Carrie Sinclair tells the ghost of her son Johnny about the summer of 1987, when "the boys" arrive on Beechwood Island, setting off events that will haunt her for years to come in this prequel to "We Were Liars."
As a prequel, Family of Liars has a difficult task — it needs to tap into the fervor of the original novel for returning readers, without confusing new ones. It’s a delicate dance, and Lockhart mostly pulls it off: Family offers insights into Beechwood and familiar characters, enriching understanding of the first book, but it never feels like a side dish to a We Were Liars entree ... In Carrie, Lockhart has crafted her most relatable Liars character yet ... But Family of Liars fumbles. Though Carrie is rendered vividly, the other denizens of Beechwood feel vague and indistinct. And the plot meanders, dropping characters and story lines for chapters at a time. That means some of the book’s big reveals land intellectually instead of emotionally. Still, I remained invested in Family of Liars even when it lagged because, having read We Were Liars, I anticipated that at some point a shocking twist would come. And, wow, does it ever.
Lockhart is a great storyteller with a knack for developing complex characters that feel deeply human. While this would be merely a strength in a different story, in Family of Liars it becomes the element that makes readers develop empathy for the characters and care about what happens ... Besides superb character development, there is a dark, supernatural angle that makes this an interesting novel with unexpected twists ... an atmospheric story that will welcome new and seasoned readers to the Sinclair family and show them that death, grief, mysteries, jealousy, and heartbreak that can hide at the core of wealth, beauty, and good intentions.
We Were Liars, one of the most popular young adult books of recent years, is a thrilling read, and this prequel is just as enthralling ... This is a compelling page-turner about the tragic lives of an ultra-wealthy family and the lies that are handed down like an inheritance through the generations. Highly recommended for readers ages 13 and up.
