Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - Sirens & Muses

I loved this book, absolutely devoured it. Louisa and Karina’s stories and how they intertwined were so lovely, and it was such gorgeous writing. I could have done without Preston’s entire arc, I found him pretty dull and annoying, but that just made me treasure Karina and Louisa more.

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moss_martii's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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christopher_shiprack's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring reflective relaxing 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? It's complicated

4.5

"Why leave a place when you love it and -- miracles of miracles -- it loves you back?" - pg. 346

Here we follow four artists with very different styles, mediums, ambitions, and motivations, as they seek to find meaning in their work and to decide if they hate or love one another. This multi-POV (but still third person) story offers compelling story arcs for each of our MCs and we learn about them at the same rate that they realize more and more about themselves.

The story centers around two young women, Louisa and Karina, who begin as distant, almost regretful, college roommates and evolve into passionate and warm lovers. Delightfully sapphic. A love story that feels earned by the end.

The pros are beautiful, filled with just the right amount of detail and all of the emotional weight. The pacing at times felt a little off, but I think that is mostly because I could't stand Preston (one of the MCs) and although I did find myself empathizing with him at times, I was always eager to move past his chapters.

I would call this novel dark academia adjacent. Much of the dark academia tropes and atmosphere is here, but overall the story reaches beyond the subgenre forming a mix of dark academia and more broad contemporary literature.

Perfect for lovers of contemporary and literary fiction.

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sjanke2's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

RIYL: campus novels, the art world, the haves and have nots, bisexual love triangles, Occupy Wall Street, adjectives

Casting: ironically, Phoebe Bridgers as Karina and Daisy Edgar Jones as Louisa

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bella_cavicchi's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

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

I wish I could say my enjoyment of SIRENS & MUSES was surprising, but it quite honestly focuses on everything I love: art and nature, coming of age, existence in the recent but not the present, etc., etc. This was a read I savored, and I'm already looking forward to Angress' sophomore novel, whatever it may be about (!)

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wormsforbrains's review against another edition

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fast-paced

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

empathized with karina too much, probably! so beautifully written honestly.

coming back to bump it down from 5 stars because

preston was so fucking annoying to me and regardless of the horrible shit he went through, i just couldn't find it in me to sympathize with him at most points.

also imo some of the art described was so fucked up to me lol i defo don't get it, sorry!

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escharlton's review against another edition

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4.5

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crisp_biscuit's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.5

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