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ems_reading_room 's review for:
The Sirens
by Emilia Hart
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
I received this as an arc and it’s the first I’ve read of the author’s books.
I really liked the three different storylines we had in this, and was instantly gripped by the exploration of systemic sexism and violence towards women, both historically and today.
The look into the female convict ships to Australia was so interesting and a part of history I knew nothing about. I was also pleased to see the author acknowledging the colonisation and extensive harm that was also happening to indigenous Australians at this time, but that that was not her story to tell.
This was very much a character driven book and explores themes of healing from trauma, sisterhood and transformation. Whilst this is being marketed as fantasy I believe, it feels slightly more in the realms of magical realism and lit-fic, with the siren element more metaphorical at times.
I think it deals with these themes relatively well and I was hooked on these characters’ journeys, however I do have some issues with the abruptness of the ending which I think could have been explored more and one of the revelations felt hypocritical to me.
I really liked the three different storylines we had in this, and was instantly gripped by the exploration of systemic sexism and violence towards women, both historically and today.
The look into the female convict ships to Australia was so interesting and a part of history I knew nothing about. I was also pleased to see the author acknowledging the colonisation and extensive harm that was also happening to indigenous Australians at this time, but that that was not her story to tell.
This was very much a character driven book and explores themes of healing from trauma, sisterhood and transformation. Whilst this is being marketed as fantasy I believe, it feels slightly more in the realms of magical realism and lit-fic, with the siren element more metaphorical at times.
I think it deals with these themes relatively well and I was hooked on these characters’ journeys, however I do have some issues with the abruptness of the ending which I think could have been explored more and one of the revelations felt hypocritical to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Pregnancy
Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Colonisation
Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage