Mia and her daughter Pearl are new to town. Mia, an artist, moves them frequently as she chases inspiration, but Pearl is begging her mother to stay in one place for a while – and Mia agrees. When they land in Shaker Heights outside Cleveland, Ohio, and meet the Richardson family, they have no idea how much their lives will change. A cheap rental, a job, friendship, inspiration, and secrets revealed – the Richardsons upend the “normal” life Mia is trying to create.
Celeste Ng’s moving narrative in Little Fires Everywhere explores the damage secrets of all kinds can cause, as well as assumptions that we know what is best for those around us. Following various family dramas, Ng highlights the struggle of adoption from all sides: parents desperate for a child, surrogates, birth mothers, the legal system, women who choose abortion, and the community around them. This award-winning book is a coming-of-age book unlike any other I’ve ever read.
I give Little Fires Everywhere 5 out of 5 stars. Celeste Ng’s writing has a way of staying with you after reading. The vivid descriptions and relatable characters make this book come alive – I can understand why it was developed for the screen after it’s release! While there were no unexpected twists or mystery reveals in the reading, this book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I finished this book several days ago and it has been difficult to hold my review until now – it’s just that good!
If you are a fan of Ng’s other works such as Our Missing Hearts, you will enjoy this book! I also recommend this reading for those working in the adoption and related legal fields – seeing the circumstances from another view point is often helpful. With discussions of teen sex, abortion, and mental health, this may not be suitable for audiences under 16.
Little Fires Everywhere was the first book I thought of when I saw the Booklist Queen Reading Challenge prompt “about adoption”. I didn’t know the full plot but knew that there was a storyline about a woman trying to regain custody of her child and stop an adoption. I was surprised to find how many other references to adoption were included from a woman acting as a surrogate, but choosing to keep the child, to a woman choosing abortion over carrying to term. As an adoptee myself, I have spent time considering the “what ifs” – what if my birth mother chose abortion or chose to keep me? I have never found a novel that explored these topics as elegantly and relatably as this book. This was my second read from Celeste Ng and I’m looking forward to reading many more by the author!
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