Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng Also by this author: Everything I Never Told You
Published by Penguin Press on September 12, 2017
Genres/Lists: #30Authors, Diverse, Fiction
Pages: 352
Read synopsis on Goodreads
Buy the book: Amazon/Audible (this post includes affiliate links)
I first became acquainted with Celeste Ng when her debut novel, Everything I Never Told You, was a book blogger favorite but hadn’t hit the mainstream yet. It was before she won Amazon’s best book of the year in 2015 and she graciously joined in #30Authors. Since then, I’ve patiently (okay, not so patiently) awaited her sophomore novel and I’m overjoyed to report that Little Fires Everywhere does not disappoint.
Like Everything I Never Told You, Little Fires Everywhere takes place in Shaker Heights, a planned community that takes pride in its perfection. Both books dive into the intricacies of family life, but more importantly they peel back the facade of perfection that families often portray to the outside world. But whereas her first novel is about one of the only minority families in town and the impact that has on them as individuals, this one is about a family who fits the norm.
The Richardson’s have it all: nice house, good job, smart kids. Sure, they have their issues, but what family doesn’t? But when free-spirited Mia and her daughter, Pearl, come to town, the Richardson’s family is thrown into disarray.
Complicating matters is the local drama surrounding the pending adoption of a Chinese baby by a white family, a baby that the mother wants back. Without realizing it, Mrs. Richardson and Mia are thrust into the center of things, drawing lines in the sand and dividing families.
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It is in this precarious world of choosing a path in life, questioning past decisions, and the debate between right and wrong that one single action sparks a chain reaction of equally explosive revelations.
What I love about Ng is her ability to write her characters, flawed as they may be, with utter empathy. In her world, the best choice may not be the obvious one, and what you see isn’t always what you get. Yet, each character is a multidimensional being, and Ng manages to place their choices above reproach because the reader has insights into each’s thought process. There is no villain, but rather human beings who have to live with the choices they make.
In other words, they are relatable, which makes it oh-so-easy to fall headfirst into the world Ng has created. Little Fires Everywhere is a book that completely absorbed me, allowing me to forget the world around me and focus only on the characters. In my chaotic life running for public office, this is a rare feat and I am so glad this next novel is such a smashing hit.
Who should read this book: Fans of intricate family dramas with a moral element.
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