BOOK REVIEW: We Fell Apart by E Lockhart

The invitation arrives out of the blue.

In it, Matilda discovers a father she’s never met. Kingsley Cello is a visionary, a reclusive artist. And when he asks her to spend the summer at his seaside home, Hidden Beach, Matilda expects to find a part of herself she’s never fully understood.

Instead, she finds Meer, her long-lost, openhearted brother; Brock, a former child star battling demons; and brooding, wild Tatum, who just wants her to leave their crumbling sanctuary.

With Kingsley nowhere to be seen, Matilda must delve into the twisted heart of Hidden Beach to uncover the answers she’s desperately craving. But secrets run thicker than blood, and blood runs like seawater.

And everyone here is lying.

"I am not just a girl in a college sweatshirt. Beneath my surface there is darkness and strength. Maybe madness. But maybe magic."

Despite not being a fan of it in real life, I just love it when writers lie to me. When they confuse me, make me distrustful of everything I'm reading and keep me very firmly on my toes. I guess that's why I've been such a lover of Lockhart for over a decade. 

We Fell Apart is set in the same world, just across the water from the other stories in the We Were Liars universe; while it can definitely be a standalone, there's quite a few references to major events in the other stories that tie it in beautifully while having it's own unique story but does have a lot of spoilers. 

So, say hello to Matilda, who has just discovered her father exists but also that he's an eccentric, famous painter and quite a controversial figure. Might not sound perfect, but her Mother is another kind of eccentric; fleeting, whimsical, selfish and impulsive. Matilda finds herself launched into a new world, one surrounded by opulence and privilege but where everything is slightly strange. But instead of a heartfelt reunion with her dad, she finds herself waiting for him with the other residents of her new family home; the story becoming a strange tableau of days melting into each other while the anxiety sets in about this elusive man and his history, a mystery just waiting to be discovered. It was beautifully crafted, although the crux of the emotionally devastating moments felt very 'told'. 

Each character was full of … well, character. From the beautiful Saar, taking in his ex girlfriends child as his own, to Matilda's selfish but complicated parents, and the standoffish, intriguing and charming residents of Hidden Beach - each one was nuanced, full of presence; I loved, hated and admired them.

The setting was absolutely immaculate, a real Lockhart Special. It has a way of invoking a deep sense of nostalgia for somewhere I've never been, conjuring hot hazy summer vibes through vibrant scenes and little details that make an immersive world, a fictional  version of our world with little references to literature, art and games that add a sense of familiarity. 

It has the same maddening, flowery, slightly erratic storytelling that I absolutely fell in love with previously, but it felt just a bit too similar to Cadence's narration in the OG and considering everything was first person it made it slightly odd to read. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

• We Fell Apart is available from November 4th with Bonnier Books. I received a reviewers copy of this title.