The premise of this book fascinated me. Julia is an interesting enough character in 1984, so the idea of letting her take up a whole book is brilliant.
The universe of 1984 remains full of resonance for today's society, and a feminist narrative brings a new angle to it.
The writing style wasn't one I warmed to, as it is quite rich in imagery and verges on cliché at times
However, the plot kept me turning the pages.

I love being given the opportunity to update our school library which is a unique space for both senior students and staff to access high quality literature. This is definitely a must-buy. It kept me absolutely gripped from cover to cover and is exactly the kind of read that just flies off the shelves. It has exactly the right combination of credible characters and a compelling plot thatI just could not put down. This is a great read that I couldn't stop thinking about and it made for a hugely satisfying read. I'm definitely going to order a copy and think it will immediately become a popular addition to our fiction shelves. 10/10 would absolutely recommend.

A good reworking of a classic novel full of twists and really well written plot. Interesting look at the 1984 source material. I enjoyed tjis

A powerful new take on the classic story of 1984 from a feminist revolutionary perspective, as the Sisterhood work together to try and bring down the powers that are running Oceania and overthrow Big Brother. The characters are strong passionate women, working towards a common goal for the sake of society. The challenges and obstacles that they face dont put them off but just make them more determined to fight for their cause, even if it costs them everything. Julia is particular is a formidable person to read about, and i was engrossed by her story.

Very well written book with Orwell 1984 vibe to eat. Good strong female characters. The plot was very through out and kept me engaged right to the end

This feels relevant and important - a story of surveillance and oppression, a retelling of 1984, for the modern day. But as I'm not familiar with Orwell's novel I think I missed some of the nuances in it and may revisit it after reading 1984 to gain more insight.

‘Big Brother is watching. But they won't see her coming.’ - cover tag line.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster UK for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Sisterhood’ by Katherine Bradley.

In Oceania, whoever you are, Big Brother is always watching you. Julia is the seemingly perfect example of what women in Oceania should be: dutiful, useful, subservient, meek. Yet Julia hides a secret. A secret that would lead to her death if it is discovered. Julia is part of the underground movement called The Sisterhood, whose main goal is to find members of The Brotherhood, the anti-Party vigilante group, and help them overthrow Big Brother. Only then can everyone be truly free.

Julia thinks that she has identified a member of The Brotherhood. Yet the closer she gets to Winston Smith the more Julia’s past catches up with her. No further details to avoid spoilers.

I admire Bradley for her bravery in undertaking this feminist retelling of George Orwell’s dystopian classic, ‘1984’, from the viewpoint of Julia, its main female character. As an English teacher Katherine Bradley taught ‘1984’ for many years and so was well acquainted with the text. She wanted to provide Julia with full agency and a voice. I feel that she succeeded in this.

I felt that ‘The Sisterhood’ presented a compelling alternative view of the events that took place in ‘1984’. While it can be read as a standalone, I would expect that the majority of readers will be familiar with the original. ‘1984’ is a novel that I have read a number of times over the years and continue to find it relevant, especially given the level of surveillance in modern day society.

Overall, I found ‘The Sisterhood’ an engaging read and feel that with it Katherine Bradley has created a worthy companion to ‘1984’ that honours the original yet is willing to expand on the source material to both explore the experiences of women in the society and to propose how change might come about.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

In Oceania, where women are expected to be dutiful, subservient and meek, Julia appears to be perfect in every way. However, Julia is hiding a deadly secret. As part of the underground movement, The Sisterhood, Julia aims to find members of The Brotherhood, the anti-party vigilante in order to free society.

However, with Big Brother always watching, and with her past threatening to catch up with her, is it worth Julia to play the game?

1984 by George Orwell led readers into the chillingly claustrophobic dystopian world of Oceania and remains to this day one of the most well-known novels.

It is difficult for any writer to attempt to write a counterpart to a novel as renown as 1984, but unfortunately, in my opinion, I do not think Bradley hits the mark here.

My main issue with this novel was the lack of originality. An over reliance on Orwell left the majority of the book feeling like a repetition as the author explained the world of Oceania and plot structure needlessly which may have been useful for one entering blind to Orwell's work, but was tedious and a chore for those already familiar with 1984.

Sadly, The Sisterhood failed to provide any further meaningful insight to the world of 1984. By failing to sidestep the imposing shadow of the Orwell work, it struggled to emphasise its own originality or necessity.

I was captivated by The Sisterhood from the start. The book opens with action and continues to build and I was rooting for the women while at the same time biting my nails about the fate that could await them at any wrong turn. I read 1984 before reading this book because I wanted to get a real sense of this dystopian world. But you don't need to, Katherine Bradley does a fantastic job, I would love to see this on TV one day!

The Sisterhood is the world of George Orwell’s 1984, but told from the viewpoint of Julia.

If there was one thing I wish I’d done before reading this, is I wish I had re-read 1984. It’s been a good twenty years since I read it, and though I remember elements of it, time has done its work. It’s definitely not a necessity to have read 1984, The Sisterhood stands alone perfectly well, but as someone who had read it I just knew that there would be little Easter eggs and shared plot moments that would mean more having read it.

Unfortunately, due to my poor planning I was forced to put The Sisterhood down for a couple of weeks, however when I picked it back up things were just kicking off!

It’s a read that has taken so much of Orwell’s original in terms of world building, but has also made it feel more modern and relevant to today. At certain points I felt a shudder go down my spine as I was able to relate to the world today.

Julia is a character with a secret. Part of The Sisterhood, a group of women seeking out The Brotherhood who they hope will bring about change. But Julia is not quite who she seems to be….

I love stories that focus on other viewpoints, and I really enjoyed this. It felt a little slow to begin with, but with hindsight it did a great job of building tension and the feel of how it would be to live in this world as a woman.

Highly recommend if you enjoy dystopian reads, and practically essential if you were a fan of 1984.

I can't impress upon you how good this book is. "The Sisterhood" by Katherine Bradley completely caught me unaware and I was transported right back into the world of Big Brother and 1984. This book though is told from Julia's perspective, a minor character in 1984, but given her chance to tell it like it is, living in Oceana under the constant monitoring of Big Brother. Bradley does a brilliant job of keeping the plot in keeping with Orwell's original but with subtle updates so that it reflects the modern world a little bit more. So so good, this should be on the syllabus.

The society in this book is so scary because it is so believable... We are slowly heading towards it. And I am grateful that some authors like Katherine Bradley are here to warn us against it.
This is a feminist retelling of 1984.

As a massive fan of the Handmaids Tale and 1984, I had high hopes when reading this book and I am pleased to confirm that I was not disappointed in any way. A superb retelling of a classic

I have been more into dystopianesque books recently - which is no surprise with how the world is. I really enjoyed this, it was well-written with a compelling storyline and well-developed characters.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words some text written has been typed in red and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

The Sisterhood by Katherine Bradley is an incredibly imaginative and timely tale set in an alternate version of 1984 where the roles are reversed and a female underground movement is determined to overthrow Big Brother. Following the main protagonist Julia as she navigates this harsh and unforgiving world in search of The Brotherhood, readers will quickly become engrossed in this gripping adventure that manages to weave in a mix of emotions and compelling themes along the way. Bradley skillfully writes of Julia's heart-wrenching story as she fights against the oppressive regime, forcing us to consider what it really means to be brave, selfless and loyal. By introducing these more positive values and characters, Bradley ensures that The Sisterhood stands apart from its dystopian counterparts, giving readers an inspiring and ultimately satisfying tale.

Really interesting - I'd never considered the back stories of the characters in Orwell's '1984', but this really fleshes out what that could have looked like - and the place and role of women in that world

The retelling of 1984 from the female perspective is an interesting choice, not least as 1984 must be one of the most studied texts in the UK (certainly for people of my generation!).
That said I think that the author does justice to the retelling with the Orwellian themes still strong , the main characters still evident and the womens voices written well.
It is some years since I read 1984 and I think I will return to it soon to compare the 2 perspectives!
Overall an enjoyable read with plenty of moments to bring you firmly to the sisterhoods side.

The Sisterhood is a retelling of 1984 from Julia’s point of view. I enjoyed the alternative perspective, both dreading the end and hoping that the plan would be successful.

I enjoyed the way that Julia is the all-knowing character, whereas Winston is the hapless bystander. The book gradually discloses her background, while remaining faithful to the plot markers in 1984.

Big Sister ★★★★☆

In an astute re-imagining of 1984 from Julia’s perspective, the author dives back into the toxic world of Oceania and introduces us to The Sisterhood.

Juliette and her group of sisters are trying to connect with the mysterious Brotherhood, in the hope that they can join forces against Big Brother. However, in an increasingly dangerous game of espionage their time is running out.

Do the sisters need their male counterpart to succeed? Are they the best disguised assassins, hidden behind their work at the anti sex league, undervalued and underestimated? Will Juliette’s secrets cost them everything?

A disturbing and saddening portrayal of dictatorship, womanhood and bravery in a cruel and manipulative male world.

More interesting in idea than in execution

Taking an powerful, iconic and well known existing book and writing a before, after, sideways or alternative version is always a venture fraught with pitfalls. And one which rarely succeeds, as the long shadow and presence of the original often overpowers the later venture.

Only very occasionally does the alternative version prove to have its own titanic stature, able to take wing.

Off the top of my head I can only really think of a couple - Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea, another feminist account of Mr Rochester’s mad wife in the attic, from Jane Eyre and Jane Smiley’s A Thousand Acres which is a far enough away transportation of the King Lear story to mid-West late twentieth century America, to make its own world. Those books both deepen the experience of the other.

In both, key is the fact that the authors are not having to slavishly reference the work which inspired them. A key idea or character is taken, and what might even be minor, or a small part of the previous work, fires the second author’s own unique voice into their completely original work

Unfortunately, The Sisterhood doesn’t come close. The early part of the book uses too much of Orwell, there are too many nods and obvious references, so that the reader (well, this reader) wanted a writer who used more of her own inventive imagination, rather than needing Orwell’s to give the whole point.

By the time that Juliet/Julia’s story really became her own and freed from Orwell’s it felt overblown, too much and lacking in credibility, particularly in the long drawn out climax section.