Truly Madly Guilty

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

This thread is to discuss Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty.

Pages: 415 pages

Length: 1 Month (October)

Participants: Ruthie, Joan

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.


Happy Buddy Reading!

[Eileen]

Hi! :)
I'd like to join you on this reading. Just got my copy from the library and starting today 😊

[Joan]

Eileen wrote: "Hi! :)
I'd like to join you on this reading. Just got my copy from the library and starting today 😊"

Please join! I actually just read the first chapter. I though since it was a little longer I'd get started on it. I'll probably finish it next weekend.

[Eileen]

I'm at chapter 16 :)
I'm just really curious to discover what happened at that BBQ ?! 😱😱😱
There's so much suspense built up by the author that the revelation has better to be good. I hope I won't be disappointed 😂

[Joan]

Eileen wrote: "I'm at chapter 16 :)
I'm just really curious to discover what happened at that BBQ ?! 😱😱😱
There's so much suspense built up by the author that the revelation has better to be good. I hope I won't b..."

You're ahead of me. I've read the first three chapters and am a little confused. I'm hoping it will get cleared up soon. I usually enjoy her books but sometimes it takes me a bit to get through them. This one feels long to me but I'm hoping to complete this weekend while hubby is visiting his brother.

[Joan]

I'm now just starting chapter 16. I'm more invested in the story now and wondering what happened at the barbecue.

(view spoiler)[ I'm wondering if it has something to do with the dead neighbor and there seems to have been an affair that happened. I guess I'll find out! (hide spoiler)]

[Joan]

Well I've read the first 29 chapters and it is really keeping my attention more than I thought it would. The mystery of what happened is ramping up more and more. I feel like my original guess is wrong now.

I do enjoy her books. The only book of hers that I haven't really enjoyed so far is The Last Anniversary. I have read Nine Perfect Strangers or The Hypnotist's Love Story yet.

How is everyone else doing with the book so far?

[Eileen]

Hi ! I've finished the book last night :)
Here's what I think

(view spoiler)[ I'm not sure I liked the author style of writing... So many chapters! And some chapters are only two pages long..
But I was attracted to this book and I read it fast because, clearly, she knows how to make the reader want to continue reading. The back and forth between barbecue-present can be quite confusing sometimes. And the fact that she ended the chapters happening at the barbecue with "someone is screaming" an innumerous number of time started to annoy me at the end. It's clearly a trick to make the reader anxious for what's coming next. That + the fact that the event happening at the BBQ is never said out loud, only mentioned are building the suspense but for me it was too "big" and not fluid enough for the reader. (maybe I'm being picky...)
But then since the suspense was so intense, I was excepting a big reveal and was somehow disappointed.
Also I did not understand why the book continued for so long after the reveal of Ruby's drowning. To me the book could have been shorter. The happy endings seemed forced to me. I did not like that after the accident (everyone is clearly distraught) all these facts happens *miraculously* to save the day (the marriage is back on track, Holly is so nice at school, Clementine got her dream job, Erika and Oliver figure out a wat to become parents, Dakota is reading again, the family is moving to Dubai, etc.). I mean, come on. The rain stops and they are all in Fairy Land.
Honestly I would have been fine with Clementine not getting the job (because she played horribly during all the rehearsals) or Erika not having kids.

I don't know maybe I'm missing something or maybe I'm too cynical hahaha

Let me know what you think! (hide spoiler)]

[Joan]

I'm 75% complete. I'm hoping to finish it tonight.

[Joan]

I finally finished it. Eileen I agree with you. I felt that the ending dragged.

(view spoiler)[ After the big reveal of what happened it just seemed to go on and on. I thought at least some of Erika's mom could be cut out. I like the short chapters. That actually draws me to a book. I get frustrated when the chapters are too long. This book I felt like some of them could be short with what she was trying to do.

It all ended up happily. It would have been for fun if it came out that Tiffany was an exotic dancer. The author did seem like she had to knit up everyone's lives afterward into a happily ever after. That happens so rarely in life. Why try and do it here after we got to see how imperfect people's lives were?

I was convinced someone had something to do with Harry's death.

I thought the story line about Sam and how he was dealing with the accident was the most interesting. I feel like I could see that happening. (hide spoiler)]

I did end up rating it 4 stars but that was pretty much rounding up from a 3.5. It did have suspense for me for awhile.

[Eileen]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Joan :D

I agree with you (view spoiler)[ I thought that someone had something to do with Harry's death, especially because she mentioned that he was wearing two different socks. I was convinced that someone was trying to disguise a murder into an accident hahaha maybe because I was expecting the book to be a mystery/thriller...
And I like what you say about showing that people's lives are imperfect and then trying to make them perfect, makes no sense to me either. (hide spoiler)]

I also wanted to rate 3.5 stars, I wish Goodreads could add this feature!

[Eileen]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Joan :D

I agree with you (view spoiler)[ I thought that someone had something to do with Harry's death, especially because she mentioned that he was wearing two different socks. I was convinced that someone was trying to disguise a murder into an accident hahaha maybe because I was expecting the book to be a mystery/thriller...
And I like what you say about showing that people's lives are imperfect and then trying to make them perfect, makes no sense to me either. (hide spoiler)]

I also wanted to rate 3.5 stars, I wish Goodreads could add this feature!

[Ruthie]

I haven't received the hold yet from my library. Will let y'all know when I do!

[Ruthie]

Just started today. Man, Liane Moriarty knows how to write people so realistically! I read The Husband's Secret a couple months ago and its the same thing with this one, the descriptions of people and their thoughts are amazing

[Ruthie]

y'all have already finished so I can't read your spoilers about the end. Here's my theory:

(view spoiler)[
The older daughter cuts herself with the open glass shards in the bowl (hide spoiler)]

[Joan]

Ruthie wrote: "Just started today. Man, Liane Moriarty knows how to write people so realistically! I read The Husband's Secret a couple months ago and its the same thing with this one, the descriptions of people ..."

I agree about how she depicts people and their thoughts. I'm actually starting The Hypnotist's Love Story. It seems like it will be good as well. I think I'll just need to read Nine Perfect Strangers and I'll be all caught up on her books.

[Ruthie]

Joan wrote: "Ruthie wrote: "Just started today. Man, Liane Moriarty knows how to write people so realistically! I read The Husband's Secret a couple months ago and its the same thing with this one, the descript..."

Awesome! Added those to my TBR

Also, finally found out what happened at the BBQ and I'm glad my theory was wrong but man, what actually happened is so rough and sad

(view spoiler)[

I'm glad she didn't die though omg (hide spoiler)]

[Ruthie]

I finished it!

[Ruthie]

(view spoiler)[

So I read y'alls spoilers. I actually didn't mind about the happy ending though I like happy endings. But their future is still open so there's still much that can go wrong in the future just for now things are setteled. They still have a lot to go through for the PTSD and marriage counseling and Erica and her husband are signing up for foster so that will difficult as well. So I don't see that they have a perfect ending just a settling for now
Also, I listened to the audiobook so for me it actually flowed really well, I knew when they were shifing characters or from past to present and the book seemed fast and didn't drag for me. I do listen to books at 1.5 or sometimes even 2 for speed which my husband tells me is pretty fast lol so maybe that's why?

I think I'll be reading all of the author's books now with liking this one and liking The husbands secret from a few months ago. (hide spoiler)]

[Joan]

Ruthie - I think my favorite is What Alice Forgot. Also I really liked Big Little Lies

I kinda started The Hypnotist's Love Story but I just haven't been in the reading mood lately. It started off pretty good though. I just have to get my reading mojo back!!

[Ruthie]

Thanks for sharing Joan! I've seen the Big Little Lies show and liked it so I am interested to read the book. I'll have to check out What Alice Forgot too!