How well do we truly know the people around us? Little Fires Everywhere is a novel that challenges this question, reminding us that we often see only fragments of others’ lives—glimpses shaped by our own assumptions, biases, and limited understanding. Through a cast of deeply complex characters, Celeste Ng masterfully unravels the hidden struggles, secrets, and past experiences that shape each person's choices.

Set in the meticulously planned suburban community of Shaker Heights, Little Fires Everywhere follows the intertwined lives of two families: the wealthy, picture-perfect Richardsons and the enigmatic Mia Warren, a single mother and artist, who moves into their rental property with her teenage daughter, Pearl. When the McCulloughs—a well-respected white couple—attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, the town becomes divided, and loyalties are tested. Meanwhile, secrets from Mia’s past begin to unravel, forcing both families to confront uncomfortable truths. With its exploration of privilege, motherhood, identity, and moral ambiguity, Little Fires Everywhere is a thought-provoking story that questions whether we can ever truly understand someone else's life.

This book is not about a grand, sweeping plot; instead, it immerses us in a pivotal moment in its characters’ lives, revealing who they are by peeling back layers of their pasts. Ng masterfully uses flashbacks to give us insight into why each character acts the way they do—reminding us that every decision comes from a history we may not see at first glance.

Reading Little Fires Everywhere made me realize how easy it is to judge people based on the limited version of their lives we perceive. We see their actions, their carefully curated facades, but we rarely see the quiet struggles, the sacrifices, the deeply personal histories that shape their choices. The book made me reflect on how people—both in fiction and reality—often wear masks, not necessarily to deceive, but to survive in a world that demands certain expectations from them.

Despite their flaws, I found myself empathizing with each character because I understood them. Little Fires Everywhere doesn’t tell you who to root for or who is right or wrong; instead, it presents people as they are—complicated, messy, and deeply human. And that is precisely what makes it so compelling.

Ultimately, this book reaffirmed why I love reading: it allows us to step into the lives of others, to develop empathy, and to recognize that no one’s story is ever as simple as it seems.