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A review by roksyreads
The Wailing Woman: When She Cries, Someone Dies by Maria Lewis
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Following Sadie, a banshee whose voice is violently taken from her at a young age to protect those around her from the deadly-threat of the banshee wail, The Wailing Woman is a medium to fast-paced adventure rich in supernatural lore, action, familial-ties, and romance.
Technically, this is the fifth book in a series called "Supernatural Sisters", but I didn't know this until after I started reading it. I did need to pay more attention to world-building than I might when reading the first book in a series so I could catch on to the lore of this urban fantasy world, but this attention was easy to give.
The writing is solid and dependable. There are two primary (third-person) narrative perspectives that are well-defined and engaging, and the supernatural types Lewis has written in are as diverse as they are intriguing. Whilst the usual suspects appear - werewolves, demons, and the like - that this novel focuses on a banshee (and other banshees) is a refreshing take on the paranormal genre. In addition, how can you read the words "wombat shifter" and not need to read more?
And the supernatural diversity is one aspect; the story abounds with LGBTQIA+, POC, and disability representation, the likes of which I have rarely had the privilege of reading (this perhaps is partly a reflection on a need to expand my reading further, but it is also the nature of fiction/publishing which certainly favours particular types of representation over others). There's significant recognition of the culturally-diverse nature of Australia as a whole, and Sydney/New South Wales provides an excellent foundation for this, acting as the backdrop for a large portion of the narrative. I'm personally not particularly familiar with Sydney, having visited only on two occasions, but Lewis' descriptions painted a clear picture in my mind.
Whilst there are aspects of the story that I didn't gel with, I found the topics were dealt with in an even-handed manner that didn't feel pushy. And certainly, the fact that I already have the other books in the series in the mail from various sources is a pretty good indication that I have found a new favoured author, despite my - disagreement? disinterest? - in some aspects (spoilers below for those who are interested).
Full disclosure - I am Australian - so I might be slightly biased in that respect, but I have to say I really, really felt this one on a level I did not expect. The language, especially, was so perfectly Aussie that I often forgot that I was reading fantasy steeped in lore - it simply felt so familiar. It certainly isn't dense with jargon which other non-Australian's won't be familiar with, but there are turns of phrase which are quintessentially Australian that I loved to see in fantasy novels. This novel, as well as Lewis' others I suspect, should definitely be on your TBR if you're an urban fantasy fan.
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WARNING: Major spoilers below
I am childfree. By this I mean I choose not to have children and have no interest in ever bearing or raising them (unlike those who are childless, i.e. who would like to have children but for various reasons cannot). I do not dislike children, but I am generally indifferent to them. As a general rule, I do not like pregnancy-related tropes, and this book does end with a surprise triplet pregnancy (due to not taking birth-control correctly during the course of the story). On top of that is the knowledge that Sadie will be a single-mother because of course Texas had to die for various reasons. From the broader narrative perspective, with this being but one book in a series, I see why the pregnancy is incorporated and the children themselves appear to be important for future developments. However, I did not connect with this part of the story on any level. I will emphasise that this is the only aspect of Sadie that I didn't connect with, even though it does make sense on a character and story level.
Technically, this is the fifth book in a series called "Supernatural Sisters", but I didn't know this until after I started reading it. I did need to pay more attention to world-building than I might when reading the first book in a series so I could catch on to the lore of this urban fantasy world, but this attention was easy to give.
The writing is solid and dependable. There are two primary (third-person) narrative perspectives that are well-defined and engaging, and the supernatural types Lewis has written in are as diverse as they are intriguing. Whilst the usual suspects appear - werewolves, demons, and the like - that this novel focuses on a banshee (and other banshees) is a refreshing take on the paranormal genre. In addition, how can you read the words "wombat shifter" and not need to read more?
And the supernatural diversity is one aspect; the story abounds with LGBTQIA+, POC, and disability representation, the likes of which I have rarely had the privilege of reading (this perhaps is partly a reflection on a need to expand my reading further, but it is also the nature of fiction/publishing which certainly favours particular types of representation over others). There's significant recognition of the culturally-diverse nature of Australia as a whole, and Sydney/New South Wales provides an excellent foundation for this, acting as the backdrop for a large portion of the narrative. I'm personally not particularly familiar with Sydney, having visited only on two occasions, but Lewis' descriptions painted a clear picture in my mind.
Whilst there are aspects of the story that I didn't gel with, I found the topics were dealt with in an even-handed manner that didn't feel pushy. And certainly, the fact that I already have the other books in the series in the mail from various sources is a pretty good indication that I have found a new favoured author, despite my - disagreement? disinterest? - in some aspects (spoilers below for those who are interested).
Full disclosure - I am Australian - so I might be slightly biased in that respect, but I have to say I really, really felt this one on a level I did not expect. The language, especially, was so perfectly Aussie that I often forgot that I was reading fantasy steeped in lore - it simply felt so familiar. It certainly isn't dense with jargon which other non-Australian's won't be familiar with, but there are turns of phrase which are quintessentially Australian that I loved to see in fantasy novels. This novel, as well as Lewis' others I suspect, should definitely be on your TBR if you're an urban fantasy fan.
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WARNING: Major spoilers below
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy and Death