We Were Liars: Book vs TV Show
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“We Were Liars" is a young adult book written by E. Lockhart, which has been recently adapted into a TV show on Prime Video. The story follows Cadence (Cady) Sinclair, a princess of the perfect, distinguished, beautifully blonde and very wealthy Sinclair family.
Every year, Cady and her cousins spend their summers on the Sinclair’s private island, Beechwood. Cady, her cousins Johnny and Mirren, and their friend Gat formed a friend group known as the Liars. But during Summer 15, an incident occurs that changes Cady’s life forever, induces her memory loss, and causes the Liars to drift apart. When Cady returns to the island for Summer 17, she is determined to reclaim her memories and uncover what happened to her and the Liars, but everyone in her seemingly perfect family is keeping secrets. Especially from her.
The main difference between the book and the TV show is that the show is not told entirely from Cady's perspective. This stylistic change allows for the other characters’ development and shifts the focus from Cady searching for the truth behind the incident to the Sinclair family drama and everyone’s secrets slowly unraveling.
This change of perspective hinders the novel’s depth because in the show, Cady’s mental health struggles and emotional turmoil are not explored as deeply. And through the multiple points of view, the suspense is not built as well in the show because Cady’s narration does not have the same effect. In the debut book, Cady’s constant migraines and her memory loss lead to a blur between her imagination and reality and an overreliance on medication, leaving readers chasing red herrings. But in the TV show, it isn’t demonstrated as well as the viewers just watch Cady struggle with her migraines, and it can get confusing at times.
Overall, the adaptation of “We Were Liars” is similar to the novel, while supplementing in some extra family drama and a changing of perspective. The TV series was also left more open-ended with a cliffhanger, and there is a potential for a completely original season two. But, the original version of “We Were Liars” resolves the story completely and focuses more on Cady’s situation rather than her problematic family. Having Cady as the narrator in the book also adds more detail and thrill to the story and brings attention to mental health issues, like depression and trauma. Another addition to the series, “We Fell Apart”, is set in the same universe as “We Were Liars” and is expected to release in November 2025.