book review 9 perfect strangers

Nine Perfect Strangers

Liane moriarty.

453 pages, Hardcover

First published September 18, 2018

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Sometimes your life changes so slowly and imperceptibly that you don't notice it at all until one day you wake up and think, 'How did I get here?' But other times, life changes in an instant with a lightning stroke of good or bad luck with glorious or tragic consequences.

She remembered her first-ever boyfriend of over thirty years ago, who told her he preferred smaller breasts than hers, while his hands were on her breasts, as if she’d find this interesting, as if women’s body parts were dishes on a menu and men were the goddamned diners. This is what she said to that first boyfriend: “Sorry.” This was her first boyfriend’s benevolent reply: “That’s okay.”

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Nine Perfect Strangers

By liane moriarty.

Book review, full book summary and synopsis for Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty, nine people at a very odd getaway.

In Nine Perfect Strangers , Nine people gather at the Tranquillum House Resort for a 10-day wellness retreat, run by a former businesswoman named Masha. While these strangers get to know each other and grapple with their own issues, they start to have questions about what exactly is going on at this retreat.

(The Full Plot Summary is also available, below)

Full Plot Summary

The one-paragraph version of this: Nine Perfect Strangers is about a group of people who go to attend a fancy but strange wellness resort where they each work on their personal issues. They later get trapped in a room at the order of the resort director, Masha, and learn that it's all part of her experimental treatment where she's been administering them micro-doses of LSD.

A group of people show up to a wellness resort (the Tranquillium House) for a 10-day retreat. It includes Frances (romance novelist), Lars (health-retreat junkie), Ben and Jessica (rich young couple), Carmel (divorced single mother and Tony (divorcee). Plus, there's the Marconi family, consisting of Napoleon (schoolteacher), his wife Heather and their daughter Zoe . Tranquillium House has weird, stringent rules. As the guests do activities like hikes, therapy and meditation, we learn more about why they're all there. The Marconis lost a child, Zach. Ben and Jessica won the lottery and it changed their relationship. Frances was scammed by a man pretending to date her. Carmel's ex-husband and daughter are off traveling with his new fiancee, and she's here to lose weight.

Meanwhile, Masha is the resort director, and Yao and Deliah are wellness consultants. They are surveilling the guests closely. On Day 5, Heather figures out that the smoothies they've been fed are drugged. Masha admits that they've been micro-dosing them with LSD (to help them open up), but tried out a larger dose today. The guests are upset, but are soon all too high to do anything about it. High and hallucinating, they have various revelations. Lars sees how his parent's unhappy marriage has made him afraid to marry his loving partner, Ray. Heather feels guilty about Zach's suicide because she gave him medication that causes depression. Carmel decides she loves her body as it is.

When they sober up, the guests realize they are locked in. As they try to find a way out, the staff discusses the situation. (Deliah realizes this is not going to end well and leaves, stealing Ben's Lamborghini on the way out.) This was supposed to be a teamwork exercise, but Masha decides she's trying something new. When Yao protests, she drugs him. Masha gives the guests a new game to play, but then starts thinking of her baby son who strangled himself (with a curtain cord) while she'd been distracted with work and died. She takes LSD and is soon clearly out of her mind. The guests hear and smell a fire outside and are freaking out until they realize it's just a recording. They door is now unlocked and outside there's just a small wastebasket with burnt stuff.

Now free, Masha (still high) asks them if they're pleased with their revelations and results. When Heather insults Masha, Masha attacks her, so Frances knocks her out. A cop shows up (he went to check it out after catching Deliah speeding in the stolen car) and they tell him what happened. Masha and Yao are arrested. Afterwards, the guests end up resolving the root issues they went to the resort for. Many years later, Masha is out of jail, has written a book and has a exclusive, secretive LSD-based (illegal) therapy program still going on. Frances and Tony marry.

For more detail, see the full Section-by-Section Summary .

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Book Review

A friend of mine wanted to read Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty, so I offered to read it with her.

I read The Husband’s Secret by the same author a long time ago, but I hadn’t been particularly enthusiastic about it, so hadn’t been planning on revisiting Moriarty’s writing.

But Big Little Lies has been so huge and Nicole Kidman is planning an adaptation of Nine Perfect Strangers , so I figured as long as I would have someone to discuss it with anyway, I might as well give it a shot.

Nicole Kidman with Liane Moriarty

I had low expectations for this book. As I said in the beginning, I only read it because my friend was looking for a reading buddy. When I started it, I was sort of skimming the pages, trying to read it as quickly as possible so I could cross it off my list and get on to the rest of my to-do list.

But once the characters started crystalizing in my mind and a few lines made me think a little deeper than I was expecting, I found myself taking my time and letting the story roll around in my head.

The book is very simple in terms of the plot. These people show up to a 10-day wellness retreat, you get to know them, they participate in retreat activities and in the process there are a number of revelations about each of the characters.

Nicole Kidman as Masha in Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers Adaptation

They’re a great cast of characters, and I was more interested in these characters’ journeys than I was expecting. In some ways, this is more like 5 or 6 individual stories that just happen to occur at the same place.

In this grouping of strangers, there’s a grieving family, a young couple trying to save their marriage and a health-resort junkie. Plus, there’s a handful of singletons dealing with things like regret over the past, shame or just trying to change their lives. Through their sprinkling of stories, Moriarty tells stories about self-acceptance, about forgiveness, about healing and about moving on and moving forward.

Liane Moriarty has a keen grasp of the nuances that lie in between the interactions people have with each other, and tries hard to pry at the less obvious emotions or gradations that color people’s emotions. Moriarty digs into their vulnerabilities and dredges out truths in ways that feels insightful and hopeful. From the loss of a child, to struggling with divorces and heartbreak, to overcoming their fears and insecurities, Nine Perfect Strangers tackles all these topics, often with a smart mix of gravity, levity and humor.

From Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers Adaptation

Book Review: Criticism Slash the Bad Stuff

The last third of the book goes a little off the rails for a very long stretch. I won’t give away anything, but there’s a lengthy section where not very much is happening and to the extent that stuff is happening, it’s just kind of weird and not in interesting way. It also gets a little repetitive, hammering in points it previously made about the various characters.

When the “mystery” of what’s going is unraveled, it’s not a good mystery. I don’t know if I’d even consider it a mystery. It’s more like just something that doesn’t make a lot of sense so it’s mysterious in that sense. It’s mysteriously nonsensical.

I had such conflicted feelings during this book. There were parts that were so poignant and touching and incisive where my heart broke for these characters or I found myself smiling as I read this book. Then, there were parts where I thought this book was so stupid and insane that I couldn’t stop looking down to check how many pages were left.

There’s two main aspects that don’t work. First, the attempt to introduce an element of mystery and suspense into the premise is ham-fisted at best to put it nicely . (At worst, it’s a cynical ploy to generate more sales since mysteries and thrillers are popular right now.) It makes the book much “weirder” and didn’t add to the plot or meaning or substance. If anything, it detracted from the good parts of the book by making it hard to take it seriously.

Second, the attempt to bind these stories together and make it seem unified (e.g. the “team-building” exercise portion of the retreat) when they are really separate stories was not effective or interesting. I also don’t think it was necessary. The Love, Actually format of storytelling where a movie/book is telling separate stories that only intersect tangentially works just fine. Trying so hard to bring all the stories together isn’t needed and didn’t work.

Lastly, I’ll add that I think Liane writes much better female characters than male characters. Lars especially was a little unrealistic, both in terms of how he reacted to his parents divorce and what his character arc ends up being.

The other male characters were okay, but in general it seems (predictably) obvious that Moriarty has deeper insight into the intricacies of the female mind than that of their male counterparts.

Read it or Skip it?

If you’re curious about the mystery element to this book’s synopsis, then skip this. Any “suspenseful” or “mysterious” elements to the plot are, well, going to be a huge letdown.

What this book does well, however, is tell six different stories about self-acceptance, about forgiveness, about healing and about moving on and moving forward and things like that. That is the reason to show up to this book, and I think for many people that will be enough, even with any flaws, for it to be worth their time.

It’s an un-cynical story that reminds all its readers that it’s okay to struggle sometimes, and it’s better to ask for and get help if you need it.

There were parts where I felt a little frustrated by the kookiness of the story (or perhaps the silly framework masquerading as a story), but I did feel genuinely moved at some parts. I was rooting for all these characters (well, maybe not Masha) and overall I got enough out of the book to feel like it wasn’t a wasted effort.

What do you think? Have you read this or are you planning on reading this? See Nine Perfect Strangers on Amazon .

Nine Perfect Strangers Audiobook Review

I listened to part of this on audiobook, but it wasn’t one of the better ones I’ve heard. I had a bit of a long drive so I stuck with it, so in that case it was better than not reading anything, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

The voice actress’s narration is just ok, maybe sometimes a little irritating. She voices most of the dialogue of the women in a high whiny voice that drove me a little nuts. The acting also leaves something to be desired as well, so some of the emotional parts of the book feel a little cringey.

Oh, and she goes completely nuts with her Russian accent. Every section that’s from Masha’s point of view is done with a Russian accent, and it gets old, fast. It also doesn’t make sense, since she doesn’t use character voicings for anyone else’s point of view other than Masha.

Book Excerpt

Read the first pages of Nine Perfect Strangers

Movie / TV Show Adaptation

See Everything We Know About the 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Adaptation

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I bought this book recently and I want to read it. I love Big Little Lies (the TV-show), though I still have to read the book as well (which I also have sitting on my shelf).

I totally agree Big Little Lies is fantastic — the whole cast is great. There were definitely some pros and cons to Nine Perfect Strangers but as a whole I thought it had some good insights! :)

this book was too “out there” for me

haha totally understandable :)

It did start getting a bit silly halfway through. This definitely isn’t her best, but still quite an enjoyable read.

yeah, I think she tied up the story nicely in the end which helped it feel more satisfying even after the weirdness :)

I enjoyed her book What Alice Forgot! But I don’t think I will read this one!

oo I’ll look into that one, thanks for the heads up! :)

I completely disagree with you about the audio book. Caroline Lee is one of the best readers out there, she’s Australian, hence the accent. There’s a reason for the Russian accent for Masha, and I think it’s done very well. There’s conflicting opinions about this book but overall I really liked it.

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NINE PERFECT STRANGERS

by Liane Moriarty ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 6, 2018

Fun to read, as always with Moriarty's books, but try not to think about it or it will stop making sense.

Nine people gather at a luxurious health resort in the Australian bushland. Will they have sex, fall in love, get killed, or maybe just lose weight?

Moriarty ( Truly Madly Guilty , 2014, etc.) is known for darkly humorous novels set in the suburbs of Sydney—though her most famous book, Big Little Lies (2014), has been transported to Monterey, California, by Reese Witherspoon's HBO series. Her new novel moves away from the lives of prosperous parents to introduce a more eclectic group of people who've signed up for a 10-day retreat at Tranquillium House, a remote spa run by the messianic Masha, "an extraordinary-looking woman. A supermodel. An Olympic athlete. At least six feet tall, with corpse-like white skin and green eyes so striking and huge they were almost alien-like." This was the moment when the guests should probably have fled, but they all decided to stay (perhaps because their hefty payments were nonrefundable?). The book's title is slightly misleading, since not all the guests are strangers to each other. There are two family groups: Ben and Jessica Chandler, a young couple whose relationship broke down after they won the lottery, and the Marconis, Napolean and Heather and their 20-year-old daughter, Zoe, who are trying to recover after the death of Zoe's twin brother, Zach. Carmel Schneider is a divorced housewife who wants to get her mojo back, Lars Lee is an abnormally handsome divorce lawyer who's addicted to spas, and Tony Hogburn is a former professional footballer who wants to get back into shape. Though all these people have their own chapters, the main character is Frances Welty, a romance writer who needs a pick-me-up after having had her latest novel rejected and having been taken in by an internet scam—she fell in love with a man she met on Facebook and sent money to help his (nonexistent) son, who'd been in a (nonexistent) car accident. How humiliating for a writer to fall for a fictional person, Frances thinks, in her characteristically wry way. When the guests arrive, they're given blood tests (why?) and told they're going to start off with a five-day "noble silence" in which they're not even supposed to make eye contact with each other. As you can imagine, something fishy is going on, and while Moriarty displays her usual humor and Frances in particular is an appealing character, it's all a bit ridiculous.

Pub Date: Nov. 6, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-250-06982-5

Page Count: 464

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Review Posted Online: Nov. 14, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2018

THRILLER | FAMILY LIFE & FRIENDSHIP | GENERAL & DOMESTIC THRILLER | GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE

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by Liane Moriarty

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Awards & Accolades

Our Verdict

New York Times Bestseller

by Max Brooks ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 16, 2020

A tasty, if not always tasteful, tale of supernatural mayhem that fans of King and Crichton alike will enjoy.

Are we not men? We are—well, ask Bigfoot, as Brooks does in this delightful yarn, following on his bestseller World War Z (2006).

A zombie apocalypse is one thing. A volcanic eruption is quite another, for, as the journalist who does a framing voice-over narration for Brooks’ latest puts it, when Mount Rainier popped its cork, “it was the psychological aspect, the hyperbole-fueled hysteria that had ended up killing the most people.” Maybe, but the sasquatches whom the volcano displaced contributed to the statistics, too, if only out of self-defense. Brooks places the epicenter of the Bigfoot war in a high-tech hideaway populated by the kind of people you might find in a Jurassic Park franchise: the schmo who doesn’t know how to do much of anything but tries anyway, the well-intentioned bleeding heart, the know-it-all intellectual who turns out to know the wrong things, the immigrant with a tough backstory and an instinct for survival. Indeed, the novel does double duty as a survival manual, packed full of good advice—for instance, try not to get wounded, for “injury turns you from a giver to a taker. Taking up our resources, our time to care for you.” Brooks presents a case for making room for Bigfoot in the world while peppering his narrative with timely social criticism about bad behavior on the human side of the conflict: The explosion of Rainier might have been better forecast had the president not slashed the budget of the U.S. Geological Survey, leading to “immediate suspension of the National Volcano Early Warning System,” and there’s always someone around looking to monetize the natural disaster and the sasquatch-y onslaught that follows. Brooks is a pro at building suspense even if it plays out in some rather spectacularly yucky episodes, one involving a short spear that takes its name from “the sucking sound of pulling it out of the dead man’s heart and lungs.” Grossness aside, it puts you right there on the scene.

Pub Date: June 16, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-9848-2678-7

Page Count: 304

Publisher: Del Rey/Ballantine

Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020

GENERAL SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY | GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | SCIENCE FICTION

More by Max Brooks

by Max Brooks

IndieBound Bestseller

THE SILENT PATIENT

by Alex Michaelides ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 5, 2019

Amateurish, with a twist savvy readers will see coming from a mile away.

A woman accused of shooting her husband six times in the face refuses to speak.

"Alicia Berenson was thirty-three years old when she killed her husband. They had been married for seven years. They were both artists—Alicia was a painter, and Gabriel was a well-known fashion photographer." Michaelides' debut is narrated in the voice of psychotherapist Theo Faber, who applies for a job at the institution where Alicia is incarcerated because he's fascinated with her case and believes he will be able to get her to talk. The narration of the increasingly unrealistic events that follow is interwoven with excerpts from Alicia's diary. Ah, yes, the old interwoven diary trick. When you read Alicia's diary you'll conclude the woman could well have been a novelist instead of a painter because it contains page after page of detailed dialogue, scenes, and conversations quite unlike those in any journal you've ever seen. " 'What's the matter?' 'I can't talk about it on the phone, I need to see you.' 'It's just—I'm not sure I can make it up to Cambridge at the minute.' 'I'll come to you. This afternoon. Okay?' Something in Paul's voice made me agree without thinking about it. He sounded desperate. 'Okay. Are you sure you can't tell me about it now?' 'I'll see you later.' Paul hung up." Wouldn't all this appear in a diary as "Paul wouldn't tell me what was wrong"? An even more improbable entry is the one that pins the tail on the killer. While much of the book is clumsy, contrived, and silly, it is while reading passages of the diary that one may actually find oneself laughing out loud.

Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-250-30169-7

Publisher: Celadon Books

Review Posted Online: Nov. 3, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2018

GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | SUSPENSE | THRILLER | SUSPENSE | PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

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by Alex Michaelides

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NINE PERFECT STRANGERS Book Review

Well. I’m never visiting a health resort. EVER.

I’m just going to start this review by saying that Nine Perfect Strangers did not go at all where I thought it would. A lot of people said they had a hard time getting through this entire book, and I didn’t quite understand what they meant until about halfway through — which is about halfway through the titular “nine perfect strangers'” experience at a luxury spa and health resort called Tranquillum House.

For the first half of this book, I drank the proverbial Kool-Aid — or, smoothie, in this particular case. Tranquillum House seems like the perfect place to relax, detox, and transform your life, and the results of the owner’s strict no tech/no talking/no sugar/no caffeine/no carbs policy seems to yield amazing results. Weight loss? You betcha. A sense of inner peace? Sign me up. Lessened anxiety? I’ll take two! Any health regimen that leaves me feeling physically, emotionally, and mentally refreshed, and a few pounds lighter sounds like a winner in my book.

I’ve read all of Moriarty’s previous novels, so I’m familiar enough with her works to know that she’s excellent at building a backstory. She takes her time in fleshing out the characters and setting the scene. Most of her books deal with the pressure to keep up appearances, and the eventual reveal of the chaos writhing beneath calm, carefully presented façades. Because of the author’s tendency to draw out the set-up, I did start to get antsy for The Twist I knew was coming. I didn’t know what exactly would be coming, but I knew something would. But, that’s part of the art of Moriarty. She takes her sweet time in getting there, and the build up is done so well that when The Twist does come, it’s simply devastating.

As usual, Moriarty does a great job in Nine Perfect Strangers of concealing the monsters that dwell within all of us — the hidden rage, the self-doubt, the pettiness, and the resentfulness we feel towards ourselves or our loved ones. Everyone at Tranquillum House has his/her own personal drama, but these problems are all hidden under carefully constructed facades. Each guest shows only what they want others to see, and it’s only as you read that the layers begin to peel back and you realize that, hey, not everyone has their shit together as much as you think.

Things start to go a little bonkers in the second half of the book. I sometimes feel like Moriarty’s twists are a little fantastical (see  The Husband’s Secret  and  The Hypnotist’s Love Story ) , but what happens at Tranquillum House really goes off the rails. I usually think of Moriarty’s books as “chick lit” because even though they touch upon very serious subjects (abusive relationships, husbands who secretly murder people and cover it up, adultery, depression and suicide), Moriarty portrays everything in a remarkably entertaining and somehow light-hearted way. You’re moved by the drama, but never to the point where you have to put down the book and walk away for a bit.

Until now. I feel  Nine Perfect Strangers firmly deviates from “women’s fiction” and swerves chaotically into thriller territory. Some of the situations got a little too intense for me, and I wasn’t a huge fan of the second part of the book. That’s not to say it’s not good …because it is. I just wasn’t expecting such intensity in a story that starts off at someplace (ironically) named Tranquillum House, and I was taken a little aback. The action escalates into what I could confidently call a “nightmare scenario” — or, several scenarios, actually, since they seem to snowball into each other — and that’s not quite what I was expecting with this novel.

With that in mind, though, everything that happens is a little…ridiculous? It’s not that what transpires in Nine Perfect Strangers   couldn’t happen in real life. Because, unfortunately, people be crazy. I could totally see the events happening under the right circumstances. But, as my old therapist used to counsel me, “It’s possible…but is it probable? ”

No…no, it’s not, not really. But, just in case, I think I’ll stay away from any health resorts that require me to give up my phone and access to the outside world. Just to be safe.

Nine Perfect Strangers is not my favorite Moriarty book (that place is still held by The Last Anniversary ), but it’s still a fast-paced, enjoyable, and exciting read. It keeps you guessing, and I really enjoyed the cast of characters in the book. Their backstories are compelling, and you become really engrossed in what brings each of them to the resort. Their pull on you is what keeps you reading when you’re ready to walk away because you’ve had it up to HERE with the crap going on at Tranquillum House (just like the characters!).

If you’re a Moriarty fan, I think you should read this one. It’s quintessentially the author we love, with a little bit more of an intense twist than perhaps we longtime fans are used to.

Have you read  Nine Perfect Strangers ? What about other Liane Moriarty books? Share below! And, be sure to come back for my book-inspired recipe: Citrus Quinoa Salad !

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8 thoughts on “ NINE PERFECT STRANGERS Book Review ”

Great Review, C.J.! I am in the minority and am not a fan of Liane Moriarty. But always like reading your reviews. 😀

Thanks, Claire! I find her novels to be lots of fun, but some are definitely easier to get into than others.

Great review! This was my least favorite Moriarty title as well. Have you read Celeste Eng? Not as “light” but you may enjoy her work.

I haven’t read anything by her yet, but she’s on my list. I’ve heard good things about Little Fires Everywhere. Thanks for the recommendation!

I have read a handful of Liane’s books. This one took a turn that I did not expect! I love her character development, you feel like you know the characters well. My favorite of hers is also The Last Anniversary. I have loved watching the TV series made from Big Little Lies.

Yay, another Last Anniversary fan! Such a great novel. And I also love the Big Little Lies TV show. I think this new season took a darker turn, but it was still really well done and entertaining.

I’m struggling to read Nine Perfect Strangers. Have read no other of her books. It is getting to the point as I near the end that I don’t much care what happens to them. I have this feeling Masha will become this maniacal Hitler but who knows?

Hi, M.J.! Unfortunately, this is not a good Liane Moriarity book to start out with, in my opinion. While a lot of her novels contain a little bit of suspense, this one goes a little over the edge! I recommend WHAT ALICE FORGOT if you want something sweet; THE LAST ANNIVERSARY for bittersweet; and BIG LITTLE LIES for a tinge of suspense!

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BOOK REVIEW: Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty

Review by Tegan Lyon

Nine Perfect Strangers is the eighth novel from Australian author Liane Moriarty, widely known for her bestseller Big Little Lies and its wildly popular HBO adaptation starring Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern. Following the immense success of Big Little Lies , Nine Perfect Strangers came with high expectations; Kidman even optioned the rights before the novel was published in September 2018.

With the TV adaptation set to premiere in Australia on August 20 th , there will no doubt be creative licences taken with Moriarty’s characters and the novel’s Australian setting. The adaption has attracted several big names, with Nicole Kidman staring as Masha—a character that will predictably be given an increased role—and Melissa McCarthy taking on the role of Frances. If the limited series is anything like its source material, Nine Perfect Strangers will be entertaining and easy to digest, while ruminating on loss, disconnection, and the plausibility of self-improvement.

Nine Perfect Strangers unfolds over ten days at a wellness retreat with the interweaving narratives of nine guests, all seeking a mental and physical reset. Located in the remote bushlands of northern New South Wales, the wellness retreat is aptly named “Tranquillum House”. At the helm of this transformative resort is director Masha, a figure once referred to as a “celestial being”, who promises to heal, detox and reform each guest using unorthodox, yet rewarding, methods. Guests must unplug from the outside word, cleanse their bodies of toxins, meditate, exercise, and observe periods of fasting and noble silence, all for a hefty fee under the guise of self-improvement.

It’s an environment that’s rife for character development and the novel enjoys a glacial pace as it peels back the layers of these nine strangers and reveals their backstories. Most of the guests at Tranquillum House are grieving in some way—over a relationship, a loved one, an old life—or experiencing bouts of self-loathing, and in some cases, both. The novel is light on plot and its dawdling pace might frustrate some readers, particularly since certain characters and their subsequent journeys resonate more than others. But for readers (like this one) who relish character growth over plot advancement, the novel’s slow burn will be a satisfying one, as it has the effect of evolving in real-time across the ten-day program.

The most notable and entertaining of Moriarty’s characters is Frances, a wry, charming, and prolific romance author previously caught up in a fraudulent dating scam. Frances’ narration also offers several metatextual jokes and references about genre fiction and “unseemly mass market sales of ‘airport trash’”, an obvious nod to Moriarty herself, whose books have been derisively branded as “chick lit”.

Among the other eight guests are Napoleon, Heather and Zoe Marconi, a family recovering from a personal tragedy; Ben and Jessica, a young, wealthy couple on the brink of separation; Tony, a retired athlete; Lars, a self-proclaimed health-retreat junkie; and Carmel, a recently divorced mother of four. While most characters are worth investing in, others aren’t as fully formed. Allocated only a handful of chapters, Lars feels underdeveloped and contributes little to the story, except for the occasional moment of brevity. Conversely, Carmel is intentionally one-dimensional. Her self-worth is defined by her perfectly healthy weight, and she bores several other characters with repeated talk of her narrow obsession.

Unfortunately, the novel’s main antagonist, Masha, lapses into cartoonish territory in the latter half of the story. Her quasi-inspiring speeches begin to fall flat and what might have once sounded profound becomes empty, corporate, team-building nonsense as she loses control of her guests. Even when key pieces of her history are revealed to contextualise her behaviour, Masha is disappointingly two-dimensional and never fully humanised. Ironically, where most of her guests experience personal growth, Masha simply regresses. Nine Perfect Strangers oscillates between a hopeful and cynical view of wellness retreat fads and the industry as a whole. At times the novel makes light of the extreme activities that have been engineered for mental clarity, such as fasting and periods of silence, while also noting that the wellness industry is exclusively accessible to privileged people. But there are true moments of insight and healing peppered throughout the story that make a strong case for self-reformation. The overarching question that underpins the whole novel is, how much can a person really change themselves? And moreover, do these changes last? Even with a satisfying conclusion and several neatly tied threads, Moriarty refuses to answer these questions definitively.

Nine Perfect Strangers was published by Pan Macmillan and has an RRP of $32.99. It is available from most online and local retailers.

Tegan Lyon is a new student of the Master of Creative Writing, Publishing and Editing program at The University of Melbourne. She recently returned from a road trip around Australia, where she lived in a tent for the better part of five months. She didn’t read any of the books she brought with her.

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