Book Review: Truly, Madly, Guilty by Liane Moriarty

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Liane Moriarty is one of my absolute favorite female writers. I love how complex her works and how real they are with a touch of wicked humor. She isn't afraid to tell it like it is, and she isn't afraid to have bold female characters who are hilarious.

Thus, when I picked up Truly, Madly, Guilty, I was happy to find a sense of tension and mystery from the beginning. The book is told in both present times and as a flashback to the night of the infamous barbecue. You learn early on that the barbecue was a changing moment in the life of three couples, and they are all haunted by the mysterious events. Moriarty keeps the details of the event a secret right up until the end. I found this to be intriguing at first. I kept wanting to read to figure out what could be so wrong with the barbecue. However, by the middle of the book, I felt like the plot was running a little thin. I felt like nothing that could have happened at the barbecue could warrant such a lengthy book. It felt like it dragged on a bit, and I did not finish this book as quickly as I usually do a Moriarty book.

I did like some of the big messages the book dealt with. I like that it dealt with infertility and hoarding, two diverse but important topics many people deal with in real life. I liked how real the characters were. All of them are flawed in ways that you can relate to. Their dynamic development was superb.

There were a few humorous moments, but nothing that made me laugh out loud like I usually do. I much prefer the humor and style of What Alice Forgot. For me, this lacked Moriarty's signature sense of comedy. I was also a little bit disappointed by the ending. I felt like what was meant to be poignant fell a bit flat.

All in all, this book is a good read because of its character development and its twisting plot. However, I think it is a bit lengthy for the plot line and lacks the typical Moriarty spark/charisma.

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