Real Life and Liars by Kristina Riggle

This text provides excerpts from the novel Real Life \& Liars by Kristina Riggle, focusing on a pivotal family weekend centered around the parents' thirty-fifth wedding anniversary party. The narrative rotates through the perspectives of Mira, the mother who is secretly battling cancer and refusing treatment; Katya, the oldest daughter struggling with her materialistic lifestyle, marital issues, and concerns about her children; and Ivan and Irina, the adult children grappling with their own personal and professional insecurities, with Irina introducing her new husband and unexpected pregnancy to the family. The text explores intergenerational conflicts, difficult relationships, and individual crises set against the backdrop of the family reunion and a dramatic storm, culminating in revelations and shifts in family dynamics as they confront Mira's mortality.