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grex_ronnie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Non è un brutto libro, ma non riesco nemmeno a reputarlo un “bel” libro, che consiglierei. Non è il mio genere.
È una buona penna, la scrittura fila, per quando la mancanza di dialoghi definiti (sta moda alla Rooney deve finire vi prego) mi disturbi, lo trovo un bello stile.
La trama viaggia su piani inquieti e poco reali che non riesce a convincermi e spesso mi annoia: da qui, il finale mi ha molto deluso. Ma possono essere gusti.
Per quanto estremamente difficili e irritanti, i personaggi e le loro relazioni sono spiegati benissimo e la tossicità delle loro vite passa perfettamente al lettore. In questo, nulla da dire: vorresti proprio entrare nel libro e scuotere tutti quanti.
Ma rimane comunque un libro che non sono riuscita ad apprezzare a pieno.
È una buona penna, la scrittura fila, per quando la mancanza di dialoghi definiti (sta moda alla Rooney deve finire vi prego) mi disturbi, lo trovo un bello stile.
La trama viaggia su piani inquieti e poco reali che non riesce a convincermi e spesso mi annoia: da qui, il finale mi ha molto deluso. Ma possono essere gusti.
Per quanto estremamente difficili e irritanti, i personaggi e le loro relazioni sono spiegati benissimo e la tossicità delle loro vite passa perfettamente al lettore. In questo, nulla da dire: vorresti proprio entrare nel libro e scuotere tutti quanti.
Ma rimane comunque un libro che non sono riuscita ad apprezzare a pieno.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Bullying, Death, and Blood
seawarrior's review
4.0
Sisters is a suspenseful, almost gothic story of two sisters with a parasitic bond. Although I predicted the major twist early on, I remained engrossed in the novel due to its language, unique imagery, and portrayal of the sisters' dangerous yet seemingly innocent rituals and relationship. I've never read another book quite like this and am definitely interested in exploring more from this author. I would recommend this book to other readers who enjoy off-putting character studies that push the limits of reality.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail
james1star's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
I didn’t like this book. It started out okayish, definitely a bit *too* descriptive - not in the transportive way but more like “oh more details… yay… ugh” - but I guess this densness did die down as the story unfolded. It then just went into too much backstory plot kinda and about the sisters relationship, not the ‘sinister unfolding(s)’ with a lot less emphasis on the noises, lights flickering, lack of sleep and endless dreams which I was promised in the blurb. I just don’t feel like it gave what was stated. Not to spoil the plot at all but the main twist I did kind of predict as the story was developing so I was glad to get it right but also like I wasn’t shocked either.
The writing was okay I guess but I did feel like it changed quite a bit with lots of small sentences then very long ones. It was readable and followed but kind of irritating I guess. There was no quotation marks which does irk me but at least speech is on separate lines. The characters are rather unlikable and unrealistic with not that much logic in my opinion. Towards the end the plot seemed a bit rushed with lots of small paragraphs that were somewhat confusing but I dunno, I really didn’t like how it wrapped up.
Quick plot summary: two sisters and their mum move to their aunt’s rental house which is kinda run down, the mum is depressed and absent, sisters have a ‘weird’ relationship with September controlling basically all of July’s life, they explore the house and area, think back to their childhood and ‘the incident’ and Yhh, y’ll be getting no more out of me. Not that I would really recommend you read it but if you do… you get what I mean.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Mental illness, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Blood, and Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
cristina_margarita's review
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This story wriggled its way inside me like a tapeworm. I keep trying to pin down how it made me feel or any thoughts I have but they’re so evasive. I just desperately want July to be alright but buried beneath that is the deepest feelings of unease regarding her.
The characters are incredibly & disturbingly real. And the ending. The ending felt like slotting in the last piece of a puzzle - perfectly fitting but tinged with remorse at how it had to end.
The most coherent thought I have about this book is that it reminds me of House of Hollow, just less glamorous & fantastical & for an adult audience.
The characters are incredibly & disturbingly real. And the ending. The ending felt like slotting in the last piece of a puzzle - perfectly fitting but tinged with remorse at how it had to end.
The most coherent thought I have about this book is that it reminds me of House of Hollow, just less glamorous & fantastical & for an adult audience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy
savvylit's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
July is the primary narrator of Sisters. She is an incredibly real-seeming, naive young woman with an absolutely shattered sense of self. It's not long into the story before it becomes evident that September's need for control has stunted July's ability to be her own person. July constantly looks to September for approval on everything from what to do & say to what to eat.
In writing Sisters, Daisy Johnson creates a palpable and ruinous atmosphere of codependency. This book and its slow-burn plot are an extraordinary reminder that sometimes the most important relationships can also be the most damaging.
In writing Sisters, Daisy Johnson creates a palpable and ruinous atmosphere of codependency. This book and its slow-burn plot are an extraordinary reminder that sometimes the most important relationships can also be the most damaging.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Death, and Grief
calisbooklog's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Self harm, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Alcohol
serendipitysbooks's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I picked up Sisters because Daisy Johnson is one of the ten nominees for the Women’s Prize x Good Housekeeping Futures Award.
It is an eerie atmospheric read with more than a touch of horror, centred around an unhealthy relationship between September and July, two teenage sisters who are practically twins. Something has recently happened which has caused a big upheaval in their life, causing them to flee to an isolated family home near the coast. Their mother Sheela is not fully present, depression often confining her to her bed. The way the story unfolds is frustrating - deliberately so, obfuscating information which the reader desperately wants to know. It’s fragmentary in nature, moving back and forward in time, revealing that July and September’s isn’t the only unhealthy relationship in the family. By the time the truth about what happened to cause the family’s move is revealed I wasn’t surprised, having already suspected as much. This isn’t a slight on the book at all, more a sign that the twist was not one of those totally out-of-left field ones which I can find a bit irritating. This books is a powerful exploration of memory, inheritance, love and power. It does a great job of capturing some of the essence of the teenage experience. I especially enjoyed the author’s way with words and the atmosphere she was able to create.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Grief
anniefwrites's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Truly bone-chilling. Johnson created such a claustrophobic, vivid world and deeply twisted characters to inhabit it. This one will stick with me for a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcohol, Mental illness, Sexual content, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing and Pregnancy
erindoesdesign's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Abandonment, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Blood, Child death, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, and Toxic relationship
solenekeleroux's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Death, Bullying, Body horror, Physical abuse, and Grief