Book Review - Liane Moriarty 's Big Little Lies

Judge a book by its cover? Guilty. I was immediately drawn to the splintering lollypop on the cover of Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies. This was my first novel by Moriarty, but the catchy cover coupled with the acclaim that her novel has been receiving, pushed this book to the front of my must-read pile.

PLOT - Set in a posh beach community in Australia, Big Little Lies centers around a murder that happens during an elementary school fundraiser. Tensions ran high at the adult-only trivia fundraiser and although there were many witnesses, nobody can seem to agree on what occurred.

The story is told in flashbacks to the months leading up to the event, focusing on several moms whose children are in the same kindergarten class. There is the gorgeous and wealthy, Celeste, who hides the marks of spousal abuse. Madeline, who has a child from a new marriage in the same class as her ex-husband's child from his second marriage. Jane is new to town and a single mom who is much younger than the other moms.

The story kicks off during the kindergarten orientation, when Jane's son is accused of physically abusing another child during playtime. Even though there is no proof of the crime and the kids refuse to talk, it creates a divide between the parents who believe in the innocence of Jane's son and those who want him expelled. 

LIKE - Immediately, the tone of the story drew me in. It was reminiscent of one of my favorite television comedies, Desperate Housewives. In addition to having a similar wit, it also compares to Desperate Housewives with its dark and heavy content. It initially caught me by making me laugh, but very quickly the story turns serious. I liked that I never quite sussed where Moriarty was heading. Although you know a murder will occur at the very start of the story, I never guessed who died or how. It was a satisfying twist at the end. I liked all of the main characters and found the story to be a page turner. The fact that a murder is coming is always looming, but it takes a back seat to the individual issues that each of the women face.

DISLIKE - There really isn't a lot to criticize. I kept reading and thinking that this is the type of story that I someday hope to write, especially with regard to the humor and tone. There were a few times towards the end of the story where the pacing slowed a bit. I'm also not sure about the last chapter, which seemed a little like a Lifetime for Women movie. It didn't need the "smack me over the head" poignant summary at the end. I got the message loud and clear early on and it would have been more impactful without that last chapter.

RECOMMEND - Absolutely! I'm looking forward to the movie adaptation and I'm definitely going to read more novels by Moriarty. I'd recommend this book to anyone, although it probably has a wider appeal for women. In particular, the school politics and cattiness among the moms would probably make this a fun read for parents with young children. Also, this is an empowering story for people who have been victims of abuse. 

Book Review - Anita Miller's Tea and Antipathy

A few weeks ago, I was browsing through the available titles on NetGalley and I came across Anita Miller's memoirs of her time spent in London during the 1960's. At the moment, I'm taking a memoir writing class and with my husband being British, I thought this would be a great fit for me. I was ecstatic when the Chicago Review Press accepted my request for an advanced copy of Miller's Tea and Antipathy. 

Anita Miller and her husband, Jordan are shameless Anglophiles and when they have the opportunity to move their family to London for a summer, they eagerly jump at the chance. Riding high on their previous experience as tourists in England, they are certain that this summer will be a dream come true. 

Jordan secures a rental house in a posh neighborhood in London and the family moves in with their three children. As Jordan and their eldest son go to work, Anita finds herself struggling. The two younger children are bored and they quickly run out of tourist places to visit. The family finds it hard to make friends in England and to adjust to the many cultural differences. They quickly find that many people do not like them simply because they are American. Much of the book is dedicated to pointing out the misconceptions that the Miller's have towards the English and that the English have towards Americans. Anita, with a degree in English Literature, quickly discovers that England is not as she imagined it from novels.

The Millers encounter a rather hostile and quirky bunch of characters. The worst of the bunch is their landlady, who pretends to be heading to Scotland for the summer, but really stays in town to spy on her new tenants. The high rent house that they have leased is absolutely falling to pieces and the landlady is never reachable when they have a problem. On top of everything, she is so miserly that she has hidden most of her linens and has removed pieces of furniture from the house. She even told them that the washing machine was broken, only later to confess that it was brand-new, she just didn't want them to use it.

I had a mixed reaction to Tea and Antipathy. Having spent several extended vacations in England, I can relate to Miller's findings on many of the cultural differences. Like Miller, I always had an idealized version of England in my head and I was surprised to find so many differences. I've never felt more American in my life! 

I thought much of what Miller wrote was very funny, in particular with regard to her housing problems. However, I felt that Miller started to slide into the negative, especially during the second half of her story. I realize that she was very miserable, but it turned into a long rant. It became hard to believe that everyone she seemed to encounter hated Americans or were so eccentric. I needed more balance in the story to keep interested and to feel sympathy towards Miller. It ended up being like that friend who just complains too much and you stop wanting to have lunch with them. 

I wished that there was more about how London was in the 60's. There is a wonderful moment in the book where Anita and Jordan are out to dinner and the Beatles are at the next table. Jordan makes a call to their children and gives the kids permission to come to the restaurant to see their idols. What cool parents! I wish the story had more moments like that and less negative sentiments. 

Overall, this short memoir kept me reading, primarily because I could relate to Miller's emotions over being an American in a foreign country. 

Book Review- Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Effect

Last spring I discovered Australian author, Graeme Simsion's debut novel, The Rosie Project. It was absolutely delightful. I was thrilled to discover that Simsion had written a follow-up novel and even more excited to receive an advanced copy of it to review. Thank you to Simon and Schuster for allowing me the opportunity to read The Rosie Effect.

PLOT - The Rosie Effect continues the adventures of geneticist Don Tillman and his new wife, Rosie as they move to New York City. Don has been offered a job at Columbia University and Rosie is finishing up her thesis, when the couple receives surprising news. Rosie is pregnant. As Don struggles to handle Rosie's pregnancy and the idea of becoming a father, he finds himself in a string of messy situations. His good intentions mixed with issues related to his autism often bring about disastrous results. Another problem is that the Tillmans have an unwanted houseguest, Don's best friend, Gene, who moves in after a separation from his wife in Australia. Will the Tillman's be able to survive a pregnancy and a houseguest without their marriage falling apart?

LIKE - I love Don Tillman. He's awkward and usually says the wrong thing, but he tries so hard to make Rosie happy and he's a loyal friend. Don is a character with such a good heart, that it's easy to forgive his missteps. I like that Simsion writes completely outlandish scenarios for Don. They are utterly over-the-top and even though it's easy to see what is about to happen to Don, it's compelling, because Don puts his foot in his mouth and he has no idea. It's like watching a train-wreck in slow motion. It's the kind of book where I found myself engaged and yelling at Don, "Don't do it!!!". This story is a good mix of humorous and heartwarming. It's easy to root for all of the characters to resolve their problems, yet it's not so trite that everything has a simple solution. 

DISLIKE - There is really nothing to dislike about this highly entertaining and touching novel. It's not overly deep or life changing, but it doesn't have to be that kind of book. This is a light, fun read. The perfect type of book to take on vacation.

RECOMMEND- YES! I'm very excited that film adaptation of The Rosie Project is in development and I really hope that SImsion continues with this series. I would definitely want to read the further tales of Don and Rosie. I've already recommended this series to many friends.