Marketed very much as a gossipy ‘soccer-mom’ type drama which turns sour, I wasn’t sure what to expect of Big little Lies. However the huge boost in popularity it received due to the highly lauded TV adaptation gave me a push towards picking up this book. It’s representation in the book world was justified – the novel sucks you in to a world of playground gossip, though more than playing to its stereotype it satirises the inane obsessions of diets, fashion and middle-class motherly perfection. As well as its satire and murderous twist, this book pulls back the covers on this middle class existence revealing rape, abuse, ethical and moral quandaries and social injustices.

The characters were brilliantly created, well-rounded with layers to discover as the book went on. Characters with 'perfect' lives have dark secrets, or comedic troubles. Parents fail and make very real mistakes, emotions run high and logic, sense or reason often go out of the window, not unlike in real life. The narrative layout was a little odd with different bystanders commenting in between sections of the novel, as if being interviewed. It later transpires that this is the press although maybe this structure could have been made clearer from the beginning. Otherwise this was an innovative way to frame the narrative which heightened the intrigue and suspense.

The book is less a 'whodunnit' than a 'who-died' as from the start we know there has been a murder but not who the victim is or what has transpired. As the climax builds towards the night of the crime, the plot literally thickens, with different character arcs and subplots which all intertwine. Right until the end as a reader you are constantly toing and froing between who could have done it and who is the victim.

Big Little Lies is a book which really keeps you on your toes and is really setting the standard for what the domestic noir or thriller should be. This book really captures many conversations still happening in 2018 putting it well ahead of its time.

Loved the TV series so couldn't wait to read the book. It definitely didn't disappoint & can't wait to see if there will be more as hinted at

Big Little Lies centres around a small coastal town where everyone knows everyone, especially the mothers at the Pirriwee Public School. Madeleine, Celeste, and Jane meet on the first day of school, where they have all dropped their children off at their first day of kindergarten. However, when they pick them up, an allegation of bullying sets off a startling chain of events that ends in tragedy. The plot is riveting, and what made it so for me was that each chapter began and ended with excerpts from interviews after a fundraiser at the school, and through these excerpts, it becomes clear that somebody has died. But who died, and how they died, remains a mystery until the very end. Although this death is not premeditated and the central storyline is much more of a 'family drama' novel, there are signs that the tension in Pirriwee is increasing, and the novel slowly builds suspense until the big finale, making it a truly gripping read.

I also loved the differences in the three women. Madeleine is a fun and energetic woman, with three children, who struggles with the fact that her ex-husband has moved back to town with his second wife and child, who is starting school with her own daughter. Celeste lives in a golden cage of sorts, in a marriage that she questions from the start of the book, but is admired for her beauty and wealth. Jane is new to town, a young single mother, who falls into the friendship of Madeleine and Celeste with ease. The differences in these women made the book more interesting, and I also loved that they each had their individual storylines unfolding in the background, all of which came together at the end in an explosive conclusion.

My only issues with the book lay with the ending. Don't get me wrong, I revelled in the plot twists and the dramatic ending to the Pirriwee Public School tensions, but what I hated was the way that Liane Moriarty tried so hard to tie everything up in neat little bows after that. I would have much preferred to have a more messy, more human ending to the book. Instead, there was forced romance which was completely unnecessary, predictable, and without chemistry, and an epilogue that made me cringe with information dumps about where the characters were months later, that also simply wasn't needed. The forced nature of the happy endings simply didn't fit with the nature of the book, or with the characters as they had been developed over the course of the books, and was simply unrealistic to the extent that I feel like it really weakened the book overall.

Overall however, I did really enjoy this book. I couldn't put it down, as I was hoping, and the plot and characters stayed with me after I finished reading.

It might seem odd to start a review in such a fashion but I have a confession to make: I don’t read many mystery books, let alone contemporary mysteries, and it's just so NOT a genre I reach for. Because of this, a lot of the hype and marketing of this genre largely passes me by. However, I don’t think it was possible to exist as a reader and not hear some kind of hype about Liane Moriarty’s books, especially Big Little Lies as it was made into a very successful HBO show which aired in 2017. I am extremely relived to have read the book before seeing anything of the TV show because I wouldn’t have wanted the book spoilt by the show - and it really is that kind of book.

If you’re not sure if a story about 3 women, their children, and their lives is interesting, think again. You will be gripped, I promise. At the heart of the story, Big Little Lies follows the lives of Madeline, Celeste, and Jane, three mothers with three very different home lives and families, all of whom interconnect through their children's school. With it, comes the schoolyard politics and cliques, not of the children but of the alleged "adults" of the piece. The bitching, the gossiping, the inexplicable loyalties, and the shunning of other parents because of their children's behaviour is funny but also hits home on a strange level, even if you don't have children yourself.

Somehow, Big Little Lies managed to be laugh-out-loud hilarious (mainly Madeline's witty sense of humour and attitude) as well as sickeningly dark and twisted, proving you really don't have ANY idea what goes on behind closed doors of a seemingly idyllic little community, or the lengths that some people will go to to maintain their reputation and social standing. I was gripped by the stories of Madeline, Celeste, and Jane, and I found myself constantly guessing as to who would end up being the perpetrator of the crime which is set out at the very beginning of the book. I did NOT guess correctly and, indeed, I'm not sure I ever could have predicted the twisty nature of the big and the little lies that we tell each other and, perhaps more importantly, the big and the little lies we tell ourselves just to get by.

"Children did this. They sensed when there was something controversial or sensitive and they pushed and pushed like tiny prosecutors."

Loved this book so much!
In my opinion, it is so much better than the TV series (watched after reading the book)! Big Little Lies dragged me in and I flew through reading it. I didn’t expect the twist at the end and was genuinely surprised to read it.
The writing was fantastic, well paced and a genuinely believable storyline. The characters were all fantastic and well developed and I really enjoyed reading about them and finding out about all of their lives (and secrets!).

A scandalously good read from a fantastic author; highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley, Liane Moriarty and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book has sat on my Kindle for over 6 months and I am yet to read it. Whilst I was originally really engaged by the blurb, it's yet to make it to the top of my TBR pile and it no longer really appeals to me. I'm really sorry and incredibly grateful for the opportunity to read and review this book though.

This is the second book I read by this author, although I didn't like the first, this second book was really amazing and mind blowing. I wasn't expecting to like this much as I did. The book has a bit of everything, drama, murder, domestical abuse, rape and all those dark and heavy theme you can think of it but it is not just that, the book is also funny and it has some great and powerful women behind it. Give a chance if you can, you won't regret it.

When I started this it took me back to my children starting school and what I used to call the "mother's mafia' that populated the school surrounds. I hadn't seen the TV series and I'm glad I didn't as I went in without any expectations, and loved the vision of the Australian backdrop. They say keep your friends close but enemies closer and this bodes well for this story with its twists and turns and very surprising conlusion. Beware of the 'jaw dropping' revelations.

“Champagne is never a bad idea”

That quote sets the tone for what can only be described as a magnifying glass into the world of middle aged, middle class, modern society.

There are 3 main themes in this novel that stood out: modern culture; friendship; and relationships. Lianne could not have written a more relevant reflection of parenting and surviving in the 21st Century!

Yes, it is a drama built around the lives of 3 women, all of whom I can’t really relate to, yet I found myself likening myself to one or the other throughout the entire book. I loved Liane’s use of Chinese whispers in the form of interviews throughout the book. It helped to break up the drama, and dart back and forth in terms of timeline. It also helped to develop the characters in the reader’s mind, and my oh my, were there twists.

The main takeaway I got from the book is that nobody’s perfect. Flashy lifestyles, picture perfect instagrammable relationships & loyal friendships were all put to the test in this book & it really challenged me to look at my own ideals and prejudices.

I can’t wait to watch the show now!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and especially now that the TV Series has come out! I haven't finished the series yet, but the book was so great that I was eager to dive straight into the television series.
I love the set up of the book, instantly knowing that somebody is going to die makes you want to cling on to find out straight away!

I would highly recommend this to lovers of other novels such as Gone Girl, Dear Amy, Bad Sister..

Perfect!

Liane Moriarty has a true gift for spinning a story that is every bit, shockingly real but preposterously funny too! A pleasing combination, definitely. I plan to watch the tv show very soon.

The story revolves around a suburban town (I always wanted to live in one of these but I find that I'm stuck in the city). Jane is a young mother, new to the area. Her son, Ziggy, is to join the kindergarten school. This means playing playground politics with the many adults and possibly, making some friends. Jane claims she chose the area 'on a whim' but, is there something she's not saying?

This book is imaginative and has at heart, a powerful story about damaging secrets. Having read Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty also, I can say that her stories come with the guarantee of keeping you on your toes. She throws plot twists like flying punches: so efficiently you'll never see them coming!

I received this book through NetGalley.

This is not the kind of book I would normally go for but I am so glad I did. It was really good, I was hooked from the start.

I am defintely going to be reading more from this author.

A definite 5 star read.

I really enjoyed this book. All of the characters were totally believable. Jane as a victim of a traumatic incident and Celeste as a victim of abuse were particularly well drawn. All of the supporting characters were people that I would recognise and both amused me and reminded me about power and status in the confines of the school playground!

This novel is beautifully written.

It carries you along with the day to day lives of a group of Kindergarten mothers, their children and families. I really felt that I knew these women, they were real to me .They were brilliantly characterised and those of us with children, can recognise the types from our own days at the school gates.

Slowly we start to learn more and more of the backstories of these seemingly unconnected women. Interwoven with this is the present day plot of an "incident" at the annual school quiz night.

There is a strong theme of injustice throughout this novel, and in the final chapters the story comes to a head. The seemingly innocent are not so innocent, and the final twist is exquisitely executed.

It is so clever & I loved it.

I loved this book. It dragged me in and kept me there, turning page after page. I almost missed my train stop. It was not a book to read in tiny chunks, it demands your attention so you don't get confused!

I love this author and was excited to read this as I missed the tv series. I loved this book! It was clever and witty and had me guessing all the way through. Lots of unexpected surprises...

Brilliant book, well written. I always look forward to Liane's books and this one certainly did not disappoint. I haven't seen the film, but if it's as good as the book then I certainly will go and see it.

I had no idea this was a big tv series - that's next. This is really great, along with Liane's other books - one of the best authors currently writing. Really worth reading, especially if you have kids at primary school!

Received this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.

Overall rating : 5*
Writing skill : 5*
Suspense : 4*
Plot: 5*

I absolutely love this book. It's going straight into my goodreads favourite shelf. It follows the life of 3 women whose lives are connected through their children's school life. The way the 3 narratives overlap, along with the comical end of chapter insights from the other characters, is absolutely genius. I don't want to give too much away but if you like the twist of 'Gone Girl' this won't disappoint. Onwards to the tv mini series and I only hope it's as good as this has been.