I really enjoyed the writing which kept me engaged in the book, but the story never went anywhere. It's like there were a lot of good ideas that were never quite fleshed out.

Running from her own humiliation and consequences at school, a young woman hopes her sister, with whom she has a strained but deep relationship, can save her from herself. When she finds a mystery instead of the woman she thought she knew, she pulls up hundreds of years of history and nightmare, and maybe the possibility of hope and salvation for both of them.

As hard as it was to read, the historical POV sections were the most powerful parts of the novel, even as bleak and simply written as they were. It was sadly easy to get into the minds of these imprisoned and desperate women and to see from their perspectives. The sisters were a little less accessible. Jess was kept from us for so long and we only had her adolescent personality from her journals for most of the book. I would have liked a slightly different introduction to her.

I typically don’t mind a slower pace, but this one bothered me a bit because I wasn’t a huge fan of Lucy’s character and was eager to hear from Jess. Nothing was particularly shocking about the plot or ending, but it was satisfying. I enjoyed it overall.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy. These opinions are my own.

I really loved Weyward, so when I saw a new book by Emilia Hart, I wanted to read it right away. The Sirens didn’t disappoint!

This book alternates timelines between Lucy and her older sister, Jess, and Mary, who is on a convict ship bound for Australia with her sister Eliza in the 1800s. Many parallels begin to emerge between the two timelines.

I loved the fantasy elements of this story and couldn’t wait to find out what would happen as more details emerged. I found the story very compelling and atmospheric. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is intrigued and likes a dash of fantasy in their books!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this ARC!

After adoring Weyward, I was so excited to read Emilia Hart’s sophomore novel. Much like its predecessor, The Sirens weaves together historical and contemporary plot lines, each holding a dash of magic and mystery that slowly unfurl themselves to readers.

The Sirens is a visceral experience, reading like a haunted sea shanty. It comes across as part cautionary tale part feminist commentary and I love how Emilia Hart can blend such pertinent topics in with magical realism. The imagery that Hart evokes throughout this novel is evocative, utilizing all five senses to set a scene. As you would expect, there are a lot of briny, nautical details that shape each sequence. Mary and Eliza’s journey specifically was so incredibly crafted, I had a difficult time reading about their cramped, infested conditions below decks. Oftentimes, I had to take a beat to remind myself I was not really experiencing the same hunger, disease, and claustrophobia that they were.

As is sometimes the case with novels that have multiple timelines, I did find myself more attached to one over the other. In this instance, I was far more captivated by Lucy’s story in 2019. The mystery aspect might have something do with this, since we are not quite certain where the contemporary narrative is leading, but it’s also difficult to keep readers interested in the 1800 plot when it takes place on the same prisoner ship for almost the majority of the novel. It felt like the 2019 timeline took up over half of the on page action which I was glad of, but I did find myself getting little bored with the repetitive nature of Mary and Eliza’s journey.

With historical fiction, I am always delighted to learn something and in this case, I ended up discovering new information about New South Wales and Australia’s history receiving exiled convicts. You can tell that Hart put in a lot of research to make the narrative as believable as possible and I appreciate how it supplemented the fictional material and expanded the broader world building.

Overall, I was satisfied with the direction that The Sirens took and enjoyed how Emilia Hart combined elements of feminist critique in with maritime mythology. Hart has a lovely ability to infuse history with whimsy and she paints a vivid picture through her descriptive writing.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very interesting story of a pair of sisters in 2019, Lucy and Jess, and another pair of sisters in 1800, Mary and Eliza
Both pairs of sisters have a thing about water, and seem to be connected throughout the book, sometimes through dreams, art, or memories.
This is a very interesting story, with a little bit of Magical Realism, Historical Fiction,and definitely a lot of Mystery, I loved it.
It mainly takes place in Comper Bay, on the coast of New South Wales, Australia.
Where Lucy's sister, Jess has gone to live, and paint. This town had quite a reputation, as quite a few men had gone missing and a young baby had been found in a sea cave.
Lucy had gone there to find her sister after having had some problems of her own, but when arriving her sister is no where to be found.
Mary and Eliza had been taken from Ireland and forced onto a convict ship bound for Australia. A very tragic trip that brought them to the same area of New South Wales where Lucy and Jess are now many years later.
Definitely a good read, with everyone in the story a piece of the mystery.
I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC!

I loved Weyward, so I had very high hopes for The Sirens. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me though. The story started off interesting enough, but then it felt unfinished. We didn’t get closure on what happened at the very beginning of the story. So what was the point of that? I also found it confusing and difficult to follow at times, because of the various timelines. I had a hard time connecting with many of the characters, particularly the “Mary” sections. All these things aside, I did enjoy reading the “Lucy” sections and the journal entries from Jess.

This was definitely not my favorite, but the writing was still descriptive and I felt like I could visualize what was going on pretty well. I would give Emelia Hart another chance for sure, this one just didn’t work for me!

Wow. I am obsessed. I need more Sirens please! I enjoyed Weyward, so I was looking forward to this new novel. This novel is mature and broody. I loved the weaving of the two stories into one fantastic family drama. I am not sure what the other reviewers issues are and I am glad that I did not see them until after I read it for myself.
no notes.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Emilia Hart for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I loved this one, as I loved the author’s first book, Weyward. This one goes between two time periods with two sets of sisters, in both 1999 and 1800. It was also really unique because I haven’t read many books set in Australia, especially historical fiction ones. I highly recommend this one for fans of the genre and also women’s fiction. It’s gorgeous, haunting, and a story you won’t easily forget.

The tale of two "sisters" hundreds of years apart.

I love the lore of Sirens, so I was exceptionally excited for this book. I will admit that it took me about 50% of the way through to actually get into the story though.

Told in alternating viewpoints, you go between Mary and Lucy - with snippets from Jess's diary.

My biggest complaint is that I wish that we had got more of the Siren storyline. While we learn that they are, we don't fully get to experience that with them.

I really found this interesting for the most part. I enjoyed the almost thriller-esque vibes it gave off. I will say it was very predictable. All in all I did enjoy this.

This was a fantastic read!! I read this in a single evening and couldn’t put it down. Excellent pacing and plot. Somewhere between historical fiction and fantasy, almost speculative fiction, it’s a genre bending feminist anti-fairy tale i gobbled up

The Sirens by Emilia Hart is one of my most anticipated reads for this year. I LOVED Emilia’s previous novel, Weyward. This is another home run for me. It is a beautiful story of family, mysterious connections, and mermaids. Emilia does a fantastic job of sucking you into the story lines and plot of this multi-generational mystery. 100% a must read.

Moody and completely enthralling, The Sirens will have you binge reading into the wee hours of the night!

I should preface this review with I LOVED this book. This story is what mystical realism is all about. There was so much mystery and history. The feminine rage had me by the throat and the ending....well I will just say that the ending was worth the wait, which if I am being honest wasn't very long because I consumed this book.

You will feel all the feelings, with outrage at the front. If you are not in a place to feel these extreme emotions, you may want to put this on the backburner.

The Australian history was absolutely fascinating and the author could not have picked a better setting for this story. Even though I figured out a lot of the big mysteries prior to them being revealed, I didn't care because the writing was so excellent and I was truly engrossed in the characters. Overall, I will be singing (like a siren) this one praises for a long time. Emilia Hart has become one of my most anticipated authors and she did not disappoint with The Sirens!

The Sirens is a story of two sets of sisters told in three different timelines. While the start was a bit slow for my taste, the interwoven stories picked up and drew me into the atmospheric settings. Alternating between the lush and eerie Australian coast and the filthy bowels of a prisoner ship you learn more about the two sets of sisters with unusual secrets. The magical elements woven into this story were lush and descriptive, making you believe you could catch a flash of scales if you turned your head fast enough. As with Weyward there is a current of female rage & revenge woven into the stories that was gratifying. The timeline of Mary & Eliza was a tad too slowly told which impacted the pacing, but their story was such a wonderful part of the overarching story.. Overall this was an excellent sophomore novel of sisterhood that I will recommend widely.

I loved Weyward and was excited for the opportunity to read Emilia Hart’s The Sirens. The story had me hooked. I was able to figure out part of the mystery early on but by the end was left with several unresolved questions and theories. Overall I found the story engaging, rating this book between 3-3.5 stars. Looking forward to more books by Emilia Hart. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Publishing Group and the author for the opportunity to read and review The Sirens.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the arc copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

It's 2019. Lucy wakes up with her hands around the neck of the man she had a one night stand with. Lucy has no inclination as to how she got there, but she packs a bag and flees to her sister Jess's house in New South Wales without a heads up. Lucy arrives to find Jess missing, vehicle and phone left in the unlocked house. Naturally one would think to call the police, but after speaking with a neighbor/friend of Jess, Lucy decides to hang around and wait for Jess's return. While doing so, she keeps having vivid, yet familiar, dreams about two sisters and a distinct ship.

Time jump to 1800. Twin sisters Mary and Eliza were charged with a crime, and as punishment are on a convict ship traveling from Ireland to Australia. Once in Australia, they are to be sorted into brides or workers to fulfil their sentences. However, as revealed in present 2019 time, the ship ends up crashing and majority of those onboard perish.

There is a lot going on in this book. It jumps between Mary and Lucy for majority of the book, with some chapters in Jess's POV. The book doesn't get good until the 40-50% mark, but after that I was desperate to finish it. There are some nice twists thrown in, one of which I did partially guess, and some content thrown in meant to distract you from said twists. The epilogue definitely ties the entire thing together, and overall I think everything happened the way it should have. I don't think there's a specific genre to tie this book to, it has aspects of fantasy, mystery, murder, historical fiction, and literary fiction.

Trigger warnings - attempted rape, murder, unwanted distribution of nude photos, grooming, child sexual predator, strangulation

I first received this book as an arc, but it came when I was in the middle of reading something else so I kind of forgot about it. Two weeks ago I was in a book store and saw this book on display and picked it up because the book was so beautiful. I read the synopsis and thought, this sounds familiar, and then it hit me that I already had it. I started it right away when I got home and wish I hadn’t waited. The book is written in a way that I just fell right into the story, watching it play out in my head.
There are several different times lines and I think that was why I originally put off reading this, I’m normally not a fan, but I loved it all. Suspense, mystery, and strong female characters, what more could you ask for. I am definitely going to pick up the hardback copy next time I’m at the bookstore.

I thoroughly enjoyed this author's debut novel and wanted to see if her second novel would be as good as her first. My verdict? "The Sirens" was very good, but not quite as good as "Weyward".

"The Sirens" is a triple-timeline novel infused with a lot of magical realism. As is often the case, I personally enjoyed the historical timeline more than the present day stories.

1800's story follows twin sisters who have been banished from Ireland and forced to board a convict ship heading for Australia. The conditions aboard the ship were absolutely horrendous. The longer the girls are at sea, they notice subtle changes in their bodies...

The 1999 story stars Jess. A teenage girl who has always felt different. She has a rare allergy to water and must cleanse herself with wipes. She is ostracized by her peers and is very lonely. She is a talented artist and when her teacher singles her out, she is very vulnerable to his advances.

In the present day, Lucy travels to visit her sister Jess after an altercation with her boyfriend. She arrives to find an empty house, and she is puzzled by Jess's absence, especially because Jess is soon to participate in an art show. The small coastal town where Jess lives has been rife with speculation and suspicion. Several young men have gone missing. Years ago, a tiny baby was discovered alive in a sea cave, alone, with her mother nowhere in evidence. Even more strange - people hear the eerie sound of women singing near the shore. As the days go by, Lucy searches Jess's house for clues as to where she might be. She stumbles upon Jess's teenage diary and begins to read...

I was thoroughly engrossed in the historical narrative of this novel. It was well researched and the prose flowed well. The plight of the female convicts was heart-rending.

I guess what I didn't like was the magical realism. There was just so much of it that it crossed the line into fantasy. A genre that I really don't enjoy. Shame on me though, as I was duly warned by the publisher's description. I guess I thought it would be just lightly touched with magical realism like her first novel. However these are just my own personal reactions to the book.

Emilia Hart writes well, and her characterization and imagery are flawless. This book speaks to the strength, courage, and resilience of women over the centuries. Sisterly bonds and folklore permeate the narratives. There was a hint of mystery interjected into the plot, but you need only to read the book's title to figure it out.

Recommended to readers who enjoy historical fiction infused with elements of fantasy.

I can’t remember if this is my second or third Emilia Hart book but either way, I really liked this one. I thought the different POVs and different timelines made for such an interesting story and I loved that Emilia did that in Weyward as well. I love the blending of the past and present and the mystery that this story covers.

I took one star away for the bittersweet feeling I was left with in the end. Some people may think it’s perfect and fitting but I rate books mostly on my gut feeling and this just didn’t sit right with me in the end. I thought it was an intriguing and thought provoking mystery and was definitely an enjoyable read but I wanted something a bit tidier for the ending.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story absolutely pulled me under—lush, haunting, and filled with raw, feminine energy. The writing was beautiful and immersive, and I *loved* the twist—totally didn’t see it coming. The sea-soaked atmosphere and sense of eerie mystery were so well done, especially in the 1800s timeline with Mary and Eliza. Their arc was the most vivid and gripping for me.

That said, I did struggle with how the three timelines—Mary and Eliza in 1800, Jess in 1999, and Lucy in 2019—connected. The emotional threads were strong, but the literal ties between the sisters from the past and the present-day women felt a little murky. I wanted just a bit more clarity around how Mary and Eliza's legacy trickled down to Jess and Lucy.

Still, this is a powerful story about sisterhood, survival, and the way the past refuses to stay buried. A mesmerizing read for fans of myth, mystery, and generational storytelling, with a haunting sense of magic just beneath the surface.