It isn’t often that a bestselling book is set in Ohio. But Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere isn’t just set in Ohio – it’s in northeast Ohio, in our very own Shaker Heights, just a short drive from the Nordonia Hills area. And Little Fires Everywhere is indeed an excellent book: a character driven drama that explores intelligent, philosophical themes. Mia Warren is a mysterious travelling artist. She and her teenage daughter Pearl drive around the country, never settling anywhere for more than a few months. But this time, Mia promises Pearl that Shaker Heights, Ohio is their last stop. They rent a house from a well-off woman named Elena Richardson, a wife and mother with four children and plenty of secrets of her own. As the lives of the Warrens and the Richardsons become more and more entwined, they start heading down a path that will either lead them to enlightenment – or destruction.
Ng, who lived in Shaker Heights as a child, captures the city and its nuances and idiosyncrasies perfectly. All of the characters, not just Mia and Pearl, are fully realized and alive. In addition, the novel is an excellent book club pick, as there are many issues, plot points, and themes to discuss and unpack, including a side plot with no easy answer. Other subjects explored include contrasting a Bohemian lifestyle versus a ‘trapped’ life in the suburbs, one’s cultural heritage versus a stable a loving family, and how to deal with failed life aspirations and settling for a life less than your dreams. Little Fires Everywhere is not only excellent literary fiction, but also very readable and accessible – no wonder it’s a best-seller!
Review by Shannon Wood
Adult Services Librarian
Nordonia Hills Branch Library
