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We Were Liars is a mysterious young adult fiction by E. Lockhart, published in 2014. The book follows a wealthy family who spends the summer on an island together. The book follows Cadence, almost eighteen, who tells the story of her family, the Sinclairs, who spend every summer on a private island. She and her cousins, called “the Liars,” have a close bond, but after a mysterious accident, Cadence suffers from memory loss and migraines which the family keeps quiet. Over the summer, she uncovers the truth about a family argument that led to the Liars burning down their Granddad’s house, causing the deaths of her cousins and Gat, leaving Cadence to face the guilt and remorse.

Introduction: 

Analysis: 

Cadence struggles to remember what happened during the summer of her accident while also trying to understand her family’s legacy. The novel alternates between lies and truth, reflecting Cadence’s difficulty in recovering her memories. As she recounts her story, Cadence uses literary devices to weave together parts of her past, often mixing reality with lies to represent her inner complicatedness. The novel’s structure mirrors her mental and emotional confusion, as she tries to uncover the truth while being trapped by her trauma. Cadence accuses her family, especially her mother and grandfather, of hiding the truth from her, but as the story unfolds, she realizes that the truth can only come from within herself. Her journey starts much earlier, during summer eight when her father leaves, and from that moment, she retreats to Beechwood Island with her family, trying to find a sense of normalcy. As Cadence tries to understand her relationships, especially with Gat, she is blind to the bigger picture, focusing only on her idealized version of love and her desire for a pain-free life. However, her journey reveals that her desires are rooted in the same selfishness and privilege she criticizes in her family. In the end, Cadence must face her flaws and recognize that she, too, shares the destructive qualities of her family. Only by accepting these traits can she begin to heal and make choices that break the pain and  in her life.

Conclusion:We Were Liars is a mysterious young adult novel by E. Lockhart, published in 2014. The book follows a wealthy family who spends the summer on an island. The book introduces and shows the perspective of the protagonist, Cadence Sinclair, who suffers from memory loss and migraines. She decides to uncover the truth about a family argument that led to her cousins and her group called the Liars burning down their Granddad’s house, leading to the death of her cousins and Gat, her lover. This causes Cadence to feel guilt and remorse over the tragic deaths of her beloved cousins and Gat.