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Thursday, January 11, 2018

Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng


First Paragraph (it's a long one):

Everyone in Shaker Heights was talking about it that summer:  how Isabelle, the last of the Richardson children, had finally gone around the bend and burned the house down.  All spring the gossip had been about little Mirabelle McCullough--or, depending which side you were on, May Ling Chow--and now, at last, there was something new and sensational to discuss.  A little after noon on the Saturday in May, the shoppers pushing their grocery carts in Heinen's heard the fire engines wail to life and careen away, toward the duck pond.  By a quarter after twelve there were four of them parked in a haphazard red line along Parkland Drive, where all six bedrooms of the Richardson house were ablaze, and everyone within a half mile could see the smoke rising over the trees like a dense black thundercloud.  Later people would say that the signs had been there all along:  that Izzy was a little lunatic, that there had always been something off about the Richardson family, that as soon as they heard the sirens that morning they knew something terrible had happened.  By then, of course, Izzy would be long gone, leaving no one to defend her, and people could--and did--say whatever they liked.  At the moment the fire trucks arrived, though, and for quite a while afterward, no one knew what was happening.  Neighbors clustered as close to the makeshift barrier--a police cruiser, parked crosswise a few hundred yards away--as they could and watched the firefighters unreel their hoses with the grim faces of men who recognized a hopeless cause.  Across the street, the geese at the pond ducked their heads underwater for weeds, wholly unruffled by the commotion.

My Thoughts:

I found this book to be quite, quite good.  Sometimes, the second book by an author has a hard time living up to the first, especially if a reader was a big fan of the debut book.  I did indeed like Celeste Ng's first book, Everything I Never Told You, and led a group discussion of it.  It made for great book talk among the group, but I'm thinking that Little Fires Everywhere might be even more discussion-worthy.  What did I like?  Most of the characters, though all were flawed and made decisions that had repercussions and consequences.  I was happy that we saw each character grow and change - they all learned something.  The Richardson family was comfortable and privileged and rather entitled, whether they realized it or not.  When Mia and Pearl came into their lives, all were affected.  The issues presented were complicated in many ways and simple in others.  Mothers and daughters - adoption and the rights of birth mothers - should you always follow the rules and will doing so make your life 'perfect' or are rules meant to be broken - what is art and how about artists that 'color outside the lines'.  Lots to think about as this story, set in a town in Ohio that considers itself the 'perfect' community, unrolls and unravels.  I think that Celeste Ng is a very talented writer and I very much look forward to reading whatever book she shares with us next.   

Blurb:

In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.

Enter Mia Warren – an enigmatic artist and single mother – who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.

When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town--and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides.  Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.

40 comments:

  1. I loved this one, too. The whole theme of motherhood that she manages to weave throughout the book is pretty amazing, too. How does someone's mind work like that?

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    1. It's more creative than my mind for sure. I just recognize good writing and storytelling when I read it. LOL

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  2. Not only this story has a great premise, but I thought the author has done a great job in capturing all the emotions of the characters in it as well. I can't wait to find out what she's writing next!

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  3. I listened to this one and liked it a whole lot but the ending left me wanting a little more. I think I need to go back and read the ending in print.

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    1. I get what you're saying, Kathy. And I understand what you'd like, I think. I bet it was good on audio.

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  4. One of my favorites last year. I gave a copy to my daughter for Christmas and she loved it, too! Will definitely recommend it to my book club... just wish I didn't have to wait until it's out in paperback to do it.

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    1. It ought to be out in paperback in the fall. I wonder if my daughter would like it - maybe.

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  5. I loved this book. There is just so much there to discuss, to ponder. She touches on so many ideas, I actually had difficulties writing my review because I wanted to narrow it down a bit. Definitely a fantastic book club choice!

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    1. I agree, Michelle. I'd love to discuss it with a book group. I'll have to see if any of the groups that I attend sporadically will be choosing it. It wouldn't work for our mystery group.

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  6. I enjoyed this novel too as well as Ng's first novel.

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    1. Yes, I think I was a little surprised that I liked the first one so well. Not so surprised at this one.

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  7. This one has been on my list for a while now. I hope I will get around to reading it soon since so many people have thought so highly of it.

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    1. I think you might like it. Give it a try. :-)

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  8. I mostly only read mystery novels, so I had not thought I about reading this. You make it sound very appealing.

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    1. Well, as you know, I mostly read mystery books too. You might give it a go and see if it works for you.

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  9. This made my end of the year faves. I love how it all unfolded.

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    1. I'm not surprised. This author sure know how to tell a story.

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  10. I don't much fancy the blurb of this one - I'm never really interested much in parenting as a subject (probably because I'm not one!). But I must say I love the writing in the first paragraph. I might not read this one, but I'll keep an eye out to see what subject she chooses next time around.

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    1. She is a good writer. Who knows what she might write about next? Maybe something more appealing to you. :-)

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  11. I never got around to reading Everything I Never Told You although I'm glad to hear the author hasn't succumbed to the terror of the second novel syndrome. I do like the sound of this, characters that change and grow are the best kind and the consequences of actions is also a key love of mine. Great review Kay

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    1. I was a bit apprehensive about this one being the 2nd. So many authors have a bit of a slump when so many expectations are floating around. For me, she avoided that nicely.

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  12. This one has gotten so much attention and I really want to read it but admit now my expectations are sky high. It does sound good and like something I'd like so hopefully I'll get to it one of these days!

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    1. It has gotten a lot of attention. Take your time and read it when it's the right time for you, Iliana.

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    1. Hope you enjoy if you're able to pick it up!

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  14. I got this one through Book of the Month Club, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. So many great reviews - glad to see you loved it too!

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    1. I think you'll like it. Yes, Book of the Month is a good way to pick up some really great books, as well as the ones 'everyone' is talking about. :-)

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  15. I really want to read this one as well as her first book. I have been following the author on Twitter for some time now, and enjoy getting her take on things. I am glad you liked this one!

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    1. I think you'll like both of them. Different and compelling.

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  16. I've been wanting to give this author's books a try as I have heard such great things. If you are enjoying them this much then I am sure that I will as well. Great review!

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    1. They are not my usual fare, but I did really enjoy both of her books. Can't wait to see what comes next for her.

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  17. There's definitely a lot to talk about with this one! I didn't love it, though. Unlike you, I found almost all the characters unlikable. The story was super depressing, too. I didn't love Ng's first book either, so maybe this author just really isn't for me. Everyone else seems to love this book, so I'm definitely in the minority here. Glad you enjoyed it!

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    1. We both know that not every book speaks to every reader. I do understand your reaction to her books. I think that sometimes, we feel one way about a book, based on when we read it. Other times, we might feel differently. Or some authors are just not good matches for us. It's great that there are so many books and authors, we don't need to worry about that, right? LOL

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  18. I am in the minority when it comes to Ng's first novel, so I'm a little hesitant to read this one. And yet, so many of my blogger friends have read it and loved it, so I'm still tempted. I didn't buy a copy when I was enjoying my shopping spree after the holidays, but it is on my TBR list, so time will tell.

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    1. You know, this author just may not be to your taste - ever. And that's OK. I'm kind of surprised at how well I like her.

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  19. My sister just told me they read this for their book club. She liked it. Hmmm. Sounded a little creepy in a real way.

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    1. It was good. Not really a mystery exactly, but definitely well written.

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Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy to hear your thoughts and will respond as soon as I can. Happy Reading!