books similar to little fires everywhere

All this to say, I like feeling close to the characters, and I found that the distant style of narration at this book kept you at arm’s length from them. I’ll admit that it’s my least favourite type of narration anyway, I like getting in characters heads, so first person really works best for me, though I have enjoyed books with close third person before. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.Īs I mentioned at the top of the review, one of my biggest issues with the book was the distant, omniscient type narration.

Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia’s past. When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town–and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.

Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.Įnter Mia Warren – an enigmatic artist and single mother – who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead.

Whilst the book certainly brought up some interesting discussions surrounding race and white privilege, the plot was kind of all over the place, and the distant style of narration meant that it always felt like the characters’ were kept at arms length from you, and that you were reading a report of the events rather than a narrative. Little Fires Everywhere is one of those rare books where I actually watched the TV adaptation before I read the book, and there definitely seems to be a pattern with these, because I definitely enjoyed the TV mini-series more. BECHDEL TEST: Pass-Mia and Izzy talk about her music teacher.Ĭontent Warnings: Racism, arson, abortion, alcoholism (mentioned), animal abuse (mentioned), bombs, bullying by a teacher, car crash, death of a sibling, mentions of domestic abuse, drugs, grief, hospital scenes, infertility, kidnapping, miscarriage, postpartum depression, poverty, pregnancy, mentions of rape, sexism, mentions of spiders, stalking, victim blaming, mentions of war

Books similar to little fires everywhere