The emotional, jaw-dropping novel We Were Liars by E. Lockhart has remained a popular choice for readers of YA fiction since its 2014 publication, but you don’t have to be a young adult to be excited about the fact that we’re going to get to see that story come alive as a show on Amazon's streaming platform, Prime Video. If you’re unfamiliar with We Were Liars, or you’ve heard of it and wondered what all the fuss was about, we’re here to help. Let’s take a SPOILER-FREE look at what this E. Lockhart bestseller is and why we can’t wait to see its book-to-series adaptation.
In March it was announced, per Variety, that Julie Plec and Carina Adly MacKenzie had obtained the series order to develop E. Lockhart’s story into a series for viewers with an Amazon Prime Video subscription. MacKenzie described herself as being “obsessed” with the source material — as are so many readers — so just what is We Were Liars about?
The Plot Revolves Around The Sinclair Family And Cadence’s Mysterious Head Injury
We Were Liars follows in the footsteps of other young adult fiction that’s been adapted for streaming in recent years, including Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty and Peacock’s One of Us Is Lying. The story revolves around the wealthy Sinclair family, and particularly Cadence, who spends every summer on her grandfather’s private island with her mother, two aunts and their children. The titular “Liars” consist of Cadence, her cousins Johnny and Mirren, and Gat — the nephew of Johnny’s mother’s partner — all of whom are the same age.
During the summer when the Liars are 15 years old, Cadence suffered a mysterious head injury, leaving her with no memory of what happened (and unable to retain the information when reminded by others). We Were Liars sees Cadence reuniting with her extended family two summers later, in the hopes that returning to the island will bring her memories back.
We Were Liars Remains On The YA Fiction Bestseller List Nine Years After Publication
E. Lockhart has dozens of children’s books to her name, several YA titles and even a couple of adult fiction novels. We Were Liars, however, has struck a chord with readers, remaining at the top of must-read lists nine years after it was first released. In 2014 it received the Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction, and was in the American Library Association’s Top 10 Best Books for Young Adults in 2015.
The book has also gotten a boost from TikTok recommendations in recent years, and fans who needed more were rewarded with a prequel in 2022 titled Family of Liars, which dives deeper into the Sinclair family's dynamics.
We Were Liars Explores Darker Themes That Appeal To Older Audiences As Well
Don’t let the “YA” designation scare you away from We Were Liars. The primary protagonists may be teenagers, but the challenges they face are quite complicated and relevant for adults of any age. In addition to themes about friendship and young love, We Were Liars has plenty to say about privilege, race and inheritance, and one can't help but try to piece together the clues to figure out what happened to Cadence.
Why I’m Excited For The TV Adaptation Of We Were Liars
It will be a treat for readers to see the Sinclairs’ island come to life, particularly the four houses built for patriarch Harris Sinclair and his three daughters (the Liars’ mothers), since they are related to much of the story’s drama. But simply getting a visual of that exclusive world where the families spend their summers isn’t the biggest draw to this adaptation.
We Were Liars leans into the same “unlikeable rich people” theme that can be found in popular shows like The White Lotus and Succession, with the daughters scheming and fighting over Harris’ inheritance. The novel We Were Liars offers a mystery to solve, complex family dynamics, amnesia, young love and plot twists. What more could you even ask for in a series?
That Ending!
This is a true “IYKYK” situation, and the less I say about the ending of We Were Liars, the better for those who haven’t read the book. Without spoiling anything, just know that the book includes some big twists, and it will be interesting to see how the production handles those elements. Also, this is a story about liars, after all, so if you hear anything you think might be the spoiler, keep in mind it might not even be true! The book’s advice, which was echoed by Julie Plec and Carina Adly MacKenzie when the series was announced, is:
If anyone asks you how it ends… just LIE!
With book-to-screen adaptations, there are also always changes made, so I’m also intrigued to see if the twists are the same, or if the showrunners make any alterations to the source material.
The Amazon Series Is Coming From The Minds Behind The Originals And Roswell, New Mexico
As mentioned previously, Julie Plec and Carina Adly MacKenzie are the minds behind this adaptation, and this isn’t their first time in charge of creating content for an established fanbase. The duo previously worked together on the CW’s The Originals, which Plec created as a spinoff of The Vampire Diaries, with MacKenzie serving as a writer and producer. MacKenzie also adapted the book series Roswell High into the CW series Roswell, New Mexico, with Plec serving as an executive producer.
With those resumes, it seems We Were Liars is in capable hands to produce a dramatic and emotional show that will satisfy the book’s loyal fans. Furthermore, E. Lockhart is named as an executive producer on the series.
We’ve likely got a while to wait until being able to see We Were Liars on Amazon’s Prime Video. No information regarding a timeline has been released, but according to E. Lockhart’s Instagram, casting for the Liars is underway! So if you’ve been hesitant to pick up the book and give it a read, you’ve still got plenty of time to do so before the Sinclairs’ story plays out on the screen, and the secrets surrounding Cadence’s amnesia are revealed.
In the meantime, see what other Amazon Prime Video original series are available to stream, and check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what new and returning series are coming soon. And you can find the We Were Liars book available for purchase on Amazon.
