''Nine Perfect Strangers'' is a 2018 novel by Australian author

Liane Moriarty Liane Moriarty (born 15 November 1966) is an Australian author. She has written nine novels, including the ''New York Times'' best sellers '' Big Little Lies'' and '' Nine Perfect Strangers'', which were adapted into television series for HBO a ...

. It was published on September 18, 2018 by Macmillan Australia. It is a ''New York Times'' Bestseller.

Synopsis

Nine people from different walks of life attend a pricey 10-day "Mind and Body Total Transformation Retreat" at a place called the Tranquillum House run by a mysterious Russian woman named Masha. Throughout the course of their retreat they realize that each of them are battling their own demons and all of them are subjects of an experiment.

Characters

Tranquillum House staff: * Masha, the Russian woman who runs the Tranquillum House * Yao and Delilah, her dedicated employees The nine strangers: * Frances, a romance novelist * Tony, an ex-athlete * Jessica, a plastic-surgery-obsessed lottery winner * Ben, Jessica's car-obsessed husband * Carmel, a single mother of four who was left by her husband for a younger woman * Lars, a divorce attorney * Heather and Napoleon, a married couple who lost a twin son * Zoe, Heather and Napoleon's 20-year-old twin daughter

Reception

The book received mixed reviews. Patty Rhule of ''USA Today'' gave the book two out of four stars, and said that it "does not match up to her captivating previous books." Specifically, she criticized the book for spending too many pages on character development. In contrast, Lisa Scottoline of the ''New York Times'' said that all the characters are "fully realized, with compelling lives, relationships and motivations" and that the novel is "thought-provoking, but never pedantic" as it "raises fascinating questions about our relentless quest for self-improvement." It was 2018 Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist: Best Fiction.

Television adaptation

In January 2020, it was announced that the novel would be adapted into a television series, which premiered on

Hulu Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television seri ...

in 2021. The series was co-written by David E. Kelley, John-Henry Butterworth, and

Samantha Strauss Samantha Strauss is an Australian screenwriter known for the shows ''Dance Academy'' and ''Nine Perfect Strangers''. Early life and family Strauss grew up in Gold Coast, Queensland, and was educated at St Hilda's School, Trinity Lutheran Colle ...

and starred

Nicole Kidman Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an American and Australian actress and producer. Known for her work across various film and television productions from several genres, she has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid act ...

as Masha and Melissa McCarthy as Frances. On 27 May 2020,

Manny Jacinto Manuel Luis Jacinto ( ; born August 19, 1987) is a Canadian actor born in the Philippines. After several small roles on television, his breakout role came starring as Jason Mendoza on the NBC sitcom ''The Good Place'' (2016–2020). He has appea ...

was cast in the role of Yao. The cast also includes Luke Evans as Lars, Melvin Gregg as Ben,

Samara Weaving Samara Weaving (born 23 February 1992) is an Australian actress and model. She began her career in her home country, playing Kirsten Mulroney on the drama series ''Out of the Blue'' (2008). She came to prominence with her portrayal of Indi Walk ...

as Jessica, Asher Keddie as Heather, Grace Van Patten as Zoe, Tiffany Boone as Delilah,

Michael Shannon Michael Corbett Shannon (born August 7, 1974) is an American actor, producer, musician, and theater director. He is an off beat actor known for his on-screen versatility, performing in both comedies and dramas. He became known for his frequent ...

as Napoleon, Regina Hall as Carmel, Hal Cumpston as Zachary and

Bobby Cannavale Roberto Michael Cannavale (; born May 3, 1970) is an American actor. He is best known for various television roles, including leading roles in '' Third Watch'', '' Vinyl'', and '' Mr. Robot'', as well as recurring roles in '' Will & Grace'', whic ...

as Tony. The series was directed by

Jonathan Levine Jonathan LeVine is an American art dealer, instrumental in the proliferation of lowbrow and street art on the East Coast of the United States. About LeVine grew up in Trenton, New Jersey. As a teenager, he encountered punk rock music and the p ...

. Filming began in August 2020, in Byron Bay, Australia.

References

{{Reflist 2018 Australian novels Australian mystery novels Australian novels adapted into television shows