3.5 stars. This is a dual timeline novel that takes place on the modern Australian coast and on an Irish penal transport ship. The modern timeline adds in some recent history with the discovery of an old journal to add a little more time jumping to the mix. I enjoyed both timelines, but the magical elements that eventually infuse both never felt fully developed/realized like they did in Weyward. I enjoyed it for the mystery/backstory plot, but it didn't grip me.

I have not read Hart’s first book, Weyward, but the premise for this drew me in.

Hart’s writing here is lovely, and the overall mystery is intriguing. Lucy’s search for her missing sister is eerie, especially as she discovers more about her life. I did find the pacing a bit slow at times, particularly the historical POVs - it felt very dragged out, and like it was setting up for the reveal without actually propelling the plot forward. However, I did like how the dual timelines tied together, and although I did guess one reveal, I didn’t guess everything. The ending is fairly satisfying, although I wish one of the plot points (the sleepwalking) was addressed. It’s not acknowledged at all by the end, which was a bit frustrating.

Overall I enjoyed this, and I definitely plan to read Hart’s debut.

The Sirens is a dual timeline fantasy fable by Emilia Hart. Released 1st April 2025 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's Press imprint, it's 352 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out from the same publisher in first quarter 2026. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a very well written paranormal historical novel told in several timelines from the point of view of several characters. The story itself is compelling and richly interwoven with flashbacks, journals, and visions.

For sensitive readers, there are numerous descriptions of sexual assault, abuse (revenge p*rn against a vulnerable ex-partner), psychological torture, and murder. There are frank discussions and fairly graphic passages discussing pregnancy loss and miscarriage and trauma. There's also religious persecution, colonism, and cultural erasure.

Four stars, with the strong codicil that although it's beautifully written, there are parts which will likely be very difficult to read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This was good not great but I really enjoyed it and was a good read for the in-between season before beach reads

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book at around 12 percent. The story and writing just weren’t for me. I wasn’t hooked into the story and I did not enjoy the last timeline with Mary. Magical realism can be very hit or miss for me so I can see how others would enjoy this book.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart is the story of two sisters and their connection to the past. This author's first book Weyward was one of my favorite books of 2023, so I was very excited to read this book. Lucy tries to reconnect with her sister, whom she hasn't seen in a while, but learns that her sister is missing. As she tries to find her, she learns a lot about their family history, and it all ties in to the past in incredible ways. While this story did have some similarities to Weyward, I didn't find it to be as historically significant as the author's first book. And I think that's why this one didn't stick with me like Weyward did. I still enjoyed this story, just not as much as Hart's first book. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

This is a story of sisters about 200 yrs apart. Lucy and Jessica are sisters in Australia in 2019 who dream of the Irish twin sisters Mary and Eliza who were convicts on a ship sailing from Britain to Australia.
The contemporary sisters dream about the others and the inhumane conditions that the women bore in the hold of the wooden ship, which eventually leads them both to sleepwalk towards the sea.
The story mostly takes place in Comers Bay, a fishing town, where Jessica has purchased a run down home on a cliff near the water, where 8 men have gone missing over the years.
There are several mysteries in the book , a little magical realism, and a lot of family secrets, but the plot is thin. The chapters with diary entries did not seem realistic to me for a teenager to write.
The 2 timelines were slow at times and I didn't think that they advanced the story. I did like that the two stories converged at the end and understood the girls reaction to water. The Epilogue added another twist to the story.

After falling in love with Emilia Hart’s Weyward—with its beautifully woven triple timeline—I was eager to see where she’d take readers next. The Sirens narrows its focus to a dual timeline, but the result is just as immersive: a haunting blend of magical realism, historical fiction, and mystery that explores sisterhood, transformation, and the ancient power of women.

In 2019, Lucy flees to a coastal town after a terrifying sleepwalking incident involving her ex—only to find her sister Jess missing and the town full of strange whispers about disappearing men and eerie voices on the waves. In 1800, Irish twins Mary and Eliza are unjustly sent to Australia aboard a convict ship, where something magical begins to stir within them.

The threads connecting past and present slowly tighten, revealing secrets and unexpected bonds. Hart’s prose is lush and lyrical, and she masterfully blends suspense with the supernatural, leaving just enough mystery to linger after the last page.

Barrie Kreinik’s audiobook narration was phenomenal, giving voice to each woman with clarity and emotional depth. Her performance brought an already spellbinding story to life.

The Sirens is a bewitching, atmospheric tale of female resilience, legacy, and the unspoken strength passed down through generations. Emilia Hart is now firmly on my auto-read list.

I love magical realism, but this one just didn’t do it for me. I was aggravated and annoyed with the pacing and the descriptions. I think this is just a personal preference. It just fell short. I really wanted to love it. There are multiple viewpoints and it was very slow.

Love this cover and thought the premise was so interesting! The different storylines aren't really my favorite thing but I was intrigued enough to keep reading. I thought it was a super interesting and captivating read.

Hauntingly beautiful and honestly eerie. I thought The Sirens was phenomenal and enjoyed it even more than Weyward.

This book was a little outside of my typical genres (at least lately) but I was locked in from the very start and read it in two days. That said, there was also a part of it that spoke to my historical-fiction loving soul - with a dash of fantasy and mythology. The author interview at the end is a must-read. The Sirens has the perfect balance of suspense, family drama, and history.

With its true crime subplot, multiple POVs and dual timeline, The Sirens will keep you guessing (even if you have some background going in or guesses based on the title). Overall, it felt heavy and dark - and I was a little spooked by the ocean scenes - but not overwhelmingly so.

It’s been a while since I felt like I learned something from a book and this one had me googling the history of these stories in Australia. Thank you to SMP for the eARC of this work in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book I read from Emilia Hart. I wasn't familiar with her work prior to reading this one, but I do like her writing. I felt like it was a little slow, but this wasn't a story that was hindered by that.

The sirens fell a bit flat for me. I was hoping to be roped into it by the middle of the book but it just never caught my attention. The characters, plot, and ending just barely stirred any feelings up for me, I felt little to no connection to the story or characters.

Thank you NetGalley for this Arc

While this book was a little far-fetched, I really enjoyed the magic behind the story. The author went seamlessly between characters and time periods so that the reader was never guessing about what was going on. The ending was not my favorite, the very last bit could have been left out and the story would have been just as good. Overall a great read and quick to get through.

Myths, and the Sirens of mythical lore is what landed this book on my shelves.

Emilia Hart does a rather good job wrapping two timelines and two sets of sisters through a kinder rendering of sirens singing with an Celtic lilt, and all of it headed to Australian shores. The mythiness of it is what kept me in, and I was grateful for the chapters titled with the name of the POV being presented. The surprises of the tale were not well hidden as it is rather outted by the title, the songs, and skin conditions. Still, I didn't mind the early easter eggs, it just added to my bottled anticipation.

If you dig sister stories, outrage about convicts imposed on lands belonging to others, and mostly if you are all about mer-folk. . .I recommend this read. . .Note: there are a lot of drowning mentions in this book, if that is a sensitivity for you, maybe not.

*A sincere thank you to Emilia Hart, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

Emilia Hart’s debut, Weyward, was one of my favorite books in the last handful of years, so when I saw that The Sirens was on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it. The novel focuses on four women across centuries, all mysteriously connected through the sea.

While I can see how lovers of historical fantasy and magical realism might really enjoy the atmosphere of this novel, I just didn’t connect with the characters nor the setting/atmosphere as much as I expected to. And that lack of investment made it hard for me to keep reading, which was unexpected for me given how propulsive I found Weyward to be.

Still, there were parts of the concept, plot, and prose that did stand out to me, so if the concept sounds intriguing to you, I would still recommend reading The Sirens.

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!*

The Sirens is a beautiful blend of historical fiction and feminist fantasy. I was drawn in by the resilience of the women, each of them navigating betrayal, danger, and injustice in a world determined to silence them. Their desire to reclaim power—whether through song, magic, or sheer determination—was inspiring. Emilia Hart weaves mythology with generational storytelling, exploring devotion to family, the cost of survival, and the quiet magic that lives in forgotten women.

I especially loved the mystical touch of the sirens/mermaids—it’s always fun to “dive into” that world, and this one felt fresh, fierce, and deeply emotional. A slower start, but the payoff was worth it.

I was rather disappointed in this book after I really enjoyed Weyward. The character development was haphazard and it often seemed like important details were sometimes added as footnotes. The setting/scenery descriptions were good, especially discussing the conditions of the women crossing in the belly of the ship

I absolutely ADORED this book.

It was my first Emilia Hart book, and I will be reading Weyward for sure after reading this one., I loved the beautiful and strong writing, the dual timeline and the feminism themes throughout both timelines.

I really appreciated the research behind the writing of the journey of women who were imprisoned and sent to colonized Australia, which is a part of history i know nothing about. I also enjoy learning more while reading and books always get extra points when they send me down research rabbit holes to find out more about the subject. In the present timeline, I felt the story was compelling despite some subjects that are a bit overdone.

For me, this book wasnt about the fantasy of the mermaid, or the actions that take place, but more about the characters. Those four women, with their story, their pain, their power. I felt it moving and infuriating and liberating.

I can see how that book is not for everyone. It is definitely more character driven then action packed, and yes, the last 20% of the book have more happening than the rest, but for me it was not an issue for me.

4.25 ⭐️s rounded down for Goodreads.
I read The Sirens on ebook in tandem with the audiobook, narrated by Barrie Kreinik.
Firstly, Kreinik was a wonderful narrator. Her voice was calming and pleasant to listen to, even during more tense scenes. And fod me, Kreiniks performance have this tale more life.
Hart's writing was just as beautiful here, as in Weyward. And like Weyward, Sirens was a bit of a slow burn. I really felt for and liked Lucy and Jesse. The secrets within their family were intriguing and had me hooked. Mary and Eliza's story was interesting enough, yet Im not sure if it was entirely needed? The lore of New South Wales peaked my interest more, though it did help tie in M and Es timeline. The trauma each woman experienced felt real and relatable, adding to the heart of this story.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Sirens and will likely come back to it for a re-listen. However, was that ending supposed to be heartwarming? Was it necessary? I sort of found it more upsetting, and I liked a certain someone and that family dynamic much less because of it. 🫠


Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook book!