Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng

Another book I saw in Indigo and ended up getting at the library. This one I would buy. I really liked it.

The book follows the lives of the Richardson family in Shaker Heights, a suburb of Cleveland. The community was planned out in every way and Elena Richardson lives her life following the rules. Then enters Mia Warren and her daughter Pearl and everything changes.

The book starts with the Richardson home burning to the ground and one of the Richardson kids, Izzy, suspected of starting the fire, and missing. We then go back to summer when Mia and Pearl moved into the Richardson's rental house. Mia was an artist who moved from town to town after she finished each art project. But she had promised Pearl that they would stay in Shaker Heights. Soon after moving into the house, Moody, the youngest Richardson son, became friends with Pearl. Eventually Pearl became integrated into the Richardson family and spent her afternoons with three of the four Richardson kids, Lexie, Trip, and Moody. As Pearl seemed to become part of the Richardson family, Izzy, the youngest Richardson daughter was drawn to Mia and would spend every afternoon with her.

We are introduced to another family in Shaker Heights, the McCullough's, who have recently adopted a baby who was abandoned at a fire station. Elena and Linda McCullough have been friends for years. When Mia hears about the baby, she realizes that it is likely the baby of a woman she works with at a Chinese restaurant. The woman, Bebe, desperately wants her baby back and Mia suggests she take her story to the news. When Elena realizes that Mia is behind this, she begins to dig into her past and discovers a lot of secrets.

I really enjoyed all the little twists of the book, all the different characters, the different story lines. My only disappointment was the way it ended so abruptly. I would have liked more closure. Maybe it was done that way to leave it up to the reader, maybe there's a sequel that could be written, but I was left hanging.