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desiree930 's review for:
Little Fires Everywhere
by Celeste Ng
It’s official. Celeste Ng is an auto-buy (or at least auto-read...I’m trying to buy less books in 2018) author for me. I read Everything I Never Told You last year and really loved it. I was nervous going into this book that it wouldn’t live up to the hype. I’m so glad that it not only lived up to the hype, but exceeded it.
What I liked:
1. The writing. This is what it comes down to for me. Ng has this amazing ability to craft a very layered story with complex characters that feel 100% real. They’re flawed, some more than others, and they truly feel justified in their actions and feelings. She uses flashbacks and inner dialogue masterfully. What could come across as info-dumpy in another writer’s hands just works to enrich these characters and the world they live in and it’s beautiful.
2. Nostalgia. This is very specific to me personally, and may not have the same impact on other readers. This book takes place in the late 90s (1998, to be specific) and much of the story revolves around a group of teens. I was the same age as these characters, so when they would talk about fashion, music, movies, etc. it really made me feel nostalgic. It felt totally authentic to many of my experiences growing up in the 90s.
3. Characters. As I already stated, these characters are flawed. Every last one of them. That is what makes them so interesting to read. Even the character I disliked the most (Mrs. Richardson, I’m looking at you, you judgmental, self-righteous hag) started out with what she thought were good intentions. And all along the way, as her actions escalated, her ability to justify every rotten thing she said or did was entirely authentic to the foundation of that character. And even the characters I liked and rooted for (Izzy and Mia) did truly awful things. It’s a testament to the writing.
4. The commentary on society. There are some very important philosophical and societal questions this book poses: What makes a mother? Biology, or love? How important is connection to one’s culture? There are also conversations about race and prejudice that are important and are still being discussed today.
I also like that this story explores so many different family dynamics. There are the Richardsons, the standard nuclear family (mother, father, kids); Mia and Pearl comprising the single-parent home; and the McCulloughs (not sure if I spelled that correctly, I listened to this on audiobook), a middle-aged couple going through the heartbreaks of infertility. The way Celeste Ng was able to weave these stories together was wonderful.
What I didn’t like:
1. The ending felt a little rushed. We spent 300ish pages learning all about these characters and relationships and backstories, and then it felt like everything was wrapped up very quickly. The ending is also quite open. We don’t exactly know if any of them get a happily ever after or ever have to face the repercussions of their bad decisions. I still thought it was strong, but I wanted to know what happened to these people, which should tell you how I feel about them.
2. I listened to the audiobook, which I thought was narrated pretty well. That being said, there are so many characters in this book and so many different points in time with the flashbacks and flash forwards that I was occasionally confused about whose perspective we were following. I had to rewind a few different times. I feel like if I’d been reading a physical copy I wouldn’t have had any issues with that, but just wanted to give a heads up to anyone thinking about listening to this on audiobook.
Possible negative for prospective readers that didn’t actually bug me:
1. Plot. There is no real plot to this story. It’s woven loosely around the custody trial of a young Chinese baby who was left by her biological mother outside a fire station, but in reality that is just a vehicle to explore the characters, the choices they make, and the society in which they all live. So if you are a person who needs to have a fast-paced story with a solid plot, this is probably not for you.
I really love this story and am so ready for whatever Celeste Ng comes out with next.
What I liked:
1. The writing. This is what it comes down to for me. Ng has this amazing ability to craft a very layered story with complex characters that feel 100% real. They’re flawed, some more than others, and they truly feel justified in their actions and feelings. She uses flashbacks and inner dialogue masterfully. What could come across as info-dumpy in another writer’s hands just works to enrich these characters and the world they live in and it’s beautiful.
2. Nostalgia. This is very specific to me personally, and may not have the same impact on other readers. This book takes place in the late 90s (1998, to be specific) and much of the story revolves around a group of teens. I was the same age as these characters, so when they would talk about fashion, music, movies, etc. it really made me feel nostalgic. It felt totally authentic to many of my experiences growing up in the 90s.
3. Characters. As I already stated, these characters are flawed. Every last one of them. That is what makes them so interesting to read. Even the character I disliked the most (Mrs. Richardson, I’m looking at you, you judgmental, self-righteous hag) started out with what she thought were good intentions. And all along the way, as her actions escalated, her ability to justify every rotten thing she said or did was entirely authentic to the foundation of that character. And even the characters I liked and rooted for (Izzy and Mia) did truly awful things. It’s a testament to the writing.
4. The commentary on society. There are some very important philosophical and societal questions this book poses: What makes a mother? Biology, or love? How important is connection to one’s culture? There are also conversations about race and prejudice that are important and are still being discussed today.
I also like that this story explores so many different family dynamics. There are the Richardsons, the standard nuclear family (mother, father, kids); Mia and Pearl comprising the single-parent home; and the McCulloughs (not sure if I spelled that correctly, I listened to this on audiobook), a middle-aged couple going through the heartbreaks of infertility. The way Celeste Ng was able to weave these stories together was wonderful.
What I didn’t like:
1. The ending felt a little rushed. We spent 300ish pages learning all about these characters and relationships and backstories, and then it felt like everything was wrapped up very quickly. The ending is also quite open. We don’t exactly know if any of them get a happily ever after or ever have to face the repercussions of their bad decisions. I still thought it was strong, but I wanted to know what happened to these people, which should tell you how I feel about them.
2. I listened to the audiobook, which I thought was narrated pretty well. That being said, there are so many characters in this book and so many different points in time with the flashbacks and flash forwards that I was occasionally confused about whose perspective we were following. I had to rewind a few different times. I feel like if I’d been reading a physical copy I wouldn’t have had any issues with that, but just wanted to give a heads up to anyone thinking about listening to this on audiobook.
Possible negative for prospective readers that didn’t actually bug me:
1. Plot. There is no real plot to this story. It’s woven loosely around the custody trial of a young Chinese baby who was left by her biological mother outside a fire station, but in reality that is just a vehicle to explore the characters, the choices they make, and the society in which they all live. So if you are a person who needs to have a fast-paced story with a solid plot, this is probably not for you.
I really love this story and am so ready for whatever Celeste Ng comes out with next.