Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. This book was harrowing and emotional. I really enjoyed this retelling.

I read the Brothers K years ago, so I was excited to see how this modern retelling would be. This book is about three sisters who are estranged, and who have an abusive father. The sisters come back together with the goal of reclaiming their father’s inheritance.

This was definitely a heavy book (literally and emotionally). There was so much sadness, depression, and hopelessness. A definite tale of a family in despair.

This book is a captivating exploration of the human condition, weaving together themes of love, loss, and redemption in a narrative that is both deeply personal and universally relatable. The author’s prose is eloquent and evocative, painting vivid scenes that draw the reader into the story from the very first page.

THE SISTERS K is a captivating exploration of family dynamics and sisterhood. Sun's vivid storytelling and richly developed characters drew me into the complex lives of the K family. The novel beautifully balances humor and heartbreak, making it an emotionally resonant read. Sun’s lyrical prose and keen insights into human relationships made this book a memorable reading experience.

4.25 ⭐

Very good.

The characters are very well written. Their fears, anxiety, stress, loneliness, helplessness is conveyed beautifully by the writer.

I struggled with this book, it was emotionally draining and I haven’t felt like that since reading ‘A little life’. The family dynamic was written so well but gave me a heavy heart. I think it went way too far over my head and then I got stuck reading a tangent and couldn’t get myself out of it. I definitely recommend this book for someone smarter and more emotionally stable than I am.

The Sisters K is the most emotionally draining novel of the year and, I was here for every second of it.
An abusive father is dying from a terminal illness, and in desperation, he calls his three daughters to his side. This novel is a complicated and honest portrayal of the emotions surrounding loss and the hopeless yearning for acceptance. It is about the obligation we feel toward loved ones and the compensation we demand at the end. Beautifully written, this is family drama at its finest.

"The Sisters K" is a mighty composition of human affliction. Centered around a complex familial unit, the story meticulously dissects the acute dysfunctionalities and morbid realities of human flaws, making it a psychologically fascinating read. The novel’s brilliance lies in its contagious agony, which perpetually invokes intense human compassion. The characters, depicted with brilliant precision, embody the paradoxical nature of human beings. It does not shy away from depicting the darker aspects of the human psyche with brutal honesty. The narration perfectly encapsulates the mental drainage needed to deal with a complete philistine. The narrative draws a poignant parallel between acts of cruelty and love. This is indeed a brilliant yet brutal constitution. The author has mastered the art of manipulation through contradictions, presenting a narrative that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally piercing. The novel’s acute commentary on the complexities of love, cruelty, and familial obligations makes it a solemn beauty.

Thank you, NetGalley and Unnamed Press, for the ARC.

The Sisters K by Maureen Sun is a compelling debut novel that takes inspiration from Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov and reimagines it within the context of a Korean-American family. This modern retelling centers on the strained relationships between three sisters—Minah, Sarah, and Esther—as they navigate the complexities of their abusive father, Eugene Kim, who is on his deathbed.

The story kicks off with Eugene summoning his estranged daughters to test their loyalty and see who will grovel for his favor and fortune. Each sister's reaction to their father's manipulative games reflects their distinct personalities and coping mechanisms shaped by years of emotional turmoil.

Minah, the eldest, is a pragmatic lawyer who sees the inheritance as compensation for the cruelty she endured. Sarah, the introverted academic, wields her intelligence as a defense mechanism and despises the idea of seeking their father's approval. Esther, the youngest, struggles to maintain peace and balance, often sacrificing her own wellbeing to do what she believes is right.

Sun's writing vividly captures the emotional and psychological depth of each sister, portraying their hopes, fears, and internal conflicts with great empathy. The book's strength lies in its character development and the exploration of complex family dynamics, particularly the lingering impact of an abusive parent.

However, the novel's pacing can be slow at times, with certain sections feeling overly drawn out. The philosophical discussions, while reminiscent of the original work, could have benefited from tighter editing. Additionally, the nonlinear structure and frequent time shifts may be confusing for some readers.

Despite these minor drawbacks, The Sisters K is a powerful, thought-provoking read that delves into themes of revenge, redemption, and the enduring bond of sisterhood. It’s a must-read for fans of literary fiction and those who appreciate deep character studies and complex family relationships.

Thank you to NetGalley and Unnamed Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A creative debut novel by Maureen Sun retelling the story of Dostoevsky's classic, The Brothers Karamazov. This one is centred around a Korean- American family of three sisters: Minah, Sarah and Esther. They have endured a very difficult childhood and teenage years under a non-existent mother and a domineering and mentally abusive father, Eugene. Eugene is an uneducated Korean man who migrated to LA and has amassed a lot of wealth although he continues to be miserly and petty-minded where his family is concerned. Eugene's abusive behavior towards his family has had far-reaching consequences on the girls' personalities as also their relationships with one another as also with other people. As Eugene lays dying of cancer, the girls who have been pretty much estranged for several years are reluctantly brought together. While each sister deals with the illness, their own fraught relationships and their dying father's demands in her own way, all of them are hopeful of a sizeable inheritance. And somewhere, they are also looking for revenge and redemption as their all-powerful father is reduced to a state of relative helplessness. The book is a slow burn and is more a character study rather than a plot-based story. The author has done a great job of character development and as you read along you get to know each sister, their ambitions, their motivations, their trauma and their insecurities. Some of the philosophical discussions could have done with a bit of an edit, but I guess they are also reminiscent of the original novel on which it is based. All the characters are imperfect and have their flaws. The plot line is mostly linear with some flashbacks but again excruciatingly slow in the reveal. This is a book perfect for lovers of classic retellings, detailed character studies and complex family relationships. Perfect for book club discussions
Thank you NetGalley, Unnamed Press and The Sisters K for the ARC.

3 1/2 stars
The Sisters K is a debut novel by Maureen Sun about a Korean family, mainly the relationship of the 3 sisters and their abusive father told as a reimagining of The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky.

This novel started very strong. I enjoyed the writing style and the format of the book which is separated into 6 parts, each part having 3 to 5 chapters, and then those chapters are broken up. It’s a format that made sense with the story and made it easy to read.

It is definitely a character driven book with minimal plot. The characters were all very well laid out, complicated and flawed. I was invested in the sisters and their relationship with each other and although I didn’t necessarily like each character, I was able to empathize with them. The relationships that are portrayed between the sisters and with the father and the mothers are all very genuine. Sun does an excellent job of expressing the damage that the father’s abuse has had on each sister and how it has shaped their lives and their relationship with each other. As you learn about each character, there is a plot that emerges of potential revenge, redemption and forgiveness but it definitely takes a back seat in the first half of the book.

As the book went on there were things that began to bother me. The struggle of speaking English and the struggle of speaking Korean was an important part of this families relationship but it wasn’t made very clear, especially at the beginning, when these struggles were happening. Also, there were times when it wasn’t very clear who we were following. It would be revealed several sentences in to where I would have to go back and reread. Jeonghee, also felt like she needed a little more development. I would have liked to know just a little more about how she went from what we learned in the first chapter to what we learn about her toward the end. Finally, this was too long. There was no reason for it to be as long as it was. There were several sections at the end that just felt unnecessary and parts began to feel repetitive specifically with Sarah.

With that being said, I would definitely recommend this book to those that don’t mind character studies. It is beautifully written and well worth the read. An excellent book or a debut and I look forward to more from Maureen Sun.

***Thank you NetGalley, Unnamed Press, and Maureen Sun for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.***

Thanks to NetGalley and the Unnamed Press for the advanced reader copy.

While I haven't read The Brothers Karamazov, my interest was piqued by changing the gender (women) and race (Korean American). The characters were definitely layered and, at times, compelling, but the structure of the writing meandered into tangents and moved back and forth in time in a way that was confusing. The material being covered already felt like it would give my brain a workout; I couldn't hang with a structure that added to the difficulty.

〝there was no hell. there was only a purgatory in this world for the select few who learned what they were and what they had done. that was the only kind of justice that existed. it punished only the seekers of truth: those who tried to understand themselves.〞

dnf @ 48%

thank you to unnamed press and netgalley for providing me with this arc.

after years of estrangement, minah, sarah, and esther have been forced together again. called to their father’s deathbed, the sisters must confront a man little changed by the fact of his mortality. vicious and pathetic in equal measure, eugene kim wants one thing: to see which of his children will abject themselves for his favor— and more importantly, his fortune.

from reading the blurb this sounded like the perfect book for me but it sadly just didn't work out that way. I usually love books exploring complicated family relationships and unique feelings surrounding grief and both were done really well and interestingly in this novel but the overall writing, structure and pacing just made it feel like a chore to read. the characters were flat and monotonous and even though I read almost half of the book I don't have any feelings towards any of them. the most interesting part of the whole book was the introduction. the first chapters about how the sisters grew up and the whole family history had me hooked but as soon as it switched to present day I started to fall asleep multiple times per chapter.

somewhere deep inside I want to know what happens in the rest of the book but it's just not worth it to force myself to read almost another two hundred pages of boring conversations and hollow characters. I don't even understand how this book is as long as it is. sure, I know what I've read but I truly can't fathom how the little amount of information I have took almost two hundred pages to get. it truly just made it feel like reading was a chore instead of a hobby and I just needed to stop reading it to avoid getting into a reading slump.

ig: @winterrainreads

Absolutely stunning! I loved everything about this... the story, the writing, the plot, everything just sucked me in. I will be buying a physical copy! Storytelling is some of the best and I loved the language used and the relationships in the story.

With unflinching prose and psychological acuity, Maureen Sun articulates the strangled, dysfunctional intimacy of three Korean-American sisters raised by an abusive patriarch. Stunning prose, but a hundred pages too long.

Now on his deathbed, little has fundamentally changed over the years in terms of Eugene Kim's attitude to his daughters. A misogynistic Korean traditionalist, his abuse has contributed to years of estrangement between his daughters.

Now he is determined to be the puppeteer once again by making them work hard to inherit his considerable fortune. But not all of the three Kim sisters share his - for that matter, each other's - priorities...

This is a moving story that has the ring of authenticity. Especially when it comes to certain aspects of Korean culture, which extends its influence over most Korean American families. Well worth a read, it gets 3.5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. The premise of this intrigued me from the start. The storyline was a bit tough with aspects of women treated terribly. The author did a wonderful job telling this sad story through her wonderful characters.

This book was amazing. I love learning about the relationship between the sisters and how Maureen Sun didn't stray away from the complexities of the characters or their relationships with themselves and others was amazing to read. I love books that center around characters and their development with others and this book didn't disappoint. It reminds me every much of the original the brothers karamazov because that is one of my favorite books and the similar title made me want to pick this book up. The books not only reminded me of one of my favorite books but also gave me a lot to love of this book on it's own and appreciate the characters that were created when telling this story. Sun has a talent for character creations and what happens in this book is easy to mess up but Sun does it in such a poetic and insightful way which makes this book nothing short of breathtaking.