Little Fires Everywhere
Celeste Ng (2017)
“In a suburb designed for perfect lives, two mothers collide over a custody battle that forces everyone to choose between rules and justice — and the town burns.”
Short Summary
In 1997 Shaker Heights, Ohio — a meticulously planned, progressive suburb — the rule-following Richardson family rents a house to Mia Warren, a nomadic artist, and her daughter Pearl. Their collision ignites conflicts about class, race, motherhood, and who gets to decide what a family looks like. When a Chinese-American baby at the center of a custody battle divides the community, secrets from both families erupt, and someone sets the Richardson house on fire.
Detailed Summary
The novel opens with the Richardson house in flames. All four Richardson children — Lexie, Trip, Moody, and Izzy — are present. Police believe it was arson. The question of who set the fire structures the entire novel, which unfolds in retrospect. Elena Richardson is the embodiment of Shaker Height...