Big Little Lies by Liane MoriartyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Big Little Lies is astoundingly a marvelous novel that everyone, in particular women, should read because of how excellently it was written by Lianne Moriarty. I’ve read a lot of good review about this book, thus I immediately add it in my to-be-read list on 2015. However, I wasn’t able to read it right away; I’m also planning on watching the TV series adaptation of this novel after I’m done, hence I took the opportunity to read it recently because I have more spare time.
The setting in Australia, the characters, and the storyline were all carefully contemplated and nicely narrated. The story will make us compare our lives and ponder about others’ true lives in our surrounding to the characters in this book. We usually want to show only the good or the better façade; that we are contented and have a wonderful family. However, there’s a saying that, “Nothing’s perfect.”
No matter how good one can hide his or her problems; people will never believe that you are living in an ideal life that everyone dreams of. Celeste’s family is what the other mothers in the Pirriwee Public School consider as the epitome of the perfect life, which isn’t exactly what it appears to be. On the other hand, Jane’s is the exact opposite because people thought that her son, Ziggy, is a bully or a problem-child. Jane also suffers from eating disorder because she has a severe distress about her body weight, thus it is unmistakable that her severe thinness is apparent.
As for Madeline, her life story represents mothers’ dilemma with their growing child and on how they try all their best to keep up with their lives. Celeste’s tale of abusive husband is another wake up call to every woman that it’s not right that any men would just lay their hand on us, especially physical abuse, just because we did something that did not pleased them.
This book reminds me of an incident I witnessed when I was still in college. While I was walking on my way to school, I saw a couple of college student who were talking in the sidewalk. The guy was obviously angry and shouting while the girl was trying to explained to him. What shocked me was when I saw that he slapped this girl; it happened on a busy street and I’m not sure if aside from me, if there was anybody noticed that incident. I was stunned on what I’ve seen, but I just continued my walk to school. I didn’t bother to stop and meddle. Perhaps I was afraid that I might get hurt in the situation if I interfered, or maybe I just simply don’t want to be nosy on other people’s lives.
How I and the other people reacted that time just shows that there are still a lot of people that turn blind and deaf on cases of abuse. But as I got older, wiser and braver, I could say that if that I could come across the same unpleasant incident, I will be confident to speak up and stop that guy right away.
Sometimes, we should be more fearless in our actions and beliefs because it will be for the betterment, if not of our own life, of the lives of others. Just like what happened to the characters of Madeline, Celeste, Jane, as well as Bonnie and Renata, being brave and acting for what we think is right leads to the freedom of the two of them from the abuse. I don’t support what Bonnie did, but I condemn Perry and all the things he has done. In my opinion, Bonnie’s reaction was her only way to save Celeste that time, and what happened to Perry his unintentional.
May this book serve as a reminder that we, women, deserve a happy life; may it not be perfect, but it is much better than living in a make-believe.
