Little Fires Everywhere
By Celeste Ng
Shaker Heights is a perfectly constructed suburb of Cleveland. Rules, traditions, and most importantly a life of principle are the modus operandi until Mia Warren, and her daughter Pearl, move into the Richardson’s annex house. The Richardson’s are the epitome of small town white folk whose life gets turned upside down as the mysterious past of the Warren family unravels. As it does the Richardson’s seemingly perfect family might not be as perfect as they want the town to believe. Now a hit series on Hulu starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington.
“Sometimes you need to scorch everything to the ground, and start over. After the burning the soil is richer, and new things can grow. People are like that, too. They start over. They find a way.”
Thoughts
What a surprising story that explores the layers of social classes in America, and racial microaggressions that exist in suburbia. I don’t normally go for a book like this, but it was selected by my book club and I couldn’t put it down. The depiction of the Richardson’s four children and bashful parents reminded me of growing up in the suburbs of New York, and all of the interesting characters who inhabit it. It felt as though I got to spend time as a fly on the wall of well-off families I’ve known all my life, but never truly knew. Then to have that drastically compared to the heart breaking yet empowering Warren clan of two made this story irresistible. As this hits the big screen Mia Warren, played by Kerry Washington, will be a timeless character for years to come, and one of the most enjoyable to learn about. The fiery ending, human connection between both families, and realness of growing up and facing your identity make this a must read.
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