The Alternatives

The Alternatives has encouraged me to search out each and every book written by Caoilinn Hughes and add it to my TBR because it was flipping outstanding. Utterly wonderful, heart wrenching, heart warming, every emotion under the sun tingling in some way or other

So, literary genius platitudes aside, the story; Four sisters are fragmented following the tragic passing of their parents, their lives and their PHd's taking them in very separate directions. However, when the oldest sister suddenly disappears after becoming increasingly scared of the fate of the earth, the younger sisters travel to Ireland to come together and find their lost sibling. The sisters get caught out and take shelter in an old building whereby they pass the time resolving old conflicts.

The narrative is warm, funy, and authentic. It has a great integrity that celebrates independant womanhood without it being alienating, sisterhood without co-dependancy

A stunning novel,and a highly recommended shining beacon of women's fiction

Thank you to Netgalley for this incredible literary ARC. My review is left voluntarily and the opinions are my own

This intelligent narrative featuring four Irish sisters challenges the conventional dysfunctional family genre, leaving readers breathless. "The Alternatives" requires a thoughtful examination and the capacity to grapple with emotionally and intellectually challenging philosophical concepts. The formidable sisters, each holding a Ph.D., demand attention.

Meet Olwen, the eldest, an earth scientist deeply concerned about the planet's inevitable demise. Following the untimely death of their parents, she assumed responsibility for her three younger sisters. Rhona, a leading scholar of deliberative democracy and the only mother among them, cares for the adorable one-year-old Leo. Maeve, a celebrity chef, is engrossed in the issue of food scarcity. Nell, an adjunct philosophy professor in the U.S., identifies as bisexual but chooses celibacy.

When Olwen mysteriously disappears, her younger sisters embark on a quest to locate her and succeed swiftly. Olwen's displeasure with the outcome is an understatement, but with four determined and passionate women concerned about global issues, what else can be expected?

Caoilinn Hughes takes a creative leap by weaving a two-act drama into her prose. This multi-page drama allows readers to experience the unfolding events as if they have a front-row seat, maintaining immersion in the story. While introducing a two-act drama is a risk, it pays off by providing an intimate understanding of the four women.

Contemplative, provocative, alternately demanding and compassionate, "The Alternatives" serves as a poignant reminder of the fallacy of control and the constraints of causation. My gratitude to Riverhead Books for granting me early access in exchange for an honest review.