Truly Madly Guilty

I like most of Liane Moriarty's books, but this one is my favorite. It shows how one fleeting moment can have a huge impact on the lives of everyone involved, how different people process their feelings in different ways, and how important it is to forgive not just others, but also yourself. Most of all I loved Ms. Moriarty's characters. They are so well written with distinctive voices and viewpoints, and I grew very fond of all of them by the end, even some who I didn't like earlier in the book. This was a page tuner with a satisfying ending.

Another great story by Ms. Moriarty! I just love her books so. Here's why this one is so great...

1. The characters are very deeply constructed. The reader really gets a great sense of who they are without a lot of "this is what happened in the past" kind of back-storytelling. All of the details are gently woven into the story along the way to help explain motivation, emotion, and drive. Clementine is one of the main characters in this book. She is a professional cellist. Being a professional musician myself, I really appreciated the research that was done and the complete understanding of what it is like to live and breathe this lifestyle. Yes, it's a lifestyle. There are no days off from practicing and maintaining our endurance and technique. I couldn't believe when Ms. Moriarty even talked about "the wolf!" Yes! That is a very specific detail of cello playing! Clementine's preparation and feelings about auditioning and performing in general were spot-on. Erika is another character who's mother is a hoarder. That complicated relationship is explored on all levels and is also spot-on.

2. The storylines are not at all outlandish. What happens in this book can and does happen to everyone. Some things are mundane, some things are big. But everything is relatable to every reader, either personally or through knowing someone else. I think that's what grabs my attention - I want to see how my experience is the same or different so I feel more connected.

3. The chapters are told from different perspectives, and sometimes out of time sequence. I find that this is a fantastic storytelling technique that works perfectly for Ms. Moriarty's style. Hearing different versions and sides of an event gives a nice 360º view of the truth. It's what keeps me hooked!

I read this book the week of the November 2016 USA Presidential Election. I needed this book!!! I needed the distraction, I needed the pull to a reality that wasn't mine, and I needed the escape. Upon reflection, I would have still loved this book. But I read it during a time where it was nice to shut off the tv, get away from the internet, and read a truly wonderful book. My only regret was that I couldn't stay home from work, curled up in bed, so I could just plow through in one day. Fans of Ms. Moriarty will enjoy. New readers - this is a great book to start with!! Then go read her other books.

This is a steady page-turner about human nature and how people react to emergency situations and those situation’s lasting effects. Written in third person, the book alternates perspectives between the six adults and one of the child characters. Therefore, different personalities get the chance to speak and be understood. One amazing thing about this book is that I thought I was trying to figure out one mystery. It turned out there were several twists and turns still coming. After the “incident” was explained, the story continued to unfold is surprising and shocking ways. Tough issues are brought to light and life for people that go through these things are a little better understood. Because of the different perspectives, the reader is given the story from every different angle. The expectation on women and mothers is one subtopic that is true to life and very frustratingly realistic. Who’s to blame when things go wrong? Can an accident actually be an accident when adults could have stopped it? This is a stressful but great read. The only problem I found with the book was the use of withholding information. The characters were clearly upset about something that had happened at a barbeque and it was brought up constantly, without being explained until halfway through the book. It was a bit annoying that the information was being held back just to make me keep reading. It went on too long that way. BUT, it was worth it. The “incident” was as bad as the characters were making it out to be.

Spoilers below The six adults at the barbeque had very different, very real personalities and were easy to accept as they were. The circumstances of them having an enjoyable time, standing around being playful with each other was also very understandable. It’s easy to feel like there are too many people around for things to go wrong. So, when Ruby fell into the fountain, and no one noticed, it’s also easy to see how this could happen. A parent’s worst fear is to lose a child. But to lose a child when they were just feet away would be unbearable. The whole situation is possible and terribly frightening. The reactions of blame and self-blame and avoidance seem very realistic. Everyone has an opinion of what should have been happening and who is to blame when a child is hurt and at the same time, it’s something that could happen to anyone. This story hits a serious and dangerous situation from all angles and gives a very realistic approach to how people handle this sort of event. This is a powerful story that I would recommend.