We Were Liars
E. Lockhart's "We Were Liars" is a young adult psychological thriller and family drama centered on the wealthy, seemingly perfect Sinclair family and their private island. The narrative follows Cadence Sinclair Eastman, who suffers from amnesia after a traumatic incident during "Summer 15" with her cousins Johnny and Mirren, and their friend Gat, collectively known as "the Liars." The story unfolds as Cadence attempts to reconstruct her memories of that summer, uncovering deep-seated family secrets, betrayals, and ultimately, a shocking truth about the events that led to her injury and the disappearance of the other Liars. The book is suitable for a young adult audience capable of engaging with complex themes of grief, class, trauma, and the consequences of one's actions, presented through a non-linear narrative and an unreliable narrator.
Concerns
Violence
HighThe novel contains significant violence, culminating in a tragic act of arson that results in multiple deaths and a severe head injury. While not graphically detailed, the consequences are profound and central to the plot, involving themes of accidental harm and irreversible loss.
Cadence, in an attempt to stop family disputes over inheritance, convinces the other Liars to burn down Clairmont, the family mansion, leading to the deaths of Johnny, Mirren, and Gat, and the family's two dogs. Cadence herself sustains a severe head injury from this fire, resulting in amnesia and chronic migraines. The TV adaptation further shows a physical altercation between Johnny and his rival, Blake Beaumont.
Substance Use
HighThe book explicitly portrays substance abuse, particularly Cadence's addiction to prescription painkillers. She also self-medicates with alcohol. These instances highlight the destructive nature of addiction and withdrawal symptoms, making it a significant element of the story.
Cadence develops an addiction to Percocet to manage her severe migraines after her head injury, describing the relief the pills bring and the subsequent withdrawal symptoms. She also uses alcohol to self-medicate and cope with her trauma and amnesia. Her substance use is a point of concern and gossip among younger cousins, who refer to her as a "drug addict."
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe narrative is a psychological thriller with significant intense and disturbing content. This includes themes of amnesia, grief, a devastating family tragedy involving multiple deaths from arson, and the unsettling revelation that the protagonist has been interacting with ghosts.
The core mystery involves Cadence's amnesia surrounding a traumatic event, which is eventually revealed to be her accidental initiation of a fire that killed her three closest friends and family members. The psychological impact of her memory loss, debilitating migraines, and the subsequent revelation of her friends' deaths and her interaction with their ghosts create significant emotional intensity and distress.
Disrespect & Rebellion
HighThe book centrally features themes of intense disrespect and rebellion against authority, particularly the materialism and control exerted by the patriarchal family head. The most significant act of rebellion involves deliberate arson leading to fatal consequences.
The Liars, including Cadence, deliberately burn down the family mansion, Clairmont, as an act of rebellion against their grandfather Harris's materialism and the family's contentious disputes over inheritance. The adult sisters also exhibit disrespect by bickering over inheritance, even at their mother's funeral, and attempting to manipulate their children for financial gain.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe book features a central romantic relationship between Cadence and Gat, including kissing and implied sexual activity. The narrative also includes references to characters engaging in sexting, suggesting a level of sexual awareness and exploration among the teenage characters.
Cadence and Gat share multiple kisses and engage in implied sexual intercourse. For example, after a boat party, Gat follows Cadence and they kiss. Later in flashbacks, Cadence and Gat are shown to have sex. There is also a mention of Johnny discovering Blake Beaumont sexting Mirren.
Profanity
MediumThe book contains instances of profanity, including strong curse words, which are present in character dialogue to convey frustration and teenage angst. While not pervasive on every page, its usage is notable enough to be a concern for some parents.
A Goodreads review references characters engaging in "spectacularly brilliant conversations for the entire fucking summer," indicating the presence of strong language. The television adaptation also features profanity, such as Gat stating, "I'm so fucking done with being scared for you."
Witchcraft & Occult
MediumThe story incorporates supernatural elements through the protagonist Cadence's interactions with her deceased cousins and friend, who she perceives as alive. This central plot device means the protagonist is conversing with ghosts for much of the narrative, which is clarified as supernatural in the TV adaptation.
Cadence spends a summer interacting with Johnny, Mirren, and Gat, who are later revealed to be the ghosts of her deceased friends and cousins. A younger cousin believes the island is haunted, adding to the supernatural undertone. The TV series explicitly confirms their ghostly nature, with even another character, Carrie, seeing her son Johnny's ghost.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
LowFor the book "We Were Liars," explicit LGBTQ+ themes or characters are not centrally featured or explicitly identified within the available search information. The primary romantic relationship depicted is heterosexual. However, related media like the prequel "Family of Liars" introduces themes of homophobia within the broader Sinclair family universe. The recent TV adaptation also features a same-sex kiss.
In the book "We Were Liars," the main romantic storyline is between Cadence and Gat. While the book itself does not contain explicit LGBTQ+ content, the prequel, "Family of Liars," addresses serious issues such as homophobia. Additionally, the recent Amazon Prime Video adaptation of "We Were Liars" includes a scene depicting a kiss between Johnny and Blake Beaumont.
Anti-Christian Themes
LowThe book "We Were Liars" does not contain explicit anti-Christian themes. While the narrative explores complex moral questions and challenges traditional family structures, it does not directly mock, insult, or critique Christian beliefs or symbols. One character in the TV adaptation mentions theological concepts without presenting them in an anti-Christian light.
No specific anti-Christian themes or content are present in the book. In the TV adaptation, Johnny expresses a "fear of hell" but believes Cadence will do good deeds to earn a "tier in heaven," which references Christian theological concepts but is not anti-Christian.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
14+ due to themes of addiction, severe psychological distress, violence, rebellion, and implied sexual content. The complex narrative and mature subject matter require a level of emotional maturity to process.
Additional Notes
E. Lockhart's "We Were Liars" is a standalone novel, but it has a prequel, "Family of Liars," and another book set in its universe, "We Fell Apart." The prequel, "Family of Liars," explores more mature themes including drug and alcohol abuse, murder, cheating, and homophobia, indicating an evolution and continuation of intense content within the broader series. A television series adaptation also premiered in June 2025 and was renewed for a second season, which expands on some themes, notably including a same-sex kiss not explicitly found in the original novel.
Related Reviews
Is We Were Liars right for your family?
These concerns are a starting point — what many Christian parents care about. Want to screen for other themes? Define your own concerns.
Screen any book, movie, or show — even titles no one else has reviewed.
“StoryScanner gives us clarity and confidence. It's become our go-to for checking books at the library and movies on family night.”
— Cristi & Brian, Dallas TX
“StoryScanner has been such a BLESSING for researching books for our children. You can set filters for your concerns, enter a book title, and it lets you know what's present.”
— Christian Book Reviews for Families (Facebook)
No credit card required