NPR's Book of the Day

Episode: 'We Were Liars' author returns for more teenage catharsis in 'We Fell Apart'

Date: November 26, 2025
Host: Juana Summers
Guest: E. Lockhart

Episode Overview

This episode features best-selling YA author E. Lockhart discussing her latest novel, We Fell Apart, with NPR’s Juana Summers. The conversation explores Lockhart’s continued fascination with teenagers as characters, her imaginative ties to Martha’s Vineyard, the emotional intensity and moral dilemmas at the heart of her books, and what it means to write for and about young people searching for catharsis and self-forgiveness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why Teenagers Make Compelling Characters

• E. Lockhart’s perspective: Teens are at a pivotal transition, questioning their foundational institutions (family, school, community) and forging new identities.
  • Quote: “Teenagers are in a really important and kind of exciting transition in life […] we begin to question, rebel, [and] renavigate our relationship to those institutions as we prepare to leave the nest.” (06:56)

The Setting: Martha’s Vineyard

• Lockhart’s latest novel, like We Were Liars, is set on Martha’s Vineyard, inspired in part by a real castle-like property she discovered there.
  • Quote: “It was falling apart. It was exquisitely beautiful. And I felt like I had walked into a novel.” (03:01)
• The island’s history, beauty, and danger (think: “raging sea […] full of sharks”) infuse Lockhart's imagination and narratives. (03:17)

Revisiting the We Were Liars Universe

• We Fell Apart exists in the same world as her previous hit, following a new protagonist, Matilda, and her sudden exposure to hidden family and castle life.
  • Summary by Lockhart: “She gets to this kind of incredible property on the island of Martha's Vineyard, and her father is not there. Instead […] is a stepmother she never knew she had, a half brother she never knew she had who's her same age, and two other teenage boys... She kind of gets sucked into the world of life in this castle, which is kind of an alternative life with a lot of big freedoms and big rules.” (02:16)

The Emotional Impact and Appeal

• Lockhart describes the strong reactions—positive and negative—her books elicit from readers, especially visible on social media.
  • Quote: “They either hate this book or this TV show so much, they want to throw it across the room and tell everybody not to read it, or they are breaking down in tears and saying, thank you so much, and also, will you pay for my therapy?” (04:27)
• She argues that novels offer a level of emotional catharsis and investment unmatched by social media.
  • Quote: “We need a book or a longer form drama to give us an emotional catharsis. And people have a big reaction to these books, right? It's not always positive, but they have a big reaction.” (05:05)

Morality, Shame, and Forgiveness

• A recurring theme in Lockhart’s work is grappling with shame and the possibility of self-forgiveness.
  • Quote: “When you've done something you're ashamed of, do you sit under the rug? Do you […] pull everything out and look at it? Can you accept yourself? Can you tell yourself that you're going to change? […] Can you find a place of forgiveness? Or do you carry that weight with you all the time?” (06:00)
• Lockhart frames these questions as fundamental to fiction and to being human, resonant for adults and urgently felt by teens.

Writing for Teens as an Adult

• Lockhart reflects on her sustained interest in writing for young audiences, describing teens as uniquely poised for change and self-discovery.
  • Quote: “When we're very young, [institutions are] just the water that we're swimming in. And as we become teenagers, we begin to question, rebel, renavigate our relationship to those institutions […] we can suddenly see those institutions that shape us, and we're going to emerge into adulthood, you know, choosing our own identity and not just swimming in the water that we've always been in.” (07:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the inspiration for setting:
  “If I could say to you the hold that Martha's Vineyard has on my imagination in a simple sentence, I wouldn't have needed to write three novels...” (03:17, E. Lockhart)
• On readers’ reactions:
  “They either hate this book or this TV show so much, they want to throw it across the room and tell everybody not to read it, or they are breaking down in tears and saying, thank you so much, and also, will you pay for my therapy?” (04:27, E. Lockhart)
• On teenagers exploring morality:
  “It's about this problem of being a human being and figuring out a moral compass or a way to be in the world.” (06:34, E. Lockhart)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:02 – Introduction to episode theme and author E. Lockhart
• 01:09 – Recap of We Were Liars success and cultural impact
• 02:16 – Lockhart describes the premise of We Fell Apart
• 03:01 – Martha’s Vineyard and the ‘castle’ inspiration
• 03:17 – The magnetic allure of Martha’s Vineyard as setting
• 04:10 – Why the We Were Liars universe resonates with readers
• 05:31 – Discussing morality, shame, and self-forgiveness
• 06:56 – Reflections on writing about/for teenagers
• 08:08 – Episode close

Conclusion

This rich conversation between Juana Summers and E. Lockhart provides insight into Lockhart’s creative inspirations, her fascination with adolescent transformation, and the emotional punch of her novels. The episode serves both as an introduction to We Fell Apart and a deep dive into why YA literature continues to matter for readers of all ages.