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wish_upon_a_tbr 's review for:
The Sirens
by Emilia Hart
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this ARC!
Emilia Hart is back with another tale featuring magical realism, strong heroines, and themes of fellowship and resiliance. This time, rather than witches and nature, we get the sea and sisterhood as four women across 3 timelines attempt to uncover truths about their lineage and overcome injustice.
The plot spans 1800, 1999, and 2019 as two sets of sisters find their lives linked by various mysteries, from visceral dreams and hidden adoptions to missing persons and a strange allergy to water. This multi-timeline approach made the pages fly by. However, I was distracted by the 1999 timeline, which took the form of diary entries that felt too convenient and not like something a teenager would write. Still, the author’s atmospheric writing style shines bright. At times, I swore I could smell the ocean breeze and hear the cawing gulls!
While this book had a lot going for it, I didn’t find it as captivating as Weyward. It kept my interest, but the late-breaking reveals and rushed epilogue made it difficult to bond with the characters. Though, bonus points for the big plot twist, which I did not see coming. I also appreciated learning about the late 18th-century convict transports that shuttled thousands of people, many of them women, from Europe to New South Wales. Those passages were heartbreaking and emphasized the plight of women caught in the crosshairs of an unfair justice system.
Even though this book didn’t hit like Weyward, I still enjoyed it and think fans of magical realism will, too!
Emilia Hart is back with another tale featuring magical realism, strong heroines, and themes of fellowship and resiliance. This time, rather than witches and nature, we get the sea and sisterhood as four women across 3 timelines attempt to uncover truths about their lineage and overcome injustice.
The plot spans 1800, 1999, and 2019 as two sets of sisters find their lives linked by various mysteries, from visceral dreams and hidden adoptions to missing persons and a strange allergy to water. This multi-timeline approach made the pages fly by. However, I was distracted by the 1999 timeline, which took the form of diary entries that felt too convenient and not like something a teenager would write. Still, the author’s atmospheric writing style shines bright. At times, I swore I could smell the ocean breeze and hear the cawing gulls!
While this book had a lot going for it, I didn’t find it as captivating as Weyward. It kept my interest, but the late-breaking reveals and rushed epilogue made it difficult to bond with the characters. Though, bonus points for the big plot twist, which I did not see coming. I also appreciated learning about the late 18th-century convict transports that shuttled thousands of people, many of them women, from Europe to New South Wales. Those passages were heartbreaking and emphasized the plight of women caught in the crosshairs of an unfair justice system.
Even though this book didn’t hit like Weyward, I still enjoyed it and think fans of magical realism will, too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Blood, Vomit, Abandonment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Sexual assault
Minor: Miscarriage