Book Club: Nine Perfect Strangers

I’ve never read anything else by Liane Moriarty but i’m a HUGE fan of the show Big Little Lies (although never read the book) so I was super excited to read this. Set in a wellness retreat in Australia, run by a woman who had a near death experience, nine guests arrive for a break they most certainly won’t forget. I honestly had no idea where this story would go but was instantly drawn into Moriarty’s characters. When I knew she’d be telling the story from the perspective of nine different spa residents and two of the staff, so eleven points of view in total, I was worried i’d get a bit lost, but she did this SO well. I do agree with the others that this did feel a little slow paced at first and as a lover of twists, turns, thrillers and true crime, I thought it would be a little more gritty than it actually turned out to be. I don’t want to give away any spoilers so will leave it as vague as that, but I did feel the ending wasn’t quite how I’d have liked but overall I enjoyed the book and storyline! I like how real and complex the characters were and the overall journey we are taken on as readers to discover through them what really matters. I found Moriarty’s writing style so easy to get lost in and would love to read more of her books.

3.5/5
Wouldn’t read again
Would recommend

I didn’t really have any expectations for this book as the cover gives nothing away and purposefully tried not to read any blurbs just for the lols. It was a bit tricky to keep up with as the story is told from a whopping 11 points of view but Moriarty does this very well and even though not a lot was going on for the first few days of the retreat I enjoyed her writing style. It’s super hard to review the second half/ending without giving anything away but I really enjoyed and would definitely recommend it, great pool read for sure if you’re going away for some Winter sun!

3.5/5

Wouldn’t read again
Would definitely recommend

This book honestly wasn’t what I was expecting, but MAN were there some twists!! Health retreats are such a big thing now, and to take it down a darker path (albeit a VERY crazy one) makes for a good story. I think the plot was weak in places, but I enjoyed reading how everyone responded differently and dealt with their issues, even if it was an intense way to do so. Definitely an easy holiday read!

Rating out of 5 – 3.5

Would you read it again? Maybe

Would you recommend it to a friend? Yes

I’m a huge ‘Big Little Lies’ fan so I knew this book was going to be a quality read based on those credentials alone. Straight off the bat it had a lot going for it; plenty of intrigue and complex diverse characters, you’ve got; lottery winners, a “has been”, a health junkie and a newly divorcee in the mix all set within the serene setting of a wellness spa, what’s not to like, right? She has a way of making her characters very real and relatable but I have to say I did think the pace was too slow and the twists needed to come a lot sooner to keep me completely hooked.

3/5
Wouldn’t read again
Would recommend

I came into this one fresh having never read anything by Liane Moriarty (nor having watched Big Little Lies yet, shockingly), but will definitely be looking for some more, I love her writing style and found it witty and engaging. I like the premise – starting things off with a wellness spa feels like an intriguing modern setting. It was slower than I’d hoped but does eventually pick up, and while I was initially concerned about getting lost in following nine characters, but it was written in a way that allowed you to stay on top. It wasn’t as much of a dramatic mystery as I hoped, but a pleasant read nonetheless.

3.5/5
Would not read again
Would recommend to a friend

I am a fan of Liane Moriarty’s other books (and the Big Little Liars show) so was very keen to read this one! It ended up being not at all what I was expecting – I somehow thought that it would be more of a murder mystery. Instead, we got different character portraits – some of which I found more intriguing than others (I liked Frances’s storyline, but felt less connected to some of the others – especially the main “villain” of the story, who felt a bit like a caricature rather than a real person). Once I got into the main part of the book, I did find myself enjoying it more – although the plot is quite bonkers. By the end, I thought it was clear Liane had an absolute blast writing this book and I found it more funny than I did thrilling or suspenseful. A very fast-paced read and perfect holiday escapism.

3.5/5
Won’t re-read
Would recommend for a great holiday read!