A thought-provoking story exploring women, family and native culture. I liked the concept of this story and the multiple POVs, the historical and contemporary. After all, one’s journey is the combination of their country, culture, family, relationships, and choices; it’s history and it’s messy. This would be a really good book for a book club to spark some very interesting discussions.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Cliffs
Author J. Courtney Sullivan
Available now!

Thank you, @booksparks, @jcourtsullivan, @aaknopf, for my #gifted copy of the summer #booksparksambassador #src2024 fun! And thank you, @netgalley and @aaknopf for the #gifted e-arc. Yes, I realize that I am quite behind, but I assure you, this book is worth the wait! I loved Sullivan's Friends and Strangers and Saints for All Occasions, so I was thrilled for the opportunity to read The Cliffs.

Set on the seaside cliffs of atmospheric Maine, The Cliffs is a memorable novel filled with themes of family, especially mothers, secrets, marriage, how the past shapes us, alcoholism, and our legacies. I was so engrossed in this thought- provoking story that weaves together human relationships and stories of women over centuries. I truly did not want this one to end. Insightful, well- researched, and fascinating.

I thought I was getting a book about a mysterious house and the people involved with it. What I got instead was a lesson on the reparations owed to American Indians. And while I definitely don't disagree with that, that was not the book I thought I was going into. This one also drives home the chaos and affects of alcoholism. Again, I didn't realize that was going to a be a central theme, but essentially the entire book revolves around it. I was mostly bored through it all. But it did have sort of a surprise ending that I liked. Definitely not my favorite Reese pick.

The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan has something for everyone - mystery, messy family relationships, and very well researched historical information! The depth of the story will entice many readers to keep turning pages late into the night. I found the historical information to be fascinating. It touched upon history that I'm familiar with but have not had the chance to delve deeper into. Very well done!

Thank you to NetGalley, J. Courtney Sullivan, and Alfred A. Knopf Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this novel. I look forward to purchasing copies for my family and friends. It will also be an excellent book club selection!

This novel weaves a generational tale of women connected by a haunting Victorian house on the coast of Maine. Themes of alcoholism, colonialism, and Native American history are central to the story, as Jane returns to the house that was her childhood refuge. The novel beautifully intertwines the lives of the women tied to the house, particularly Eliza, a former maid, though at times it reads like a history lecture. While it may not appeal to everyone, fans of historical fiction and spiritualism will find it captivating.

I worry I may not have completely “gotten” this book. The change in POV got to me. I usually find myself favoring a certain character when there is multiple POV and I certainly did here. I skimmed any chapter not narrated by Jane, which I think contributed to me not getting the full effect of the story. My favorite section was the detailed account of how Jane became an alcoholic. It was fascinating to get a peek into how it all began and was told so realistically.

After the initial pages, I found myself not connecting with the story or characters, so I decided to pass on this book. Did not finish

I'm always up for some haunted house gothic horror, and this is an excellent exemplar of the genre. The publisher's blurb on this one is very accurate, for once. I did especially enjoy the weaving in of the terrors of colonialism amidst the other classic tropes. I finished this and immediately recommended it to my horror loving colleague.

The Cliffs was the first book I have read by J. Courtney Sullivan. While it was a pretty good suspense story and there were some interesting facts thrown in with regard to history, it missed the mark for me. The book seemed to be trying too hard to do too much. I was intrigued by the idea of the abandoned house, the "ghosts" that were there, the restoration of such a house, and what that restoration means to the history of the house. There was some of that, and what was there was good. I am sure there will be a significant readership for this, but perhaps I am not the intended reader. I found myself growing tired--often--of being preached at. I appreciate the facts of history and that so many of those inequities haven't been rectified with respect to women's rights, indigenous rights, etc., but I felt like it was being shoved down my throat and it was off-putting. Had the book been a work of nonfiction, I would not have had this reaction. But the moralizing was to the degree that it took me out of the story too often. Having done a bit of research into the author after reading the book, I understand that she has had her own struggles with alcohol. It's her story to tell, but as a reader, I got tired of hearing about the main character's alcoholism. In addition, I understand that there are people who desperately want to be parents, but her baby-need issues were alienating for me as the reader. Again, I was probably not her intended reader. I appreciate the opportunity to read the arc and to provide a review.

Unfortunately and disappointingly, this one did not work for me. I usually love J Courtney Sullivan but could not get into this one and didn't connect with the characters.

Meh. This one unfortunately felt disjointed. I liked certain aspects of the story but it felt long and like two disconnected story lines. It wasn't for me but I know others did enjoy so it could be just me.

This book is ultimately about the main character coming to terms with her past and trying to move forward, not necessarily in the way she expects. For me, this book was trying to include too much (Native American history, ghosts & mediums, and side characters pasts), and the amount of characters became confusing; it just didn't flow for me. If it would've just stuck to the main character and her family, I think I would've enjoyed it more.

I was really looking forward to this one but it was not for me. It started off strong and I was very engaged. However, the many different storylines quickly became confusing for me. Many parts were long, drawn out, and I found myself very confused or zoning out. I really wanted to love this one, but it wasn't for me.

I’m a big fan of J. Courtney Sullivan’s work, and this was no exception. There is so much complexity to this novel that I’m actually astounded as I sit here and try to reflect on the most impactful parts. In fact, she may have tried to do too many things in this book, but overall I think it worked. I saw this marketed as a ghost story for people who don’t believe in ghosts, and as someone who doesn't (I think), that really caught my attention. Our main character is an archivist named Jane who has returned to her hometown after her life falls to pieces. She becomes entangled with a familiar historical home in the neighborhood when she is hired to investigate its history (and its hauntings). Sullivan looks at not only the history of a place, but the lineage and legacy of it - who was here before us and how do we honor them? I feel I truly cannot do the breadth of this work justice in such a short blurb, but I think everyone can find something to hold onto in this epic novel and the stories of its women throughout history.

I was very much looking forward to this book as I have been a fan of J. Courtney Sullivan’s past books. The storyline intrigued me and the historical fiction aspect of the book was well done, but sometimes felt longer than needed. I thought I would flying through this book, but I felt lost in the backstory more often than not. Overall, it was a decent book - but I was hoping for more.

Thank you to the author, publisher and @netgalley for an advanced copy for my unbiased review.

I love genre-bending stories like this one - part historical fiction, part mystery. This one started off strong - intriguing plot, interesting characters — however it started to go in too many directions that I lost interest in the story.

Worth a read and would make a great book club pick, but not my favorite

Out now so go grab a copy.
A novel of family, secrets, ghosts, and homecoming set on the seaside cliffs of Maine.
Also a Reese's bppk club pick

This was a bit long and I wasn't quite sure I was going to finish it but I am glad I did I really liked that Jane got her life together. and how the story pulled it all together.


My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Accessible, easy reading but not simplistic that fuels an informative and sad story. There is so much tragedy layered over the years. Ms. Sullivan explores each element with gentleness but without hiding the harsh truths. An atmospheric story that stuns and impresses.

THE CLIFFS by J. Courtney Sullivan features an old, possibly haunted, house near Awadapquit, Maine. The other main character, a young woman called Jane, used the abandoned house as an isolated refuge when she was a lonely high schooler. She soon left town for college and ultimately found a "dream job" as an archivist specializing in women's issues at a Cambridge Library. Over the years, she introduces her future husband to the house when they visit her mother and sister, who work together in the resale field and both of whom struggle with alcoholism. Then, at 38, Jane ends up back in Awadapquit, with both her marriage and career in jeopardy due to her own overindulgence with alcohol ("Sometimes the tragedies of a person's life didn't happen neatly, single file, one at a time, but all at once, so that it was impossible to know how you felt about any part of the whole."). At that time, the new owner hires Jane to learn more about the house's history and her capable research was my favorite part of the book. Sullivan expands upon Jane's findings about the sea-faring captain who built the house; she devotes entire chapters to his wife and her maid, giving each a voice in describing their lives. Readers also meet the next owner, a talented artist who experienced a family tragedy. And there are even sections on the Indigenous people who named the area. Sullivan has included numerous threads – spiritualism and mediums ("... bodily death is not the end of consciousness. It is merely the passing of the soul into another plane."); the Shaker religion; abuse and misuse of historical artifacts; women's roles over time; alcoholism's impact across generations; and modern-day entitlement. Both The Washington Post and The New York Times ("This skillful novel makes the case that knowing what came before offers us our best chance to truly understand our connections to one another, and what we owe to the land we inhabit.") also reviewed THE CLIFFS which received a starred review from Kirkus and was the July 2024 Reese's Book Club selection.

I've been a fan of J. Courtney Sullivan's books for quite some time. Her latest is a deeply layered novel with multiple plot lines and points of view that examines lofty issues of love, generational trauma, colonialism, and alcoholism with justice.

It's not a "beach read" but it's definitely a book that you will think about and will stay with you long after you close the pages.

Jane has returned to her childhood home in Maine, in crisis in both her career and her marriage. She seeks out the abandoned Victorian home on the bluff in town, a cherished place for her that she used to escape to as a teenager in need of solace. She is surprised to learn that it has finally been sold and taken over by new owners that are using it as a summer home.

Jane has a chance meeting with Genevieve, one of the new owners, who ultimately employs her skills as an archivist to research the history of the house.

Genevieve is convinced that the home is haunted and as Jane begins to delve into the history of the home, she begins to uncover an incredible history and in the process begins to heal her own deep wounds of shame and regret.

***|'m being purposefully vague in my review because there are some great twists and turns in the story and in the research Jane uncovers of the house and I don't want to give any spoilers.

J. Courtney Sullivan creates a story within a story with an impassioned skillfulness. It's also not surprising to see that this novel has been at the forefront of book club selections because of Sullivan's deft discussion of important social issues. The Cliffs is a unique novel that I definitely recommend.