The Sirens by Emilia Hart Published by HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand on January 16, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Feminist, Fiction / General, Fiction / Sea Stories, Fiction / Women
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
From the critically acclaimed, bestselling author of Weyward Sisters separated by centuries. Voices that can't be drowned out.
'Evocative and compelling ... As hopeful as it is heart-wrenching' LUCY CLARKE, author of THE HIKE and ONE OF THE GIRLS
'A profoundly moving and rich historical story wrapped up in a contemporary murder mystery' ROSIE ANDREWS, author of THE LEVIATHAN
'Enthralling ... It made me cry on a railway platform' BRIDGET COLLINS, author of THE BINDING and THE SILENCE FACTORY
Lucy is running from what she's done - and what someone did to her.
There's only one person who might understand: her sister Jess. But when Lucy arrives at her sister's desolate cliff-top house, Jess is gone.
Lucy is now alone, in a strange town steeped in rumour. Stories of men disappearing without a trace. A foundling discovered in a sea-swept cave. And women's voices murmuring on the waves...
As Lucy searches for her sister, those voices get ever louder. They tell of two sisters, two centuries ago, bound and transported across the world. A world where men always get their way. A world that is at once distant, and achingly familiar.
Are these voices luring Lucy closer to her sister? Or will the secrets of the past pull them both under?
EARLY READERS ARE SAYING...
'This book is a beauty. A real hidden gem. Beautifully woven storytelling' ??????????
'I devoured this book in a few days, desperate to get the next piece of the puzzle' ??????????
'There are few reads that leave me completely speechless and this is one of them' ??????????
'A truly captivating book' ??????????
My Review
First, I want to take a moment to thank Netgalley, Emilia Hart, and St. Martin’s Press for a Digital ARC of The Sirens in exchange for an honest review. I am excited to say that, in my opinion, Emilia Hart knocked it out of the park with this one. Much like the last book I read by her, Weyward. Once I started reading The Sirens, I found it to be very difficult to put down. I am just going to say it now: if you enjoyed the format of going between timelines and characters in Weyward, then I am sure you will like The Sirens format because it is very much the same in that sense. In this story, we are following four sisters. One timeline containing two of the sisters is set in the 1800s, whereas the second set of sisters is set in the 1990s/2000s.
The first set of sisters, Mary and Eliza, is from Ireland in the 1800s. We are following their journey on a convict ship heading to Australia. While they are on this ship, we are learning about their life back with their mother and father. We discover what happened to their mother and how it relates to them now. We also learn the story behind how they ended up on this ship. I really enjoyed the side characters on the ship with them as well. The ship is full of female prisoners, and their crimes all vary. The women on the ship are of different ages, each with a different story. I really felt for each of these characters, especially Aoife.
The second set of sisters, Jess and Lucy, is more present-day, and their story takes place in Australia during the summer. There is an age difference between the two sisters, which is rather large, I want to say, like 16 or maybe 17 years, so, needless to say, they are at different stages in their lives. The younger sister, Lucy, is in college and working toward becoming a journalist, whereas the older sister, Jess, is an artist who recently moved back to the town where her life began. Both of these sisters have a rare skin condition that, oddly enough, makes it difficult for them to be exposed to water. More interestingly, the two sisters from the 1800s also have a similar skin condition.
I am not sure which set of sisters I enjoyed more because I think each set brought something new to the story. With the first set (1800s), I was very interested in learning about their life back in Ireland. I really felt for these girls losing their mom at such a young age and having to be raised by their father without any female guidance, especially during a time when being a female was extremely difficult. I also really felt for the father who lost his wife, leaving him as a single parent to girls. Who was also doing his best to raise these girls in what he believed to be the correct religion even though it went against what most of the townspeople were doing. It not only was a struggle, but it cost him dearly financially when money was already hard to come by. Then, to have such tragedy strike again. I only wish that the author had shown us a bit more of his story after his girls went away. I am curious to know how he got on after the fact.
The second set of sisters brought such mystery to the story, I thought. The mystery starts off right from the start when we discover Lucy having a problem with a fellow student at the college she attends, which results in some unfortunate things happening. However, Jess has a mystery about her as well that revolves around her birth and why she appears to be so distant from Lucy and their parents. The present-day side of the book also brought about another female side character whom I enjoyed, named Melody. Melody is friends with Jess and runs the small store in town. She also happens to be Jess’s neighbor. Melody has secrets as well, which I enjoyed hearing. I also forgot to mention that this coastal town that Jess has recently moved to is full of secrets and disappearances, and there is a cave that connects these three women.
I love a story with a split timeline, especially when it follows strong female characters. Emilia Hart does this very well, and her characters are always intriguing. Once I start reading about them, I need to know what happens. Her books are not ones that I can take my time with but more like ones that I devour. I really enjoy her writing style, and I look forward to reading anything that she writes in the future. If you are looking for a story that will transport you to another place and time about female friendships and sisterhood, then give this book a go because I do not think you will be disappointed. As always, Reader, I am curious to know: have you read anything by this author, and if so, did you enjoy it? Until Next Time, Reader, Happy Reading.
Trigger Warnings:
- Sexual Violence
- Shipwreck
- Drowning
- Abandonment
- Adult/Minor Relationship
- Killing Animal
- Deportation
- Infertility
- Physical Abuse
- Murder
- Confinement
- Blood and Violence
- Photograph Shared Without Permission or Knowledge
Please check for trigger warnings, as always, because I may not have included them all. I included the ones that I could remember, but like I said, it may not be everything.
* This Book Will Be Out On April 1, 2025 *