Family of Liars

Family of Liars is a prequel to E. Lockhart's We Were Liars, taking readers back to the summer of 1987 on the Sinclair family's private island. The story follows seventeen-year-old Caroline Sinclair during a season of change for her wealthy New England family. Three mysterious boys arrive on the island that summer, disrupting the usual rhythms of the Sinclair family's vacation routines. Caroline and her sisters navigate romance, family expectations, and the weight of long-held secrets against the backdrop of their privileged seaside retreat. The narrative moves between past and present, revealing layers of truth and deception within the Sinclair family dynamics. Questions of memory, grief, and loyalty surface as Caroline confronts choices that will echo through generations. This gothic-tinged young adult novel explores themes of privilege, truth-telling, and the stories families tell themselves to survive. The book stands on its own while adding depth to the Sinclair family saga.

Readers often compare this prequel unfavorably to We Were Liars, noting it lacks the emotional impact and surprise of the original. Many found the protagonist Carrie/Caroline less compelling than Cadence from the first book. What readers liked: - The atmospheric 1987 summer setting - Details about the Sinclair family's past - The writing style and prose - The exploration of grief and loss What readers disliked: - Predictable plot twists - Slow pacing in the middle - Underdeveloped side characters - Too similar to the structure of We Were Liars Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (78,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (2,800+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.1/5 (300+ ratings) One reader noted: "The prose is beautiful but the story feels like a retread." Another stated: "Good background for fans of the first book, but doesn't stand well on its own."

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart A privileged family's secrets unravel on their private island through unreliable memories and hidden truths.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes A teenage girl inherits billions from a stranger and must navigate deadly puzzles while living with four enigmatic brothers in their mansion.

The Cousins by Karen M. McManus Three cousins receive mysterious invitations to work at their estranged grandmother's resort, uncovering dark family secrets spanning generations.

Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno Magic, family traditions, and generations of secrets intersect on a remote island where two sisters face their family's legacy.

A Line in the Dark by Malinda Lo Family loyalties and deceptions surface when a girl becomes entangled in her best friend's relationship and a subsequent death investigation.

🌊 E. Lockhart wrote Family of Liars as a prequel to her bestselling novel We Were Liars, but waited eight years between publishing the two books 🏖️ The story takes place on the private island of Beechwood, off the coast of Massachusetts, which was inspired by Martha's Vineyard and other New England summer destinations 💊 The author conducted extensive research on 1980s prescription drug culture to accurately portray the era's casual attitude toward medication and substance use 👻 Throughout the novel, the protagonist Carrie interacts with ghosts, leaving readers to question whether they are real manifestations or products of her grief and medication 🎭 E. Lockhart's real name is Emily Jenkins, and she writes children's books under her real name while using her pen name for young adult fiction