review - little fires everywhere

You’ve probably seen the previews on Hulu, or maybe you follow Reese’s book club, or maybe you’ve never even heard of Little Fires Everywhere. But this book, now made into a Hulu series, is one that you should definitely read. Now. Before you see the television series. Celest Ng won my heart with her first novel Everything I Never Told You. But she’s outdone herself with Little Fires Everywhere. Not only is the plot intricately woven and her story-telling superb, but Ng’s writing is so poignant. I could not put this book down.

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This story of two families, whose lives become intricately woven in so many little ways, touches upon so many controversial subjects – abortion, parenting, race, and privilege. It forces us to dig a little deeper into ourselves before judging others. And this makes it a perfect choice for a book club, sure to spur some passionate discussions. I can’t wait to watch the Hulu series now, but I’m so happy that I opened the pages of this paperback first. I give it 5 stars.

update:

This will be a first for me, but I just saw the television series, and I have to admit that I enjoyed it EVEN MORE than the book. I still heartily recommend the paperback for a book club discussion, but the Hulu series was intense. It went beyond the book and dug even deeper into the characters, finding tiny cracks and unspoken fears the book didn’t touch upon. Mia and Izzy, especially, became larger than life and characters of unforgettable magnitude. I fell in love with them in ways the book didn’t allow. Their frailties, their misgivings, their fears. And even single sentences they uttered resonated with me long after the series ended, such as Mia’s tender advice to Izzy, “You won’t swim forever.”

So read the book; it’s awesome. THEN watch the series. And savor every word in every episode. It’s beautiful. And intense. And will surely strike a chord.