I really enjoyed the feel of this book, mysterious, somewhat gothic and full of family secrets, a haunted house and ghost. It is a beautifully told story set on the rocky cliffs in Maine. The old Victorian house, which sits high above the sea, is the backdrop, sets the mysterious tone to the book and to me becomes almost a primary character, and in which the book revolves around. It is beautifully written with history, drama and also a ghost story. I enjoyed how it was told in the dual timelines and how as you read and learn the layers, complexity of the characters, it keeps you reading as you try to put the pieces together. It is overall a really good book, and worth the read, especially in the historical information that you learn as the story unfolds. There were times I had to be patient and hold on as the pace was challenging at times, but midway I became fully attached to the characters, and how it was coming together. I recommend it highly to those readers who love historical fiction and those who love richly layered stories and characters.

I love J. Courtney Sullivan's work and have been a huge fan since her early days. Unfortunately, The Cliffs did not work for me for a couple of reasons. The Cliffs tells the story of Jane who flees to her deceased mother's home in Maine after she drinks too much and makes out with a student in front of her colleagues at the college where Jane works. And her husband works there too. Not a good move. Jane is packing up her mother's house and revisits an old house on the shoreline (near The Cliffs) where she used to read when she was in high school. A rich woman, Genvieve, has renovated the home and hires Jane to research the history of the house. There are many other storylines: 1. Genevive tries to make friends with Jane and Allison. 2. Jane and her sister don't get along. 3. What is the secret about Jane's grandmother. 4. Will Jane stay on the wagon? 5. The historical (and continuing) disrespect of Native culture 6. Jane's experiences with a psychic medium.

There was just way too much going on in this book. It is trying too hard and none of these story lines really shined. Also, Jane was a total snob and unlikeable, although I think we were supposed to root for her.

I really liked how The Cliffs started and thought the storyline about the abandoned house on the cliff was going to pull me in. It was eerie and mysterious and the house felt like a character that I wanted to get to know better. But then it started to feel like there was too much going on and I wasn't captivated enough to keep me from putting it down often. The main character was hard to like, which didn't help keep me into it. I wanted this one to be something it wasn't. Did I like it? Sure, it was very entertaining at times and I finished it!

The Cliffs

Wow, what a story!

This was an incredible tale following women from multiple generations and their ties to the house on the Cliffs in a small town in Maine. Jane was raised there with her alcoholic single mother, her delinquent older sister and her grandmother. Now returned to the town to clear out her late mom's house, Jane must confront her past, her family's history and the darker history of the town where she was raised.

Told in multiple POV from different women in various points in history, this is a beautiful tale about honoring the past and learning from it to embrace a better future.

Strong themes of motherhood, Native American history and alcoholism are woven into this heartbreakingly beautiful story.

I really wanted to like this book but I couldn’t connect to the book. I felt like there was a lot going on and it got confusing. It was difficult for me to want to pick up this book to continue reading. Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I've only been to Maine once, and I remember it being one of the best trips of my life. We went around this time in the summer (end of July), and the weather was absolutely perfect. This book absolutely transported me back to Maine and highly recommend reading in the summer! Things I enjoyed: the atmosphere and descriptions of the scenery, family and marital drama, and the element of mystery. Didn't care as much for the historical lectures and the length of the book. Overall, a captivating summer read that will have you booking your next trip to Maine. Would recommend if you like historical fiction and slower paced novels.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy of this book.

Loved this story. Loved how the house is a character on its own and how we were able to follow the characters in the past and learn about their lives and what secrets the house holds.
The writing is very lyrical and so rich, I was placed in the story and could not put this book down. While it is set by the ocean, it has enough of a gothic feel to be a perfect October read.
I appreciated the history of Indigenous people and the disturbing practices led by world-famous museums, some of it was new information to me and I learned a lot.

What a great book! Loved the visual of The Cliffs and the Maine connection. Loved the historical aspects and will be recommending quite a bit. Patrons will eat this one up!

I really wanted to love this one, since I loved J. Courtney Sullivan's previous book, but it just wasn't clicking for me. I loved the atmosphere and vibes of this one and think she is an incredibly beautiful writer. However, the plot felt a bit slow and meandering.

This book really snuck up on me! After a slow start and lukewarm feelings towards it and the characters, all of a sudden I was totally wrapped up in the decades-spanning stories of multiple women and their connection to one house on a cliff in Maine. I learned a lot about Maine, the indigenous people who were there long before we were, and a little bit about a lot of tiny little topics all over the place. This book was painful to read at times while also being funny, touching, descriptive, and kind of irreverent. Not a thriller, but definitely has some mystery and surprises along the way. An ending you’ll appreciate. And enough ghosts to give you the chills but not enough so that you can’t fall asleep at night. I was so impressed at all the little plot lines that were intricately wrapped up into the numerous stories that came and went throughout the book. Definitely pick up if you’re in the mood for an atmospheric story with substance! Perfect for sinking into the late summer moodiness of August.

A lot of characters, a lot of side plots, new people being introduced really late in the book, it just felt a bit disorganized. I did enjoy it, and ultimately by the end of the novel, things came together pretty nicely, but there were multiple points while reading it that I wanted to give up, as I just couldn't pull all the threads together as I was reading.

This one took me way too long to get through. I just found that I wasn’t invested in the characters or the story. Maybe I picked this book up at the wrong time.

I really just needed Sullivan to focus on something! Instead, she introduced a lot of characters - all with their own point of view - and a mystery...but just never really fleshed out any of the characters or storylines. Sullivan ultimately felt all over the place and I quickly got bogged down. It felt like I had to give a lot of effort to even want to pick this one up.

I really liked the beginning of this book, a Victorian House that holds secrets and the woman who finds solace there. But the house is bought and renovated taking away all the charm. When Jane returns, she meets the new owner, who has a son who sees the house's ghosts. Here is where the book takes a turn and becomes more of a history lesson than a novel. While it was interesting at times, at others, it was meandering and preachy, drawing us away from the charm of the initial story. Jane was not likable, but I liked her interaction with the paranormal.

The Cliffs tells the stories of several families over many years who all have a connection to a small town in Maine. In current day, Jane is an alcoholic returning home to clear out her deceased mother’s home. While there, she explores the history of the town, a special house, and her own family. This would be a great read for someone who enjoys historical fiction.

THE CLIFFS by J. Courtney Sullivan is a family drama tied to generational traumas, motherhood, and the ghosts we leave behind. Out on July 2nd, this @reesesbookclub pick was generously made available to me by @aaknopf through @netgalley and #partner @prhaudio.

I don't read a synopsis usually before reading and I sort of wish I had with this one. I was expecting an atmospheric suspense with a creepy house and in that setting of, once again, Maine! It took me a while to figure out that this was a more layered family drama that covered Indigenous culture, the beauty and value of place, generational struggles, and the strength of women. Once I reset myself, I found it to be a good story that I enjoyed.

For fans of historical family drama, I would certainly recommend this story. I think it would also be a great book choice for discussions.

3.5 Stars

The Cliffs tells the history of a house set high on a rocky point overlooking the ocean in Maine. Jane is a researcher who has had a fascination with the house and its location for years. She is hired by a wealthy woman from Boston who purchased the house and thinks it may have ghosts from the past. The story goes back in time to uncover the history, the mysteries, and the past owners who have been connected to the house over the years. Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for an advanced copy. The Cliffs is available now.

The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan contains both historical and contemporary story lines centered on a purple house on a cliff in Maine. The primary topic is the rights of Indigenous peoples and preservation of graves and artifacts. Other topics include difficult subjects that touch the lives of the contemporary women in the story: alcoholism, marriage, motherhood, and wealth. An especially interesting story line involves Spiritualism. The Cliffs is highly recommended for discussion groups.

As a long time fan of J. Courtney Sullivan, the arrival of a new novel is always a cause for celebration. The Cliffs is a big, sprawling novel touching on complex contemporary themes such as addiction and cultural appropriation, and important historical themes relating to spiritualism, the treatment of Native Americans, and religion. I dove into the book happily and enjoyed the story of the primary character of of Jane thoroughly. I was less keen reading the other perspectives, and although fascinating and narratively important, they served to take me out of the main story. The book as a whole is smart, compelling, and a worthy addition to Sullivan's novels. Highly recommend. Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this one early!

I didn’t know much about this book before I hit ‘PLAY’ and was treated to a somewhat-wandering-ultimately satisfying family drama with secrets, & suspense set in Maine. There is alot going on and it covers a lot of ground, so I needed to really pay attention. The underlying themes of legacy, generational trauma and Indigenous histories were eye-opening. The writing was engrossing, the interwoven stories enticing and the scenery vivid.

I am heading to New England this week and am tempted to make a detour to Maine.

AUDIO: The narration was top notch!