The lies we tell or rather the things we do not tell – tiny white lies that form a film, a gauze that covers our wounds, hurts, failures… Does it protect us? Does it really?
Synopsis
Two families escape the rat race to holiday at a remote coastal retreat, but what lies are they telling themselves and each other? The new family drama by beloved Australian storyteller Fiona Palmer
Ashley has recently lost her husband. Daughter Emily is being bullied online.
Best friend Nikki is holding a huge secret. And why is husband, Chris, receiving so many text messages lately?
Their teenage children are glued to technology, be it PlayStation, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat . . .
The two women hatch a plan: for three weeks, both families will stay in a rustic, remote coastal camp with no phone reception. While the teenagers struggle to embrace this new world of self-entertaining in the rugged bushland, the adults are trying to maintain a certain facade. Soon, around the flames of the camp fire, their tiny white lies might just begin to be exposed.
Review
I do not even know whom I liked the best, Nikki or Ashley. Both heroines are likeable. Both can become my girlfriends anytime they like.
Moreover, both of them were close to my heart. Nikki survived cancer and Ashley survived mental illness of her husband. Those women spoke my language, my pain and my victories. That is why I found this book especially interesting.
Not telling, hiding, covering, avoiding, soldering on – we have all been there and done that. Tiny White Lies we tell our loved ones and ourselves. Lies we tell to protect our families to maintain order and outside picture of perfect life… They are a dangerous bunch… if you do not have good friends around you…
I loved the setting – rural and seaside. What more could you want? The colours, sounds, smells and possibilities. A very romantic setting indeed.
The dynamic of the narration was quite suspenseful. My own preconceptions and experiences were expecting this or that development only to be thrown off course. It was nice to be disappointed in so many places.
Tiny White Lies has a bit of everything – it has a bit of everyday life in every page. That is what makes this book readable in one day. It is very easy to read. The characters are very easy to love. \
And the story stays with you making you hope against hope that there is some good in people if there are people like Nikki, Ashley and their families.
Another note worthy of mention is angst of teenagers and their parents. The main characters are trying their best to survive their kids high school: from school bullying to constant phone hugging, make up and boys, killing games and bad snacks. Having survived my daughter’s high school not so long ago, this part was especially close to my heart and fun (to look back on to).
I gave this book 5 stars.
Svetlana Tishchenko 