Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC and St. Martin’s Press, #partner for the advanced e-copy of The Sirens in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press / Macmillan Audio
Published: April 1, 2025
Summary:
A story of sisters separated by hundreds of years but bound together in more ways than they can imagine
2019: Lucy awakens in her ex-lover’s room in the middle of the night with her hands around his throat. Horrified, she flees to her sister’s house on the coast of New South Wales hoping Jess can help explain the vivid dreams that preceded the attack—but her sister is missing. As Lucy waits for her return, she starts to unearth strange rumours about Jess’s town—tales of numerous missing men, spread over decades. A baby abandoned in a sea-swept cave. Whispers of women’s voices on the waves. All the while, her dreams start to feel closer than ever.
1800: Mary and Eliza are torn from their loving home in Ireland and forced onto a convict ship heading for Australia. As the boat takes them farther and farther away from all they know, they begin to notice unexplainable changes in their bodies.
A breathtaking tale of female resilience, The Sirens is an extraordinary novel that captures the sheer power of sisterhood and the indefinable magic of the sea.
My thoughts:
Emilia Hart’s debut novel, Weyard, was a surprise hit for me and so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her next book and of course I had to grab the UK version, that was already out, when I was overseas in March. I just love this cover and I also loved this 2nd book!
Hart has such a way of spinning a story, gradually laying out the framework and introducing the characters and then weaving in their connections. I was spellbound as I made my way through this one…becoming more and more invested in what was happening and wondering how it was all going to tie together.
I loved the complex family dynamics that were explored as well as the themes of oppressed women – this was also explored a bit in her debut and I love how Hart continues to carry this theme with her. Blending historical fiction with fantasy and some Irish folklore, this story is rich with culture and yet also a bit magical. It really was the perfect combination and I found myself completely captivated.
Audio thoughts:
When I saw that Barrie Kreinik was narrating this, I decided to do an immersive read. Kreinik did an amazing job with the voices and in bringing the story to life.
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