I went into The Sirens with high expectations, particularly after hearing such praise for Emilia Hart’s previous work, Weyward (which I still need to read). The buzz surrounding the author’s storytelling abilities had me eagerly awaiting the chance to dive into this advanced reading copy. Unfortunately, despite the promising premise, The Sirens never really resonated with me.

From the very beginning, I struggled to get into the story. It’s not that the book was poorly written; Hart’s prose is certainly competent, but the narrative simply didn’t click. I found myself disconnected from the characters, which is a huge barrier for me in any book. When you don’t care about the people whose lives are at the center of the plot, it’s hard to feel invested in the outcome.

The story itself didn’t seem to capture my attention either. While it had potential, there were moments where I just felt like I was trudging through, hoping for a spark that never quite came. Perhaps the themes or character arcs didn’t speak to me personally, but in the end, I was left feeling indifferent.

In summary, The Sirens just didn’t tickle my pickle. A book can have beautiful prose and an intriguing premise, but if the emotional connection isn’t there, it falls short. Unfortunately, this one didn’t meet my expectations. However, I can see how it might appeal to others, especially those who enjoyed Weyward, so I wouldn’t completely dismiss Hart’s writing. It just wasn’t the right fit for me.

The allure of mermaids alone had me begging netgalley for a chance to read an ARC of this highly anticipated new offer from Emilia Hart.

Lucy wakes to the horror of finding her hands squeezed around her ex-lover’s neck. What ensues is a soul searching journey where she seeks comfort and strength in her family...but her sister is missing and Lucy is haunted by disturbing dreams of a treacherous seafaring voyage. There is a lot to unpack here but the plot’s layers are unravelled in an evocative tale of love and sisterhood.

I was immediately swept up in the mystery and intrigue from the first page. The beautiful writing had me delving into the historical and contemporary POVs. I found the jump between the settings sometimes jarring as the timelines could switch mid chapter and there were so many storylines, I felt that one or two just didn’t tie up as well as the others. Overall though, I found this a powerful and emotional read that raises feminist issues both historically and in the present.

3.75🌟

The Sirens is a story of sisterhood, of the power of women, of the strength and resilience of women, and of individuality and differences. It spans various timelines: two sisters on board a convict ship from Ireland to the colonies of Australia; Lucy, a young student escaping after waking up in her ex’s university bedroom attempting to strangle him; and Jess, Lucy’s sister, who has mysteriously disappeared days before her art exhibition. Full of folklore and mythology, this story allows the young women to shine and develop as their stories unravel, intertwining across the centuries. Emilia Hart is a great storyteller and champion of women’s fiction.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Harper Collins for a copy in exchange for a review.

The Sirens is my first book by this author, but I was immediately swept away by Hart’s stunning prose.

We follow two sisters in the present timeline, both haunted by dreams of another two sisters in the past. I found both of the storylines gripping, frantically turning the pages to solve the mystery at the centre of the story.

There is an eerie sense of foreboding throughout which I really appreciated. I was completely transported to the rocky cliffs, the crashing waves and the dark caves.

I thoroughly enjoyed the themes of female rage, sisterhood and generational trauma. There were a couple of unexpected twists, and I found the ending very satisfying.

Really looking forward to finally picking up Weyward!

Rating: 3.5/5, great.
Publishing date: 13/02/2025
Thank you Emilia Hart and HapperCollinsUK for the advanced copy.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart is an alluring novel that intertwines the lives of four sisters, separated by the tides of time and space yet mysteriously bound together in this dual-timeline narrative. The novel explores female-centric themes such as sisterhood, body dysmorphia, and sexuality. Hart has crafted a multilayered story blending fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, romance, and contemporary fiction. It is truly a well-constructed book.

The story begins in 2019, when Lucy wakes up to find herself strangling her boyfriend in the aftermath of a fight. Horrified, she flees to Comber Bay (a fictitious location) to seek help from her estranged sister. Meanwhile, in 1800s Ireland, Mary and Eliza commit a crime and are sentenced to exile, sent to the New South Wales colony.

To give context, Hart explains, in a historical note, in the early 1800s a British fleet transporting female convicts to the colony of New South Wales in modern Australia sank when arriving at its destination, bringing death upon all the crew members and convicts, or so they say. Hart intelligently weaves the stories of the sisters' narratives around this historical context, shedding some, but not enough, light on the history of the First Nation peoples. Although the narrative is rich, I found it difficult to differentiate the sister's voices, and more frequently than not, I would go back one sentence to identify the character.

Comber Bay itself becomes an eerie, almost sentient presence in the novel—a small, isolated town where men have mysteriously disappeared for decades, turning it into a tourist attraction for true crime aficionados. Lucy is introduced to Comber Bay while listening to a crime podcast, learning about its long history of disappearances and the unsettling discovery of a newborn baby at the mouth of a cave system called Devil’s Lookout. When Lucy arrives, she finds her sister's car parked and her cell phone still charging - but her sister is nowhere to be found. From this point, Lucy reflects deeply on her past while desperately trying to contact her sister.

This is a slow-paced novel, which is not a synonym for dullness, with vivid and evocative prose.

"Her eyes well with tears, blurring the landscape in front of her."

Despite its mythological title and supposed theme, I would not classify The Sirens as a fantasy novel. While it contains elements of magic and folklore, its core themes revolve around family and female oppression. It is a contemporary history with magical realism elements. One particularly brilliant passage captures the nature of male gaslighting and I wonder if you have ever seen yourself in this situation.

A brief take on sirens: Naiad, mermaid, siren. The children of Poseidon, often depicted as naked women with two legs - and sometimes fishtails - originated from Greek mythology, being further disseminated into other cultures. They are connected to music and are perceived as seductresses of men. "The sweetness of the sound enchants their ears and senses and lulls them to sleep. As soon as they fast asleep, the sirens attack them and devour their flesh, and so the lure of their voices brings ignorant and imprudent men to their deaths. In the same way, all those who delight in the pomp and vanity and delights of this world, and lose the vigour of their minds by listening to comedies, tragedies and various musical melodies." (Sasha Coward, Queer as Folklore)

Overall, The Sirens is a beautifully written, thought-provoking and thematically rich novel, but it may not resonate with readers expecting a fast-paced, deeply historical novel or feminist rage. The slow burn and introspective nature of the story require patience to savour every word and meaning, but those willing to immerse themselves will find a compelling tale of resilience, womanhood, and the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood. It’s a book that lingers, much like the haunting echoes of a siren’s song. Beware not to drown!

4 stars - Dual timeline historical fiction combined with a missing person and a paranormal theme.

Modern day Lucy escapes to her sister Jess’s cottage, after an incident at school. Jess, however, is not there but Lucy finds a painting that reflects her current dreams of two sisters. The story flickers to the past tense of the sisters harrowing journey across the sea from Ireland to Australia, on board a convicts boat in the 1800s. Where is Jess and why do they share the dreams of the sisters?

The author has a way of truly captivating the reader and I was hooked from the very start of the story. As with Weyward, the story has themes of family, feminism and a slight paranormal aspect to the story. The Sirens has a chilling sense of foreboding as the mystery deepens in both timelines.

I enjoyed each timeline and couldn’t wait to read the other one once they changed over. Mary and Eliza’s story was heartbreaking, based on true events, the conditions of their exile and their time on the ship are horrendous. I enjoyed the mystery surrounding Jess’s disappearance and Lucy discovering more about her and her sisters past.

I was slightly confused with the ending and epilogue and think I either missed something or it was kept vague on purpose but I still have questions.

Would recommend to those who like dual timelines and a slight paranormal aspect. You may also enjoy the works of CJ Cooke or vice versa.

Thanks to Net galley for this free read. I enjoyed this book. It started off a little slow - building up the characters and back story. However it soon became a page turner and I kept guessing what might happen in the end and how/where all the pieces of information fitted together. The audience follows two stories which intertwine both in the past and present through the lives of two sisters. We are led into a world where convicts could be transported to Australia just for stealing a loaf of bread. One of the sisters is attending University however this comes to an abrupt end following an episode of sleep walking as a result of a stressful situation. I will say no more other than it is well worth the read even when at first it may feel like the story is unfolding a little slowly. Enjoy!

I loved Weyward so I was excited for this one. It was definitely different but I enjoyed the mystery and magical elements throughout.

"All her life, she'd taken for granted that doing the right thing - being conscientious and kind and considerate - would be rewarded; that official procedures and process could be relied upon...Thay facts would always, inevitably, prevail. But she'd been wrong. When she sought help...They wanted her to go away."

Another ensconsing read from one of my favourite authors who blends mystery, history, true crime and magical realism in this feminist tale of belonging and survival. With multiple narratives from present day Lucy in coastal New South Wales, Australia searching for her sister Jess and twin sisters Eliza and Mary on board a convict ship in 1800 on its perilous and inhumane journey from Ireland to Australia, it becomes clear how their stories are connected over the centuries. As secrets are revealed I longed for the women to survive and thrive.

TWs: misogyny, predatory male, sexual assualt.

Thanks netgalley for the arc.

Unfortunately this fell short for me. It felt slow, but not in the sense of building suspense. I felt bored and disinterested and Lucy didnt connecf with me. She felt distant and a bit bland. Unfortunately a miss for me.

I love the cover, the idea, and the writing style.
The essence, however, is almost non-existent.
A small family, two girls, and their parents live in their own closed world for years. When the older sister starts asking questions she instantly senses that something isn`t right, that their parents are hiding something. Fast forward to the future and we now know that Jessica (the older sister) lives elsewhere. When Lucy (the younger sister) needs a quiet place to calm her head she decides to visit Jess. But Jess is not there, the door is open. So Lucy settles herself as if in her own home and does very little for many pages to follow. She dreams, she looks through the window, and she reads Jess's diary. Then bam! The mystery is solved and the book ends.
Oh, and the narrative is intertwined with a retrospective story from the past about the journey ship full of women convicts. That ship tragically sunk in 1801. What does this story have to do with our sisters? Apart from magical spiritual connection absolutely nothing.
I found the story very predictable, I knew what's the secret early on. Lucy's behavior does not make me like her or feel sorry for her, she irritates me. The pages are filled with nicely written text about nothing. Long stretches are devoid of any development whatsoever.
I can see why so many people dnf-ed this book.

Fleeing a violent act of which she has no memory of committing Lucy leaves her university and seeks safety with her sister Jess. But Jess is missing and whilst searching for her Lucy begins to feel connected to two sisters on a convict ship in the 1800’s. A novel told over two time periods this novel is extremely well researched and is a story of betrayal and revenge. A book full of magical realism and the strength of sisterhood and family. Although initially a slow burn the author’s writing pulls you into the story so that you can almost feel you are dipping your toes into the water. Now a favourite author of mine I will be looking out for her next book Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in return for a honest review.

Having loved ‘Weyward’ I jumped at the chance to read this and I wasn’t disappointed. This is a story of four women and different timelines. A tale of a struggle to accept their own unique qualities and a a tale of myth and legend. We start with Lucy in 2019, a girl who suffers from aquagenic urticaria, a condition where contact with water causes rashes. She has been shamed as an intimate photo that she sent a person she believed cared for her has been sent across the internet. One night she sleepwalks and when she wakes she finds herself trying the strangle the guy who sent out the photo and so she flees to Comper Bay where her sister, Jess, lives only to find that she has disappeared. There is also the thread that Comper Bay is the place where 8 men have mysteriously vanished. Comper Bay is also the place wherein the 1800s a convict ship carrying women was wrecked and there is the myth that these lost women’s voices can be heard singing. Other timelines are those of Mary and Eliza, two sisters who were on the convict ship and Jess’ diary, which Lucy finds and reads, from 1999. Lucy also has vivid dreams about Mary and Eliza. There is lush magical realism in with the descriptions and the idea of the women’s voices harks back to Greek mythology and the Sirens who lured sailors to their deaths. But rather than being evil, the sirens in this novel have a very different role, we see a strong protectiveness. A wonderful read with super imagery. Rounded up to 5*

Atmospheric and eerie. In 2019, Lucy has bad dreams about the two sisters, Mary and Eliza,convicts travelling to Australia whom we follow in the earlier timeframe of the novel. Lucy goes to visit her sister, but finds her missing. A mystery! Not sure about the magical realism aspect but it was beautifully written and a satisfying read on the whole.

Sisters Mary and Eliza are onboard a convict ship in the 1800s, Jess is struggling as a young woman in 1999 and her sister Lucy is looking for answers in 2019. What are the strange dreams that haunt her really about?

I’d been a huge fan of Weyward and had huge hopes for this, but it fell slightly short. Writing a book about mermaids for an adult audience was always going to be tough, but for me there was too much time spent on building up the mystery, at the expense of the mystical and magical.

The action picked up in the last third of the book which was the most enjoyable part as a reader, but I was left with a lot of questions and a few plot holes.

After reading Weyward last year (one of my favourite reads), I was very excited to read this one. Unfortunately, I feel this just didn’t hit the spot for me. It started off well, then about 80% of the book was samey/nothing happening/no real connection to any of the characters. I’ll be honest and say I nearly gave up on it. Had it not been for Weyward, I would have. The story picked up a bit in the last 15% but I feel like I could have skipped 85% of this book and read the epilogue for all the answers. I give this book 2.5 stars but have rounded up to 3 stars.

I loved Weyward and @emiliahartbooks' The Sirens brings the same energy to play as her first book did.
In the acknowledgements, (yes I read acknowledgements), she admits to having scrapped over 300,000 words in the pursuit of the final product and the craft pays off.

Once again myth and magic are interleaved across multiple timelines and POVS with utter precision and careful craft to make a stunning exploration of what it is to inhabit your body as a woman, both now, and through history and the sisterhood that bonds women and the secrets that splinter us, and the rage that fuels us. I raced through this book battling my flu, my ADHD, and a very clingy cat to see what happened to Lucy and Jess, and Mary and Eliza.
Whilst Mary and Lucy are our ostensible protagonists the story is as much about their sisters and their relationship with their sisters as themselves. Hart builds such beautiful, well drawn characters and so seamlessly pulls the threads of their stories together that each POV jump is as devastating as it is exciting as you desperately need to know what happens next for each character.

A fantastic book, that taught me horrible new things about imperial behaviour in the colonies - I am disgusted but not surprised - The Sirens will linger in your mind long after you turn the last page.

Massive thanks to @boroughpress for the approval on Netgalley

Such a heartwarming novel about the bond between sisters.

The Sirens follows two timelines, Mary & Eliza in the 1800s as they travel on a convict ship to Australia, and Lucy in 2019 who flees to Comber Bay only to find that her sister is missing.

This book was atmospheric, eerie and so full of mystery and family secrets that it had me hooked from the start. There were so many twists by the end but it somehow came together so well and had a full circle moment.

Overall, just felt like a cozy, heartwarming read and just what I needed.

I cannot even begin to put into words how much I loved this book. I absolutely loved Weyward by this author so I was so excited to read this. The female empowerment, the mermaid vibes, the magical realism - it was all absolute perfection and I couldn’t put it down. The way Emilia Hart writes is so beautiful and it captivated me straight away. All the stars and more, I can’t fault it 🧜🏼‍♀️

Everything drew me to this book, the folklore theme, the conviction shipwreck, the power of women in the face of defeat. The writing was lyrical at times and completely drew me in. Having said that, the plot was predictable, I guessed where we were heading most of the time but this was still an incredibly worthy book to read.