i found this book a bit slow and hard to get into, unlike emilia's previous work which had me engrossed in it, the sirens just fell a bit flat for me.

The Sirens, by Australian author Emilia Hart, is an intriguing story about two sets of sisters. Lucy is a university student in modern-day Australia, while her older sister Jessica is an artist living and working in Comber Bay in the south coast of New South Wales. Both have a rare skin condition that impacts negatively on their self-esteem.

After a violent incident on campus, Lucy travels to the seaside town to seek shelter at Jessica's place, but finds her missing in suspicious circumstances. While staying in Comber Bay and searching for clues about her estranged sister's life, Lucy unearths various secrets about their shared past – and the trauma that led their paths apart.

In particular, both Lucy and Jessica have increasingly vivid dreams about twin sisters Mary and Eliza, two women transported to Australia from Ireland on a convict ship two hundred years earlier. Both also find themselves drawn to the mysteries surrounding the disappearances of eight men in the seaside town.

The story is told alternatively from the perspectives of Lucy, Mary and Jessica's diary, and later Jessica herself. The voices and tones, while exquisitely evocative and beautiful, remain relatively identical from one character to the next. The multiple and occasionally nonlinear storylines further slow the pacing, prompting readers to observe details and reflect on the characters' experiences.

This deliberate approach certainly helps to immerse readers in each character's feelings, emotions and memories, encouraging us to delve into those dramatic, meandering events that influence and even determine their decisions and actions. Doing so requires the author's stringent control of the imaginable and plausible development of both characters and plots, as well as the ability to substantiate the process with sufficient and believable details.

In this regard, perhaps the story is let down by its attempt to connect female empowerment and self-determination with folklore, to use fantasy elements to provide a (false?) sense of security allowing the female characters to feel protected and their grievances avenged. In the words of Jessica's neighbour Melody from Comber Bay: “There's something about this place, something different. It keeps its women safe.”

Disconcertingly, although various crimes are committed against women throughout the book, none of the perpetrators is punished by law. Worse, instead of the promised magical protection, the story is bookended by Lucy and Jessica taking matters into their own hands, and one has to wonder whether or not their actions can be condoned. Either way, the fantastical transformation that the sisters undergo at the story's end is a result, rather than the cause, of their discovery of their true selves.

Meanwhile, on top of her being callously dismissed by the system that is supposed to help her right the wrongs, Lucy's injustice is practically forgotten as the story shifts its focus to slowly revealing the puzzling link between the two sets of sisters and especially between Lucy and Jessica. The ending does not help, as Lucy concedes “it doesn't matter” that she will never get to be a journalist. “In a way, she's glad that it happened. It led her here, to this moment. To this new understanding of who she is, her place in the story.”

With all that said, to this reviewer, the story shines in its empathetic depiction of the convict women and their plight. It is their resilience and courage, their mutual support and loyalty, that make them unforgettable characters. It is the bond they share in adversity – their sisterhood – that sustains them, which renders Mary and Eliza's ensuing transformation rather irrelevant. It only proves that women do not need magic or fantasy to achieve agency, autonomy and self-reliance.

Emilia Hart's "The Sirens" is a captivating exploration of sisterhood, resilience, and the enigmatic allure of the sea. It intricately weaves together two timelines.
1800: Twin sisters Mary and Eliza are torn from their Irish homeland and forced onto a convict ship bound for Australia. Haunted by their mother's drowning, they harbor a deep-seated fear of the ocean. Yet, as their voyage progresses, they experience inexplicable changes, feeling an uncanny connection to the sea.

2019: Lucy, reeling from a traumatic incident at university, seeks solace at her sister Jess's remote seaside residence, Cliff House. Upon arrival, she discovers Jess missing. As Lucy delves into her sister's diaries, she uncovers family secrets intertwined with the ocean's mysteries.

The novel delves into themes of generational trauma, and the bonds of sisterhood. It is beautifully written with themes of the sea at its heart.

This was a wonderfully written magical realism feminist story. I adored the characterisation of the girls. I do wish the core mystery had come to fruition a little sooner and that the magical elements had been shown more. But I appreciate this book nonetheless.

I was really looking forward to this because of how much I loved Weyward, but this was a long, loooong drag.

So much monologue, so many flashbacks and diary entries and in the end the story didn’t really start until 60% or get interesting until 80%. There were a lot of mentions of nightmares and sleepwalking in the first half of the story, but that disappeared altogether from the story later. It left me feeling dissatisfied by the end as there were a lot of loose ends.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Australia for a copy of the eARC!

After Weyward I jumped straight back into this book. The author has a unique take on women mythical creatures in both her books the first being witches this one being about mermaids/sirens. This book was full of magical realism that made you believe it’s a possibility.

I loved the setting of this book, in Australia. I loved the aspects of Australian history explored through flashbacks and the common words or phrases that are use here is Australia.

I enjoyed the female main character In Present time and in the flashbacks, I loved how the two times were linked as well. The men in this book were crappy humans, and I felt emotional for the women characters in the book.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, it always had me guessing, trying to work out the mystery’s in it. One of my friends was reading it at the same time so it was even better to have someone to bounce off and discuss as we went along.

I'm really loving these magical realism / fantasy stories about women. This book is about 2 sisters in the past and 2 sisters in the present, woven beautifully together. The result is an interesting and enjoyable take on women's strength and ability to overcome. I found it an original and interesting take on the Sirens myths, weaving in Irish folklore and healing from trauma.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for early access to the ebook.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins Australia & Emilia Hart for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5 stars.
Genre(s): fiction, historical fiction, magical realism.

Overall impression: a beautiful and haunting feminist novel that explores 'female rage' and vigilante justice in the context of victim survivors of domestic violence. Though separated by hundreds of years, the two sets of sisters suffer the consequences of the broken system that protects perpetrators and punishes the victims. They seek to avenge not only themselves but other victims of violence that have been unable to fight back or have been silenced. It's a powerful and at times uncomfortable novel to read. Though it delivers an important message - we see you, we hear you, we believe you and we will fight for you.

Tropes:
➵ Dual POV & timelines
➵ Sisterhood & family
➵ Coming of age story
➵ Magical realism
➵ Sirens & doomed sailors
➵ Ship shanties and siren calls
➵ Female rage
➵ Female serial killer
➵ Feminism
➵ Strong female characters
➵ Vigilante justice
➵ Flawed characters
➵ Small town
➵ Story inside a story
➵ Family secrets & betrayal

⤷ Plot:
Alternating between the 1800's and present day, two sets of sisters are bound by a shared experience of abuse. The former sisters defend themselves during an attack, leading to their conviction and exile on a prisoner ship bound for Australia. The latter sisters are victims of child abuse and the dissemination of explicit images to unintended users. This had long term effects on their mental health and affected their ability to complete university and follow their dream career paths. In both scenarios, the male abusers suffered no consequences.

Every chapter shifted perspective, which kept me hooked. I was able to follow both stories in tandem because they complimented each other really well. There were a few plot twists I didn't see coming towards the end, which shocked me. I read faster the more I read because I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next.

⤷ Characters:
Initially, I found Lucy a bit hard to relate to. But then I remembered she was a university student and very young, and I probably would have reacted in a very similar way if I went through what she did at that age. Now I'm more likely to stand up for myself and call out bad behaviour as it happens - but I definitely wasn't like that in my early 20's.

I found all of the women to be very sympathetic characters and I felt so sorry for what they went through. I know this is fiction but I can imagine that many very real women have gone through the exact same thing, which made my heart hurt a lot. I was happy when they managed to get some justice but it felt diminished because they weren't able to get it through the police or courts.

⤷ World-building:
The imagery was really detailed and I could picture the scenes clearly - whether that be the prisoner deck on the ship, the cave where Baby Hope was birthed, or the house on the edge of the cliff. I could picture myself in the scenes and almost feel the gritty sand beneath my feet, or smell the dank unwashed bodies on the ship, making me fully submersed within in the story. That doesn't happen very often when I'm reading novels but the way the world was built, it was so vivid and impossible not to picture.

⤷ Writing:
A very easy and binge-worthy read. The chapters were fairly short and because they changed time frame or POV, I got sucked into the plot and read more than I might have otherwise done in one sitting. As I mentioned, I loved the lyrical and descriptive way the scenes were written - and I look forward to reading more of Emilia Hart's books in the future to experience the same magic.

The Sirens is similar to Weyward, Emilia Harts debut. It is a feminist telling of the supernatural across generations, this time around Merrow, or mermaids.

Beginning with the story of Lucy, uni student who doesn't fit in, desperate for the attention of a boy she likes who begins sleepwalking and is drawn into the story of missing men in Comber Bay and the 80 convict women who drowned in the same bay 200 years ago aboard the Naiad shipwreck

Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers and the Author for an advanced reading copy of the Sirens, via Netgalley.

First of all, I loved the historical fiction element of this novel. The story arc following Mary and Eliza and their transportation to Australia as convicts had me totally hooked. Of the two intertwined stories that follow two sets of sisters, the story of Mary and Eliza had me totally engaged, and I could have read an entire book just following this story alone. The brutality and realism of that dark era was exceptionally captured and I found myself eagerly anticipating the next chapter in their journey.

The modern day story arc following Lucy and Jess was a little slow for me and felt like it left a lot of the story unresolved. I was unable to understand why so many people were so nonchalant about Jess's disappearance, despite the explanations provided, and I did anticipate the plot twist, and guess its nature very early on in the book.

The magical realism element of the book was somewhat interesting, but it really was the convict story that stood out for me as the strength of this story. Overall it was a good read on balance, and I would be interested in reading more fro Emilia Hart in the future.

Anything with Sirens or Mermaids I will read in a heartbeat, and this book was no exception!

I enjoyed that this was set in Australia and discussed the convict history of the past whilst still weaving in the fantasy/mythology elements. I found the multiple points of view to be a bit confusing at the start of this book. The further I got into the book, the more I enjoyed this element and needed to know what was happening from every point of view!
I could not have predicted the outcome of this story, every time I thought I knew where the story was headed, another curveball was thrown into the story. I ended up devouring this book and though it was not my usual style of book I read, I grew to love this story as it unfolded.

Weyward was one of my favourite books in 2024. So when I saw The Sirens was coming out it quickly became one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, I was thrilled to receive an ARC! Like Weyward, The Sirens weaves together the lives of women across different centuries, two modern-day women and 19th-century convict sisters, all linked by the sea and a coastal town in New South Wales. Emilia Hart blends history, mystery, and magical realism beautifully, and I loved how the storylines came together. While The Sirens and Weyward are very different stories, this one did not disapoint! If you enjoyed Weyward, you’ll love this one too! I look forward to reading everything Emilia Hart writes!

A book that is a thriller, family drama, fantasy and historical fiction in wrapped up with beautiful prose and an atmospheric setting. There are various timelines which were sometimes difficult to switch between. An enjoyable read, and like the authors first book, different to anything else you’re likely to pick up!

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 stars

The Sirens (and Emilia) lured me in instantaneously with its captivating storytelling and mysterious tone.
I was eagerly flipping pages waiting for the plot to unfurl.
There were details that left me open mouthed and shocked and other twists that were revealed more subtly by the breadcrumbs left along the way.

But although it was thought provoking and I loved the close sisterly/family bonds and slowly uncovering the mystery, I found the switch between timelines sometimes jarring and sped through certain chapters to get back to the main storyline.
I also found the ending a little unsatisfying but maybe it was the way I interpreted the epilogue, but it soured the rest of the story for me in a way which was disappointing!

This beautifully written book starts as a thriller with a historical component, and gradually blends into the fantasy genre as well. Readers will be mesmerized, utterly absorbed in the worlds Hart conjures.

In 2019 Lucy is running. She’s done something bad, in reaction to something bad someone did to her. She flees to her sister Jess, but when she reaches Jess’ isolated home, Jess is missing. Lucy is left floundering.

In 1800 Mary and Eliza are enduring transportation to Australia, convicted and exiled for the crime of defending themselves against a man. It’s a brutal journey, softened only by the companionship of a shipload of other female convicts.

Lucy dreams of Mary and Eliza, and their troubles seem to bleed into those Lucy herself is facing. Although fearful, she feels herself drawing closer to the sisters.

I loved this novel. It relies more on undercurrents than on explicit statements. The atmosphere of doubt, violence, abuse, and secrets swirls around the characters to leave the reader as off balance and lost as the central characters are. The atmosphere is a major player in this novel, and it’s evoked brilliantly and subtly.

There’s ultimately adequate resolution to leave readers satisfied, although you’ll have to do some of the mental work yourself. By then we’ve crossed into a world of myth and fantasy, while still feeling grounded in the present. Not everything is explicitly explained, although I felt it clear enough.

There are multiple layers here; a mystery story, a mythological story, stories of men’s abuse of women, a historical story, stories of family. You can unpack only a few of these, or all if you’re so inclined. I loved that there was so much to think about in the novel.

I just found this a really powerful novel. It’s well written, blending several genres seamlessly. The characters are strong and vivid, and you start caring about their welfare very quickly. The atmospheric prose draws you in and keeps you reading.

Strongly recommended for readers willing to be challenged just a little, and who are interested in a riveting story well told.

This is exactly what I would expect from the author of Weyward.
The way she tells these stories of women who were wronged makes you believe that you are right there with them. I love the way magical realism was weaved into the story too. Who doesn't love merrows/sirens/mermaids. Especially when they are luring bad men to their death.

Emilia Hart is quickly becoming a favourite author

This is a great read!!

I found it atmospheric and I loved the two timelines. I loved the drama with all the family secrets. I also loved the combination of magical realism and historical fiction, it made the novel really special and unique. I found the characters really compelling and well written; I loved the drama and relationships between the characters, The plot was very engrossing! It flowed and developed well throughout the novel. I also loved the feminist aspect of the novel, it really kept me engaged. I don't have a favourite character, I thought they were all individually captivating. I thought that these characters really drove the plot well. I really enjoyed the story of the Irish sisters in Australia, Mary and Eliza. As an Australian, I would have to say this novel has been one of the better stories about convicts I have read and I really enjoyed the female focus.

Overall, I loved this book and I was enthralled by it.

Spanning 200 years and following two sets of sisters and the bonds that tie families together, this was a beautifully written, atmospheric tale of pain, circumstance, misfortune and sisterhood.
I really enjoyed the subtle magical realism, and the way the stories of Jess & Lucy and Eliza & Mary were woven together seamlessly.

Told in dual timelines The Sirens follows two sets of sisters; Mary and Eliza, who are convicts being transported to Australia in 1800 and Lucy and Jess in 2019.

Lucy flees her University in terror after hurting someone during a sleepwalking incident and heads to her sister’s house hoping Jess can provide some answers. After the long drive to Comber Bay Lucy finds the house empty and Jess nowhere to be found. After seeing her artwork Lucy soon realises she and Jess have the same haunting nightmare about the two Irish sisters.

The family secrets soon start to unravel as Lucy is determined to uncover the truth about where Jess has gone, the shipwreck of the Naiad and the notorious male disappearances in the town.

The Sirens is a mixture of magical realism, historical fiction, intrigue and sisterhood all intertwined. As the narrative shifts between past and present how the characters are connected to each other and the eerie allure of the sea slowly unfolds.

The Sirens was a captivating read for me and I loved the undercurrent of sisterhood and resilience that was woven throughout the story. Overall The Sirens is an atmospheric read that perfectly blends mystery and magical realism with historical elements.

4.5/5 for me

This story gripped me from the start and didn’t want me to let go. Beautifully descriptive writing and tragic but magically storyline’s woven throughout the lives of different women across time. Yes, there were parts i guessed long before they were revealed and other parts that remain slightly confusing but the richness of the writing and haunting beauty of the multiple stories kept me absorbed and it feels like a level of grief to leave Jess and Lucy behind. Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins Australia and Emilia Hart for letting me read this advanced copy in exchange for a review. The book has just been published and should now be available for purchase