A review by jamieleepilk
Private Rites by Julia Armfield

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

'Private Rites' follows the story of three sisters after the death of their father. The world is now covered in water & won't stop raining, the novel follows the sister's fractured relationship as they each navigate their grief, their love lives (or lack of) while also dealing with what feels like might be the end of the world. The story is told through a present day narrative that at times gives us flashbacks into the past of each of the siblings as they start to believe that their parents may have kept a sinister secret. 
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Nobody writes like Julia Armfield. Nobody. Her way of writing is so beautiful that it sticks with you and leaves you breathless. She has this way of creating characters that you instantly connect with and this you know personally. The way she writes about queer relationships is phenomenal. While reading this you consistently get that really sinister feeling that something is going to happen, it fills you with dread as you start to piece things together! I adored how she writes about the sisters relationship and I think any one with siblings can identify with regardless of circumstance. 
I thoroughly loved this book, as I knew I would! Julia is an insanely talented writer. 
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