E. Lockhart's WE WERE LIARS

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends -- the Liars -- whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies. 
True love.
The truth.


Cadence Sinclair is a member of one of the most distinguished families in America. "No one is a criminal. No one is an addict. No one is a failure." The Sinclairs are all perfect, but some of them are liars. Her 15th summer spent on the private island owned by her grandfather begins like all others, swimming at the beach and spending time with her cousins. But the summer ends abruptly when a near-drowning accident leaves Cady with debilitating headaches and serious memory loss. Two years later, Cady and her mother return to the island, and Cady desperately tries to piece together the events that led up to her accident. 

The ending, though. I did not see it coming! This is a great book for anyone who loves a clever mystery and enjoys being shocked and a little heart-broken at the end of a book. The Sinclair family is fascinating, consisting of Cady's grandfather (the patriarch), his three useless daughters who constantly fight over their inheritance, Cady, her cousins, and their friend Gat (also Cady's love interest). The strain family quarrels place on Cady and her cousins adds to the reader's speculation of what actually happened during her 15th summer on the island. 

I loved hearing this story through Cady's voice; she captured the pressures of living under the shadow of an incredibly image-conscious family so well. Lockhart's narrative, as told by Cady, is fragmented and economic, much like the main character herself. This is a definite must read!