This book covered a lot of issues including family, alcoholism, Indigenous people/repatriation, race, sexual discrimination, social justice, historical homes. The author's research was evident in the long chapters devoted to the Shakers, the history of the indigenous people along the coast, the spiritual colony established on an island, and frankly, it felt like a course on the history of Maine, which was boring and only marginally related to the story. I think that a lot of it should have been edited out as the depth of these subjects bogged down the story.
The story was interesting although the disjointed ever changing timeline made it confusing. The prime focus/character of the novel was an abandoned house on the south coast of Maine overlooking some cliffs, which harbored family secrets, and the ghosts of various people who lived there since it was built on the 1600s. The author drew vivid pictures of the beautiful coast, the ocean, the characters and the nearby resort town.
The main character ,Jane came from a broken family where her mother was a hoarder and an alcoholic, her sister was also an alcoholic and so was Jane. Jane attempted to break out of the cycle and obtained a PhD in history which lead her to employment at a Harvard Library as an archivist. However, one night at an event sponsored by the library, Jane had a lot too much to drink and behaved in a manner that got her put on leave from her job. At the same time, David, her husband, saw pictures of Jane with another man...and bowed out of their marriage while remembering the same thing happening with his first wife. Jane was drawn again to the house and it's new inhabitants and was asked to research the history of the house for the new owners. This lead to several adventures which introduced us to some interesting characters.
I would have rated this 3* but the depth of research into the history of Maine, the Shakers etc, although not entirely related to the story was a worthy effort and worth another star

No doubt about it, J. Courtney Sullivan is one of my very favorite authors. I’ve been excited to read her latest, THE CLIFFS since devouring her last novel, FRIENDS AND STRANGERS. I hugged that book after finishing because I loved it so much. If you haven’t read it yet, please do.

THE CLIFFS truly has something for every reader. This novel is jam-packed, book friends! There’s history, mystery, family drama, and even ghosts!!! Eeek! An old abandoned home is the true star of this novel and a big focus, but the scope goes WAY beyond that. History buffs will appreciate this story because it has SO much. It’s full of family history, Maine history, and Indigenous history throughout.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Old, historic, and abandoned homes
- Coastal Maine setting
- Multiple POVs
- Spooky ghost stories
- Mediums and psychics
- Reflections on alcoholism and addiction
- Historical fiction
- Mystery and suspense
- Indigenous stories and history
- Complex female characters
- Mother-daughter relationships
- Family drama, dynamics, and secrets

The talent that Sullivan displays in this novel is extraordinary. The layers, depth, and complexities present are truly inspiring and admirable. You can certainly tell that she did her research, and put her heart and soul into this story. It also shows her range and growth as an author. THE CLIFFS felt a lot different compared to some of her previous novels, which are very character-driven. The plot was steady and branched out into multiple directions that all intertwined for a satisfying and flawless conclusion.

THE CLIFFS is out now, and it gets 4/5 stars from me! It’s also Reese’s book club pick for July!

4.5⭐

Jane Flanagan grew up in the small coastal town of Awadapquit, Maine. Her home life wasn’t a happy one, being raised by an alcoholic mother and Jane’s sister getting into enough trouble on her own. Jane’s safe place was a deserted old Victorian house situated on the cliff, where she would spend her free time. Jane eventually moves away to college and goes on to become an archivist at Harvard. Almost twenty years later, after her mother’s death triggers a downward spiral, with Jane indulging in destructive old habits that jeopardize her marriage and her career, Jane returns to her hometown. As she clears her mother’s house before putting it up for sale, she struggles to get a grip on her life. Coincidentally, she meets Genevieve Richards, the wealthy woman whose family has purchased the house on the cliff and is in the process of giving it a massive makeover. A few strange occurrences lead Genevieve to believe that the house might be haunted. and she engages Jane’s assistance to research the history of the house. As Jane embarks on her quest to unearth the history of the house and the land on which it rests, she discovers much more than she had expected - the legacy of tragedy, loss, and heartbreak that upended the lives of its previous owners - compelling her to take stock of her own life and confront her own painful past.

The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan is an exceptionally well-written novel that blends family drama, historical fiction, gothic elements, mysticism and spiritualism and an element of mystery into an immersive narrative shared from multiple perspectives across multiple timelines spanning centuries and featuring a cast of strong female characters.

Each of these characters is well fleshed out and what connects their stories is the house and the land on which it rests. The novel revolves around themes of generational trauma, alcoholism, family secrets, motherhood, loss, grief and healing, as well as Native American history and colonialism. With so many perspectives and themes, it is to be expected that some threads of the narrative are more deeply explored than others. Though I could sympathize with Jane and her struggles, I did question her choices and thought that occasionally her behavior was a tad immature for a thirty-nine-year-old, but also appreciated how she was inspired to effect change in her life.

The novel emphasizes the importance of history and legacy and how important it is to preserve the stories of those who came before us. I loved the rich history of the house and wish that we had spent more time in the past timelines. The stories of the women who lived in the house were in turn inspiring, poignant and heartbreaking. The author incorporates in-depth segments on Native American culture and repatriation, the history of settler colonialism in Maine and the Wabanaki Nations, and the Shaker movement into the narrative. I found these sections extremely informative and I commend the author for the meticulous research that went into crafting this novel. I should mention that the inclusion of these segments did render the novel a tad lengthy and disjointed and slowed down the pace of the narrative, but this did not detract from my overall reading experience.

This is a complex novel meant to be read with time and patience. Overall, I found it to be a rewarding read and well worth the time and effort.

This was my first time reading J. Courtney Sullivan and I’m eager to explore more of the author’s work.

Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I devoured this book! I loved the story, the characters, the past and present timelines, and most of all, I loved learning about the indigenous people in Maine and their culture. This female-centered story will stay with me for a long time, and I will be recommending The Cliffs to everyone. Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the opportunity to read and review the digital ARC.

The Cliffs takes us through a few characters POV with their relationship to the cliffs but mostly follows Jane who comes back to Maine after she separates from her husband and needs to take care of her deceased mothers belongings. When she was a girl she would go to the cliffs and sit by the violet victorian house as her safe space. Out of towners decide to buy the house and want to know who lived there before because her son was seeing ghosts.

In the book J. Courtney explored a few cultures expanded on centuries and the history behind the writing was well thought out but at times I felt like there were too many themes going on at once. Thanks Netgalley and Knopf for the advanced copy!

Jane grew up near, and has always been mystified, by a strange house on the cliffs in coastal Maine. When she comes back to her hometown as an adult, she learns that it has been completely renovated by a rich woman. But the woman thinks there are ghosts in the house and would like Jane to help her research the house, and the women who have lived there's, history. As Jane is now jobless and her marriage is on the rocks due to her excessive drinking and erratic behavior, she has nothing but time and the interest in history to find out more about the haunted house on the cliff.

I have loved all of Sullivan's books, so this one was highly anticipated for me. But then Reese picked it as her book club for July, and I should have known (her books have not been hits for me; we clearly don't have overlapping taste lately).

This book was a mess. I was interested in the themes of the history of a place and in particular the Womens' history and reparations, but the way this is executed in the book was all wrong. It jumped around in character perspective and time and had a large cast, so it was hard to keep straight when and where you were. There was not a single happy person, it was not really a ghost story at all, and I strongly disliked the unearned ending. I just didn't like this book. It was also really slow paced and on the longer side, so this book weighed me down for almost an entire week. I wish I had better things to say about this, but unfortunately this one really missed the mark for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

3.5 Stars

If houses could talk, the stories this one would tell. The beginning started off strong, a child sees a ghost in a newly renovated Maine house on a cliff. From there it veers into quite a few different directions. The writing was top notch, but there was just too many stories going on. As a lover of historical fiction, I did enjoy the history of the Indigenous people and the Shakers, but after a while, it felt like I was reading a text book. There were quite a few timelines going on, with numerous characters and drama. I really couldn’t connect with the Jane, the main character, she came across as having a high opinion of herself, even as she hit rock bottom, although I would love her job as a archivist. The other characters seemed one dimensional, lacking depth. While the stories come together in the end, I found it left me unfulfilled. I cannot imagine the amount of research that went into this book. For me, the long chapters added to the slow pace of my read. I do look forward to reading this author again.

My thanks to Knoft Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved Commencement, Maine and The Engagements and was really looking forward to The Cliffs. Unfortunately, The Cliffs was not a winner for me the way some of Sullivan's previous works were. With information overload that felt all too textbook and dual storylines that felt disjointed, this was a struggle for me. I hope Sullivan's next book is a better fit for me.

You say J. Courtney Sullivan, I say sold! She is a must-read author for me and I absolutely loved The Cliffs. The story centers on an abandoned house in Maine, ghosts, family secrets, and the numerous people who inhabited and loved the house over the years. As with Sullivan’s other books, I couldn’t put this one down. Part historical fiction, part family drama, and with a hint of supernatural elements at play - a unique and beautiful book that reads like a love letter to the great state of Maine. One of my favorite summer reads!

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this ARC.

This is book is very interesting to say the least. There are quite a few themes that the author brings up. There is also a lot of characters. Some of theses characters are alive and some are not. I struggled a little keeping track of the characters. The story centers around an old abandoned house and a girl (now woman) named Jane. Jane would visit the house when she was a child to get away from her abusive Mom. The first time she went she was enthralled to find dishes still in the cupboards and cups and glasses and furniture. It was very run down and mouse ridden but it was her escape. The author then brings in who lived in the house before and what happened to them. A new family buys the house and remodels it and there is a ghost that shows up that only the owner's son can see. So this brings in more about spirits and how to talk to them through mediums. You are introduced to Clementine who is a medium and a great character. There is also a a Camp Mira where you could go and meet up with different mediums who might tell you things about your past. Being from Western New York, there is a place just like Camp Mira called Lilly Dale. I wondered if the author had been there because Camp Mira was very similar.
Alcoholism is also a big topic in this book. Jane comes from generations of women alcoholics. Unfortunately she succombs to alcohol which ruins her life. There are stories about Shakers, indigenous people, and much much more in this book. It is not an easy read but it is well written and there is great history that I learned about. I would recommend this book.
Thanks to #netgalley, #knopf and @jcourtsullivan for an ARC of this great read.

Thank you @netgalley and @aaknopf for this advance copy.
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This book is hard to explain. It is the history of a house and the land, a history of family and women, generational trauma, spirituality, marriage…it’s a hodge podge of subject matter that had me very skeptical in the beginning. Some of it was not my cup of tea, and the chapters were sooooo long. (Why??) But in spite of that, I quickly became obsessed. I could not put down this powerful story that all came together beautifully in the end. I recommend this one to fans of history and complex female characters who like a balance of plot and character development and a strong sense of place. After enjoying Friends & Strangers in 2020, J. Courtney Sullivan is a new auto buy author for me.

I'll read anything Ms. Sullivan writes and have been looking forward to the publication of The Cliffs....and wasn't disappointed!
In The Cliffs, Ms. Sullivan takes us back to Maine - a state she writes about so well. The book is set in a small seaside town where Jane, the main character, grew up with a challenging family situation and where she couldn't wait to leave. She's since built a full life for herself with a college education, prestigious job and husband...but then this world collapses.
Jane returns to Maine to try and work through her current life/work situation and also to clean out the house of her recently deceased mother. She also returns to the Victorian house that is at the center of Jane's life and the book. The house overlooks the ocean and is hidden away from view, but Jane discovered it when she was in high school and the house had been long abandoned. She rediscovers the house, which is now occupied and has undergone a significant renovation by its new owners. We quickly learn that in its former and current states, the house brings a lot of history and character to the novel.
There are several demons in The Cliffs - and not just the ghostly kind. The book tackles infertility, substance abuse, mother-daughter relationships, and Alzheimer's Disease.
The Cliffs includes a tremendous amount of history, going back to 1609, and reflecting great research by Ms. Sullivan. The list of resources in her acknowledgements provides a bounty of books to read further on the indigenous people of Maine, the Shakers, etc. The Editor's letter in the beginning also introduces us to some of the real resources used in her research and I hope to visit some on my next trip to Maine.
It takes a long time for Jane's full story to unfold, but the resolution wrapped up a bit too quickly for me. There were parts of the book that were too long for me, and you won't always like Jane. But I especially liked the sections on the history of the indigenous people of Maine as well as the glimpse into Jane's life working at the Schlesinger Library.
Thanks to Netgalley and Alfred A. Knopf for the opportunity to read The Cliffs in exchange for an honest review.

"Perhaps in order to be true, love must also be inconvenient." Languishing in the Kindle app on my iPad, I decided to give #TheCliffs a go when it became a Reese's pick. So glad I did. It has all the things I love in a book - multi-POV, mystery, history, ghosts - it is at turns, uplifting and devastating. One might say that Ms. Sullivan tries to accomplish too much with multiple story lines - alcoholism, gender, race and sexual discrimination, the obliteration of certain histories, family trauma and reincarnation - and maybe that's true, but I savored every word. Highly, highly recommend.

P.S. Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.

This one was complex! There were so many storylines from varying timelines, and although they do eventually tie together, this book was very detailed and more than I bargained for. The storyline of Jane being drawn to the abandoned Victorian house on the cliff was what originally caught my interest. The portion of the book about Native Americans and repatriation as well as the part dedicated to the Shakers were informative and interesting, but did sometimes read like a social studies textbook. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but it was not necessarily the type of book that I originally thought I was picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for an ARC of The Cliffs, in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

A beautiful story weaving together the lives of several women across centuries in a seaside town of Maine. All these women have at some point in their lives been involved with a magnificent house that stands on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. Jane Flanagan grew up in Maine and went on to become a researcher-archivist at Harvard. Now she has returned in disgrace. Genevieve has recently purchased the house on the cliffs. As their paths cross, Jane unearths the stories and mysteries of the house and its past. Filled with mystical elements, magical realism and literally the ghosts of the past, this is a poignant tale, expertly told by the author. It is a wonderful ode to mother-daughter relationships. The author writes in an unhurried manner and the story is long and meandering at times. There is a lot of reference to the indigenous history of the place. At its heart, this a book of love, loss, grief and what it means to start all over again. A good one for book clubs.

Thank you NetGalley, Knopf Publishing and J Courtney Sullivan for the ARC.

The Cliffs is a book full of so many stories... stories of sisters, of friends, of motherhood, of romantic love, of addiction and of recovery, of grief, of generational trauma, of wounds to the soul, of ghosts, of Indigenous history, and of American history. There are so many storylines in this book that one would think it would be a hot mess or a 1000-page tome, but it is not. Somehow all these complex stories come together, sort of how like life happens. Beautiful and ugly at the same time, The Cliffs reflects human nature which has both capacities to love and harm, often simultaneously. It is an ode to history, particularly that which has been forgotten or suppressed., and all those working to uncover and share truths and perspectives of our past.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I really, really loved The Cliffs. It is so much more than meets the eye, and so much more than what can be contained on a book jacket. Told from multiple perspectives, we learn the history of a house, and each person that house has impacted. I learned so much about the Indigenous people of Maine, as well as Shakers. This is also a story about generational trauma in all forms and addiction. So many layers to this book, which is a daunting task for any author, but this was a executed SO well. I think this will work well for so many different kinds of readers.

What an exquisite, smart book - I loved all of the layers of history that Sullivan embedded throughout the story, and the cliffside house felt so real it was as if you were there. Filled with beautiful, vulnerable, fallible characters and a plot that keeps you turning the page. It's really everything one could want in a novel, and all of the kudos are well-deserved.

Oh how I wanted to love this book but about 25% in I did not feel like any story had even begun to develop. I am going to put aside for now and hope to come back and finish. Very slow-paced and no important action in my opinion. I like a story that grips you from the first page and this one is not doing it for me.

"The fear of scarcity followed Jane into adulthood, into her marriage. It popped up at odd times, surprising her." J. Courtney Sullivan, The Cliffs

Through the coastal setting on Maine, main character Jane takes on both an external mystery and her own demons as she searches for clues to both history of the area and how her past has formed her present. She's returned to the area as a Harvard archivist after making a terrible mistake that threatens to shatter both her personal and professional life.

She learns of her own past as she uncovers that of sacred ground, native customs and seeks to heal her own nagging wounds. This story is rich in culture, place, family, spirits, love, loss, forgiveness and legacy. We learn of ourselves through those that came before us, in making way for those who will come after us.