The plot of the “The Sirens” follows 4 females- 2 sets of sisters- over multiple generations with alternating POV. I enjoyed the change in timelines and seeing the different sides to the hardships and challenges that women were facing among different time periods. Some of the earlier generation POV's were quite graphic, but needed to be told.

I have to say that Lucy in present day (2019) was definitely the character that captivated me the most. Potentially because she was the most relatable, but I also found her situation of sleep walking and her distant and strained relationships with her sister and parents to interest me the most. I figured out the gist of the story pretty early on- but I'm not sure it was supposed to be a 'big reveal', given the title of the book.

It took a little bit for the story to get going, but once it did, it really captivated me and I couldn't put the book down. I also loved the folklore surrounding mermaids throughout history and the curious nature of the small sea side town. The imagery was well written, as well.

I like this author a lot, and will continue to read her.

Sirens get a bad rap. The patriarchal myth casts women as the evil temptation leading good men to their death. Emilia Hart gives them the cut direct with a small Australian town that has a way of punishing bad men. I love how timely it feels as we follow college student Lucy. Her first sexual partner has leaked intimate photos and the university turns against her to protect his future. The shame and betrayal triggers a sleep-walking episode that ends violently. Lucy runs away to the only person she knows who has experienced this - her sister Jess.

The tone shifts back and forth between women's lit and small town mystery because Jess is nowhere to be found. Lucy tries to piece together her sister's intentions by following the research she's left behind. Everything seems to revolve around this small town, the men who disappear here, and the prisoner ship that sunk in the bay centuries ago.

Magical realism comes into play as these sisters share dreams of two sisters who were on that ship. The POV flows between timelines, but all telling one story. It was incredible to read and I loved the resolution each woman found. There's one final secret that isn't revealed until the epilogue and I was screaming, I KNEW IT!!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I recently finished The Sirens by Emilia Hart, and I have to say, it really captured my attention. The novel beautifully intertwines two timelines: one in the late 1990s with a young girl named Jess, and the other set in the 1800s aboard a convict ship traveling from Ireland to Australia. Both timelines are connected through Irish folklore, particularly the myth of the "merrow," which gave the story a fascinating magical realism element.

I really appreciated how the author blended the mythical siren theme with deep emotional storytelling, focusing on the bond between sisters and their resilience in the face of adversity. The way the ocean is portrayed—both as a source of healing and danger—was captivating. The writing drew me in with its atmospheric quality, making the setting feel alive.

Some might say that the book shares similarities with other works in its genre, but I found it unique in its exploration of female strength and identity. If you're a fan of historical fiction mixed with magical elements, I think this book will definitely resonate with you. Overall, it was a haunting and emotional read that kept me engaged from start to finish.

While The Sirens is rich with atmosphere and potent with feminist themes, there were moments when the narrative felt a little slow, especially in the buildup to the climactic moments. Yet, this pacing felt deliberate, mirroring the gradual but relentless transformation of the characters themselves. The ending, while satisfying, left me with a quiet sense of longing, as if the journey wasn’t quite finished, echoing the book’s larger themes of cyclical trauma and unbroken legacies.
This novel blends historical fiction and magical realism but deepens the conversation around womanhood, trauma, and empowerment. It’s a novel that calls for reflection, urging us to think about the myths that shape our perceptions and the strength we carry within ourselves, even in the most broken of circumstances. It's a deeply emotional and reflective read about reclaiming power in the face of oppression—one that lingers long after the final page.
A captivating read that not only offers an escape into a magical world but also serves as a powerful reminder that female rage can be channeled in creative ways – Taylor Swift would be proud!

n The Sirens, Emilia Hart seamlessly blends the past with the present, to offer a haunting look into the way that women suffer at the hands of their abusers. The historical fiction background in the story takes place in the 1800s, when England shipped its prisoners to Australia as a penal colony, at the cost of the First People and Aboriginals already living there. I am always enraged and devastated when reading these types of stories, seeing how the rulers of England relentlessly worked to remove the culture, languages, and religion of so many people groups throughout hundreds of years. Mary and Eliza are 16 year old sisters during this time. They are placed on one of the prisoner ships, after defending themselves against being attacked by one of the local men, and forced to leave the home of their father in Ireland.

Jess and Lucy are sisters in the modern day time period and they both find themselves dreaming of Mary and Eliza’s time on the prisoner ship. The events of their time on the ship are horrifying, but Jess and Lucy are both struggling with their own problems stemming from lies told by their parents, sexual abuse from men in places of power, and a diagnosis of Aquagenic Urticaria. Most of the modern day timeline is told through Lucy’s POV, but we get a lot of insight into Jess’s character through her diary entries.

I was completely absorbed with the way that Hart uses magical realism in this story, to give the female characters power over their abusers. If you have read Weyward, she also employs this same writing technique in that story. There are some really great twists in the book that I should have caught, but I was so engrossed in the story, I was completely surprised by them.

The Sirens is one of the best books I have read in this historical fiction/magical realism genre. If you love books with family secrets, dual timelines, magical realism done really well, and even a true crime podcast making an appearance, then I would highly recommend The Sirens.

This could’ve been good if done maybe a little differently. It was extremely slow in places. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review

Two different generations of sisters seek out truth, justice, and escape each in their own way. The story takes place in two main timelines: Mary and Elizabeth, on a convict ship bound from Ireland in the 1800s, and Jess and Lucy in present-day Australia. Biiiig female rage vibes in this one, plus (as you’d imagine) some magic/mythology AND a little twist that I somehow didn’t see coming!

Emilia Hart’s The Sirens is an easy, fast-paced read that combines historical fiction with a touch of magical realism and folklore. As someone who loved the premise, I appreciated the rich, sea-soaked atmosphere and the dual timelines that follow two sets of sisters. There’s something captivating about how Hart weaves themes of female resilience, rage, and connection to the land and sea. That said, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d read this story before—especially if you’ve read Weyward. The structure, character motivations, and overall plot felt very familiar, which made the predictability hard to ignore.

While the present-day storyline held my interest, I found the historical sections less engaging, and the characters—though well-intentioned—felt underdeveloped at times. The magical realism was a nice addition, but I wanted more depth and background to really bring it to life. The ending tied everything up neatly, but after so much buildup, it felt a bit rushed and left me wanting more. Still, The Sirens has its strengths: Hart’s prose flows beautifully, and the feminist undertones will resonate with readers who enjoy stories about women reclaiming their power. If you loved Weyward or enjoy atmospheric novels with hints of magic, you’ll likely find The Sirens worth the read, even if it doesn’t break new ground.

I had read Weyward by this author and really enjoyed it, so I thought I would try this one, though good I found it not quite as good as Weyward. Lucy is a young woman attending college, after an intimate photo of her is shared by her boyfriend with other students, she awakes one night to find herself strangling him. She leaves and travels a great distance to the house of her sister Jess, though once she gets there she finds that Jess has disappeared and the house is unlocked. Lucy decides to wait until she returns and soon finds a diary that Jess had kept when she was younger. Back in the 1800's, two sisters, Mary and Eliza, are convicted and sent for transport on a convict ship to Australia, they are crammed in with four score (about eighty) other women in a dark, dank hold. Food, water and privacy are non existent, though if you are willing to spend some time with a sailor, he would provide you will food, neither Mary or Eliza take up that offer, but others do. The trip is many months long and some do not survive, along the way they begin to notice changes to their bodies. In the diary, Jess records how she had a skin condition that made water dangerous for her, she's interested in art and her art teacher encourages her by asking her to come after school for some one on one teaching. Lucy has contacted her parents and let's them know where she is, and that she's found the diary, her mom advises her they are on their way and not to read it (of course she already has). A very good book overall and if you enjoy family dynamic type stories, you would enjoy. Thanks to #Netgalley and #St Martins Press for the ARC.

You've really got to hand it to Emilia Hart: The way she writes magic and fantasy mixed with history while capturing the trauma women have experienced throughout their generations is impeccable.
This one picked up for within the first few chapters and was thoroughly enjoyable throughout. I was so curious how the stories would come together and how sirens would fit in. It was so seamless. I swear the way this author writes is pure perfection. Which is high praise for someone who doesn't tend to read this genre. But I'm so thankful I dove in with Emilia. She's an auto buy authof for sure.

First of all, the cover is gorgeous. Second, the title is easy and descriptive. That said, I found the book lacking in interest. As the reader I knew that the women in the book were sirens or mermaids of sorts, but during the changes appearing to the women, they didn't know what was happening. It almost felt like I read the last chapter first having this knowledge, but then had to go through with the characters to discover it for themselves. I found it a bit slow and hard to stay connected with the story. I did enjoy the historic backstory!

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the advance e-copy of this book.

Thank you to the publisher, to Net Galley and to the author for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this unique story of woman's empowerment through the ages. This story is told in three timelines and speaks to the misogynistic culture throughout time . I loved the women in this book and their intelligence, savvy and bravery. The relation of the women in the story to the ocean is beautifully told. This is a book to be experienced by each reader without spoilers as its magnificent. The writing is so well crafted it kept me enthralled in each woman's story. A must read for those who enjoy women's fiction and justice against the male culture through the ages. You will find yourself cheering throughout and relating to each woman's story. Bravo. Well done to the author. A exciting and fun read

I love books told through two timelines. Sirens is told from the perspective of Lucy, a modern day college student, who joins the story after trying to strangle her boyfriend in her sleep. Lucy flees and goes to see her sister, Jess, who appears to be missing. The other timeline is told from Mary's perspective in 1800. Mary and her sister Eliza are criminals on a transport ship that sinks at sea. The setting, an island where eight men have mysteriously disappeared but were lured to their deaths by a siren's song. A siren's coming of age tale, if you will, filled with mystery, and mysticism. This book had plenty of twists and turns and while not scary, per se, it had some moments where I caught myself not breathing. This is the first book I've read by Emilia Hart and I was impressed. This would be such a good buddy read or book group choice! Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for an advanced copy- very much appreciated!

This one was so fucking good. The prose was perfect, the feminism fantastic. It didn't shy away from any of the more gruesome details of what a siren is and how they respond to the world around them. The three timelines worked well together, particularly with how the 1800 timeline matched the dream sequences in 2019. I think this book will be recommended highly in 2025, so long as it is marketed correctly. I feel like a lot of people expected this to be magical realism with emphasis on realism, but it was magical realism with emphasis on fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this haunting and eerie story about 2 sets of sisters from 2 different time periods!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this arc.

I absolutely loved Weyward by Emilia Hart and was so excited to get approved for the arc of The Sirens and it did not disappoint. The Sirens is at its heart a story about womanhood, secrets, mythology, and the lengths women have to go to protect themselves and the ones they love.

Lucy is a college student who wakes up with her hands around a former lovers throat. Fleeing her school, and everything she’s worked for, she heads to her sister’s house, in a small town shrouded by mystery and tragedy. But Jess is missing, and Lucy is determined to find out what happened between her and her sister, and find out where she went.
Mary and Eliza are twins from Ireland in the 1800’s, sentenced to exile and forced to board a convict ship headed for Australia. Along the way, as conditions get more and more deplorable, and fear is contagious, the girls bodies begin to change in unexplainable ways.

I loved this book just as much as I loved Weyward. The writing and description was eerie and chilling, the pacing was consistent, and the magical realism aspects were beautifully executed. It was thought provoking and feminist and absolutely beautiful. The sisterhood, mystery, and atmosphere, as well as the dual timelines was so engaging I couldn’t put it down.

I gave this book 4.5 ⭐️ as I did find that one of the timelines didn’t wrap up as well as the other and left me wanting a little more resolution. But overall I loved this story and it will stick with me for a long time.

A compelling story about sisters separated but still bound together. I found the story a bit dark and eerie for my taste but still an overall great story.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I tried this book on audio and could not connect with it. It was wrong book, wrong time for me.

I love this cover and premise but this didn't hit for me. It was fine and had good atmosphere but the plot lost me a bit.

Another amazing book from Emilia Hart- I think I loved this even more than Weyward! The switches in timeline between the 4 women were done so well. The writing was atmospheric and just well done. There's nothing I would change about this well written story.