Little Fires Everywhere

 Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

A Book Review by Kim from the Morden Branch

Genre: Adult Fiction | Pages: 178| 5/5 Stars

Thought-Provoking: 5/5 | Empowering: 3/5| Laughs: 1/5

Would you recommend this book to someone, why or why not?

"Little Fires Everywhere" was not my typical read, but was part of a Book Club. I prefer books with more thrilling and twisting plots. However, the story still unfolded at a good pace and I recommend reading this book to gain valuable insight into many controversial topics that average people face every day. 

How did the author keep you interested throughout the story?

The story takes place in 1997 to 1998 in Shaker Heights, Ohio; a city that was built as a planned community. In Shaker Heights you will find wealth, green space, diversity, and pride. It has a focus on the arts, especially photography and revolves around four main troubled families.

How did this book challenge or change your perspective or opinion on something?

There are many sensitive topics covered in this book...race, poverty, adoption, homelessness and abortion to name a few. The book portrays multiple points of view and judgement from community members. The key theme of this book, for me, was how different a mother-daughter relationship can be across a community.

How does this book compare to other books by the same author or in the same genre?

This was the first novel I have read by Celeste Ng. Sometime in the future, I plan to read "Everything I Never Told You". 

Who was your favourite character and why?

My favourite character was Isabelle "Izzy" Richardson. She was feisty and did not want to fit into the box that everyone expected her to. She lived life by travelling her own path and wanted more than conformity. 

Who was the character you disagreed with the most, and why?

My least favourite character was Elena Richardson who seemed to not have a clue about what her children were up to and cared more about social appearance than she did about teaching her children good life skills. 

How did you feel about the ending? Was it satisfying or did you want more?

Without giving away any spoilers, I can say the ending left me wanting to know more about the future of some of the main characters lives.