Ng perfectly captures the awkwardness of being a teenager and not knowing what to do, how to act, and who to be in the future.Īlong these same lines, it was also interesting to read about certain issues from the perspectives of different adults and teenagers. Although I’ve graduated college and am now in law school, reading about Izzy, Lexie, and Pearl’s struggles in high school brought me right back to my teenage years. In a way, I feel like it depends on the reader and which story line they personally relate to most.

It’s difficult to say whether you would fall in the young adult genre or adult genre. Not only were you much more character-driven than plot-driven, but you also included a balance of teenage and adult perspectives. You were different from what I expected in many ways that I really enjoyed. I knew the rest of the novel would be lead up to those initial moments, an explanation of why rather than what. You reminded me of The Secret History by Donna Tartt in this way, another novel that begins with what is conventionally thought to be the “end” of the story (in that case, a murder). I was hooked from the very beginning, with the aftermath of a fire set in the Richardson house. Needless to say, my expectations were already a little high when I first started listening to your audiobook. I had never read anything by Celeste Ng up until this point, and numerous other bookworms recommended you both for your gripping story and your fantastic writing.

You’ve been one of the most recommended books on my TBR ever since I watched and enjoyed Big Little Lies a few years ago. Dear Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng:

Little fire everywhere book