Liars and Saints

This is one of those books that, when I started reading it, I thought it was rather odd somehow, but it grew on me a lot by the end. The particularly odd aspect is that, the characters never really did the same. I ranged from being deeply annoyed and/or frustrated to being mildly okay with individual characters, depending who it was. I never truly liked any of them. Yet, there was something about this dysfunctional family and their story, including their individual faults and weaknesses, which ultimately becomes extremely compelling and engaging. I wanted to know what happened to them, while wondering how they could possibly move forward from their current positions. There is definitely some rather messed up stuff in this book, which in show more many ways might leave you happy this family is not yours. Yet, at the same time, they are in many ways rather normal, at least in the sense that there is no such thing as a perfect family. In this way, the title is fitting, as it speaks to the truth of us all. I'd read it again. show less

I bought Liars and Saints on vacation, on the recommendation of Powell's staff, and I initially wasn't expecting very much. Usually, for starters, I like books that have more pages - I like o get very deeply into a book. And, I have an unfortunate trust problem with new authors - I am nervous about reading people I haven't read before because I expect to be disappointed. (There is psychotherapy in here somewhere, I just know it.) But Liars and Saints blew me away. The writing is perfectly sparse - simple, and clean, and yet not flat or boring; it's a hard line to walk, and Meloy walks it quite well. It reminds me a bit of Jeffrey Eugenides. This is a story of a few generations of family, and this particular one has a few more lies and show more dramas than you would believe is average - but yet, it didn't feel unbelievable. The characters were compelling, and I wanted to keep turning pages and find out what happened. All in all, it was a delightful surprise and a very enjoyable read. show less

Incredibly rich family tale: You don't have to be Catholic (I am not) for this book to blow you away. It is full of truth, the characters are real and rich, and the story is beautifully written. I finished it in tears, and cannot recommend it highly enough.

It can be difficult to create character voices that are easy to distinguish, and most authors limit themselves to two, maybe three points of view per book for that exact reason. Maile Meloy went all in with her debut novel: she has seven. Moreover, these seven characters grow and change as the story progresses, and their voices change with them, never losing their individuality. That was actually my favorite thing about this book, how well the author wrote her characters and their imperfections, self-doubts, courage and faith. They kept me listening, and that is what ultimately counts as far as characters go.
This book was short-listed for the Orange Prize in 2005, and while I can see why it went as far as to be short-listed I also see show more why it did not win. The plot is to blame, particularly two aspects of it. One came about half-way through and it required me to suspend my disbelief a bit too much. Had it been omitted I wouldn't have minded, in fact, it would have kept me more grounded in the story. The second time the plot development didn't work for me was toward the end of the book, and this time it seemed like a cop-out that forced the story toward resolution. I haven't read very many novels that tell about several generations of a family, so I can't give examples of ones where similar situations would've been handled better, I just know that the way Meloy wrapped up her book didn't work all that well for me. (You have no idea how hard it is to abide by my own no-spoilers policy right now.)
When cover copy tells you that this is a story of a family with a history of deception you begin reading with the expectation of wowza moments. If there are no such moments then what's the point of telling such a story, right? Well, let me tell you, there is a wowza moment alright. When I first realized where the author was going I was sure she wasn't going to actually go there. But she did. All the way. It's quite a shocker, and I can't tell you want it was, but it made me post on FB and Twitter that I was suitably shocked. (Don't you wish right now I didn't have a no-spoilers policy?)
If you are looking for a novel that's a quick read, has rich characters and a plot that at times approaches the twists and turns of a daytime soap opera this book is for you! show less

In her debut novel, Liars and Saints, Maile Meloy explores family relationships, deceit, truth and religion through the Santerre family. Spanning over four generations, each chapter is told from a member of the Santerre family - some get more of a voice than others, but each person is enveloped in the conflicts that rock the family.

The story opens with Yvette and Teddy Santerre during World War II. We learn that the couple are deeply in love, but their young marriage isn't without struggles, compounded by Teddy's deployment to the Pacific theater. Teddy is insecure and jealous of his beautiful wife, and Yvette wrestles with her roles as wife and mother. The couple have two daughters, Margot and Clarissa, and the story moves quickly to show more when the girls become teenagers, and a particular night that would change the family forever.

At the surface, the issues facing the Santerre family are the stuff of daytime soap operas, but Meloy writes so eloquently, you hardly notice. The family members individually grapple with truth versus deceit. Is it better to spill the beans or keep things discreet? Sometimes, the choices the family made were ones they want to hide (even from each other), while others need to be aired out. True to life, you don't know if it is a good idea to disclose a secret until after it's done. Hindsight is always 20/20.

Liars and Saints is a solid debut, and I am not surprised to find it on the Orange Prize short list (2005). It's not without flaws, but its pace and story development are spot on. I look forward to more stories by Maile Meloy. show less

I bought this as a present as part of a box set for my mother-in-law who as any good reader does, past it back when she was finished. I’m pleased she did as I might have missed this along the way. A simplistic cover and a fairly slim volume are not usually what catches your eye when book browsing. Not many people would love the Richard & Judy emphasis but I often find they make good holiday reading and this is exactly that.

At the first chapter I almost thought twice but decided it was short enough to keep going (another reviewer has mentioned this as well). For some reason the character of Yvette just didn’t appeal to me (as the young Yvette) but it all soon changed. I suppose with a book spanning 50 years you do need to start with show more the main two characters when the book is covering four generations (although the main content refers to three). In another writer’s hands the waffly rubbishy would have appeared about what they were doing for dinner etc, where as in this author’s hands it was quite simply delightful prose and the actual prose that mattered; not the mundane day to day stuff.

There are one or two cringe-worthy moments but I suppose the author is trying to develop the characters for the readers and these were perhaps the best way to do so. Really lovely, all tied up at the end. Well worth a read. show less

I ripped through this 260-page book in a little over a day. Liars centers on several generations of a family, this one being a Canadian-American family. While the story touches on ancestry in Canada, it mainly stays California-based. The story deals with the life of a deeply catholic couple that starts a family in the post-World War II era. The mother tries to keep the family from harm by covering up a teen pregnancy. Her deception snowballs into other deceptions and finally the truth comes out and must be confronted. The book deals with faithfulness to the church and to the family. An amazingly readable story, and a great debut novel from Meloy.