[Review] Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng

Summary: In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is meticulously 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 principal 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 alluring mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past, and a disregard for the rules that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.

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


Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of long-held secrets and the ferocious pull of motherhood—and the danger of believing that planning and following the rules can avert disaster, or heartbreak. (Pub Date: Sep 12, 2017)


Review based on an ARC provided by Edelweiss. I also want to thank the publisher for giving me this opportunity.

Just how am I going to describe what it was to read this book? Reading a book by Celeste Ng seems to be a whole new experience I could never describe. This was my second by her and my second time that I finished the book feeling like I had actually lived together with the family—or families here—portrayed. 

This time, she tells the story of the Richardsons who befriend and almost adopt Pearl Warren into their lives. Pearl is the daughter of a single mother and feels dazzled by the suburban and protected the four kids have. She feels like she got a new brother in Moody, she wants to become Lexie and she's head over heels with Trip. And there's Ivy, who is always the black sheep. But even she will change when she meets Pearl's mother, Mia and sees in her more of a mother than her own. As the two families become more tangled, so do their secrets. And how does Mrs. Richardson feel about that?

I did a terrible job with the summary but it doesn't matter how much I edit it it doesn't cover how intricate the plot is. Look at that cover, look at enticing title! How to resist?

First, a brief comparison with Ng's previous novel Everything I Never Told You. I confess I liked it better but I also acknowledge Little Fires Everywhere had more depth and the writing was far more clean. And yet, I feel that EINTY had a thrill that was missing in this book. I call it "the lack of a ham". While the former started with the death of a teenager, the main event in LFE was the Richardsons house burning down. I think the difference in impact represents well the way I feel about each book.

But as I was saying, this was a more complex story. Ng has managed to dive even deeper in the dynamics of a family—of two families, really. I ended the book feeling no one else could have written this story as well. EINTY relied a lot on copying characters, each of the siblings was a little of the other and a little of their parents. While it was still no easy feat to achieve, it pales when we're presented with the four Richardsons and the mother and Mia—the father had little to do here this time. Moreover, although Shaker Heights is described more like a small, closed community, the world of the book was vaster than the one of EINTY, from which we just got two or three side characters. Now we have a lot more happening, especially the case of the abandoned baby.

On the other hand, I think that was one of the flaws. I do recognize the validity of Ng's arguments and what an important discussions it raises. However, it was a big distraction, in my opinion. The rest of the story was so tangled together, that the baby incident stood out. I know it was important for character growth, it has triggered events but it's still my opinion that she could have thought of a better catalyst or given less attention. At least, as I said, it was a good side story. 

Her characters are just so good. Her narrative is unique. It's hard to point out what I love the most about her. I confess I was a little afraid of feeling bored with all the family drama theme—I mean, when I got my first book by her—but it's quite the opposite. I'd describe the experience as watching those afternoon TV shows devoted to family issues, with a new revelation coming to trump the other, grinding our teeth for the big finish. Just give it a try.

Now really... I need another book by this woman ASAP! When is the next coming out?

Rating: 4 out of 5.