Published by Delacorte Press on 13 May 2025
Source: Purchased Physical Copy
Goodreads
A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.
We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.
Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.
Thoughts: I thought this was going to be more suspenseful, maybe scandalous, like a literary Gossip Girl. However, We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is something entirely different, and, even though it has been over a month since I read it, I still can’t quite wrap my head (or my heart) around what happened. This book wormed its way inside of me, took me by surprise when I had my guard up, and I’m still not sure how to talk about it without ruining it. If you’re thinking about reading it, stop reading this and go read it. The book will be better with no expectations.
Even a month after reading We Were Liars, I still don’t really know how I feel about it. It’s beautifully written (as E. Lockhart books always are) and the story is masterfully done. I can’t think of many writers who could pull this story off, but Lockhart does. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever felt this many feelings for a book before. I care about and love the characters, but I’m not sure I like them. I’m heart broken and devastated, but I’m not sure how to mourn. And most of all, I want to reread this book again, but I’m too afraid.
I think I can share one thought without ruining the book. We Were Liars is beautiful and interesting, just like the beautiful and interesting family in the book. The narrator wants you to know that the family only seems beautiful and interesting, but that they are broken. Then when you get to the truth of what has happened, this beautiful, interesting book has become broken, like that family. Everything changes. You change.
This book isn’t doing anything that hasn’t been done before; it just does it better.
Favorite moments: I have to reread it before I can pick. The end changes everything, so my feelings for every scene are complicated.
WTF moments: This about sums it up:
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Lauren @ Wordy Hughes says
I just impulse bought The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. Then saw on goodreads that it was a book that changed your life. Then saw this review, and regretted not buying We Were Liars at the same time (because it was sitting RIGHT THERE.) Even more excited to read some E. Lockhart now
Jen @ YA Romantics says
So glad you loved this one. Yes, I loved that it was sort of a literary version of Gossip Girl or PLL. And love the new blog design
Jen @ YA Romantics
Lauren @ Love is not a triangle says
I agree! This book totally took me by surprise. It is pretty crazy and heartbreaking. I love hearing how much it affected you when you finally got to the end. A little more like (SPOILER) The Sixth Sense than Gossip Girl!
fakesteph says
I TOTALLY WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMPARISON! Yes. Yes!