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abaugher's review against another edition
3.0
interesting flashback story set in England, back and forth between London and a crumbling Wykefield abbey, where three enigmatic sisters lived, and the people whose lives they impacted with their powerful personalities. told from at least three different perspectives in the course of the book. interesting.
carolpk's review against another edition
4.0
This book reminded me a bit of Atonement, different narrators telling the story and who knows where the truth really lies. Sally Beuman is an excellent story-teller and her use of the tarot to flesh this novel out was intriguing. Her descriptions of the abbey and Suffolk, England are very precise. A bit long, a bit confusing but all in all a good read. I definetly will go back and read another of Ms. Beuman's books.
booksong's review against another edition
4.0
This was quite a haunting book; one of the few adult novels I've forayed into. The characters and relationships were very well done and well narrated though, and the story stayed with me a long time.
The Sisters Mortland is the story of, what else, three sisters, living in an abandoned English abbey. There is Julia, the gorgeous, sexy eldest daughter with a wild streak; Finn, the bookish middle sister with the most level personality and mind; and Maisie, the youngest, who is quiet, has a mild mental disorder from a childhood accident, and can see the ghosts of the nuns who still haunt the abbey.
The story builds slowly, twining from one perspective to another as months and years pass. Along the way, the three sisters have a constantly shifting relationship, and they interact with each other in amazingly subtle, complex, and real ways. And then there are the men of their lives, growing with them from teens to adulthood; Lucas, the handsome and experienced artist; Daniel, the soft-spoken son of gypsies who has known each sister since childhood; and Daniel's friend Nick, a studying medical student. All of them, along with many others, are connected by strings both thin and thick, bonds of friendship, family, betrayal, love, and heritage. The story spans years, and it's amazing to watch each character grow and change so fully over that time.
The relationships are probably the best part, although by no means are they warm and fuzzy. That's just it; they're painfully, beautifully real. My perception of almost all the characters changed; it's unlikely that the characters you choose as favorites at the beginning will still be favorites at the end, and vice versa (except Daniel, that's all I'm saying.) All in all, it was a powerful novel, definitely not for those who want things light. But it was well worth reading in the end.
The Sisters Mortland is the story of, what else, three sisters, living in an abandoned English abbey. There is Julia, the gorgeous, sexy eldest daughter with a wild streak; Finn, the bookish middle sister with the most level personality and mind; and Maisie, the youngest, who is quiet, has a mild mental disorder from a childhood accident, and can see the ghosts of the nuns who still haunt the abbey.
The story builds slowly, twining from one perspective to another as months and years pass. Along the way, the three sisters have a constantly shifting relationship, and they interact with each other in amazingly subtle, complex, and real ways. And then there are the men of their lives, growing with them from teens to adulthood; Lucas, the handsome and experienced artist; Daniel, the soft-spoken son of gypsies who has known each sister since childhood; and Daniel's friend Nick, a studying medical student. All of them, along with many others, are connected by strings both thin and thick, bonds of friendship, family, betrayal, love, and heritage. The story spans years, and it's amazing to watch each character grow and change so fully over that time.
The relationships are probably the best part, although by no means are they warm and fuzzy. That's just it; they're painfully, beautifully real. My perception of almost all the characters changed; it's unlikely that the characters you choose as favorites at the beginning will still be favorites at the end, and vice versa (except Daniel, that's all I'm saying.) All in all, it was a powerful novel, definitely not for those who want things light. But it was well worth reading in the end.
gunstreet's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. Great writing, incredible ending, though I didn’t expect the middle to be so much about the feelings of sad men.
jessthebookworm's review against another edition
4.0
I always enjoy Sally Beauman's books. Her characters are all so wonderfully flawed, and there is always some sort of scandal underlying everything.
This book begins by following 13 year old, autistic Maisie, having her portrait painted at her family home in Suffolk. Maisie gives us some insight into her family history, including a glimpse into the lives of her mother, her two sisters and the boys they get involved with, and the ghostly nuns that only she can see.
The book skips suddenly 20 years ahead, where we learn that a terrible accident occurred 20 years ago, but details are sketchy. The author kept me on the edge of my seat as I kept reading to get more and more information of what had happened in the lives of all of the characters.
The only thing I must say is that I'm getting a bit tired of books that don't end properly, that end up in the air, leaving too many loose ends. This unfortunately, was one of the flaws of this story.
Really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to lovers of modern gothic tales with lots of family drama.
This book begins by following 13 year old, autistic Maisie, having her portrait painted at her family home in Suffolk. Maisie gives us some insight into her family history, including a glimpse into the lives of her mother, her two sisters and the boys they get involved with, and the ghostly nuns that only she can see.
The book skips suddenly 20 years ahead, where we learn that a terrible accident occurred 20 years ago, but details are sketchy. The author kept me on the edge of my seat as I kept reading to get more and more information of what had happened in the lives of all of the characters.
The only thing I must say is that I'm getting a bit tired of books that don't end properly, that end up in the air, leaving too many loose ends. This unfortunately, was one of the flaws of this story.
Really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to lovers of modern gothic tales with lots of family drama.
gertyp's review against another edition
3.0
Good book, interesting story with lots of shoot offs. A few twists and turns too. Not as great as I hoped but I did like it!
rachelgertrude's review against another edition
3.0
The Sisters Mortland was a very interesting book that vividly painted the lives of three sisters in an old castle in the 1960s. There was so much tragedy in this book, and so much mystery- you see half the book through the eyes of Maisie, a young autistic child, and then there is a tragic near-death of her character. You revisit all the characters years later and find out what really happened to lead her to jump- or fall- to her now vegetable-like existence. I enjoyed the twisting, turning plot- but in the end there were no answers or tying up of loose ends, so it left me feeling depressed and anxious to move on to the next book. Still, Beaumann is a skilled writer and it was a thought-provoking story.
radioactve_piano's review against another edition
3.0
A good seven hour flight read, if you know what I mean (mostly well-written fluff that made it a good escape book). A third of the book is from the perspective of a thirteen year old girl; most of the remaining 2/3rds is told from the point of view of a family friend who grew up with her and her two sisters. Truth be told, I wasn't interested in the thirteen year old's narration [she seemed like someone I would have hated to be around -- one of those too-adult-for-their-own-good pre-teens], but when the family friend's part kicked in, I actually was fairly absorbed.
The story had a lot more promise than it delivered, but that's alright. I'd actually read a review of the book that set me up for disappointment and think I would have enjoyed it a lot more had I just read it without reading the review. Oh well.
By the way, I'd lend this, but I left it on a wall in York.
The story had a lot more promise than it delivered, but that's alright. I'd actually read a review of the book that set me up for disappointment and think I would have enjoyed it a lot more had I just read it without reading the review. Oh well.
By the way, I'd lend this, but I left it on a wall in York.