I had such high hopes for “The Cliffs.” I was obsessed with Sullivan’s “Friends and Strangers” when it came out in 2020. She is such a gifted storyteller and “The Cliffs” had me hooked from the first page.

“The Cliffs” is a really sprawling story, spanning centuries and multiple POVs. The main character, Jane, is a Harvard archivist who’s on leave in her Maine hometown when she’s asked to research a historic home that she captivated her as a teen.

I’m surprised that this giant story fit inside 384 pages, but they flew by for me. “The Cliffs” is equal parts literary fiction, family drama and mystery. Some parts of it read like historical fiction. This book went in so many surprising directions and was a really satisfying treat to read. I think it would a perfect book to bring on a plane or to the beach this summer as it is immersive and all consuming.

I enjoyed the first half of this book but then it lost momentum for me and it was not holding my attention. This book had a lot of potential to work for me but ultimately just wasn't for me.

I have mixed feelings about J. Courtney Sullivan's new book The Cliffs. On one hand, I really enjoyed the historical backdrop and learning more about Native History. I was less interested in the ghost story and paranormal side of the story, but I'm just not drawn to that type of thing. I asked for an advance copy because I love this author so it's not fair to penalize her for that. All in all, I enjoyed this book, though I agree with others who have noted that some editing might have helped as there is a lot in this book, and it can feel like it's meandering a bit.

Not my fave of this author's, but a good story and I will be eager to see where this author goes next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of The Cliffs in exchange for an honest opinion. The Cliffs is available now.

J. Courtney Sullivan is one of my favorite authors (I have read all of her books and she’s an autobuy!), and this book was much more reminiscent of her earlier work and why I loved her so much! It’s a big departure from her last book. I love how she weaves historic fiction, family dynamics, and drama all in one. Excited as always for her next book!

This book has every imaginable issue including mediums and ghosts. It's a little over the top but I stuck with it and it mostly came togther in the end.

This was a well told historical fiction book with good character development. I liked the premise, and I did feel some parts were rushed but overall very much enjoyed this book.

As a kid who grew up on the East Coast, I gravitate to stories based in New England. J. Courtney Sullivan has used a new location, Maine, as the setting for The Cliffs. The knowledge gained about the untold story that Sullivan tells, at times, feels more like a museum visit than a novel. Buckle up; the first 90 pages cover time and space in one of the most impactful written ways.

Loved this novel of mysterious family secrets set amongst "The Cliffs"! A historical fiction novel with all the feels. Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor Publishing for the ARC opportunity.

I tried and tried but I just could not get into this story, The description sounded so good, but I couldn't connect with it. I haven't completely taken it off my tbr because again, the plot sounds incredible, but it just didn't work for me.

The Cliffs is a haunting and atmospheric novel that intertwines multiple timelines and perspectives to unravel the secrets of a Victorian house perched on a bluff overlooking the ocean. The story begins with Jane Flanagan discovering the house as a teenager, where it becomes a refuge from her turbulent home life. Years later, as a Harvard archivist, she returns to find the house transformed by a new owner, Genevieve, who believes the house is haunted. Genevieve hires Jane to research its history, leading to the uncovering of long-buried stories about love, loss, colonialism, and the women who have lived there. The novel explores themes of family, history, and the ways our past shapes our present, all set against the backdrop of a house that holds more than just memories.

While the premise is captivating and rich in history, the book can sometimes feel like a history lesson rather than contemporary fiction. Some sections, especially in the middle of the novel, felt drawn out, and it took time for the various plot threads to come together. However, the ending ultimately ties the story together in a satisfying way, making the journey worthwhile. While The Cliffs can be slow at times, its blend of history, mysticism, and family drama offers a deeply moving and thought-provoking experience. My rating: 3.5 stars out of 5.

Jane has returned to her seaside town after make a mistake that could ruin her marriage and her career. The large Victorian house that she turned to in times of trouble is now unrecognizable after being bought by one of the summer people. The new owner, Genevieve, believes that the house is haunted and asks Jane to do research of the history of the house. Jane uncovers a rich and dark history.

I thought Sullivan took care of showing Jane's alcohol addiction. I really enjoyed all of the women's stories, especially the addition of the native stories. However, I felt like it was a LOT of story, I felt like Sullivan was trying to fit everything in.

Loved this one! Historical fiction is just about my favorite genre and this fit the bill. Deep characters, incredible sense of place , and a mystery to be solved all led to a most satisfying story. Highly recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC of The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan in exchange for an honest review.

It took me three tries to get further than chapter two of this book but for whatever reason, this time I was all in, and I’m glad I stuck with it. This sweeping novel about a plot of land on the coast of Maine and its inhabitants is used as a device to follow several centuries of history, along with themes that include Indigenous culture and its destruction and appropriation by British colonists, alcoholism, classism, spiritualism and ghosts, among others. At the center of the plot is Jane, a disgraced Harvard librarian, who returns home to the same Maine town after her mother’s death and becomes swept up in the story of the house on the cliffs that’s been an obsession since she was a teen.

The writing is beautiful and various story arcs come together successfully and poignantly in the last third of the book. I rooted for Jane and I know you will, too. Four stars.

This is a well-written, entertaining, historical fiction novel. It has sympathetic and engaging female protagonists, mystery, family and relationship drama, and vividly described settings and Native American and Shaker cultural and historical lore. The lives of several woman who are connected by the cliffs of Maine and a historical house are depicted in this novel.
This story is compelling because it retraces the inhabitants of the house and their lives. The book also emphasizes the story of Native Americans and how they have been marginalized through the years. Jane is very savvy about this and I love her all the more because she cares.
I Highly recommend.

This was not my fave, it was slow and dare I say boring at times and just didn’t do much to engage me. Things almost felt disjointed and awkward and it was information overload.

Charles Sullivan's The Cliffs is a hauntingly lyrical exploration of grief, memory, and the passage of time. Set against the rugged and atmospheric backdrop of coastal cliffs, the novel intricately weaves together the protagonist’s journey to uncover family secrets while confronting their own emotional scars.

Sullivan’s prose is vivid and evocative, making the cliffs themselves feel like a living, breathing entity. The descriptions are so immersive that you can almost hear the waves crashing and feel the salty wind on your face. The landscape becomes a powerful metaphor for the emotional highs and lows experienced by the characters, particularly as the protagonist grapples with feelings of loss and resilience.

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its characters. They are complex and deeply human, each carrying their own burdens and motivations. Sullivan doesn’t shy away from difficult topics, including the ways we process trauma and how family dynamics can shape us in ways we may not fully understand until much later in life.

While the pacing may feel slow at times, particularly in the first half, the deliberate unraveling of the mystery at the heart of the story keeps readers engaged. The narrative’s introspective tone might not appeal to everyone, but for those who enjoy character-driven novels with a touch of melancholy, The Cliffs delivers a deeply moving experience.

In the end, The Cliffs is a poignant reminder of the importance of facing the past to find healing and closure. Sullivan’s work is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring impact of the landscapes, both physical and emotional, that shape us.

The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan is a story about family and history, set along the seaside cliffs of Maine. It's about a house that's been abandoned and the history of the families that lived in it. While I enjoyed this story in parts, I thought it was a little too long and contained more historical information than was necessary. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor and Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved this book. A little mystery, a little family drama, a little romance, this book had it all. This was an emotional and moving novel that keep the pages turning.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this title. This was not my cup of tea but would be a better fit for someone else.

Absolutely beautiful - an impossibly hard to put down novel. The characters had so much depth, even the ones you hated (I’m looking at you Genevieve!) and I loved the way Sullivan spoke so beautifully about the history of that slice of Maine.

Jane left her job at Harvard and her home in Boston after she threw a flaming stick of dynamite at her life. She returns to her mother’s house to figure out what to do with herself. Luckily, there she still has her best friend Allison to support and an intriguing gig finding out more about an old house, funded handsomely by the new owner. What follows is a history of the house and a lesson on the indigenous population of Maine in addition to Shakers and spiritualism. You may ask how all of this can be addressed adequately in a less than 400 page novel, but man it was wonderful!