Episode 4 - Is "We Were Liars" a worthy adaptation?

In this episode of Asteria Echoes, we turn our attention to the sun-soaked suspense of Prime Video's "We Were Liars," the eight-episode adaptation of E. Lockhart's 2014 bestselling novel. Join host Alex and guest reviewer Jordan as they dissect how the series captures the book's twisted tale of privilege, amnesia, and family secrets on a private island near Martha's Vineyard.

We start with the core story: Cadence Sinclair Eastman (played by Emily Alyn Lind) returns to Beechwood Island after a traumatic brain injury in "Summer 16," grappling with fragmented memories and her tight-knit group known as the "Liars"—cousins Johnny (Joseph Zada), Mirren (Esther McGregor), and outsider Gat (Shubham Maheshwari), who's also her love interest. Through poetic voiceovers and flashbacks, the show unveils escalating tensions in the wealthy Sinclair family, led by patriarch Harris (David Morse) and his wife Tipper (Wendy Crewson), where old-money hypocrisy masks deep rifts among Cadence's mother Penny (Caitlin FitzGerald) and aunts Carrie (Mamie Gummer) and Bess (Candice King).

Alex and Jordan praise the series' unflinching critique of ultra-rich entitlement, drawing parallels to real-world issues, while highlighting how creators Julie Plec and Carina Adly MacKenzie expand the novel for TV. They discuss key changes: shifting the pivotal events to Summer 16, introducing a fourth deceased Sinclair sister for added family depth, exploring Johnny's queer identity with a coming-out arc, and giving Mirren a romantic subplot. The shocking twist—a tragic fire accidentally started by Cadence in a rebellion against greed, leading to the deaths of Johnny, Mirren, and Gat—still hits hard, but the hosts debate if the TV version's tweaks dilute the book's raw, introspective solitude and razor-sharp conclusion.

Standout performances get their due, from Lind's vulnerable yet fierce Cadence to Morse's chilling control as Harris, though some abstract memory sequences feel like unnecessary horror distractions. Is the adaptation a binge-worthy thriller akin to "The Summer I Turned Pretty" or "Cruel Summer," or does it fall short of the novel's haunting nuance? Tune in as we explore themes of memory, loss, and the illusions of perfection, rating it a solid 6.5/10 overall. Spoiler alert: This episode dives deep into plot reveals, so watch or read first!

Listen now on your favorite podcast platform—all episodes of the series are streaming on Prime Video for those ready to unravel the facade.

Next week: Episode 5 on Prime Video's epic failure : "The Pickup", a movie to forget?