Told in a dual timeline, The Sirens is the story of two sets of sisters separated by two centuries, yet they seem strangely connected and share haunting similarities. It is a masterpiece of magical realism intertwined with mystery and mild horror giving us glimpses of Australian history and Irish folklore. The beginning was a bit slow but once the story started to come together, I could hardly stop reading. Throughout the book, the atmosphere is filled with magic and mystery, and I could almost feel the magic of the sea and the healing power of water.
Eerie and dark at times, The Sirens is a beautiful, emotional tale about the bond between sisters, family secrets, love and loss, about strong and resilient women in a male dominated world and also about finding out who you are and overcoming obstacles.
I enjoyed the multiple POV’s and thought that the characters with their emotions were perfectly developed. I was fascinated by the look into Australia’s history and am interested in finding out more about it.
The writing is truly captivating and compelling, and the story will stay with me for a long time. I am looking forward to read more from the author. Publication date for The Sirens is April 1, 2025.
I would like to thank Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Miss Emilia Hart for gifting me a digital advance copy. I truly enjoyed reading it and the above is my honest review and my own opinion.

From the author of the spellbinding story Weyward comes a century spanning story of love, growing up, and sisterhood. In the present, Lucy awakes to find her hands around the throat of her ex-lover, called to do so by a trauma nightmare. She rushes to her sister Jess' house on the Australian coast, where she finds her sister missing. As she waits for Jess, she hears whispers of missing men by the sea and women's voices in the waves. "In 1999, Jess is a lonely teenage girl with an allergy to water and a passion for art. In the 1800s, we follow wwin sisters Mary and Eliza as the journey far from their homes and begin to feel their bodies and minds called to the sea they had feared all their lives.
This book was very similar to Weyward, connecting the lives of women throughout history who are called to a common purpose: the sea. I really loved the mermaid elements of the story, and how Hart reimagined them in a more mysterious and adaptable way.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart is a heart wrenching tale of the bond between women and the affection forged by sisterhood. Told through the narratives of Lucy, a university student fleeing a bad relationship, her sister Jess’ teenage diary, and the story of twin sisters Mary and Eliza who have been forced from Ireland onto a convict ship headed toward Australia, Hart’s novel is an epic adventure of both body and soul.

The mysteries of femininity and the sea haunt The Sirens. Lucy and her sister have been diagnosed with rare skin conditions causing painful scaling, and although their relationship has become distant, Lucy travels to her sister’s home in her time of need. She finds Jess’ cottage on Comber Bay deserted, and, using her journalistic skills, she delves into a historic series of true crime disappearances as she pieces together the secrets of her sister’s life and her own. Although the contemporary story is fascinating, I especially loved the chapters devoted to Mary and Eliza’s relationship. Born in Ireland in the late 1700’s, the twins are devoted to one another with Mary narrating the visual world for her blind sister Eliza. Their bond as sisters helps them survive a harrowing ordeal at sea and provides context for the mystery at the heart of Jess and Lucy’s lives.

Emilia Hart’s prose sings throughout the whole of the novel. She oscillates between third-person storytelling in both past and present tense and first-person accounts from diary entries, holding the readers’ interests as the plot of her novel unfolds. Beneath the story of sisterhood and the deep bonds of trauma forged between women is an empowering message of strength and resilience, and, like the sirens of mythology, the characters learn to harness the power of their collective voice to bring justice to an unjust world. The text drips with the watery images of the salt-laced sea, and those drawn to the ocean will delight in Hart’s rich descriptions. Hart, the author of Weyward, is an expert at weaving together generations of narratives to create an engaging and cohesive tale, and The Sirens is the perfect choice for a meaningful and atmospheric summer read. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

The Sirens is a beautiful tale about female resistance following two sets of sisters from the 1800s and today. This book was a bit creepy as other reviewers have noticed so if you get scared easily it may not be for you. That said it was beautifully written and the ending was 😘 I’ve also read Weyward which I still think I enjoyed more however you can expect similar things from Amelia Hart in this one.

Lucy and Jess are sisters who are both allergic to the water and Lucy has gotten herself into trouble at school and fled to her much older sister Jess’ house. There she finds her missing and starts to unravel the mystery of not just where she’s gone but her life story.

3.5 ⭐️ After reading “Weyward” and naming it one of my favorite reads of all time, I knew I had to read Emilia Hart’s next novel immediately. “The Sirens” is a combination of historical fiction, women’s literature, mystery and mermaid folklore. This was another captivating feminist tale of sisterhood, the resilience of women, and the mesmerizing draw to nature- in this case, the sea.

Like “Weyward”, this involves multiple POVs and timelines, which in my opinion, adds so much to the story. I love Emilia Hart’s writing; The beautiful, atmospheric descriptions and how she manages to weave together the past and present is pure magic.

Despite loving several aspects of this book, it did take me longer to get into. I still very much recommend this and am so grateful to have been an ARC reader. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Emilia Hart.

While Emilia Hart’s debut, Weyward, focused on a connection to the natural world on land, The Sirens takes us to the swirling sea 🌊

This book follows a similar formula to Weyward where we alternate between three different women’s stories. In 1800, Mary and her sister Eliza are being transported on a convict ship from their homeland in Ireland to Australia. In two more modern timelines in the 2000s, we follow sisters Jess and Lucy as they search for answers to mysteries that have been washed up by the tides of time.

While I was interested by the main thread in each timeline, the finer details grew murky as we waded deeper into the story, which led to me having a lot of questions floating around by the end, especially with the mermaid folklore and origins. While I know it’s more magical realism than fantasy, I would’ve loved a bit more background on that aspect.

I appreciated the focus on the healing and transformative power of water as well as the overarching feminist themes and steadying force of sisterhood. This book also has a darker, mysterious undercurrent which leans into the genre of suspense. But I think the twists were too heavily foreshadowed because I guessed every single one of them, so they didn't have the impact for me that I think was intended.

Overall, I thought this was a good second book from Emilia Hart, but I personally thought Weyward was better plotted, more distinct and had stronger characters. Both books have a uniquely beautiful writing style rooted in natural elements that I love, so I’ll continue to read more from this author in the future! 3.5 stars

First thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for my unbiased review. This was a beautifully haunting story of two sisters in the present, and two sisters in the past. There were a few nights where this book crept into my dreams. The writing is vivid and incredibly atmospheric. I did not previously ready Wayward by this author, so I went in blind to her style and immediately grabbed Weyward when I finished. Four stars, great story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emilia Hart, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read The Sirens in exchange for my honest review.

This novel follows the intertwined journeys of Lucy and Mary as they uncover the mysteries of their heritage. Lucy’s quest to find her missing sister turns into a deeper search for belonging and self-discovery. The story weaves in twists and turns that are masterfully executed—some of which took me by surprise, beyond the expected siren lore.

I thoroughly enjoyed the whimsical, almost ethereal atmosphere of this book. The blend of fantasy, sea mythology, and family secrets made for an enchanting read. If you love stories infused with mystery and folklore, The Sirens is definitely worth diving into!

The Sirens is a thought-provoking book that employs a dual timeline structure. It explores themes of sisterhood, resilience, clandestine affairs, and resolve. Despite a somewhat slow pace in the initial stages, I found the narrative to be engaging. The Sirens is a blend of Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Mystery, and family drama, which is a great recipe for a great book!

"The Sirens" is the story of two sets of sisters, centuries apart, mysteriously linked by the wonder of dreams and the allure of the sea.

In 2019, the primary setting is on the coast of New South Wales, Australia, where two sisters, Lucy and Jess, are searching for answers from the past...

In 1800, the secondary setting is on a convict ship traveling from Ireland to Australia, where twin sisters Mary and Eliza begin to notice unexplainable changes to their bodies as they get further and further out to sea...

"The Sirens" is a genre blend of Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, and Mystery, and Hart takes it up a notch by sprinkling in a fair amount of Family Drama to tie everything together. Similar in format to her impressive debut novel, "Weyward", this has a contemporary timeline intertwined with timelines from the past. And like her previous book, I cannot take my eyes off the gorgeous cover.

I love how this author's storytelling builds with intricate details and emotions given to the characters. You clearly understand the depth of the research effort to create this intense story. An unexpected twist dropping at 70% was a pleasant surprise, and I flew through the remainder of the book.

This was an immersion read; the audiobook was read by Barrie Kreinik, one of my favorite narrators. She recounts the story flawlessly, switching from English to Australian accents as necessary. Her gender voicing was also discernible, making this a pleasurable listening experience.

"The Sirens", Emilia Hart's sophomore novel, does not disappoint, and I will patiently await her next book!

4.5⭐

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and Emilia Hart for a DRC and an ALC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

The Sirens has such a beautiful writing style, and there were definitely moments where the story picked up and pulled me in. I can usually appreciate a slower-paced book, but I struggled to connect with the characters, which made it harder to stay engaged. While I loved the idea of weaving together these three timelines and exploring themes of sisterhood and the power of the sea, I just found myself losing interest a bit. That said, there were flashes of intrigue that kept me curious enough to see it through.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I absolutely loved Emilia Hart’s book Weyard and was looking forward to her next piece of work!
This book was just okay to me. I really wanted to love it but I just didn’t connect with any of the characters.

I’m a plot-driven reader and knew going in that this wasn’t what The Sirens was trying to do. In some sense, that helped, because I was looking for moody and atmospheric and it delivered. This is probably best for lovers of beautiful writing and the feeling of being immersed in a story. It was easy to disappear into the book and feel like you’re at sea. Wait until you're in the perfect mood for a melancholy book to pick it up.

I love a book with an interesting plot, and this one definitely delivered. Historically, I haven’t had much success with magical realism or fantasy, but the blend of mystery and historical fiction made this one work for me. I also appreciated the insight into convict ships, a topic I wasn’t familiar with before reading.

The strong female focus was another highlight. While themes of male chauvinism and trauma were present, the resilience of the women stood out. The dual timeline and multiple points of view wove the story together seamlessly, making it all the more engaging.

The recurring water motif was especially striking—whether through a character’s visceral reactions to water, the convict ships crossing the sea, or the many men who lost their lives to it. The writing was beautiful, and the pacing was acceptable.

Despite having enjoyed Weyward by the same author and generally being drawn to tales of Sirens, this one sadly fell flat for me. Perhaps it was a matter of time and place and it will be worth giving another shot down the line, but I am left disappointed.

The novel is set across two time periods. I follow two sets of sisters – Jess and Lucy in 2019 and Mary and Eliza in 1800. Mary and Eliza have been condemned to sail from Ireland to New South Wales on a prison ship. Lucy struggles with a romance which ends in public humiliation and a broken relationship with her beloved sister Jess. The writing is haunting and atmospheric with an irresistible beginning. Comber Bay has haunting caves and shipwrecks. The bay is known as a place where men go missing, with no link between their disappearances from the cave known as Devil’s Lookout. The book deals with themes of female trauma related to sexual violence. It is thoughtful and compassionate.

The author has written a complex novel with several threads moving it along. At times the pace slows down. There is a family mystery which was intriguing to me.. It is a tale of motherhood, womanhood, and sisterhood.

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! Everything I wanted to be bettered from Weyward, Hart did in The Sirens. The POV shifts were there but they weren't as jarring, the story eased its way out better and less forcefully, it was just as predictable in how the two timelines connected and some of the mysteries of the modern day timeline for sure telegraphed themselves way out there, but it was still incredibly enjoyable and a well told story overall. I really think this was a top tier 2nd novel from an author I hope continues to produce more and more stories like this. Well done!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press
For this ARC of The Sirens

Rating: 3.5⭐️

If you liked the mystery ghost vibes of Sisters of the Salt you will really enjoy this book.

It took me a little bit longer than I’d liked to get into this book but once I was in it the twists and turns didn’t stop.
I absolutely adored the ending.
Lucy and Jess finally feel at home and at peace together for the happy ending they deserved.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Netgalley, and Emilia Hart for the ARC of this wonderful book.

Lucy is a modern-day student in a prominent Australian journalism university, who has recently been humiliated by a man she thought she may have grown to love. After waking up with her hands around his neck, she knows will understand: her much older sister Jess. Intertwined with a story of two sisters on an Irish convict ship bound for Australia, this novel touched on all that is female, including the men who tend to treat us horribly.

Wow, this touching novel of feminine anguish, rage, and sisterhood made me feel so many things. I really can't say enough how much I loved this. With its haunting prose, almost mystery-esque plotlines, and imaginative magical realism features, this book is just right up my alley. It was a quick read for me because I was entranced with the subject matter and couldn't stop trying to figure out what exactly was happening. When I got to one of the big reveals I was stunned and surprised I hadn't even thought of it as an option.

I loved the characters in this novel. Lucy is a perfect characterization of a nineteen-year-old, self-conscious as teenagers tend to be. She is thoughtful, and smart and unwilling to let the truth go. Jess, while absent most of the book, comes through so well in the diary entries, and I LOVED how her realization about Hennessey came out and showed her that some men are really just looking for a girl or woman who will make THEM feel good instead of really caring about the or woman herself. Mary and Eliza were also extremely interesting, and I loved how at the end Jess realizes that she is the one who has to do the singing now.

Overall, I loved this book. I'm going to go check out Weyward now.

I have to admit … I am probably not the right reviewer for this book because I was not blown away by the author’s previous novel, Weyward. But this cover is so gorgeous, I had to read it!

Lucy is a college student who finds herself in trouble and escapes to a remote town where her sister lives in hopes that her sister, Jess, can help her. But when she arrives, Jess is missing, and the more Lucy looks for her, the deeper she wanders into a bigger mystery than her vivid dreams.

Overall … this was fine. Readers who liked Weyward will probably enjoy it. I personally didn’t connect with any of the characters and found the plot too slow moving.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the free ebook.