Book Review: The Sirens by Emilia Hart
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

This novel weaves a tale of sisterhood, resilience, and the call of the sea across three timelines. While the unique mermaid-esque lore and alternating perspectives create an intriguing mix of historical fiction and mystery, the story felt too slow and sorrowful for me. Many elements remained unexplained, which left me feeling more frustrated than enchanted.

That said, fans of atmospheric, character-driven narratives may find the magic and mystery of the sea captivating. 🌊🧜‍♀️

Thank you, MacMillan Audio, Emilia Hart, and NetGalley, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 😊

1. This book is unique, powerful, and immersive.
2. I highly recommend the audiobook for an enriched experience!

Hart won me over in her 2023 debut, Weyward, with her rich prose and ability to weave together women’s stories across generations. I particularly enjoy her exploration of women reclaiming their voice and power in the face of patriarchal injustices, and The Sirens centers on those similar themes, while expanding more on sisterhood in this new release.

The Sirens follows two sets of sisters, oddly connected via dreams/visions and sleepwalking incidents. In 1800, Mary and Eliza are convicted of murder in Ireland and forced onto a grueling transoceanic convict ship journey to the newly established penal colony in Australia. In 2019, Lucy and Jess are plagued with nightmares, and when Lucy finds herself accused of violence after a sleepwalking incident, she flees to Jess’s home on the coast for support. But when she arrives, Jess is missing, and Lucy must search for answers in Jess’ journals, artwork, and other clues left behind. During her search for Jess, Lucy uncovers local town lore of generations of missing men, tales of babies found in caves, and women’s voices on the waves, all while her dreams of Mary and Eliza grown more intense. With slow-burn suspense that escalates towards a heart-pounding conclusion, I was completely captivated by this story. Hart brilliantly walks the line between lore, magic, and reality, while creating characters and plot lines that are relatable and easy to champion. I particularly enjoyed the exploration of sisterhood and sacrifices women are oftentimes forced to make for themselves or loved ones. Expertly researched, I particularly enjoyed learning more about the women convicts and the lives they tried to carve out for themselves in a new and strange world.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for my gifted audiobook; narrator, Barrie Kreinik, blew me away where her performance, accent work, and ability to distinguish between the various voices/perspectives of the story. Her emotive narration absolutely enriched my reading experience, from the haunting singing to the emotional scenes Hart created. Readers who enjoy women’s fiction, with a blend of historical, contemporary and magical elements need to add this one to their TBR!

The Sirens tells the story of two sets of sisters separated by 200 years. In 1800, Mary and Eliza are convicted of a crime and put on a ship bound for the penal colonies in Australia. In 2019 Lucy runs from her regular life to her sister Jess's house, but Jess is nowhere to be found.

I was excited about this book because I loved the author's debut, Weyward. However, this book fell kind of flat for me.

Starting with the positives. Emilia Hart is definitely a pro at atmospheric writing. She does an excellent job at really making the setting integral to her stories, and in The Sirens, the sea is just as important as all of the characters. The undercurrent of magic throughout the whole thing was also interesting. There was a huge theme of women's resilience and how they have to adapt to survive, and the magic aspect was an interesting way to demonstrate that.

I think my main issue with the book was how slow paced it was. It took so long to get to where we were going, and the action really didn't pick up until probably the last 20%. I didn't find myself connecting with the characters or getting invested in their actions. I also felt like there were a lot of unanswered questions at the end.

I honestly wonder if I would have liked this better had I not read Weyward first, but having read it, I was just expecting more.

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

First of all, let me just say the cover is stunning. I really liked the setting, a seaside town named Comber Bay with a mysterious cave and a dark history of men disappearing. The descriptions are beautiful and I liked the writing style. The intersecting themes of mermaids/merrow, family, terrible men, and the history of Australian convicts worked well together and made for an interesting story.

I have mixed feelings about this one. Mostly because it’s obvious where the entire story is going from the start. I’m not a big fan of books where we are waiting for the main character to figure out what the reader already knows. There's also a lot of ruminating over the same events, especially in the historical timeline. I would have liked to see the podcast element and the people of Comber Bay more integrated into the story and the disappearance/mermaid lore.

Some things feel unrealistic, including:
1) The event at the beginning of the book. It kickstarts the story, but isn’t really relevant to the plot at all. I think the author was setting the stage for the “men are awful” thing, but it was not needed
2) Lucy not knowing her family history earlier – for a girl studying journalism, you’d think she would have investigated this more before now
3) It seemed like no one (police or locals) cares about the link between the disappearances in Comber Bay. If the podcast hadn't been dropped early in the book, it could have addressed this
4) Some characters are said to have a skin disorder called aquagenic urticaria. But what they have is clearly NOT that lol. I find it hard to believe that Lucy never googled this disorder and wondered if it was the right diagnosis

Wow this newest book by Emilia Hart is a damn good one!!!!!!!!!!! It is a fantasy story of mermaids from the sea and the daughters of the sea who they live to protect. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!!!!!!!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a bit of a mixed bag for me, I love the concept and the story in the past, but the present day story was a struggle to get through. I found the main character Lucy to be a bit all over the place and the ending felt very rushed. Overall this book was good, but not great.

This layered, heartfelt fantasy is beautifully heartbreaking. To read this book is to be seen as a woman, yet the fantastical elements are so thoughtfully described they are viscerally real. Listening to this audiobook left me fearing I should pull over. I was too sucked in, clutching the steering wheel, so teary eyed it was hard to see. I expected nothing less following Weyward, but I can not wait for this to be released so I can share this experience with every woman in my life.

This was my first time reading a book by Emilia Hart and I plan on reading more of her work in the future. The cover and title of this book drew me in to read it. The cover is stunning. The beautiful writing hooked me to keep reading. I enjoyed the two timelines. I liked the mystery surrounding the women in the book and the family secrets that are uncovered throughout the book. This book takes you on an intriguing magical journey. I would recommend this book if you enjoy historical fiction, mystery, sprinkled in with some magic and fantasy.


Thank you Netgalley and St.Martin's Press for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

I’m not even sure what genre I would classify this book under- it was part thriller, part fantasy, part romance. I flew through this one and couldn’t put it down at times. It was very unique and I really enjoyed it! I’m excited to read more from this author. Thank you NetGalley for this e-ARC.

Another vibey aesthetic book for witchy girlies. I really enjoyed the world building in this book. Very girl power and I love a book with contemporary mythology elements, it scratches a very specific part of my brain.

The Sirens had an intriguing start with strong writing, multiple perspectives, and a compelling sisterly bond, but it ultimately fell short. While the mysteries initially kept me engaged, the plot dragged with excessive atmospheric descriptions and predictable twists. The student-teacher subplot felt unnecessary, the character motivations were confusing, and the ending lacked sufficient explanation. Despite the gorgeous cover, this book didn’t deliver the impactful female empowerment story I was hoping for.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart
Pub Date: 4/1/25
Format: ebook
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

“Though, she recalls now, there had been a time in childhood when she often dreamed of water. She doesn't remember much. A sun-dappled surface far above her head. A feeling that she was drowning, but somehow safe, that a liquid membrane protected her from the outside world.”

What a beautiful story of sisterhood and female strength that spans centuries! There is so much beauty woven into this story, and so much tragedy and pain that make the beauty all the more breathtaking.

I really enjoyed going on this journey of discovery with Lucy! There were many times I didn’t know quite where this story was going but seeing her unravel the mysteries of not just her life, but the other women whose POV we get throughout this novel? Really powerful! I loved the strong themes of the healing power of nature and water too.

I do feel like this book had some pacing and momentum issues which made it a bit difficult for me to get through at times. The historical POVs, while important, sometimes felt too frequent. This made it difficult to feel anchored in any timeline until the final act.

Truly loved the story so much, and would still recommend it but I do think you need to be in the right mindset and ready for a slower read going in. Cannot wait to finally read Weyward after this introduction to her writing!

The stories of these four women converge as the past and present collide, helping them embrace their future. Sirens is a powerful story of women's empowerment, richly woven with fantasy and a reimagining of real historical events in Australia. The vivid character development and intriguing plot make for an immersive and rewarding read, especially for fans of the author’s previous work, Weyward. It’s a beautiful journey through different timelines and a chance to empathize with powerful heroines on their paths of self-discovery. I will say that I didn’t expect this type of story with the premise. What disappointed me was how the entire plot is swept under the rug at the 98% mark. I was so disappointed by this. I wish the author would’ve went more into depth with that because it made all the nightmares and sleepwalking absolutely useless.

At first, I found this novel off-putting, strange and eerie. But I quickly was caught in the spell of fine writing and intriguing, sympathetic characters. It is a combination of mystery and Irish myth, suspense story and supernatural saga, with dreams, old diaries, and uncanny paintings pulling one into the plot, much as the sea that is so central to it.

This story of sisters takes place in three timelines: 2019, when the youngest character, Lucy, is 19 years old and starting journalism college; 1999, when Jess, her older sister, gives birth to an illegitimate child; and 1800, when twin Irish sisters are exiled on a convict ship to New South Wales.
All suffer from the same skin condition, where contact with water leads to hives and other changes of appearance, including webbing between toes and fingers. And all suffer because of these differences, until they understand their strength and the legacy they share. Although the timelines alternate, enough time is spent in each so that the links between them grow, rather than being obscured by the changes in place and situation.

At the story’s beginning, after Lucy has a deeply troubling experience of sleepwalking, and strange dreams that confuse and frighten her, she seeks her older sister, Jess, an accomplished artist, to try to understand what is happening. But Jess seems to have disappeared to a small beach community, where over many years men have vanished without a trace.

Lucy’s search for Jess becomes a quest into understanding her family, her history, and the role of women in protecting and rescuing each other from danger. With ample suspension of disbelief, this story is gripping and satisfying.

In the first half, I was intrigued yet uncertain, convinced that the very title of the book gave away its mystery. But as I continued, I quickly found that this book is not about the "what" but about the "how" of the mystery. How all of the women in the story got to this point. How they were harmed by the men in their lives and the communities that should have protected them. How they supported each other in the end and found strength in their irregularities.

Overall a really immersive read that I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys generational stories of female resilience, historical fiction, and magic realism.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for the ARC of The Sirens in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars rounded up.

The Sirens is my first experience reading an Emilia Hart book. I've heard good things about Weyward so figured I'd give it a try.

Things I liked:
- I felt like the writing in the first half or so kept me interested. There were a lot of little mysteries I was initially intrigued by.
- I liked the multiple perspectives, even if some of the relationships and motivations didn't make much sense.
- I love me a story about a strong sisterly bond.
- That COVER!! I would have this on my shelf just for that.

Things I didn't like:
- The weird teacher/student storyline. Why have I read this in so many books the last year? Please stop with it. There's more than one way to make a man a villain we don't need to keep doing this.
- A lot of times I felt like there wasn't much happening in this book. We had a LOT of atmospheric descriptions, (including multiple pages of how gross everyone smelled on the boat in the Mary chapters) but not a lot of things actually happening. The flashback chapters especially dragged on and on, and I didn't feel connected to the characters at all.
- I knew what several of the "twists" were going to be literally about 20% in.
- The ending was underwhelming, and there wasn't much explanation of anything that was occurring. I'm all for some sort of magical element but please explain it to me. The epilogue was no help either.
- The communication between the characters in the modern-day timeline was just.... weird. None of the motivations made sense.

Overall, I don't think this one was for me, but I will continue my search for the perfect female empowerment book. Unfortunately, this one wasn't it.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
All opinions are my own.

I feel very let down by this book, after reading Weyward last summer and loving it. This book just did not do it for me. There are so many unanswered questions, a lot of stuff that's "oh yeah by the way the character does do this, did I forget to mention it," and plot points that seemingly exist for no reason. I think there is definitely something intriguing at the most basic level of the plot, but then it goes bad bonkers and you're just praying for it to end. Oh, and there's also some student-teacher ick that made me cringe for everyone involved. What prevents me from giving this 1 star instead of 2 is that the author actually is very good at descriptions and making scenery come alive.
I will not be recommending this to others.

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

★☆☆☆☆ 1.5/5

The Sirensis my first time reading works from Emilia Hart and may potentially be the last time I do as well. I had requested this ARC because the cover is absolutely gorgeous, the premise was intriguing, and I was very interested in knowing the story that would evolve. I unfortunately did not get any sort of satisfaction from this book like I had hoped and found myself really, really struggling to read this that I contemplated DNF'ing.

My Review Rants

The writing for this book was strong. It was beautiful and I found myself pulled in by the writing, despite not really clicking with anything that I was actually reading about. I felt no attachment to the characters or the experiences their storylines followed. And the strong writing made the lack of an actual plot or development stand out all the more. I found myself constantly questioning or simply skimming through most things Lucy did or said.

The start of the book had an interesting prose, but the more I looked at it, the more questions I had about the holes surrounding it. We start The Sirens with Lucy waking up to find her hands around the neck of a man she had slept with and was forming an intimate relationship before he leaked her nude photos to his group chat of friends, and essentially the entire school. Sounds interesting until you look into it a bit more (because, like I always do, I overanalyze things more than I should). How did she get across campus to his dorm? How did she unlock his dormitory door and slip in unnoticed? How did neither he nor his roommates hear her get in and inside his room? How did no one on campus see this woman sleepwalking and think to stop her?

Putting that aside - Lucy is mortified by the fact that she woke up with her hands around his neck and she flees. Where to, you ask? Well of course, to her estranged sister's home thousands of miles away from her, a place she had never visited and only knew existed because her sister sent her a postcard with the address years prior. Only, she gets there, and no alarm bells go ringing in that head of hers when the front door is unlocked, her sister nowhere to be found, and she is still essentially on the run from a near murder attempt on her ex-fling.

This entire setup feels forced and has very little explanation because much like everything else in this book, they never circle back on this or elaborate on the how's, why's, or what-the-hell's. And instead of taking the opportunity to delve into all of these questions before, we are instead sat through a book of Lucy and this contrived mystery of eight missing men, her sister's disappearance, and the exile of Mary in the 1800s while waiting for the conclusions to be told point-blank to Lucy.

There was this build up and expectation that the characters had so much personality and life to them that they've lived and experienced, but I felt nothing for any of them. It felt so one-dimensional, and I couldn't for the life of me bring myself to care about anything.

I won't even touch on the student-teacher conversation in this book because that would make my review longer than I want to make it. Just know, it is awful.

Final Thoughts

I give this book a solid 1.5/5 stars, and the only reason why it is not a complete 1 star is because I applaud the effort. There was clearly thought and effort to this book, it just didn't click for me or make me feel anything it wanted me to. I personally would not recommend this to anyone, but my taste is subjective and oftentimes all over the place, so don't hesitate to check it out on its official publication if you think it may be something more aligned with your interests.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review of this novel.

3.5/5 ⭐️

What would you do if you fled to your estranged sister's house only to find her missing and her paintings depicting the dreams that have been haunting you?

I discovered Emilia Hart through her debut novel, Weyward , which I absolutely loved! Naturally, I was excited to dive into The Sirens . Both books are standalones so you don’t have to read them together, although, if you haven’t read Weyward yet, I highly recommend it! They both share a common thread of being stories about women across different time periods, grappling with similar struggles despite their vastly different circumstances.

The Sirens blends historical fiction, fantasy, and magical realism, weaving a haunting connection between Lucy, a modern-day woman in Australia, and Mary and Eliza, twin sisters from 19th-century Ireland who are among a group of women “convicts” being shipped to the Australian colonies. While I loved the premise of the book and The Sirens contained all the elements of what I was expecting from an Emilia Hart novel, unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I expected.

For one, the plot felt underdeveloped. The novel opens with Lucy waking up from sleepwalking only to realize she’s strangling her ex (who she hates and who leaked her nudes online). She immediately goes MIA, and flees campus and crosses the country to visit her sister, despite their distant and strained relationship. This drastic reaction felt a bit implausible. Also, after discovering her sister is missing, Lucy doesn’t report it to the police or even tell her parents for over a week! Imagine if something seriously awful could have happened to your sibling and you just chill in their apartment for a week!

Moreover, the majority of the book is in Lucy’s POV and I struggled with her inner dialogue. This weighed me down a bit and I found myself slowing down around the 60% mark as the pacing began to drag. Her naivety was frustrating and it takes her an exasperatingly long time to connect the dots. I had the major plot twist figured out before I was even a quarter of the way through, making the rest of the story feel even more drawn out.

Overall, The Sirens didn’t resonate with me as much as Weyward did but I still enjoyed it. I still think it is worth checking out if the premise is something you are interested in!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for review via NetGalley!