiction.
PPS. My review on Everything I Never Told You.