One Sentence Summary
Big Little Lies is a gripping novel by Liane Moriarty about a group of women in an Australian beachside town whose seemingly perfect lives unravel to what ultimately becomes a murder mystery.
Book Genre
Big Little Lies is a mystery and suspense novel.
Main Topic of the Book
Big Little Lies is a novel that deals with complex and often dark themes of family, domestic violence, affairs, and secrets. It starts as a seemingly light-hearted story of three moms and their different experiences in parenthood, but eventually reveals the dark hidden secrets of each of the main characters.
Key Ideas
- The novel centers around the town of Pirriwee and the lives of its residents, with the main focus being the story of Madeline, Celeste and Jane.
- It examines the idea of a “perfect” life, and how lies and secrets can unravel even the happiest facades to something dark and dangerous.
- It delves into the topics of classism, sexism, and domestic violence in a frank and thoughtful way, exploring how these themes can play out even in seemingly perfect lives.
- The novel also examines the power of female friendship and how it can be a force for good in even the darkest of times.
Main Parts of the Book and a Short Summary
The novel centers around the small beachside town of Pirriwee, New South Wales, and the lives of its residents. Madeline is a single mother and school committee president who is fiercely protective of her teenage daughter, Abigail. Celeste is a beautiful and wealthy woman with twin sons, who is struggling with the ramifications of a previous abusive relationship. Jane is a single mother who is recently moved to Pirriwee, and is trying to figure out her place within the community.
When the school committee organizes a trivia night fundraiser, secrets and feuds from the past are brought to the surface and a confrontation between Madeline and Celeste’s ex, Perry, leads to the shocking revelation that he was abusive towards Celeste. In the aftermath of the confrontation, Perry is found dead at the beach. The book follows the investigation into Perry’s death, all the while exploring the lies of these three women and the complicated truths of themselves and each other.
Key Takeaways
- Big Little Lies is a gripping tale of the truths and lies that can be behind seemingly perfect lives.
- It explores complex and often dark themes, such as domestic violence, secrets and lies, female friendship, and classism in a thoughtful way.
- The novel highlights the strength of female friendship and how it can be a powerful force even in the most difficult of situations.
Author’s Background and Qualifications
Liane Moriarty is a bestselling Australian author of ten novels, as well as a co-creator and producer of the HBO television adaptation of Big Little Lies. She is a critically acclaimed author and her novels have been sold in 42 countries and translated into 32 languages. Her other novels include The Husband’s Secret, Truly Madly Guilty, and Nine Perfect Strangers.
Target Audience
Big Little Lies is likely to appeal to readers who enjoy mystery and suspense novels, as well as those who are interested in stories surrounding family dynamics and the struggle with lies and secrets.
Publisher and First Publication Date
Big Little Lies was first published in 2014 by Penguin Press.