The Sirens was one of those offerings that demanded I sit with the story a bit before formulating a review. I needed time to think deeply about the themes and the way the story was woven, time also, to decide how an epilogue with a single piece of information might effect all the pages that came before. . The Sirens follows a fleeing Lucy in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic experience at university. She hopes to find Solace in Jess, her mysterious artist of a sister. When Lucy arrives at the small coastal town and the cliff side home that Jess resides in, things complicate further. With Jess nowhere to be found, Lucy begins to unravel a mystery that spans generations and is brimming with whimsy, rage, and lore.

Readers who loved Weyward will fall easily into Hart's newest depiction of the shared female experience. She's deftly woven a tale that is simultaneously nuanced and bold in it's exploration of both feminine rage and, on the softer end, how women hold each other in moments of joy and sorrow. Introspective readers will surely see themselves in at least one of these well crafted characters. The story is paces just perfectly, the plot moved at a swift pace but the evocative atmospheric snippets gave the writing and story room to breathe As a buddy read, The Sirens offered a tale that proved worthy of analysis, wild theories, and some seriously cathartic chatter!

I was luck enough to be able to read and listen to this story. I found the narration to be excellent, giving the story even more depth and intrigue! You can't go wrong with either version of this one!

Having read Weyward, I was excited to see a new feminine focused story. The Sirens follows a more fantasy driven storyline than Weyward but still stays on the theme of connectedness of women across time. You follow two sisters on a boat journey to New South Wales where conditions set a tone for oppression of the time and yet friendships can still be forged. The author parallels this journey with a contemporary timeline of another two sisters who are unraveling a mystery of a physical ailment that plagues them and hidden family knowledge tangled with local folklore about women who were drowned in a ship in the bay. There you start to see where the stories might start to collide. As with Weyward, you jump back and forth in the stories trying to piece together where they are connected. This mystery will not be solved until the end and the descriptive writing will keep you reading on. Although I enjoyed Weyward more, the author matches the feel and complexity of Weyward and I am looking forward to her next.

Wow, wow, what a beautiful, mysterious ride The Sirens was!
I alternated between my kindle and audio and I felt the kindle narration aged up the characters a bit, but was still excellent. (I guess I couldn’t quite figure the ages of all the characters while reading with my eyeballs then I felt kind of shocked by the aged voice of the audio narrator.) This book takes on some tough topics - sexual assault, grooming, cyber-bullying, the historical mistreatment of female “prisoners”(TW) while incorporating beautiful views in a coastal town full of mysteries, flashbacks, and a podcast tackling cold cases.
There were some twists I definitely didn’t see coming and I genuinely couldn’t put this down. It’s real-world mixed with mythology and historical context in a deep, fast-paced entirely important book.

The Sirens is probably one of the most unique stories I have read in a long time. I found it to be a compelling and fascinating tale about sisters told over different time periods. Women whose journey leads them to discover a very unique difference about themselves and learning acceptance.

The story opens up in 2019 with Lucy awakening and find herself in her ex-lover’s room with her hands around his throat. Lately she has not only been sleepwalking but experiences vivid and wild nightmares about sisters and ships. In looking for answers Lucy needs her old sister Jess and escapes to the Cliff House in New South Wales. When she arrives, she finds that Jess is gone, her phone left behind and signs of a male visitor. As Lucy waits, she hears more and more haunting folklore stories of the sunken ship, men gone missing without a trace, a baby abandoned in a seaside cave and mysterious voices of women in the sea. Searching for clues to where Jess could have gone, Lucy finds nineteen year old Jess’s diary of a lonely teenage that always felt different with her rare skin condition called aquagenic urticaria and the affair with a twenty-four year old art teacher.

In 1800, two sisters, Mary and Eliza are forced to leave their home in Ireland on a convict ship heading to Australia. The strong bond of family and sisterhood will provide these two the strength to survive this unknown journey living in deplorable conditions as they witness baffling changes to their bodies and fight for survival .

It is here along the cliffs and sea surrounding Cliff House the stories of these sisters collide providing answers to Jess and Lucy’s heritage, revelation of family secrets, and how the bond of sisterhood and female friendship empowered them to accept what they could not change but made them beautiful.

While I found the story a tad slow in the beginning, I was intrigue. Emilia Hart writes a well-craft and fascinating novel that encompasses a little history, some magical realism and modest amount of mystery. Barre Kreinik was wonderful as the narrator.

Thank you, Emilia Hart, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Last year I read Emilia Harts novel Wayward, at the recommendation of a friend, and was drawn in by the writing and incredible story telling. When I saw that she had another story coming out I knew I was in for another amazing read.

I love the way that she portrays the stories of women, whether they are sisters, friends, or acquaintances. She is able to share the thoughts and emotions and actions of women in a way that pulls at your heart.

Women have historically been treated as lesser than men and looked down upon for their love and support of their fellow women. If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a thousand times- women believe women. Women need to support women because if we don’t, no one else will.

This is a beautiful story of two sets of women, hundreds of years apart, living and surviving in a world made for men. Women who do whatever they can to help support the other women around them.

I could easily relate to the characters and quickly became attached to them. I was angry with them, for them and I cried for them.

I cannot recommend this beautiful story enough!

Thank you for the eARC!

If you love mermaids, lore, time-jumping, interesting family dynamics, and well-rounded characters, this book is for you!

I really love the premise of The Sirens and the author’s dedication for world building! The twists and turns of this novel kept me reading. It was however, a little slow to start.

"Don't judge a book by it's cover," they say.... but what if the cover is the very thing that draws you to the book?? In this case, this really worked out for me. I read Emilia Hart's first novel and was curious to see her follow up. This book is quite different, but in a way that really worked for me. The alternating timelines wove together in ways that you sort of guessed along the way, but weren't quite sure. This book was beautifully written and the narrator was a 10/10 for me. (Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers (Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Press) for an eARC and a listening ARC-- I was lucky enough to have this novel in both formats which allowed me to get LOST in the story and not really do much else until I was done (if I wasn't reading, I was listening).

The Sirens publishes in May and if you're in the mood for something a little different with beautiful writing, this may be just what you're searching for.

They this multiple POV work combines historical fiction, mystery, and magical realism to tell the story of three women finding self confidence in a world where men hold all the power.

This work is split between Irish and Australian POVs and the narrator does a beautiful job switching between these dialects, making the plot much easier to follow.

Fans of Weyward will enjoy this novel, which follows a very similar structure.

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for providing me with an advanced listening copy for review purposes.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Like Hart's previous book there is no doubt that she is a wonderful writer. There was great imagery and it was very easy to conjure this book in my head but it fell flat for a few different reasons. I wanted to love this book and the storyline seemed like something I was going to enjoy, but the pacing was dreadfully slow. There wasn't much character building and Lucy was a bit boring to me. I was a struggle to get through this one because nothing really happens that keeps you from putting it down. I pushed on waiting for it to pick up but only the last ten percent of the book really had any excitement. There was so much left unanswered in the storyline and I had the plot figured out pretty quickly. This one just wasn't for me.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart is atmospheric and haunting, drawing readers into a world of myth, mystery, and dark secrets. Set on a remote island, the story weaves together the lives of three women across generations, each touched by the sirens of the island, which hold a seductive yet dangerous allure. The novel is rich with lyrical prose and immersive descriptions, creating a sense of tension and foreboding that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

The plot is beautifully crafted, exploring themes of power, identity, and the pull of the past. The characters are complex and layered, with their own desires and struggles, which make them feel real and relatable. The mystery surrounding the sirens is both captivating and eerie, making for an engaging read that is as thought-provoking as it is suspenseful.

If you enjoy stories that combine mythological elements with deep character exploration and a touch of the eerie, The Sirens will leave you mesmerized and reflective long after you finish. It’s perfect for those who like atmospheric tales with a darker edge.

The Ocean's Daughters: A Spellbinding Tale of Sisters and Secrets

Imagine a story so soaked in sea spray and family secrets that you can taste salt on your lips. That's "The Sirens" – Emilia Hart's latest novel after her hit "Weyward."

The story follows four sisters across different centuries, all mysteriously bound to the ocean. Hart weaves their tales together like a net, catching fragments of magic, history, and family drama in its threads. The ocean isn't just a backdrop here—it's alive, shifting between protector and threat as easily as the tides change.

Yes, the book starts slow. But like a growing wave, it builds into something powerful. Hart blends historical fiction with touches of magic, creating a story that feels both old as the sea and freshly washed ashore. While some readers might want more explanation about the supernatural elements, the mystery is part of the charm.

This is a book about sisters, secrets, and the pull of the sea. It's for anyone who likes their family drama with a dash of magic and their historical fiction with an extra splash of strange.

4.5/5 stars

Perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman or anyone who's ever felt the ocean calling their name.

Like others, I was super eager to read this book as I had read and loved Weyward by this author… it’s not Weyward, so I’ll stop the comparison there.
This book is beautifully written (thus the 4 stars) but it wasn’t for me. I enjoyed the sister bonds, but found the voices were a little too young adult for me. I’m not a huge historical fiction fan, so I appreciated the dual time-line, I just found they were quite disjointed so it often felt a little jarring to switch time-lines.
I’m all in for a touch of magical realism, and I think the author does a fantastic job weaving in magical elements, but I’m not really sure why this story needed mermaids 🤷🏻‍♀️ I didn’t mind though. This book is really more family drama and an exploration of the lasting trauma of inappropriate male advances.

The audio was well done and helped with the transition of time lines.

4.5 stars rounded up!

The Sirens is the sophomore novel from Emilia Hart, whose debut was Weyward. It's rare that I like the second novel of an up-and-coming author more, but this was the case for The Sirens. Perhaps it is because I am more into mermaids than witches, but I found this novel to be very well done.

Hart took on the formidable task of combining elements of historical fiction, mystery, and magical realism to craft a compelling tale of the bond of sisterhood. The book is so complex that it is a bit hard to concisely describe. There are three timelines:
1) The early 1800s, in which sisters unjustly convicted of a crime are banished to the isle of Australia
2) Present day, in which a female college student (Lucy) is grappling with the aftermath of mistreatment by a male peer, so she flees to her sister's (Jess) house on the coast of Australia
3) Flashbacks to Jess' life when she was in high school

I particularly enjoyed the historical fiction aspect of the novel. While I know that Australia was an island for the British to send their convicts, it was really interesting to learn more about this practice, particularly from the perspective of females who were deemed criminals due to the patriarchy. I appreciated how Hart weaved together this story line with the future characters. Overall, I highly recommend you place this book on your must-read list for 2025!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced audiobook to review in exchange for m my honest opinion.

🐚 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 :
~ mermaid folklore
~ stories about sisterhood
~ family secrets
~ historical fantasy
~ seaside Australian setting
~ journal entries
~ The Thirteenth Year

🐚 𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 :
Her debut novel, Weyward, was a 5★ favorite of mine last year so I was really excited to dive into this new book by Emilia Hart (pun-intended🌊)

I found The Sirens to be underwhelming. I feel like it’s in the wrong category being marketed as fantasy/historical fiction. The vast majority of the story is present day & it felt more like a family drama than anything. Also, the magical realism aspect was less enchanting & more just… weird?

The mermaid lore needed more information, & there were several plot points that go completely unexplained.

I did enjoy Hart’s lyrical writing style, & the audiobook narration was very well done. It followed a similar formula as Weyward, with the characters having virtually the same motivations, but the execution was less effective.

Ultimately I was left with more questions than answers. I feel like this book just skimmed the surface instead of a giving a deep dive into what made these characters tick which made it hard to be fully invested. I think the idea behind the story had promise, but I would still recommend Weyward over this one.

Thank you to @netgalley + @macmillanaudio for the opportunity to listen to this ARC ◡̈

"The Sirens" by Emilia Hart was wildly disappointing. Hart's writing is beautiful, yet I found this story lacking. I was hooked for around the first 20 percent of the book, but I quickly found myself losing interest. There just wasn't enough happening. Most of the book is spent with Lucy just waiting for the next thing to happen. I thought the chapters revolving around Mary and Eliza were boring. The one thing that kept me listening was Hart's prose. I don't think I would have finished this book if it had been written by another author. If you enjoy mysteries with little to no action, you may enjoy this. But for readers who enjoy action-packed fantasies, I would recommend you skip it.

After reading and loving Weyward last year, I made sure to nab this one as soon as I saw it was available. The Sirens is a story about sisterhood, spanning two timelines and locations. Our two sets of sisters are twins Mary and Eliza, trapped on a convict ship traveling from Ireland to New South Wales, and Lucy and Jess, sisters living in modern day Australia who have never been very close.

Emilia Hart is such a beautiful writer, and I was so captivated by this story. It was really atmospheric, and I had a great sense of the dark hull of the convict ship and of the little seaside cottage Jess lived in. I really liked the feminist tone in the book, and I felt heartbroken over the circumstances of the women on the ship and their stories of how they were convicted of crimes and then exiled. I also really liked the magical aspect of the book, and I couldn't wait to see how that all panned out and how these stories were connected.

My only reason for not giving this one five stars is because I just wanted a bit more from the climax and the ending. It kind of felt like a 'blink and you'll miss it' situation. I also felt like some of the plot points weren't really resolved fully. 

Overall, I really enjoyed listening to this one. Barrie Kreinik did a great job with the narration. I was able to really speed up the audiobook and wasn't lost one bit. She also was able to switch off between Irish and Australian accents so well, and that was really impressive. The audiobook also featured an interview with the author at the end, and she explained her writing process and how this story came together.

The Sirens, following a similar story structure to Weyward (which I really enjoyed) gave me an edge when it came to the predictability of this story. However, I still found it to be very well written and an intriguing story. I listened to the audiobook alongside reading the e-arc and I had a great time, mostly. There were some points that really seemed to lull but I am happy that I continued. I love seeing all of the story lines coming together! I cannot wait to see what Emilia Hart does next, or if she will choose to continue these interconnected story lines.

3.5 - Triggers: teacher relationship

I recently read Sirens by Emilia Hart, and while it had its ups and downs, there were definitely things I appreciated about the story. It follows two sisters, Jess and Lucy, and as someone who loves books about mermaids and dual perspectives, I was intrigued by the concept. Although the dual timelines weren’t my favorite, and I found them a bit hard to stay engaged with at times, there were moments that kept me invested, especially the mysteries surrounding Cliff House, the missing men, and the sunken ship. That part of the story really drew me in, and I loved piecing together who Jess and Lucy were supposed to be.

Jess’ diary entries were a standout for me. They added an interesting layer to the narrative and helped deepen the mystery. The audiobook was also a big highlight. The narrator’s tone and pacing were excellent, and they really enhanced my overall experience with the story. The cover of this book was also gorgeous and perfectly captures all the sea vibes.

There were a few things that didn’t quite work for me. Lucy’s storyline felt bogged down with backstory that didn’t move the plot forward, and I found it difficult to connect with the characters overall. The sleepwalking element was intriguing at first, but by the end, it didn’t seem to tie into the story in a meaningful way, which was a bit disappointing. I also struggled with the teacher-student relationship in the plot. It just didn’t sit right with me and made it harder to fully enjoy the story.

Still, “Sirens” had some strong moments, especially when it leaned into the mystery and discovery. While it wasn’t a perfect fit for me, I think readers who enjoy atmospheric stories with a touch of history and intrigue might find it worth a read.

Thank you #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio, for a chance to read this early in exchange for an honest review.

Having seen all of the fanfare for Weyward, I was immediately intrigued by the concept of The Sirens. The audiobook production was exceptionally well done, and I highly recommend that format. A tiny amount of singing was included, but I found it to elevate the experience instead of making me cringe.

The plot was minimal and slow-moving, this certainly felt more character-driven than plot-driven. There was no one point in the story that had me hooked and unable to put it down. It was the audiobook I put on when I went for a quiet walk or late evening knitting. It has a quiet eeriness. At one point it explains the term the "doldrums" - what sailors would call a period of no wind, no movement to blow the sails, an eerie calmness. I would say that applies to some periods of the story as well. While it was all evenly paced, it was on the slower end of things.

As for the characters, they are all unique and distinct in themselves but I found the tone of the writing to be quite similar - especially between the two modern characters. I do not believe they are written to be likable, as they are quite flawed and don't have the best self-awareness or redeeming traits. That said, they reflect the human condition.

One note for readers - be sure to check the trigger warnings and heed them if needed.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced listener copy of the audiobook. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What began as a startling and slightly eerie read became an absolutely enthralling tale. I could not put down this tale of these women across the years and how their stories wove together. The pacing was perfect, and the reveals were so well done. Barrie Kreinik’s narration was wonderful as well!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.