In the small, perfectly manicured and well-kept suburb of Shaker Heights in America live the Richardsons. Elena Richardson, her perfect husband live in their perfect home in their perfect neighbourhood with their four perfect children. Almost… she clashes almost constantly with her free-spirited youngest daughter Izzy, but still, perfect otherwise.
She rents a room out to a single mother, Mia Warren, a struggling artist & nomad, and also gives her a job as a cook and housekeeper. Mia’s daughter, Pearl, becomes friendly with the Richardson children, and is enamoured by their luxurious and care-free lifestyle, and infatuated with the oldest boy too. Izzy, on the other hand, is enamoured with Mia.
A major conflict arises when the Richardson’s friends adopt a Chinese-origin baby, but Mia supports the biological mother and wants the baby returned to her. The case goes to court and press, but the biological mother loses custody. In retaliation, Elena digs up a number of sordid details from Mia’s past and evicts her.
This precipitates in the titular Little Fires everywhere; Mia leaves and, reconciles with her own past, reconnects with her own parents and Pearl’s father. Izzy, realizing how her whole family has used Mia and Pearl, sets fire to her house and runs away, hoping to reconnect with Mia. Elena abandons her pursuit of “perfection” and dedicates herself to finding and reconnecting with Izzy.
A recurrent theme throughout the book are the secrets that each person holds, and the consequences of keeping those secrets. The climax builds as each person is forced to deal with with fallout of their choices. A good read, if a bit melodramatic.