This book was an emotional journey dealing with mental health issues and growing up in a traumatic childhood that left lasting scars on two sisters. Other than the lack of editing and proofreading, this story was a good read.

Mattie and Nora are the daughters of the legendary Ingrid Olssen, world renowned, scandal-prone artist. While she was on her deathbed she made her daughters promise to burn all of her art and scatter her ashes. Two years after her death, Mattie still has the ashes. She hasn't seen her little sister, Nora, since their mother died. Nora didn't even come to the funeral. Mattie is nine years older than Nora and basically raised her herself. Ingrid was always locked away painting and then partying for weeks, sometimes months at a time. Their childhood was awful. Abandoned by both their mom and American father, they had to rely on themselves.

Mattie got pregnant when she was just a teenager herself and moved out to live with Gus, the baby's father. She tried getting custody of Nora, but social services thought that they were too young to raise their own child and her sister. Nora was often neglected and developed some of the same emotional problems that their mother suffered from.

When their Aunt Karo wants to do a book about her sister's life followed by an exhibition the girls both refuse to give her the paintings. They own them. But after Nora ends up in the psych ward after a psychotic break, her Aunt uses her vulnerable state and gets her to sign away her rights to her mom's art.

While Nora is recovering at Mattie's place, the sisters decide to go to America to stop the show and spread her ashes. They fly into Arizona and drive to San Francisco. But Mattie, Beanie, her daughter, and Nora soon learn that it's illegal to spread ashes in the Grand Canyon, so Beanie finds somewhere else to do it. Meanwhile, the sisters finally talk about years of resentment and hatred that their mother inflicted upon them and their relationship. Getting rid of these feelings is like cleansing their bodies of an illness.

An emotional read!

*I received a complimentary ARC via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is likely a case of the wrong book at the wrong time for the wrong reader. It is an incredibly slow developing story. Billed as a road trip for two sisters after their mother’s death, it took nearly the entire book for said road trip to commence. I expected more; wanted more and it simply did not deliver for me.

That’s not to say others won’t find this book to be exactly what they’re looking for. There’s significant focus on the art world which many will find fascinating.

Set against the vivid backdrop of the contemporary art world, Daughters explores complicated family dynamics, identity, and the legacy of trauma. The premise is compelling, and Capes paints the setting with a careful, creative touch. At its heart, the novel offers an intimate look at fractured relationships and the longing to belong.

Unfortunately, despite the emotional themes, I struggled to connect with the characters, which kept me at arm's length from the story. It also tackles some heavy and potentially distressing subject matter, so it’s worth checking trigger warnings before diving in.

Took me a little while to get into but once I was up and running the prose and wit blew me away. Loved the concept of the sisters getting together and going on a trauma-healing road trip together. Beautiful portrayal of family complexities, sisterhood, and motherhood.

A story of mothers, daughters, and mental health. Mattie and Nora had a troubled relationship with their mother, a famous artist, as well as with each other but now they've come together and along with Mattie's daughter Beanie are exploring not only the US but also each other. This does run a bit long but it's an intriguing look at trauma, reconciliation, art, and family. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good one for the patient reader.

In Daughters, Kirsty Capes offers a thoughtful, emotionally layered story about estranged sisters Mattie and Nora who are forced back into each other’s lives after the death of their mother, Ingrid—a famous but deeply troubled artist. When their aunt plans a retrospective of Ingrid’s work against her dying wishes, the sisters embark on a road trip up the U.S. West Coast to scatter her ashes, joined by Mattie’s teenage daughter, Beanie.

This novel is quiet in its power, gradually revealing the complexities of grief, mental illness, legacy, and the sometimes painful bonds between mothers and daughters. Capes does an excellent job creating distinct emotional voices for each woman, particularly in how different generations carry trauma and love in such different ways. There’s a restrained elegance in how the story unfolds, using the physical journey to mirror the inner reckoning each character faces.

Though the plot occasionally slows and some symbolic moments feel a touch too on-the-nose, the book’s core—its exploration of how art both harms and heals—remains affecting. Fans of literary fiction that digs into family dynamics, especially sisterhood and motherhood, will find this a rewarding read.
Thanks to netgalley + the pub for the arc!

An interesting and provocative novel exploring sister and motherhood. The novel is too long. I think at least 150 pages should have been chopped from the final draft. I didn’t dislike the story, but the length is what made me not love it as much. I like reading about siblings, especially sisters. I felt a strong connection between them. Good story but less is more.

THIS BOOK GOT ME OUT OF A READING SLUMP!

4.5 STARS

“Daughters” by Kirsty Capes follows the two daughters of a renowned artist. Their mother was known to the world as a brilliant and innovative painter, but to Mattie and Nora, she was a neglectful and troubled entity. Nora and Mattie (and Mattie’s daughter) grapple with the loss as they attempt to manage their mother’s legacy and mend their estrangement to one another.

I found this book comforting in the way that I find family dramadies such as the film “Skeleton Twins” or the play “August: Osage County” comforting. It was so incredibly relatable; beautifully articulating the hardships that come with being a mother, daughter, or sister. Capes also tackles difficult subjects such as mental illness, abusive family dynamics, and death with refreshing grace and earnestness. I often find myself cringing at mental illness portrayals in media, whether that be because they feel inauthentic or forced, but that was not the case with “Daughters.” It was painful, familiar, and at times uncomfortable, but it was never fake.

Aside from the dark realness of it all, the story still contained plenty of dramatic and “out-there” moments to keep you invested. It made me feel like I was watching one of the 2010s indie, dark comedy films that I have found myself so attached to.

I can’t wait for this book to be released and I am adding it to my list of books to physically buy, as I see myself returning to it again and again in the future. It was truly a fantastic, entertaining, emotional, familiar, and bonkers ride.

Thanks so much to @Abramsbooks and @NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Daughters by Kirsty Capes is such a moving, beautifully written book that dives deep into family dynamics, art, and healing. The story centers around Mattie and Nora, two sisters dealing with the fallout from their mother Ingrid Olssen’s death. Ingrid, a brilliant yet troubled Norwegian painter, left behind a complex legacy—one that she didn’t want celebrated at all, making her daughters promise to “burn it all” before she passed.

Mattie is stuck holding onto her mother’s art in a storage unit, unable to move forward, especially since Nora skipped the funeral and the two of them haven’t been close since. Mattie’s also trying to raise her teenage daughter Beanie, whom she had when she was young, and it’s this very relationship that let her escape her mother’s grip.

But when Nora falls into a mental health crisis, she comes to stay with Mattie, and soon, their aunt arranges an exhibition of Ingrid’s work—a retrospective that their mother would have hated. This sets off a road trip, full of emotional twists, as Mattie, Nora, and Beanie travel up the West Coast with their mother’s ashes, trying to figure out how to make sense of it all.

The way Capes weaves together the present and past—through the lens of Ingrid’s biography and the sisters’ perspectives—is so well done. The sisters are complicated, real, and relatable. Mattie’s quiet strength as a mom trying to hold everything together, and Nora’s artistic struggles, pull you in from the start. The trip they take is more than just a physical journey; it’s about coming to terms with the past, facing the scars it’s left, and finding a way forward.

Capes’ writing is sharp and full of heart. There are moments of humor, but also a lot of raw vulnerability. And I loved how the inclusion of the biography interviews added layers to the story, giving us insight into their mother’s complicated life.

In the end, Daughters is a story about scars, survival, and finding hope. If you love stories about family and self-discovery, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars.

I savoured this lovely litfic over a week. Dark, dense, and harrowing at points, it shows the ghosts in the closet of two women who had the most dysfunctional parents and how it affected them and their relationship all life. It definitely went places I didn't expect it to, but it's outstanding.

Full review to come.

thank you netgalley and Abrams | The Overlook Press. this book was so good. i love to pallete cleanse with a fiction book that touches on many different topics.

Gorgeous book. Great for people who liked Daisy Jones & The Six or Sarah Seltzer’s The Singer Sisters. Deals with intergenerational conflict, trauma, and healing. Well executed.

"Daughters" is a well-meaning exploration of family dynamics, artistic legacy, and the heavy weight of unresolved grief. The story follows two sisters, Mattie and Nora, as they embark on a road trip to honor their late mother’s final wish to have her art destroyed—though, of course, they find themselves unraveling more than they anticipated.

While the novel has moments of tenderness and humor, particularly in the interactions between the sisters it often struggles to maintain momentum. The characters feel somewhat underdeveloped, and their motivations can be hard to grasp, especially given the heavy emotional terrain they’re navigating. The dual narrative—comprising both the road trip and interviews about their mother’s life—gives the story depth, but it doesn’t quite connect in the way it promises. "Daughters" is an enjoyable read at times, but it lacks the emotional resonance and character complexity needed to elevate it beyond a standard family drama. Fans of family road trips and artistic legacies may find it a solid, if not entirely compelling, choice.

3.5/5 stars
In Daughters, two sisters, the daughters of a famous author, navigate life after their mother’s death. Their mother wanted them to burn all her artwork, but that didn’t happen. When one sister signs away her mother’s work to her mother’s sister, who wants to do an exhibition, the “daughters” work together to prevent that from happening. This book consists of various writing styles including the present day, past, and interviews. This book physically hurt me, it was just so heartbreaking what the sisters went through at the hands of their mother. Thank you NetGalley and Kirsty Capes for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book is perfect for those who enjoy generational stories with a focus on sisterhood. I found the characters to be incredibly endearing. This was a delightfully funny story.

This is one of the best books I have read for a while, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I like that the language used has kept the British phrases and references (even though the title has been changed from the UK title). I have to disagree with the recommendation that if readers enjoyed Daisy Jones and the Six, they will enjoy this. I really didn’t like Daisy Jones and the Six and I loved this book.
The adventures of Matilda, Nora and Beanie as they navigate life and the work of their mother/grandmother Ingrid Olssen are at turns heartwarming, heartbreaking with a smattering of witty quips. A very enjoyable read which I will be recommending to many of our patrons.

This book wasn't at all what I expected it to be. I was expecting it to be a novel that touches on tough issues but features comical points to help break up the weight. That's not what you'll find here. This story is tragic and though there are heartwarming moments, I didn't see any humor in its pages. I wish I'd been more mentally prepared for that.

The story follows Matilda and her sister Nora, daughters of the famous Norwegian painter, Ingrid Olssen. Two years after Ingrid passes away from cancer, Nora attempts to end her life and the two are forced to face the reality of what their life had been and what their relationship has become. In her mentally weakened state, Nora agrees to allow her aunt to take her share of Ingrid's art for a retrospective of her work; something Ingrid was deadset against. As Nora regains her footing after moving in with Matilda and her 17 year old daughter, she realizes the error of her decision and the trio fly from London to the states to scatter their mother's ashes and attempt to disrupt the installment before it's available to the public.

The timeline is in the present with a lot of past reflection on the neglect the siblings faced thanks to their mentally ill mother and absent father. as well as interviews with family members a journalist is putting together for a biography on Ingrid and her life. Though there are bright spots, a lot of focus is on the trauma the siblings faced; the abandonment, food scarcity, and overall lack of care by any adults in their life. Matilda feeling the weight of caring for her sister as a mother should, and Nora feeling equally abandoned by Matilda who became pregnant at 17 and moved away from her young sister to start her own life.

During their road trip they were able to find some common ground and eventually found forgiveness - for their mother and each other. The characters are written in such a way that you can feel the weight of their pain, the struggle to move forward from the past, and the effort to find common ground despite the brokenness between them. This isn't a book that has a very happy ending, but one that feels very real. I appreciate that about the writing - a lot of it feels more accurate to how this story would unfold had it been based on a true story. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Abrams for an ARC of this novel.

Daughters by Kirsty Capes is such a powerful, heartfelt read that really stuck with me. The book dives into the lives of young women growing up, facing all the messiness of friendship, identity, and foster care. Capes' writing is raw and honest, and she perfectly captures what it feels like to search for where you belong. The characters felt so real, and their struggles hit hard, but there are moments of hope and resilience that make it all worth it. It’s the kind of book that makes you feel deeply and reminds you of how strong people can be, even when life throws everything at them.

If you enjoyed Daisy Jones and the Six then this book is for you. It’s moving and also has its funny moments. There are many different topics from suicide to dysfunctional mother daughter relationships. I like a story where it just reads smooth and you feel like you are truly there. Thank you NetGalley, this is a book I will highly recommend.

I seem to be literally the only person who did not enjoy this book, but I could not connect with it at all. It felt disjointed and random and I had no emotional response to what I was reading even though I was clearly intended to, but the author's writing style just did not engage me at all. I'm not really sure why - I liked the concept and the cover is fabulous, but the book felt all over the place to me and not in a good way. I kept waiting for the heartfelt hilarity that everybody else described but never found it. I gave up and called it a miss - this one just wasn't for me...