This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

Róisín Burns has to flee her past and start over. Twenty years later her past has reinvented himself and she decides to take revenge. This was an intriguing book, even though I did not get much of the IRA references I still think was worth the effort and recommended it.

An excellent psychological and political thriller, well-written and with deep human insights.

This is a bit different to the sorts of thrillers I’m used to reading. With a lean towards politics, this feels a little more highbrow than the normal the-boyfriend-did-it kind of books I’m used to. I don’t know anything about about the Northern Ireland Troubles, so it was interesting to get a glimpse into the history of it in this novel.

I liked our characters in this novel. It was nice to have someone like Boyle in this. Homeless, stinky and a bit of a pervert, yet still kind of likable. Though I felt like his story wasn’t told all that well. Roisin was a well built out character and Neary was really good at making us empathise with her the whole way through.

The plot, overall, was good. As some other reviewers have stated, the thrill subsides a little bit towards the middle and end, but I was still interested in knowing what was going to happen to really take much notice at the slowing pace. When we’re flashbacked to Roisin’s past, I was initially interested, but then things got a little drawn out. I felt like that section of the novel could have easily been shortened so we could have gotten back to the current day situation and learnt a bit more about Boyle and the Dutchman, but, hey.

One of my issues with this novel was the situation between Roisin and The Dutchman. Considering she was so wary of everything and kept completely to herself, it didn’t make much sense to me, that she let herself get so close to The Dutchman and so quickly. That part of the story felt very inaccurate to how it would have really played out, had this been a true story.

The writing in this novel is well done, with good descriptive imagery, believable dialogue and well developed characters. There are quite a number of Irish terms used that I’m not used to, but they’re easy to get. A thing not so well done in this novel was the layout. Within each chapter, we are presented with several POV’s that aren’t very well separated. The only suggestion that our character perspective has changed is a paragraph break, but then sometimes there are paragraph breaks that will carry on with the same character as before. I’m hoping it’s only this confusing as I’ve received an ARC copy from Netgalley, because if not, it’s a major flaw in the editing.

I’m a bit miffed at the ending , to be honest. It seemed abrupt and it was unsatisfying after all we went through with Roisin and her story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty years ago, Roisin Burns, was caught in the middle of the Republican violence. Now she has found a new life for herself in America. Trying desperately to forget her past, then a face from her childhood flashes up on the news, Brian Lonergan, has also reinvented himself. He's now a rising politician. But scandal is brewing in Ireland and Roisin knows the truth.

The events in this book are realistic to the time they are set in. The characters are believable and the story is well written. For me, the was just something missing. That said it was still a decent read.

I would like to thank NetGalley, RandomHouse UK, Cornerstone and the author Annemarie Neary for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a strong story, and mirrors the new political reality of ballot box not the bullet. Set in Ireland, with at its heart the troubles, it tells of the life of Róisín Burns who caught in the grip of republican violence manages to forge a new life for herself in America.
She tries to forget the past and make a fresh start in a relationship with Tom re-inventing herself as Sheen. Shortly after her marriage breaks up she sees a face from 20 years ago, from her time in Belfast. He is Brian Lonergan a former IRA chief, now self-style Politian seeking election with the New Republican Party.
Róisín's life was spared because of who her father was, a leading republican but she would not be able to return home. She missed her mother's funeral and has lived apart from her family for two decades. After her Mum's death, she is sent some papers which if used correctly could help bring Lonergan down and so racked with her own personal quilt and loss 'Sheen' plans a means to find some justice and peace in her heart by righting at least the wrong of her missing neighbours body who was silenced and disappeared for fear she would betray Lonergan.
'Sheen' has worked out that Lonergan has links with the Isle of Lamb and she journeys there in the hope of confronting Lonergan and he can at least inform the O'Neills where their loved one was left and she can receive a proper burial.
The book is terrific in that it acts as a parable of the changing situation in Ireland. Róisín was always naive and ran where others would speak the truth and paid the price. 'Sheen' is just as deluded about the changing realities having been in exile for so long. As her sister tells her they want to forget the past and embrace the peace.
It seems Lonergan can speak in political terms but for self-reliance he hasn't changed and he is aware of her trip to Lamb and has people in place to scare her off.
I particularly loved the stories showing how Róisín's life was blighted where she was used by the people on her side against legimate targets. The parts speaking of her involvement in the republican cause in Belfast and her escape to America were the strongest for me. Her coming to Lamb and her initial time there was slow and ponderous. However, the scene is set for a thrilling finale where she attempts to blackmail Lonergan only to realise the power was never hers and now she has shown her hand her life is no longer safe and no-one knows where she is or who she was.
The story of Jennifer is confusing and has little value other than to show 'Sheen's' vulnerability and that the islanders in general don't care or bother about outsiders, and Lonergan is one of their own.

Well written and very gripping.
I found both parts of the book equally as good, brutal and quite shocking Belfast and Lamb island was a bit creepy.
Really enjoyed the whole book but got to the ending and it was a bit 'oh'. Still a great debut novel and looking forward to her next one ' The Orphans.

I find it quite difficult to fairly rate "Siren" because I kind of had a very love hate relationship with it. The first half of the novel was highly compelling, the middle part was less compelling but more intriguing then I was irrationally irritated by the ending. Really very irritated in fact and it kind of clouded the rest of the read for me.

Throughout though the writing itself was pure brilliance - especially for a debut - beautiful sense of place, characters full of depth and the plot itself is actually tightly woven and often quite heart stopping. So really for writing I'd give 5*

The parts set on the Island get a huge thumbs up - it is creepy and unsettling, Roisin is a cleverly involving character and her background (teased in the prologue) really makes you turn those pages to see what's what. The sense of menace is palpable early on and for that part I was riveted.

Then we skip and jump into another bit and whilst I still was intrigued it lost its edge for me. Then at the end I was just "meh".

I'll settle for a solid 3* - I do wonder if my expectation of this novel set me up for the fall, it does look very psychological thriller but it isn't that really, it is more political thriller/socially themed with its roots in The Troubles. It is certainly very authentic feeling and due to it being so beautifully written I wouldn't want to put anyone off.

It just ended up not being for me.