This is the book that the acclaimed tv series is based on, and although I haven’t watched the show yet (it’s on my to-watch list), the novel makes a quick and entertaining read.
Set in a quiet coastal suburb in Australia, the book centers on three mothers whose children are all starting kindergarten together. Madelaine (Reese Witherspoon’s character in the show) is a feisty and entertaining center to the trio; she takes up battles against other playground moms while dealing with the frustrations of living in the same small community as her ex-husband and his new wife (Zoe Kravitz), whose daughter is also entering the same kindergarten class. Celeste (Nicole Kidman) is the rich, beautiful and reserved mom of twin boys; she is working out whether to stay with her abusive husband (Alexander Sarsgaard). Jane (Shailene Woodley) is a young single mom whose son is accused on bullying the daughter of another well-off ‘kindy mom’, Renata (Laura Dern). The bullying accusation sets off a chain of events that the novel tells us at the beginning will end in the death of one parent at a school trivia night; the details- which parent dies, why and how- are fleshed out as the novel moves forward.
This is the second Lianne Moriarty I’ve read (the first was The Husband’s Secret), and it confirmed for me just how much I like her style. She is fabulous at creating fully realized, smart female characters, who certainly aren’t always perfect but are self-aware of their flaws, and very relatable. Moreover, and from a pleasure-reading perspective, even when she is diving into dark subject matter (domestic abuse, death, bullying), she manages to keep the dialogue funny and the plot pacing swift, so reading never feels like a chore (I also loved the interview snippets with various parents that open and close chapters- they are hilarious and often witty). I’m really glad I picked this one up, and I’ll be looking out for more of Ms. Moriarty’s work.