Title: Little Fires Everywhere
Author: Celeste Ng
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Publication Date: 7 September 2017
Genre: Adult Fiction
Where To Purchase: Takealot, Exclusive Books, Book Depository
Rating:
Celeste Ng’s novel, Little Fires Everywhere, is the story of two families whose lives intertwine in Shaker Heights – an ordered, middle-class American neighbourhood. The Richardsons resemble the perfect family – wealthy, beautiful, and successful all around. The Warrens, on the other hand, are nomadic, minimalist, and do not play by the rules. The friendships that develop between the children of these two families marks the beginning of a complex story concerned with the meaning of family and the subtle impact that people have on each other’s lives. I highly enjoyed Little Fires Everywhere for its focus on small-town politics and the complex characters. However, I felt that the novel made some questionable comments regarding adoption and who can be considered a mother, which ultimately made me a bit uncomfortable.
