Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

My neice is an avid reader and suggested I read Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. So I did. I don’t usually review books I would have reservations recommending. But this story deals with so many issues which are relevant to our young adult readers, I recommend it with caution.

The story is about a very tidy community in which families follow unstated rules and live comfortably. But Mia Warren and her daughter, Pearl, move into Shaker Heights and things do not continue status quo. The relationships of both mother and daughter tend to divide the community and the Richardson family.

The book is written well and kept me captivated. Even though the story reads as young adult fiction, I easily related to several characters. Themes include coming of age, first love, and following rules. My cautionary note is in reference to the inclusion of teenage sexual encounters, abortion, and arson in the story.

Little Fires Everywhere can be the vehicle for discussions about abortion versus parenting, sex outside of marriage, miscarriage and loss, etc. It is for mature readers and I strongly urge parents to read it along with their children.

Ng, Celeste. Little Fires Everywhere. Penguin Books, 2019.