The first time I read E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars, it left me utterly shocked. If I’m being completely honest, it’s the first book that I have ever voluntarily annotated in my life.
From a young age, I was accustomed to exposing myself to a wide variety of genres. Fantasy, fiction, nonfiction, mystery, religion, poetry, the classics. However, none of these had ever quite prepared me for my encounter with We Were Liars.
It’s a gothic beach novel. It’s a coming-of-age. It’s a mystery. It’s a psychological thriller. It’s a social commentary. No wonder my system was overwhelmed. And I became determined to understand why, exactly, this book had consumed every brain cell I had left to spare.
On April 22nd, Amazon Prime announced that the We Were Liars TV adaptation would premiere on June 18th. While I’m sure that the series will become an instant hit, I’m still a firm believer in reading the book first. A visual medium like a TV series can certainly enhance the story. But there is truly nothing like experiencing the magic of Lockhart’s writing firsthand. Frankly, I could not find a better time to analyze what makes the storytelling in We Were Liars so brilliant and unique.
The Allure of the Unreliable Narrator
I could write an entire article about this one literary device alone. It is what originally astounded and surprised me about this book. Lockhart tells the story from the perspective of a troubled teenager, Cadence Sinclair, who cannot remember the tragic event that led to her health problems and the unexplainable change in her family.
Not only does this selective amnesia haunt the narrative, but Cadence’s own past naivete and youthful ignorance also affect the storyline and her perception of events. As the readers, we may be able to piece together the cues and hints she misses, but many small details are up to interpretation.
The beauty of having an unreliable narrator is the honest uncertainty. Cadence is not intentionally lying to us. She herself has hardly a clue about her own life, something that causes her confusion and emotional distress. This might compromise the objective truth of the story. However, it provides us with a deeper subjective truth through Cadence’s mental state. It brings us even closer to her character and immerses us more fully into her life.
Beautifully, Humanly Flawed Characters
One thing I love most about this book is that the characters are not perfect. The whole premise is that they are liars — teenagers who are irritating, immature, endearing, and awkward. They blunder, make fatal errors, hurt each other’s feelings, but love fiercely all the same. The adults are likewise, with misguided intentions, festering resentment, and pride warring against family loyalty.
Lockhart develops dynamic, multi-faceted characters that can be both likable and flawed. Hopefully, the TV series doesn’t erase or mishandle this nuance. It’s all too easy to create characters that fulfill one niche. To be nothing but comedic relief. To be a perfect heroine. To be the irredeemable villain. Lockhart challenges this paradigm with protagonists that reflect reality. And in reality, humans rarely fit under one label.
Complex Family Dynamics
Families can be messy. Especially extended families.
While the protagonists live their separate lives during the school year, the entire Sinclair clan reunites every summer on their private island. The excessive wealth and weaponized favoritism cause conflict within the family. Love, envy, and competition churn and bubble into a poison that infects the island to the core. Many readers may see themselves and their own convoluted family dynamics reflected here.
Similarly to how she handles individual characters, Lockhart approaches interpersonal relationships and dynamics in much the same way: with nuance. No single person or relationship is presented in either a completely good or completely bad way. Nothing is perfect, and nothing is irredeemable. They simply are. The characters are lovably imperfect and rough around the edges, and so naturally they draw out both the best and the worst in each other.
What Genre Is We Were Liars?
Just like the intentional blurriness of the characters and their dynamics, Lockhart goes further. She creates a setting and genre so unique that it both confuses and intrigues the reader. Typically, when a book is set on the beach, readers expect a romance or a fun vacation novel. However, Lockhart twists the innocent location into something darker and deeper. Perhaps that is her intention. At first, Cadence and her cousins view their private island as a secret, mystical haven away from the bustle of their everyday lives. They grew up on that island.
Unfortunately, childhood must always end at some point.
Eventually, the naive illusions of perfection melt away. The children are left with the ugly truths that drive their family. The beach is no longer a carefree vacation destination. That is its disguise. I cannot wait to see how the TV adaptation handles this intersection between childlike innocence and coming-of-age disillusionment. That, paired with the psychological mystery, lends the beach setting a strange, more sinister appeal.
Societal Issues from a Child’s Standpoint
A child has neither the time nor the capacity to be preoccupied with the indiscretions of her elders. Especially when those elders are her family. Cadence cares about what affects her, primarily her budding romance with Gat, but it is interesting to see how the dynamics of her family trickle down to affect her life.
Through Cadence and the Sinclair family, Lockhart explores themes of privilege, corruption, racism, sexism, and manipulation. Not only do we as the readers see how these things affect the family, but we see how they affect Cadence and her worldview.
Given how integral these themes are to the story, I’m curious to see how the TV series will approach them. I hope they keep Cadence’s clueless naivete and contrast that against the obvious indiscretions that surround her. I think it adds a level of honesty to the narrative that many young readers may identify with. After all, most children do not bother to analyze the underlying motivations of those they trust most.
Plot Twists That Give Readers Whiplash
Without giving away any spoilers, let me tell you that the plot twists in this story are lethal. Lockhart builds to these twists with subtle precision. She lays the groundwork perfectly without giving away her intentions. And then, when the readers feel they have their footing, she yanks the ground from beneath them, revealing the labyrinth she was constructing all along. If you think you know where the story is headed, you are wrong.
One of my favorite things about Lockhart’s plot twists is how shockingly but expertly foreshadowed they are. They do not come out of nowhere, nor do they unnecessarily take the reader in an unexpected direction simply for the sake of it. Rather, she subtly hints and nudges the audience throughout the story, making the reveal all the more astonishing and satisfying.
Will the Adaptation Do We Were Liars Justice?
It’s a popular saying that “the books are always better.” However, that does not necessarily mean that the adaptation is incapable of doing the literature justice. Despite the adjustments necessary to allow the story to fit the new medium, I firmly believe it’s possible to capture the magic and the essence of the story. I can’t wait to see how the adaptation unfolds.
Keep an eye out for the Amazon Prime TV series on June 18th! Comment your opinions on the adaptation down below!
