I just wasn't feeling the writing style in this one. The horror elements didn't feel scary and I couldn't relate to the characters. The early impression was that the political elements of the story were overpowering everything else. It seems silly to stop a book 1/5 of the way in, but regardless of how well the plot might have developed, I just knew the style wasn't working for me.

Horror is a genre that can do a lot; sometimes it's fairly straight forward to understand, such as a monster or killer stalking a victim, but there are some horror stories that have you wondering what you've just experienced. These stories are the one that worm their way under your skin and stick with you for a long time after. A lot of the time these stories tend to come later in a writers career, when they've found their voice and are playing with something a little bit more experimental. Neena Viel, however, arrives on the scene with her debut novel, Listen to Your Sister, in a hugely impressive way with a horror story that will have you adding Viel to your list of authors to follow closely.

Listen to Your Sister tells the story of Calla Williams (the titular sister) and her two younger brothers, Jamie, and Dre. Calla is twenty five, and finds herself not only having to be a big sister, but having to be the guardian for her youngest sibling. Calla is juggling this responsibility with a job she dislikes, a new relationship, and the other pressures that come with being a young adult. It's a difficult time in her life, made even tougher by the fact that Jamie is something of a rebel, regularly in trouble with his school, using is teenage energy band bravado in ways that bring him into conflict with authority. With Dre, the middle of the three siblings, being unwilling to help, Calla finds herself close to the end of her rope, struggling with this extreme situation.

To make matters worse, Calla's worries and fears over her brothers safety in a world that's increasingly hostile to young Black people, she's begun to have terrible nightmares about Jamie and Dre dying in frightening ways. In her dreams Calla is unable to save them, and it's further fraying her mental health. Calla's fears and nightmares begin to bleed into her waking life when terrible things happen to her brothers, such as Dre being attacked by a girl in a prom dress, and Jamie being attacked by a racist cop at a protest. Knowing that they need to get away someplace safer, Calla books them into a remote AirBNB in the woods, leading them to an isolated cabin. Unfortunately, the horrors they sought to leave behind have followed them into the forest.

I don't want to talk about Listen to Your Sister much beyond the initial set-up, as it's both a book that's hard to describe, and one that's best experienced with as little knowledge as possible. What I will say, however, is that it's a hell of an experience. The book deals with trauma, family trauma, fractured relationships, loss of family members, systemic racism, abandonment, sibling guardianship, guilt, missed opportunities, things that can forever shape a life in a negative way; especially when bottled up and not talked about. Viel's book feels incredibly raw at times, dealing with issues that a lot of people may have experience with, but that people tend not to talk about. It's brutally honest at times, and its exploration of these themes through a horror lens is beautifully dark and disturbing.

It might sound like there's not a lot to Listen to Your Sister that's particularly positive or joyful, but as much as it deals with these negative issues and feelings there's also a lot of positivity to be found here too. Calla absolutely loves her brothers, and the familial bond the Williams family shares is the central focus of the book, with hope for a better tomorrow being a large part of the narrative. It also employs dark humour in great ways, a reminds you that even when things are bad there are things that you can latch onto for a little glimmer of humour, even if it might not always seem like the right time for it.

Listen to Your Sister is a very creepy story, one with some dark and twisted moments, a narrative that's full of atmosphere and dream-like moments at times. It's dealing with the darkly fantastical, yet is grounded in the very human, very real lives of our central characters. It might not always be an easy read, but it's one that feels very raw and honest at times, and will mean a lot to certain readers who might see some of their own lives reflected here.

Thank you to NetGalley, Titan Books, and the author for access to an early ebook for this title in exchange for an honest review.

Listen to Your Sister is (very surprisingly) a debut from a really promising Black author. I very much enjoyed this twisted tale of the complexities of sibling love, woven with a really good horror narrative. This was a solid 4 stars from me; the only reason it's not a 5 is that it was a little long in my opinion. There is a really good mix of heart, soul, gore, and terror in these pages, so I'll be keeping my eye out for what comes next from this author.

The book starts with a young black woman who struggles to balance the commitments to her job, her personal life, and her family (two younger brothers). She feels guilty when prioritising her brothers, and perhaps doubly guilty when prioritising herself. All par for the course, thus far. What makes this story different is that these struggles create some cosmic break that instigates an adventure that sees the three siblings' lives at risk, coming to terms with themselves, and, over time, strengthening the bond between them.

I did finish the book (though this was never obvious). It started ok, then became bad, then became terrible. What drove this deterioration mostly was the lack of cohesion in the story. It felt like the author was stumbling along, driven by rage (the author's - not just the lead female character's), and not literary merit. There was a lot of emotion here, which isn't necessarily bad, but, in this case, its expression was chaotic and the lack of reservedness was offputing. The other thing I disliked was the character building - the author did such a great making them all come across as flawed and weak, that, when she was trying to rebuild their credibility and show that underneath it all they were nice people (forced into selfish behaviour by social norms and expectations) it just failed to work.

I can see how this book can be popular among some people, who are looking for an outlet to their anger. It didn't work for me, and I also didn't see any literary merit here. Maybe it's Netflix-bait. Otherwise - it's a miss for me. I took nothing from this book really.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I did like this book, the concept was intriguing and the beginning and end were solid. I felt like the pacing in the middle section was a bit odd, it felt quite repetitive which may have been a deliberate choice by the author but it made it tricky for me to really focus. The characters were well written and I liked the sibling dynamic between them. I’d have liked to know more about their mother, I never really understood her as a character but I might have missed some additional context as I struggled to focus on some of the middle section. It’s a deeply bizarre book which is my favourite genre, I think overall a good read.

It took me a lot longer to read this book than I would have liked. I started off really enjoying this book. However, at about 30% in, I just wanted to give up, so I carried on at a snails pace. The characters jumped around too much, and I found the descriptions lacking, and most of the time, I didn't have a full grasp of what was going on.

It isn't lost on me that the characters themselves may not know what was going on, and the strong bond between the siblings and their different personalities definitely shone through but it wasn't enough to make the story great for me.

I know many will love the confusing, wild, social horror wild ride of this book. It just wasn't for me.

I thought this was a great debut and enjoyed it overall. It was sometimes hard to follow but I did find it interesting. Definitely want what I 3dpectrd going in, and can see how it can be confusing for other eaders, but will be interesting to read future work.

Listen to Your Sister is a wonderfully written debut that has a cast of relatable if highly flawed characters (which is what makes them all that more relatable) and a story that is both weird and fantastic at the same time.

I will say some may not like the narrative style, particularly that it changes so quickly and chops between past and present but for me I really enjoyed this and felt that it gave us more of creepy vibe. It does also have a lot going on with heavy themes so while it is at times a great creepy read it can also get heavy. Needless to say for a debut I loved this and can’t wait to read more of Viel in the future.

As always thank you to Titan Books and Netgalley the copy to review, my reviews are always honest and freely given.

This book was a fever dream in the best way. I love our cast of characters they are relatable and highly flawed but seeing them face their issues and growing was so satisfying.
The plot is creepy and intense but in an engaging way I couldn’t put this down every twist and turn shocked and awed me

#Netgalley

Listen To Your Sister is a debut novel; I had to let that sink in after reading it. This is such a well-written book, BUT it’s weird as all hell. I really liked it.

Described as “Jordan Peele movies meets Stranger Things, meets The Other Black Girl”, I couldn’t resist giving it a go. There’s a lot of body horror in here, which isn’t my thing at all, but the dialogue is both witty and at times incredibly poignant, so it balances well.

Calla Williams is now her younger brother’s guardian, and it’s a struggle. She has to keep leaving work to sort out Jamie’s many misdeeds in school and spends her nights worrying about him after he sneaks out with friends. Their brother, Dre, was supposed to be helping her look after Jamie, but he’s more concerned with his own life, so lets Calla down time and again.
After an anti-police protest that Jamie attends goes drastically wrong, all three are forced to go on the run.
Unfortunately during all of this, Calla continues to have the same recurring nightmare she’s had for years, where her brothers are in terrible danger but she can’t help them.
Somehow their arrival at a remote Airbnb cabin that looks more like a shack from a horror movie, causes Calla’s dream to bleed into reality. Nothing good can come of that.

This is like walking through someone else’s fever dream; it’s confusing and disorientating at times, but throughout, the relationships between the siblings remains at the core of the story, like an anchor, which makes it readable. Without that, I would have given up on this one; I’m not great with abstract concepts.

Grounding the story in reality further are the many real-life issues the family faces; police brutality against black people (young men especially), drug abuse, abandonment, the death of a parent, lack of opportunities, and childhood trauma.

The horror elements are quite creepy; I’m not squeamish but I wanted to cover my eyes more than once 😅🫣

This is for sure one of the more original books I’ve read recently, it’s not even horror in the traditional sense but something else entirely; a new genre of its own maybe. Definitely worth a read but not a book I would recommend to everyone!

Sorry it’s a DNF at 35% - the narrative is all over the place switching between characters but also between what is seemingly past/present - very difficult to keep up with what’s going on and I don’t care enough about the characters to continue.

Never read anything like this!! It’s like someone shoved jordan peele’s us into a blender and blitzed it with a splash of surreal horror. Did i understand a lot of what was going on? Not really, some parts were very confusing to grasp and I don’t think I still have.
But did i have a good time reading it? Hell yeah. The writing was great, supple without being too purple. The pacing did feel odd, it was super slow then accelerates from the middle till the end and doesn’t let up.

many thanks to netgalley and the publishers for supplying me with an early copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

Neena Viel’s Listen to Your Sister is a gripping fusion of family drama and surreal horror, where the bonds between siblings are tested in a fight for survival. Viel delivers a tense, emotionally charged story with sharp twists that leave the reader reeling.

At its core, the novel is about twenty-five-year-old Calla Williams, who is thrust into a caretaker role after becoming the guardian of her reckless teenage brother Jamie. Calla’s exhaustion and frustration are palpable, making her an incredibly relatable and complex protagonist. Her recurring nightmares of her brothers dying form a chilling thread throughout the story, forewarning the chaos to come.

Jamie, full of impetuous teenage energy, and Dre, the absent older brother whose promises ring hollow, round out the trio. Their dynamic feels raw and authentic, capturing the intricacies of sibling relationships: love and loyalty intertwined with resentment and disappointment.

When a protest gone awry forces the siblings into hiding, the story takes a hair-raising turn. The remote cabin, straight out of a slasher film, becomes the perfect backdrop for the novel’s descent into a reality-bending nightmare. Viel expertly blends the mundane struggles of family life with supernatural elements, creating a setting where the boundaries of reality seem to unravel.

The novel’s strength lies in its relentless pacing and the way it balances horror with heartfelt emotion. The surreal, funhouse-mirror-like threats the siblings face mirror their internal turmoil, forcing them to confront not only external dangers but also the cracks in their relationships.

Listen to Your Sister is an electrifying ride that defies genre expectations. Equal parts heart-wrenching and horrifying, it explores the sacrifices we make for family and the lengths we’ll go to protect the ones we love. Fans of thrillers with emotional depth and surreal horror will find themselves unable to put this one down.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Listen to Your Sister, Neena Viel's horror debut, follows the siblings Calla, Dre and Jamie, navigating their tumultuous relationship and the realities of racism in the USA. The blurb misrepresents it a bit, focusing on the cabin, so I was expecting cabin in the woods type of horror. In reality, we don't get to the cabin till about the halfway mark, and it is very much not the focus of the horror elements of the story.

The novel has been compared to the work of Grady Hendrix, both for better and for worse. Similarly to the best of Hendrix's writing, the core of Viel's novel is the emotional bond between the siblings. It really reminded me of How to Sell a Haunted House, a personal favourite, in the extent to which the horror element is steeped in the interpersonal dynamics of the characters and their family bond. While not as expertly delivered as How to Sell (which is unsurprising, as Hendrix was far from a debut author when he published it), it is still crafted more than competently. The last 20% or so, almost exclusively driven by the siblings' relationship, is a real highlight of the novel, delivering emotional punches and some tense horror scenes.

Sometimes it felt that Viel either tried a bit too hard to go for snarky campy writing someone like Hendrix excels at, at the expense of establishing her own unique voice. She is clearly capable of some wonderful passages and interesting metaphors, especially evident in the Jamie chapters. Although I got a very clear sense of who Calla and Jamie were, I wish Dre was given a little bit more depth to take him beyond the emotionally absent daddy's favourite middle child. The narrative is written to be driven by the relationship between the three of them, but it felt like it relied on Calla's and Jamie's bond at the expense of Dre.

The novel suffers a little bit from pacing issues. The first half or so is the setup, which could have been condensed to about a third. The 60 to 80% mark, the beginning of the true 'horror' story, is an absolute slog, and some of the themes of the narrative get quite repetitive there. It really made me question whether when traditional publishers platform marginalised authors they provide the necessary investment into them to truly set them up for success. For instance, are marginalised authors getting as much editorial support? Many of the issues of the novel could have been resolved by firmer editing. I am glad I persevered with it, as at around the 70% mark I thought I'd gotten everything I was likely to get out of this book and considered DNFing, but it really picked up in the last quarter.

Some of the themes could have been explored a bit further. Viel brilliantly sets up a discussion of control and free will, fundamental to the very the nature of the monsters in the story. A narrative set in motion by a protest in support of Black lives cannot discuss free will without engaging with slavery, and the text sets up that discussion in the central metaphor of Calla, the older sister, as someone enslaved to her brothers' needs (most obviously expressed in one of the monsters calling Dre 'massah'). Calla's own complicated relationship with the monsters hints at this dynamic, emphasising their free will, but it could have been explored a little bit further.

Viel is definitely an interesting and exciting upcoming voice in modern Black horror, and is one to watch.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for a review copy,

P.S. It is absolutely disheartening to see some ARC reviews complaining that there is too much racial politics in the book in the same breadth as being insulted at the use of the n-word in characters' dialogue (Black brothers talking to each other).

This was a good debut, the premise was fun and unique and I especially enjoyed the first half. The writing style was very vivid and the horror sequences were great and I enjoyed the dynamic between the three siblings a lot.

The second half became a little messy, so much was happening and it got really weird and hard to follow at times. Compared to the slower first half it felt like the pacing was rushed. There was some great body horror though which was fun. Overall I enjoyed this even though it had some flaws and I would definitely pick up other books by this author in the future. If you like speculative horror you should definitely check this out.

Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel is a raw, beautifully crafted exploration of family, trauma, and resilience. From the very first page, Viel’s evocative prose draws you into a deeply emotional and compelling narrative that is as painful as it is cathartic.

At its heart, this book is a story about sisters—their bond, their secrets, and the unspoken truths that define their relationship. Viel masterfully captures the complexities of sibling dynamics, portraying them with a mix of tenderness and brutal honesty. The characters are richly developed, their flaws and strengths making them feel achingly real.

The narrative moves seamlessly between past and present, revealing layers of heartbreak and healing in a way that feels organic and poignant. Viel has a knack for tackling heavy themes—grief, guilt, forgiveness—without ever feeling preachy or overly sentimental. Instead, she invites readers to sit with the messiness of life, making the emotional payoffs all the more rewarding.

The writing is nothing short of stunning. Viel’s attention to detail and ability to convey raw emotion make every scene resonate deeply. It’s the kind of book that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page, urging you to reflect on your own relationships and the power of unspoken words.

Listen to Your Sister is a profound and unforgettable novel, perfect for readers who crave stories that dig deep into the heart of what it means to be human. Neena Viel is a writer to watch, and this book is a masterpiece. Highly recommended.