I didn't know what to expect when picking up this book but it definitely took you on a journey of confusion, frustration, shock, and sadness.
The Plot.
Cadence Sinclair Eastman struggles to remember what happened to her during her fifteenth summer at their family's vacation home. Cadence’s family has always sought to present itself as perfect and rich. During the summer vacation of her fifteenth year on her family’s private island, Cadence has an accident which causes her to suffer debilitating headaches. Additionally, Cadence has amnesia, and can’t remember the details of what happened to her that summer. She sees herself as damaged and believes she no longer fits with her perfect family. To make matters worse, her mother and others won’t tell her the details of her accident. Nearly two years after her accident, she still hasn’t seen from the group of closest cousins and her boyfriend — a group known as The Liars — who were her constant companions while on the island.
During the summer of her seventeenth year, Cadence dedicates herself to learning the truth about what really happened to her. As she spends time on the island, Cadence begins to remember the increasing friction between her mother, the aunts, and her grandfather as they fight over the possessions that once belonged to her grandmother. Her grandfather tries to manipulate his children through the promise of houses and jewelry. When they don’t follow his wishes, he makes threats to disown his three daughters, pits one against the other, and makes promises he can’t fulfill. Because her mother and aunts depend on their father for the money needed to sustain their lifestyles, they allow themselves to be more and more manipulated and degraded. Cadence finally remembers one night that the women decided they’d had enough. Hoping to get rid of the cause of the adults’ arguments and make them see there is more to life than just possessions, The Liars decide to set fire to island house in which their grandparents lived.
Unfortunately, the fire catches quickly and Cadence’s cousins and boyfriend are unable to escape from the house. Adding to the shock of the ending, Cadence had believed that her cousins and boyfriend joined her on the island during her seventeenth summer. When she learns they died in the fire, she realizes she is able to see them only because they have returned "from the dead" to help her regain her memory of the tragic events of their final summer together.
Book Review.
It was hard to relate to the extravagant lifestyle the Sinclair's had. Aside from their lifestyle, a clear message from the reading was that no matter where you come from, all families have their issues, secrets, and drama! Lockhart's writing especially during the amnesia stage of Cadence is shared in a metaphoric way, which makes the story much more engaging for the reader.
Okay lets talk about the plot twist, when I first read it, I literally had to put the book down. taking a few minutes to let that sink sin, before I could pick up the book again. It is so unexpected. Nothing is going to prepare you that, so have a few tissues ready nearby. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries, suspense, and psychological thrillers!
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Until the next post!
-WanderlustBeautyDreams ♡
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