IRL Update: So somehow it's been 13 months since the last book review. Furthermore, I also didn't read that many books this year (2025). Fortunately, that means I have a chance to catch up on reviews and start 2026 fresh.
A beautiful and beautifully written story. The best way I can describe it is a combination of To Kill a Mockingbird and Parasite. The protagonists are a poor family who both spend much of their time at a rich family (the Parasite part) and one of the key points of conflict between the families is a controversial trial happening in the city (the Mockingbird part).
I really like how natural the exposition feels throughout the story. The Warren and Richardson families have interesting backstories that make me genuinely want to learn more about them. Ng spins up different storylines by shifting the third-person narrator’s attention between different characters, all of which come to head for a satisfying ending.
I thought the most powerful theme presented here is the bond between mother and daughter —* as much as a daughter needs her mother, the reverse is also true. My favourite book on motherhood remains A Thousand Splendid Suns, but Ng’s terrific story secures Little Fires Everywhere a solid rating too.
*I SWEAR I am a pre-AI em-dash user. I don’t use AI to write things on this website.