Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty [Book Review]

Book Review

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BOOK INFO

Title: Nine Perfect Strangers

Author: Liane Moriarty

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Publish Date: November 6, 2018

Genre: Domestic Suspense

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty

BOOK BLURB

Could ten days at a health resort really change you forever? In Liane Moriarty’s latest page-turner, nine perfect strangers are about to find out…

Nine people gather at a remote health resort. Some are here to lose weight, some are here to get a reboot on life, some are here for reasons they can’t even admit to themselves. Amidst all of the luxury and pampering, the mindfulness and meditation, they know these ten days might involve some real work. But none of them could imagine just how challenging the next ten days are going to be.

Frances Welty, the formerly best-selling romantic novelist, arrives at Tranquillum House nursing a bad back, a broken heart, and an exquisitely painful paper cut. She’s immediately intrigued by her fellow guests. Most of them don’t look to be in need of a health resort at all. But the person that intrigues her most is the strange and charismatic owner/director of Tranquillum House. Could this person really have the answers Frances didn’t even know she was seeking? Should Frances put aside her doubts and immerse herself in everything Tranquillum House has to offer – or should she run while she still can?

It’s not long before every guest at Tranquillum House is asking exactly the same question.

Combining all of the hallmarks that have made her writing a go-to for anyone looking for wickedly smart, page-turning fiction that will make you laugh and gasp, Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers once again shows why she is a master of her craft.


Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty

MY REVIEW

Nine people attend a health resort. Each person is looking for change in their life, but Tranquillum House’s unorthodox practices are not what the guests were expecting. As their stay progresses, the guests get to know each other a little better, and they are all skeptical of the eccentric owner of Tranquillum House.

Nine Perfect Strangers has a lot of characters – nine guests plus three resort staff. Multiple viewpoints is a tricky thing, and I’m usually wary of this type of book. With twelve POVs, I really wasn’t sure about this one. However, I’m happy to say that it is easy to distinguish the characters from one another and follow the story.

Each of the characters is interesting in some way. The guests are Frances, Ben, Jessica, Lars, Tony, Carmel, Napoleon, Heather, and Zoe. Frances is a writer looking to reboot her life after a downturn in both her professional and private lives. Ben and Jessica are a young, wealthy couple who are having marital problems. Lars is a divorce attorney and an avid visitor of health resorts. Tony is a former athlete looking to lose weight. Carmel is a single working mother with low self esteem. Napoleon, Heather, and Zoe are a family (father, mother, and daughter) dealing with a tragic family loss. The resort staff includes Masha, Yao, and Delilah. Masha is the owner and director of Tranquillum House. Yao and Delilah are the personal wellness consultants to the guests during their stay. Most of the book is about Frances – she rates 23 of the 79 chapters in the book.

The book starts off slow, but once the characters and setting are set, it picks up. With so many characters, there are a variety of topics touched on in this book. Some of the characters have serious and devastating stories, and some of them have more common, or even a little frivolous, issues in their lives.

Liane Moriarty’s writing style flows so easily, and makes for a quick and absorbing read. As usual with Moriarty’s books, there is a mix of humor along with the serious stuff. Nine Perfect Strangers is an engaging and entertaining read.

Books by Liane Moriarty:
  1. Three Wishes
  2. The Last Anniversary
  3. What Alice Forgot
  4. The Hypnotist’s Love Story
  5. The Husband’s Secret
  6. Big Little Lies
  7. Nine Perfect Strangers
  8. Apples Never Fall

12 thoughts on “Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty [Book Review]

  1. So much hype around this book! I don’t have it, but I’m considering. So glad you enjoyed it <3

  2. Great review Darinda. I read her last one and liked it so have added this one to my TBR. My library has the audio book, so might try that, but with 12 POVs is might be too confusing.

    1. Thanks! Yeah, the POVs were easy to follow while reading, but I don’t know about the audio version. Could get confusing if not done well. Hope you enjoy it!

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