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orireading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Death, Suicide, and Death of parent
shector1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Drug use and Infidelity
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Misogyny, Suicide, and Vomit
sjanke2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Casting: ironically, Phoebe Bridgers as Karina and Daisy Edgar Jones as Louisa
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
bella_cavicchi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use, Sexism, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol
wormsforbrains's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
coming back to bump it down from 5 stars because
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Drug use, Physical abuse, Suicide, Dementia, Death of parent, and Alcohol
eman1223's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Death of parent
exeuntomnes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Sirens and Muses has the perfect atmosphere for a story set in the world of art.
The story follows four different points of view: Louisa, Karina, and Preston, all art students at an elite art school called Wrynn, and Robert, a sulky art professor. We accompany the students throughout their complicated relationships with each other and their dedicated art practices as everything slowly begins to tear apart around them.
This book was both appealing and thoughtful. I really enjoyed the exploration of art, power, youth, and class; it was truly a page-turner from the start. Angress explores each character's personality in a truly unique way and how they are able to relate to their peers and the world around them.
The way each story of the characters masterfully intertwine felt entirely real and fascinating.
This story deeply moved me. I can't truly explain why. I loved the flawed characters, the longing to create something worthwhile, and the messy relationships that truly despict what it is to be part of the art world, the sensitivity and the self-doubt that this entails.
To be honest, the only thing I could say I didn't like or enjoy as much as the rest of the book was that the ending felt a bit rushed, but it was exciting and lovely to be able to read those last passages, which ended the story on a beautiful bittersweet note.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Death of parent, and Classism
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault
liteartha's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
opening on three students and one visiting artist at wrynn, a fictional art school, sirens & muses follows the four over the next year of their lives. half campus novel and half musing on the NYC art scene, angress navigates an abrupt mid-book shift in environment with impressive deftness. the writing is mature, emotionally compelling throughout, and largely incisive in its commentary on class and the commodification of art. angress is clearly very knowledgeable about the contemporary art world and even from my distinctly outsider perspective, it was easy to feel drawn into the setting.
the novel is indulgently ambling, focused more on the interplay of characters and their creative processes over any particular plot. while the four POV characters are treated to fairly equal attention, louisa and karina felt vastly more developed than preston and robert (granted, i was inevitably going to be drawn more to the plot of young sapphic artists and the intimacy of it all—portrait de la jeune fille on feu was not far from my mind at times).
set in the early 2010s, sirens & muses manages to dodge the social and political atmosphere that would follow in short time. preston runs a photography tumblr full of loud and provocative photoshop jobs, the occupy movement is building steam, social media is a very limited part of how the characters interact with the world. in short, the world of sirens & muses feels very much on a precipice the characters aren't aware they're facing down.
there was fat to be trimmed in parts and certain aspects of its commentary that i'd have liked to see expanded more upon, especially in regards to robert's past, but on the whole everything comes to a satisfying if open-ended conclusion. perfect for those looking for art novels and different spins on the dark academia niche. an earnest recommendations from me!
thank you to netgalley and ballantine books for providing this digital review copy in exchange for an honest review
Graphic: Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent
caseythereader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
- SIRENS AND MUSES is atmospheric, enveloping the reader in the characters' art world bubble.
- It's got a touch of Donna Tartt to it, with the wealthy college students getting wrapped up in each other and their studies, and I think anyone who has ever been in an art program (hi, me) will find some aspects of the story highly, maybe uncomfortably, relatable.
- This book gets really deep into questions about what and who is art for, and while the fine art vs the internet throughline could have been trite, I think it was pretty well done. Additionally, the bits about how so much art has simply become items for wealthy billionaires to trade around...whew.
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism