Ever since Erika was a young child she has envied her best friend, Clementine. Clementine had two normal parents who did things like go on vacation and bake cookies. Erika was deeply embarrassed by her mother and lived in fear that people would discover that her mother was a hoarder. It was tough to handle as a child and it is tough to handle as an adult. After all these years, Clementine and Erika are still friends. Clementine and her husband, Sam, have two beautiful young girls. Erika and her husband, Oliver, have tried everything possible to get pregnant. They decide to invite them to a barbecue at their neighbor's, but first, they want to ask Sam and Clementine for a huge favor. They want to ask Clementine if she will donate her eggs for them to have a baby. The two couples head over to the barbecue with that between them. They eat,they drink, they say things not meant to be overheard. And tragedy strikes and nobody at the barbecue will ever be the same again. Will the three couples be able to put their lives back together and remain friends in the process? Or will one night separate them all?
Truly Madly Guilty is one of those books with so many layers that it feels as if you may not uncover them all. Not only is this book about friendships, but marriages, and even community relationships and all that they can withstand. And it is a lot. Erika and Oliver live in a quiet cul-de-sac where the neighbors are all friendly, even with the grumpy old man, Harry. It is pretty idyllic, and Oliver hopes that someday they will get to raise a family there, even though Erika isn't fully committed to the idea of a family. She is concerned about passing along her mother's illness and I can't blame her. The events of the night of the barbecue shake things up pretty drastically in more ways than one. And you see those consequences long before you find out exactly what happened. It drives you a little mad with suspense, but it only adds to the feelings about the book. The book mostly takes place in the present, but the author flashes back to "The Day of the Barbecue" pretty frequently to build the suspense of what happens. As the reader, you don't know for sure what happens until quite a ways into the book, but you know whatever it is was pretty bad. When all of the secrets of the neighborhood are revealed it just makes me sad. Like seriously sad. CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS
Bottom line - Liane Moriarty knows how to expertly tell a tale piece by piece. The final product is such a good book that it will stick with you long after you finish the last page.
Details:
- Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
- On Facebook
- Pages: 432
- Publisher: Flatiron Books
- Publication Date: 7/25/2016
- Buy it Here!
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I can't plod thru this boring book anymore. What happened at the stupid BBQ?
I got the same message as hasn't blue.
I can't believe this book was really written by Liane Moriarity. I loved all her previous books but this one had none of the magic I tried hard but gave up after 100 pages
I felt that way too and frustrated by all the unrelated dialogue throughout and jumping back and forward from the day of the barbecue to weeks later to weeks later.
It was only towards the end it got really good and the book hard to put down, not ideal book when you want a good read hard to put. down from the start. I was therefore very glad I finished it
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