Cover Image: The Cherry Robbers

The Cherry Robbers

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Member Reviews

I love a good gothic ghost story and this one was no exception. I loved the characters, I could feel the sisterly bonds and feel the grief that each felt throughout the book. I'm also a sucker for a dual timeline and this was done well, with the vast majority of the book being told in the past. A sign of the times during that period: a father who was disinterested and disengaged from his house full of women and women who were emotionally unhappy being shuttled away to avoid embarrassment. I would definitely recommend this one for those who like gothic horror along with family drama, it was beautifully written and the overall story was super intriguing.

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This is the first book I have read from this author and I definitely enjoyed it. The sheer creativity of the backstory of the artist was compelling. This definitely has a the feel of a memoir and is such a unique blend of genres. It did take me a bit to really become invested in the story, but once I was hooked, I had to finish reading this in one sitting. This book had a feminist feel to it that really went well with the time period that it was written in especially. These women felt compelled by circumstance to be forced towards marriage as their way out of their childhood home. True to the time period as well, was institutionalizing for mental health. There was definitely a stigma to the artist and her mother and their response to the supernatural nature of what is happening in their home, but of course it is explained away by hysteria of sorts. I enjoyed the unique structure of the book and the nod towards the Winchesters and perhaps a little bit of Shirley Jackson for good measure. Thanks for the ARC, Goodreads.

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I didn't quite know what to expect when I picked up this book, but it was absolutely amazing! It is exactly the creepy, gothic kind of story full of twists and turns that I love.
I cannot wait to recommend this to mystery and thriller readers, especially those who enjoy something a little different or gothic.

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I had high expectations going into this book. Dietland, Sarai Walker's debut, was a huge favorite of mine. And I am glad to say that The Cherry Robbers did not disappoint. An atmospheric American gothic with a blunt feministic slant. Most of the story takes place in the fifties, as our heroine Sylvia Wren, who was then Iris Chapel lives with parents and sisters in a Victorian mansion that resembles a wedding cake. The Chapel family made a fortune selling firearms and the matriarch of the family claims that they are haunted and cursed by the ghosts of the people who died by those guns. Interesting enough this part of the story refers to a real life heiress Sarah Winchester, who a built a sprawling architectural oddity supposedly to fend of the ghosts.

The Chapel girls are all named after flowers. But flowers are also a harbinger of doom in the story, whenever their mother is afflicted with a nauseating smell of roses, she knows something bad is about to happen. And indeed something bad happens when a Chapel girl is being deflowered, so to speak. Girl after girl they succumb to their fates and are buried. Until only Iris and her younger sister Zelie are left. There are echoes of several stories real and fictional throughout the book, like The Virgin Suicides and We Have Always Lived in the Castle. There is an ambiguity about the curse and the ghosts that haunt Iris and her sisters, that the rational male world around her refuses to acknowledge.

Though we know in advance that the Chapel sisters are headed for an early demise, we can't help but feel for them and wish they can lead the "normal" lives they wish upon themselves. The men in the book rarely rouse sympathy, they are either negligent or flippant or worse the gaslighting and mansplaining types, all of them never listen to the women, ever. I'm tempted to discuss how Iris eventually escapes her sisters' fate but it seems like a spoiler, so I shall refrain from doing that. But I'm not entirely comfortable with the underlying implications of what saves our heroine in the end, and why it leaves a rather bitter pessimistic taste.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review.
#TheCherryRobbers #NetGalley.

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The Cherry Robbers is an exquisite, haunting story which encapsulates loss, grief, sisterhood and sensuality resulting in a truly memorable story. The synopsis definitely interested me but I couldn’t possibly have foreseen how much I would love this book and how emotional it would make me. This is definitely one of the best works of southern gothic / historical fiction I’ve read thus far and it’s making me crave more of this genre because the two tie together wonderfully.

This is my first time reading any of Sarai Walker’s writing but consider me a fan because the way the story played out was masterful in horror and a creeping suspense which pervades the entire story. The prose was decadent and enthralling, especially all the descriptions of flowers and the focus on the natural world as a whole was so well done. I liked how the focus on nature tied in with the Chapel sisters names, as they’re all named after flowers; Aster, Rosalind, Calla, Daphne, Iris and Hazel. The whole novel has this haze like a Sofia Coppola film, like a dazed summer / virgin suicides. The urgency and potency of youth and female sexuality

As well as the writing, I really loved the characters and how Walker made me care for them all so deeply. While Sylvia aka Iris is our protagonist, each of the Chapel sisters is given enough exploration and page time to be well developed and for a reader to get attached to them. It’s the fact that I liked them all that made their tragic fates even sadder. Despite knowing that they would meet their end, I still wasn’t prepared for the reality of it. I think it’s even more heartbreaking as their dynamic as a group was so well written and believable. They’re as close as sisters could be, relying on each other for everything as they navigate their sequestered childhood and their emotionally distant parents.

Another striking note within the novel was about mental health, specifically the mental health of women and how patriarchal norms played into the suppression of women who veered outside of expectations. I felt this intense sadness for many of the characters in the book, but especially Belinda, the Chapel matriarch. For the majority of the book, I wasn’t sure if she was genuinely being haunted by ghosts or if she was experiencing hallucinations but either way, something is clearly distressing her and the fact that nobody believes her is nothing short of heartbreaking. As you read on, you see just how much the male figures at the time controlled women’s life and health and if they went out of turn, they would get hospitalised, and at times indefinitely.

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4⭐

At first, it was kinda slow but a proper one. It's kinda slow as it wants to build first the characters. Honestly, six daughters presence in this book reminds me of Pride & Prejudice but with a delirious mother. Okay, delirious mother, the beginning of the horror chapter. But, it's kinda cliché when the mother kept giving warning that sounds "something bad is gonna happen". Horror scenes were adequate but it might felt scary if you read it at night. Seems like exorcisms and some scenes were definitely lead to sadness and hollow.

As we progressed more, I noticed that this more onto family curse. Not so haunting-ish type. Still cool. Readers also were introduced on feminism theme which it touched on periods, marriage life, educations & woman's mental health perception. love how author mentioned women were always silenced and dismissed the statement for being women. men simply can't believe women just because women herself.

But the curse itself don't have a clear explainatory. I can assumed that because of the family created gun who killed a lot of people, some victims might curse upon this family to not continuing the generation.

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I received this from Netgalley.com.

"Iris flees the devastation of her family, and so begins the story of Sylvia Wren. But can she outrun the family curse forever? "

Good story, great writing. The characters felt real to me as they struggled through their trials and tribulations, although, I would have liked to have seen at least one male character who wasn't stupid, evil or predatory. I would definitely recommend this book but I doubt I will read this author again.

3.75☆

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The story begins with the famous artist Sylvia Wren who has lived hidden from the public's eye for quite awhile, but that all changes when a nosy journalist starts to question who Sylvia really is and what has her still fleeing from her past. We are then introduced to Iris Chapel, who is the second youngest of the six Chapel sister who are heiress's of the firearms fortune on their father's side. All six sisters have grown up in an old victorian house that looks like a wedding cake with only their rich father and their so called crazy mother. Their mother mother is certain that the house is being haunted by the victims of the Chapel weapons and as we follow the sister's lives we see that there is something that is haunting the women in the family. The sister's know that the only way out of the cursed house is to marry and start a family of their own but right when the oldest, Astor, starts to plan her wedding their mother warns that terrible things will happen. She is ignored by everyone but Iris who tries to help by stopping the wedding anyway she can but fails. Just as their mother predicted something terrible happened and Astor dies under mysterious circumstances that can't be explained.

It took me a bit to really get into this book but once I was introduced to the whole family I was hooked. I love the character of Iris/Sylvia and her transformation into the famous American artist we met the beginning of the story. I really enjoyed the gothic atmosphere that the author painted when she allowed us inside the old victorian house and introduced us to all the sisters named after flowers. I actually started this book without really knowing what it was about other than a woman who was hiding from her past and I was intrigued when the mother warned her daughters about the horrible feeling she had if they ever got married. After the first daughter died I knew I was in for a ride of a story and was ready for everyone to start listening to their mother and Iris but of course that didn't happen. The author expertly brings up so many different themes including sexuality, feminism, family, and what it is to be a woman in a mans world. I found myself so enraged at so many parts in this book on behalf of Iris and her mother and that extreme emotion from me is thanks to the authors writing. I would recommend this book to any readers that love female narrators with gothic mystery.

Thank you to Netgalley and MarinerBooks for the digital copy of this book with me in exchange for an honest review.

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I really enjoyed this book! It was NOT what I was expecting (I try not to read much of synopses) but was a real page-turner. The structure surprised me; I was expecting it to jump back and forth in time more, and I was glad it didn't because that's what typically happens and it's kind of tiring. I did think the section on each girl's fate went on for a long time... we knew it was coming, and it was really drawn out. But Iris knew, too, so I guess that's part of the point. It was interesting that there really wasn't much time spent on Sylvia's life, given that she kept telling us how much more time she spent inhabiting her character, but I guess that's also sort of the point: one can't escape one's past, even if we think we are.

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I’m usually good about calling it quits when I’m reading a book that’s not working for me. I’m a firm believer that there’s no reason to keep going with a book you’re not enjoying, and still I read all of THE CHERRY ROBBERS by Sarai Walker. This was the story of the Chapel sisters, six young women/girls from a wealthy Connecticut family in the 1950’s. Their father was distant, their mother a bit off, and the sisters seemed great until the first got married. Less than 24-hours later she was dead, and that sad pattern continued.

I’m not giving anything away here. The synopsis tells you all that and more. What I will say is that for me it was long, overly drawn-out and well, repetitive. Skimming needed to happen! The best parts of the book for me were the very beginning and the very end where the one surviving sister looked back on her life and how she survived the family curse. Unfortunately, this was only about 10% of the story. I’d love to hear from others who have read The Cherry Robbers, but if you’re asking me, I’d say read the synopsis closely, and get it from the library! ….no rating

Thanks to @houghtonmifflinharcourt for a #gifted ARC of #thecherryrobbers.

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Well, I expected a COMPLETELY different story that what this turned out to be and I was surprised in the best way possible. I really enjoyed The Cherry Robbers! I thought the author did an amazing job in this book with strong amazing female characters in scary situations. This book is wonderfully creepy and gives me all the Shirley Jackson vibes. It explores sex and sexuality in a way that's really handled with care and it shakes up societal norms and perceptions in a way that makes the plot really interesting. Although many questions go unanswered, I was left with a feeling of satisfaction. The truth will never truly be known. I was surprised at how vested I was in this story. I finished this book in two days, not being able to put it down for long. That is the mark of a great author - these characters and this story had me wanting more at every chapter.

An odd but strangely compelling read. My heart was racing as I read on. I definitely recommend this one.

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Wow, this is quite the story! You'll need to hang on tight for the ride: this family is usual for the get go! Sisters are as different as most are. Why? Why? you'll ask yourself a lot!

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Sylvia Wren is an important American Artist living in New Mexico. Iris Chapel is one of six daughters of the Chapel Firearms baron who lives in Bellflower Village, Connecticut. But really, they're one and the same and Sylvia Wren is finally at a point in her life where she can't outrun Iris Chapel anymore.

This is a well-done gothic family drama that grapples with tragedy, grief, loss, mental illness, and sense of self.

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The Cherry Robbers
by Sarai Walker
Pub Date: May 17, 2022
Harper
Thanks to the author, Harper publishers, and Net Galley for the ARC. I enjoyed listening to the audio while I was preparing dinner and doing other chores. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I requested this book.
I'm not sure I was prepared for this book. I went into the book mostly blind! A gothic fiction is outside of my normal genre, but I tried. Other readers may find it more interesting with a strong feminist heroine.
Not a bad book, just one I’m not interested in continuing. When I put it down, I do t feel inclined to pick it back up. Thank you for the opportunity to read.
3 stars

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Such a beautiful gothic thriller. Not my usual genre but it really was a pleasant surprise. You won't be disappointed by the female-centric narrative and all the twists and turns. The synopsis does not really tell you what happens, so try to go in blindly and go with it.

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The Cherry Robbers has an excellent premise and a promising start. The imagery of the house resembling a wedding cake instantly hooked me, but book quickly begins to feel repetitive, especially since the main character did little to add to the story.

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this book was nothing like i expected! i saw some reviews comparing it to Evelyn hugo which hooked me in but it turned out not veery much like that at all. centred around a family of 6 daughters who are the heirs to a firearms dynasty, it focuses on their marriages and their deaths. i've been watching and reading a lot of horror recently and i was hoping for a bit more gothic, a bit more violent. there were some creepy bits! and i liked the ending. bit i didn't love most of the characters i didn't feel part of the family, or even care very much when most of them died, and the ones i ddi love, such as the mum, were taken off screen too quickly. i get why some people will like this one, it just fell a bit flat for me

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DNF@15%
Not a bad book, just one I’m not interested in continuing. When I put it down, I do t feel inclined to pick it back up. Thank you for the opportunity to read.

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A gothic ghost story that had me thinking about it even after I’d put it down.
The story is told by Iris Chapel, daughter of the famous and wealthy Chapel firearms empire in the 1950s Connecticut when she was a child, until she turned 20, and in 2017 by Sylvia Wren, an 80 year old world famous, reclusive artist living with her partner Lola in New Mexico. The catch….they’re the same person.
Sylvia is prompted to write her story when a journalist has uncovered her identity and the story she writes enthralled me. In beautifully descriptive language we come to meet Sylvia, and watch Iris grow up with 5 sisters she loves, an emotionally distant father, and a mother who is haunted by the ghosts of those killed by Chapel rifles. As her sisters die, one by one, and her mother slips farther and farther away from her daughters, Iris feels she must shield herself from love to save herself. We can feel her growing despair, and see the wedding cake of a house they live in, and recognize the life women in the 1950’s were expected to live, and happiness for the life she found with Lola. The descriptions of physical settings, emotions, and interactions between the characters are so vivid I felt like I was watching from just off the page.
This was the first book I’ve read by Sarai Walker, thanks to NetGalley and her publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt I was able to read an advance copy. I highly recommend it.

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This book is a WOW. So many twists and turns that kept me on my toes and shocked the entire time. This gothic novel was amazing and I"d suggest it to all those who like the genre, and even those who don't.

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