Zoe - a manipulative, condescending, narcissist raises a daughter Cherry who is also a manipulative narcissist. Terrible people who do not deserve any empathy. Cassie the overweight sister - well her weight and size could not have been restated any more than if the theme to Laurel & Hardy had played every time she came into a scene! Only finished the book to see if I could find a shred of understanding for Zoe and Cherry but couldn't muster any.. Would not recommend.

Really enjoyed this - definite vibes of Daisy Jones while also carving its own special niche.

The Griffin Sisters flashed very bright for a short period of time before tragedy struck. Zoe, a born entertainer, was the driving force behind the band. She had the looks and the charisma one would expect in the industry. Cassie had all the talent, but is clearly on the spectrum and never sought fame. Together they complement each other to rise to extreme heights but at what cost to their own close relationship, Years later, when Zoe's daughter starts to seek her own musical journey, she seeks to understand what happened to the band - and her own family's history.

With the world of pop music as a backdrop, the story would always be fascinating and addictive, but add raw talent, sibling rivalry, neuro-diverse personalities, family ties, harassment and its a super compelling melting pot of a read. I loved learning more about the world of music, but also felt the emotional intensity of the situation. Highly recommended.

This was an enjoyable read that i will recommend to others.

Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

Wow! This is a brilliant book! The griffin sisters couldn't be more opposite if they tried and when fame comes calling it's inevitably going to end very badly. Time is a healer though so they say!

3.5 ⭐️

I feel very conflicted about this book. While I enjoyed the premise of it, there were some elements that frustrated me. To start, the constant fatphobia and comparisons between Cassie and Zoe almost made me DNF it as it gets too much to read at some points. There definitely needed to be a trigger warning for struggles with body image at the beginning of the book.

The reveal of the bands' "mystery" breakup felt very anticlimax, along with the ending of the book being predictable. The book does showcase the complex relationships between mothers and daughters with Zoe and Cherry, but I would have liked to have seen more of the struggles in the sisters' relationship that didn't revolve around their looks.

I also found part of the timeline confusing. Weiner included a Rolling Stones article that says the bands' album was turning 25 years old, having been released in 2003. However, Cherry's POV is set in 2024, only 20 years later, and it is frequently mentioned that Zoe hasn't seen Cassie in 20 years. It did feel like the timeline jumped around a lot and some of sections felt repetitive due to the multiple POVS, but eventually you do find out what happened in the years since the group disbanded.

Overall it was a good read and was well written, but it could have given so much more.

Thank you NetGalley for the early copy!

For me this was a slow burner, but it soon picked up pace.
With a dual timeline and told from two perspectives, we learn about Zoe and Cassie, two sisters, one who wants to be famous and the other who wants to be accepted.
It was a real education to learn how difficult it is to break into the music industry, even when you’re naturally talented.
This story made me cry and I loved it!

This is a completely brilliant book. I loved loved loved it and simply couldn’t put it down. The Griffin Sisters are a band and the story flits between present day and when the band were at their height. It’s a story of jealousy, sadness, loneliness and redemption. The sisters themselves are complex characters and I think Cassie would now be considered neurodiverse but then, she was just the odd singer who was supremely talented but couldn’t cope with any kind of celebrity status. I have read Jennifer Weiners work in the past but this I magnificent. Enthralling, emotional and life affirming. Highly recommended.

Set over 2 timelines- present day and the early 2000's we meet sisters Zoe and Cassie. Zoe is beautiful and popular and desperately wants to be famous. Cassie doesn't fit the popstar mould but is a musical prodigy. As a band, they only release one album before their fame implodes.

A great book, exploring the dynamics of family and sisterly love.

The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits, by Jennifer Weiner is a poignant exploration of family dynamics intertwined with the glitz and grime of the music industry. Fans of Daisy Jones and the Six will find this a rewarding read.

The Griffin Sisters band mysteriously break up at the pinnacle of stardom, and sisters Zoe and Cassie ceased all contact with each other. For two decades, Zoe and Cassie have not spoken or seen each other, with Cassie's whereabouts shrouded in mystery.

Through multiple POVs and 2 timelines the author delves into the emotional landscape of both sisters.

Zoe, now a mother to Cherry, who is determined to make her mark in the music business. Cherry’s discovery of her mother’s illustrious musical past sets off a chain of events that compels Zoe to confront the secrets she has long buried.

The unfolding mystery of Cassie’s disappearance and the reasons behind the band's breakup add an intriguing layer to the narrative, keeping readers engaged until the end.

The novel captures the highs and lows of fame and the intricacies of familial ties. The depiction of the music industry’s glamorous yet ruthless nature provides a fascinating backdrop to the sisters' personal struggles.

The novel’s strength lies in its character portrayals, Zoe the extrovert wants nothing more than to be famous, Cassie the introvert was to blend into the background and not be noticed. Then there is Cherry and her relentless quest for answers and her determination to carve out her own path.

While the mystery surrounding Cassie and the band’s breakup is gradually revealed, some readers might find the resolution a bit predictable. However, the depth and the exploration of themes such as forgiveness, perseverance, and the impact of secrets on relationships make this a rewarding read.

Overall, The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits is a captivating story that combines the allure of the music world with the complexities of familial relationships.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

I requested this ARC (thanks Netgalley) because of the comparison to Daisy Jones and the Six, which I read years ago and which still resonates. It wasn’t an unfounded comparison; The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits shares a similar musical setting and general vibe, though this novel is perhaps broader and less focused.

I read it in a day and a half, so it clearly wasn’t boring, though I felt it could’ve been shorter with less wistful Alaskan musings: we get it Cassie, you were sad!

What I liked about it most was what it had to say about women, both inside and outside the music industry, and how hard it is for women to forge and maintain an identity entirely on their own terms. Internal misogyny is real, ladies - I found myself judging Cherry (the daughter and niece of the main characters) for being manipulative and ambitious, before reminding myself that similar qualities would be both admired and expected of a man in her situation.

All in all, an enjoyable read.

This was a great generational family drama with a Daisy Jones and the Six music feel at the heart of it. I especially liked the portrayal of the music industry in terms of how it treats women and likes to put them into certain boxes rather than allowing them to be themselves.

I did think it was on the long side, but if you love multi-POV, multi-timeline stories then this one is for you!

3.5

Pros:
- I loved the pop culture references.
- Dual timeline.
- Multiple POV.

Cons:
- Constant fatphobia (it got to a point where I was like okay we get it!!).
-I really didn't like Cherry, I found her quite selfish and insufferable.
- Miscommunication.

I think this was a good read and I did enjoy it but I just feel it could of been so much more.

I enjoyed this very much, as I have every single one of Jennifer Weiner's books. She creates completely believable, sympathetic yet flawed characters who readers can relate to. It isn't easy to write about music interestingly, and it's a world that is unrelatable for the vast majority of readers, but she nonetheless made it into an 'everywoman' story.

I flew through this book, it was an engrossing and enjoyable read. The reframing of that particular moment for celebrity, externally and internally is something I am often drawn to in fiction and non fiction, and while the characters were likeable and the plot hard to put down, it was more a four than five star read for me.

3.5 rounded down

A mother‘s love?
Brilliant, talented daughters in Cassie and Zoe. Cassie Grossberg is the introverted, musical prodigy whereas Zoe is charming, beautiful and outgoing. Chalk and cheese. The sisters become part of a pop sensation known as The Griffin Sisters in the early 2000’s, then tragedy breaks up the band. Over twenty years of silence follows between the sisters as Cassie lives reclusively in Alaska and Zoe buries herself in suburban motherhood in New Jersey. Clearly something catastrophic occurs to break up their musical success – can they ever forgive each other and themselves? Will they ever be able to make music together again? Zoe‘s daughter Cherry sincerely hopes so as she too has musical aspirations and her aunt has the voice of an angel. Is it possible for a reunion to take place on the 25th anniversary of their hit album?

There are aspects of the book that I really like and which work well but other areas that I’m less keen on. The complex relationships are conveyed successfully, between mothers and daughters and between the sisters. I enjoy the ups and downs of their life on the road as a band especially the various dynamics. The sisters different memories of that time are often painful and it’s emotional reading in places. There are strong feelings displayed too, with everything from love to jealousy, from fury to hatred with vindictive or deceitful actions which become secret shames.

Many of the characters are not especially easy to like and I don’t find them relatable. I sympathise particularly with Cassie, you feel her awkwardness and I dare say she’s on the neurodivergent spectrum but that’s not mentioned much except in passing. I don’t know what to make of the constant references to her size, it’s constantly emphasised and she is compared to glossy, pretty, slim Zoe. I’m sure the author is just trying to demonstrate the prejudice against Cassie despite her considerable talent especially in the early 2000’s but it’s not comfortable to read.

It’s a bit all over the place and dizzying at the beginning of the book with several points of view and it jumps about timewise but once I sort out the characters, it’s okay. However, in my opinion, it’s overly long and too detailed in places which slows the pace down and some interest is lost. There’s repetition too via the different points of view.

I enjoy the ending although it’s probably a predictable one though it’s what I hope for. The novel will inevitably be compared to Daisy Jones and the Six and I don’t think it’s as good as that, but it’s enjoyable nonetheless. I assume the novel is inspired by the Mamas and the Papas although Cassie is very different in personality to the outgoing Mama Cass.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for a much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This is not the typical kid of book which I would read however I am glad I did.

Definitely gave off Daisy Jones vibes with a really interesting family drama at the heart of it.

Great read

I really enjoyed this. I'm a fan of music driven stories, particularly those that highlight the not so glamorous side of 'fame' alongside complex relationships between siblings, so this worked very well for me.

It took me awhile to become fully invested, but the further into this I read, the more excited I became to find out just what had happened between the two sisters to make them estranged.

As other reviewers have said, I think this would make a great beach read this summer. Equal parts moving and dramatic, The Griffin Sisters shows you the true power of sisterhood and how healing forgiveness can be.

I've been anticipating this book since the first "coming soon" email I received. The synopsis vividly describes the story of two sisters who had the world and by their own actions lost it. The cover pulls your attention and I had to read it!!!!

From the first, readers meet Zoe and Cass, sisters who could not be any more different if they tried and the mother, Janice, who can never decide if their differences are her fault. Though different, we learn that the sisters need each other. In most every thing they do outside their home, Zoe takes care of her little sister, Cass. Then one day when Janice is checking on her daughters before bed, she hears them sing and these sisters will never be the same again. Singing will take them to the recording stages and make them stars, but also change the relationship between the two.
The story unwinds in several flash back and forward while we hear both sisters tell their side of the story. Then a thrid young woman, daughter to one, neice to the other, will stir the sisters' history to add her voice to the harmony found and lost, then found again. Through it all, their stories grow from simple to complex, with the entrance of fame, fortune, and a young man.

The anticipation I felt for this story was repeatedly rewarded with a story that forces readers to choose sids over and over to finally see that there was only one side to this story, it just belonged to both sisters.

I can’t tell you how much l loved this book! Zoe and Cassie; together know as the Griffin Sister; singing superstars. We begin knowing the their band broke up at the height of the their and that the sisters no longer speak. This story is told from both their sides starting from their childhoods and moving through time. Zoe’s daughter Cherry is a key factor of their reunion. This book was absolutely amazing; the ending made me cry!

This is an enjoyable read. It is the story of two sisters, Cassie and Zoe. Cassie has borderline genius musical ability, but is overweight and strugling with self-esteem issues. Zoe is the dominant one - she is beautiful and extrovert. She persuades Cassie to form a group and they have huge success despite Cassie's reluctance to perform. Another member of the band, Russell, who is a talented songwriter and collaborates with Cassie, comes between the two women - Cassie falls in love with him but Zoe seduces him and basically tricks him into marrying her. The group splits up and Cassie goes into hiding. Zoe has a daughter, Cherry, who is also very musical, but her mother discourages her. How this is all resolved is the basis of the plot. It is well written - the characters have flaws and feel well-rounded. The ending is a little disappointing but overall, I would recommend this.