We Were Liars
Written by E. Lockhart
Published by Delacorte Press in 2014
ISBN: 978-0385741262
Grades 7 & up
Awards: School Library Journal Best Young Adult Books 2014
Book Review:
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is a mystery and suspense novel about a seemingly
perfect and sophisticated family visiting an idyllic location every summer.
Cadence Sinclair is one of the younger family members, and she visits with her
four cousins during that time. An
accident one summer leads Cadence to have amnesia about the events of the
previous two years, which is the time that the book takes place. As she pieces
everything together, a startling revelation becomes apparent. The story is not only about the events of
that one summer, but also about the families and the dysfunction that plagues
them. One of the best things about this book is the twisting suspense and
unexpected ending.
Professional Review:
Teaching Ideas:
English/Reading (VA SOL 10.3):
The student will apply knowledge of word origins, derivations, and figurative
language to extend vocabulary development in authentic texts.
The story is full of figurative language and
metaphors. Identify 4-5 examples of
figurative language. Interpret the
meaning of the language and define its purpose in the novel.
English/Reading (VA SOL 9.4):
The student will read, comprehend, and analyze a variety of literary texts
including narratives, narrative nonfiction, poetry, and drama.
The plot of the story jumps around in time. Pick
5-6 major events in the story and put them into an annotated timeline.
English/Writing (VA SOL 10.6):
The student will develop a variety of writing to persuade, interpret, analyze,
and evaluate with an emphasis on exposition and analysis.
After reading the novel, create a Before/After
list to compare the ways in which Cadence has changed over the course of the
story. For each item on the list,
provide one or more reasons why you think this has occurred.
Cadence writes her own fairytales during the
course of the book. Research fairytales
and find a story that relates to your life.
Re-write the fairy tale using your own friends or family as characters,
while putting your own twist to it.
Health (VA SOL 9.2t): The
student will explain the impact of health risks and identify strategies and
resources to limit risk. Explain the importance of community mental health
services.
Cadence suffers from a mental disorder called
dissociative amnesia. She can’t remember
events surrounding and following an accident. Students will research the
disorder and create a short pamphlet explain the causes and effects of the
disorder.
Book Pairs:
Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Colley.
It is about a girl who reappears after being kidnapped, but is unaware that she
is suffering from multiple personality disorder. This title is a good choice
for lower or reluctant readers. It was listed on YALSA’s Quick Picks for
Reluctant Young Readers in 2014.
Tighter by Adele Griffin. It
is about a teenager works as a nanny for the summer. She had a tramautizing
school year and takes the job to help recover. She soon realizes that she is
seeing things. The genre is similar to We
Were Liars. It was on the Kirkus Best Books list in 2011 and is appropriate
for high school aged students.
The Basic Eight by Daniel
Handler. This is a great pair for We Were
Liars because it also has the element of deciphering a tangled web of
deceit and lies, but with a different tone. It is most appropriate for 11th
and 12th grade readers or stronger 9th and 10th
grade readers. It is positively reviewed
by Library Journal.
Vanishing Girls by Lauren
Oliver. This is also a suspenseful novel that has a mystery surrounding a
terrible accident. Vanishing Girls is
high interest by a popular young adult author. It is appropriate for the high
school age group and has many positive reviews from well-respected sources.
Wuthering Heights by Emily
Bronte. This is a classic literary work that has a theme similar to that of We Were Liars. It is also a story about
an outsider being brought in to a prominent family. Wuthering Heights would work especially well as a partner title for
11th grade students as they study British literature as part of the
curriculum. It would also be good for
younger strong readers.
Further Explorations
Listen to the author discuss her favorite twists in other novels.
This is an exciting introduction to the novel with information about
the author.
This is a great list of books to read if you enjoyed the twists in this
novel.
This novel has beautiful writing and several memorable quotes. This website has many of these great quotes.
Students who are interested in learning more about the mental disorder
plaguing Cadence can read more about it here.
Cadence enjoys writing her own fairy tales in the book. This website
gives good information on how to write your own fairy tale.
This is a short, enjoyable fan made book trailer for We Were Liars.
References:
Amazon Books. (2014, May 14). E. Lockhart
on we were liars [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFtE9KMQ48E
Book Lover's Book Club. (n.d.). We were liars quotes. Retrieved
from http://bookloversbookclub.tumblr.com/post/93547555236/we-were-liars-quotes
Brontë, E. (2008). Wuthering
heights. Waiheke Island: Floating Press.
Cleveland Clinic Foundation. (2012). Dissociative amnesia.
Retrieved from
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/neurological_institute/center-for-behavorial-health/disease-conditions/hic-dissociative-amnesia
Coley, L. (2013). Pretty
girl-13. New York, NY: Katherine Tegen Books.
Dyer, M. (2014, August 18). We were liars, things we lost in the fire [Video
file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX7jGNL__R4
Griffin, A. (2011). Tighter.
New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.
Handler, D. (1999). The basic
eight. New York, NY: Thomas Dunne Books.
Kelley, A. (2014, January 1). We were liars. Retrieved from
http://www.booklistonline.com/We-Were-Liars-E-Lockhart/pid=6493548
Kim. (2014, September 15). How to write a fairy tale. Retrieved from
http://writeshop.com/genres-how-to-write-a-fairy-tale/
Lockhart, E. (2014). We were
liars. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.
Oliver, L. (2015). Vanishing
girls. New York, NY: Harper.
Silverman, K. (2014, September 10). We were liars — Someday
my Printz will come. Retrieved from
http://blogs.slj.com/printzblog/2014/09/10/we-were-liars/
We were liars. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://wewereliarsbook.tumblr.com/
White, C. (2014, May 19). We were liars and 8 other books
you’ll love if you were shocked by the twist in gone girl. Retrieved from
http://www.bustle.com/articles/24141-we-were-liars-and-8-other-books-youll-love-if-you-were-shocked-by-the-twist
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