2.5 stars.

I started to get a bit gripped in the middle and then it just fell flat. This book was definitely marketed as a mythical fantasy but honestly it’s a mythical mystery, very low fantasy. In fact, you could genuinely remove the siren aspect to this book and it wouldn’t affect the plot at all. It didn’t add anything, it was actually a little weird and almost didn’t fit with the story.

This review contains spoilers, heads up.

It was supposed to be a tale of 2 sets of sisters and then we find out they’re not sisters - I actually liked this plot twist though, I literally only guessed it the page before the reveal happened.

I didn’t like the family history reveal because I don’t think the age gap was ever properly mentioned. I didn’t think Jess was old enough.

I did find myself wanting to find out what had happened to Jess, how everything was related and connected, and I did actually want to keep reading, but only enough to bump it up half a star.

I thought it was all really well written and engaging, which is what gets it the two stats.

I assume Mare is Mary in the epilogue, and I hate to say it but I despised that that was how they were all connected, it’s actually really sad.

After loving Weyward last year, I was really excited about Emilia Hart's next book, and even though it was a very different experience, I wasn't disappointed. Some parallels to Weyward are there - several timelines telling the stories of women that are connected to each other. Women experiencing violence at the hands of men and finding their own ways to rebell against this. Questions of morale and character and the nature of female rage.

The setting however is very different - Australia in its role as a prisoners' colony, an abandoned house on a cliff, the below deck of a ship on its way to Australia, a small coastal town riddled by men disappearing. And sirens, of course.

We follow four women on their journeys towards acceptance and self-preservation, towards freedom and justice. There are secrets to be uncovered, families to be reunited and new homes to be found. It's a gripping story, again told by Emilia Hart's wonderful prose, though it's a bit less adorned, more down to facts in this book, which suits the protagonists.

The only thing that was unnecessary in my opinion was the epilogue. I think it spelled out the obvious, kind of, which wasn't needed and left the book on another note than the last chapter proper, it destroyed the message a little for me.

Everyone who loved Weyward, or likes stories about female rage in general, should give The Sirens a try, you won't be disappointed! Thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for the E-Arc! Even though the PDF-Format sucked 😅

This book was so descriptive, it created a new world for me while I was reading! It’s packed with strong female characters, revenge, self-discovery, and love between sisters and mother-daughter.
The story is told in different timelines, and I liked how the timelines connected in the end.

The Sirens is a hauntingly beautiful tale of power, myth, and feminine strength. Emilia Hart’s writing is lyrical and captivating—an unforgettable read.

This book is unputdownable and gripping. There are dual timelines; present and past. Lucy has vivid visions and she finds herself in an unsettling situation. To escape from what she did, she flees to her sister. She thinks only Jess will understand her. But as soon as she reach new south wales, she finds out that her sister is missing and the town is surrounded by tales of missing men. She reads her diary to get closure and listen to podcast. Dig more in the history of town, find paintings, and delve in the visions that occupies her mind.

While dual timeline captivated me. I was more invested in the past timeline. It made sense to me and it clarified everything the sisters were going through. The prologue added a layer of mystery and the book unfolded like the infinite layers of mystery where truth, secrets, tragedy and unsettling memories of the past were buried beneath the surface. If you like stories infused with female relationships, magical realism, female resilience, sisterhood, and the power of sea, read this book.

Thanks to Publisher and Author.

My first book by this author. It was atmospheric and written absolutely beautifully, but definitely took a while to get into the plot.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was excited when I had this ARC approved as I really enjoyed Weyward. I liked how the stories were linked over different periods of time. The Sirens is written in a similar way. There is the narrative of Mary and Eliza who are onboard a convict ship bound for New South Wales, Australia from Ireland. In 2019 Lucy has fled from her university to see her sister Jess, at her seaside hideaway. When she arrives she finds that her sister is missing. Whilst she awaits her return she finds her sister's diaries from when she was a teenager in 1999. Lucy is about to learn some family secrets that will change her life forever and also tie the sisters to the past.

This book took a while to get into but I think I had the same experience with Weyward. Once I warmed to the characters I enjoyed finding out how the story’s were interconnected. There is quite a lot of trauma in the book from both sets of sisters. They have all been abused by men in some way or another. It is this trauma that creates the bond between the characters. I loved the darkness and the supernatural element to the novel. It built up the suspense and then there was a twist to the plot which tied things up neatly at the end. I wasn’t sure about the prologue at the end as it had me asking more questions that couldn’t be answered.

I would recommend this to those who enjoy historical fiction, thrillers or supernatural thrillers. I look forward to reading more Emilia Hart books in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction and The Borough Press for allowing me to read this ARC.

The Sirens is a well written, atmospheric novel with a strong storytelling voice. Lucy is on the run—from what she’s done, and what was done to her. She seeks refuge with her sister Jess, only to find her missing. Alone in a remote coastal town full of eerie legends and whispers of the past, Lucy begins to hear voices—stories of two sisters from centuries ago, bound by trauma and resistance.

While I admired the lyrical writing and layered narrative, the plot felt a bit predictable, and the magical realism didn’t quite work for me. Still, this is a thoughtful, haunting read that will no doubt appeal to fans of myth, magic, and feminist folklore.

So this is my first Emilia Hart book. I have Weyward but I haven’t gotten around to it. The Sirens has definitely made me bump it up on my tbr!

I LOVE a dual timeline pov. While sometimes it’s kinda confusing at first, I was hooked in from the beginning!

Emilia’s take on womanhood and sisterhood was so beautifully done. It made me call up my sister and tell her much I loved her.

I highly recommend the audiobook!

Absolutely brilliant! I loved the way both MC’s stories intertwined and adored the past/current time lines!

The Sirens (3.5*) is a compelling novel that seamlessly blends magical realism with historical fiction. The story intertwines different timelines and perspectives, revolving around two sets of sisters, one in the 19th century on a penal ship from Ireland to Australia, and one set in the present day. on the Australian coast. The novel explores themes of abuse, resilience and the bonds of sisterhood.

Hart’s writing style is lyrical and evocative, bringing the characters’ inner voices alive and creating a rich and immersive narrative.

The characterisation in The Sirens is one of its strongest aspects. The characters are well-rounded and complex characters, and easy to connect with despite the fantastical elements of the story. The sisters, both historical and contemporary, are portrayed with depth and nuance: their struggles feel real and personal.

The novel’s exploration of sisterhood is moving, woven delicately through the story. The ‘historical’ sisters have a deep and immediate bond, while that of the contemporary sisters is fractured by distance and misunderstandings, but their bond feels strong regardless. The magical realism elements enhance this theme, serving as a metaphor for the intangible and timeless bond between the sisters. The sea itself is a powerful presence in the novel and in the sisters’ lives, at once menacing and offering a place of safety.

Hart’s portrayal of the harsh realities faced by the women in a ship bound for a penal colony is compelling and heart-wrenching. The theme of sisterly bonds is extended here to the bond between the women crammed together into the belly of the ship for months on end, suffering together the disgusting conditions, starvation diet and casual abuse.

I really loved Hart's last book, Weyward. The Sirens did not sucker-punch me to the same extent. In my review of Weyward, I wrote:
"This book affected me strongly. It made me sad and fuelled my rage. It made me want to incite my friends to form a coven. It reminded me how passionate I used to feel about women's rights when I was a teenager in the 70s, and how defeated I feel now as I watch the world and see how little things have really, fundamentally improved."
The Sirens didn't affect me anything like the same way, but it's still a powerful and engaging read, with a satisfying conclusion that ties up the various plot threads neatly.

Whether you’re a fan of magical realism, historical fiction, or simply enjoy a well-crafted story, The Sirens is a novel that’s well worth your time. Weyward even more so.

My thanks to Netgalley for giving me a free copy of this book. All my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased, regardless of how I acquire the book.

After loving “Weyward” I was very excited for Emilia Hart’s next book and it did not disappoint. Hart can masterfully weave different timelines together and sprinkle a little bit of magic in her writing. Loved the characters and their growth within their story. Will definitely recommend this book.

Thank you so much for this ARC! This was my first book by this author, but I'm very intrigued to read more after this one. The start was a bit slow for me, but after a while, I flew through the book and really wanted to see what was going to happen. The book definitely felt predictable to me, but it was written in a way that it didn't bother me as much.
Rating: 3.5/5

"I know people who said they've heard it, standing on the beach at night. Voices, coming from the waves. Women's voices."

'The Sirens' is a story told in two timelines - following Lucy and Jess in 2019, and Mary and Eliza in the 1800s on a convict ship heading for Australia. These sisters seem inexplicably linked, as Mary and Eliza start appearing in Jess and Lucy's dreams. The story has elements of magical realism, historical fiction and mystery; with themes of sisterhood, secrets, and female resilience. This is my first book from Emilia Hart, despite all they hype around her debut novel 'Weyward' that I'm yet to read. I was drawn to read 'The Sirens' mainly because of my childhood love of mermaids, and the Australian setting definitely appealed - having grown up over there myself.

I enjoyed the writing, there were some really beautiful descriptions. However, unfortunately I never really clicked with the story - it never pulled me in, and i never felt connected to any of the characters. There was no real plot for 80% of the book; no hook or real sense of urgency; nothing that made me want to keep reading. The main issue I had was the multiple POV's - they all had the same narrative style and voice, so it was really difficult to tell the characters apart. This made the story feel unbelievable, especially when switching to the 1800s. The story does pick up towards the end, with some interesting twists, but I just didn't feel the pay off was worth it in the end; there was way too much meandering to get there.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the advanced digital copy. The Sirens was published in the UK on 13th February 2025.

2.5 stars

I was excited to read this after loving Weyward & I loved this book so much too! A story told in multiple PoVin multiple timelines that converge to an explosive ending. The suspense & tension that was built up had me hooked and I devoured this book.

A magical and mysterious read. The multiple pov adds depth to the story, the magical realism and the atmospheric setting keep you hooked. The feminist themes showed the power and resilience of women and felt very powerful

Absolutely loved Weyward so I was made up to get an ARC of The Sirens and it absolutely lived up to my expectations! With the same mystical, feminist vibe as the first book, The Sirens is told by multiple POVs (which I LOVE!) by sisters Jess and Lucy, and Mary, an Irish woman held prisoner on a ship to Australia. I don’t want to give any spoilers away but if you like mysterious, mythical, feminist fiction - this is for you!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review!

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this reading, via NetGalley.

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I am now even sorrier that I missed the event dedicated to this book, close to Leeds, in January. To be honest, I switched the dates of my trip there to fit it, as well as the opening of a new indie bookshop called Next Chapter. Unfortunately, the event was happening in Farsley, and there was no transport options at its hour, so I had to decline in the end.

The experience of reading THE SIRENS is far from being gentle. This is a complex book, with time switching from present to quite a distant past, and them being connected. There is a sufficient dose of magic for me to consider it magical realism, and yet most of the feeling is of eeriness and folksiness rather than uncanny. Ireland as a place or origin and myth was a bonus point for me, as well as present day Australia. These two in the same book will usually give it an extra!

The mystery part unravels in both past and present. It's connected, again, different yet related, same as the two pairs of sisters depicted in the book. I seem to read and translate many books with merfolk in the last years, and to discover each of them makes me wish for more.

The Sirens
Well, what was not to love about this wonderful story?! Emilia Hart has done it again!

Narrated by sisters Jess and Lucy in modern day Australia, and twin sisters Mary and Eliza in 1800 aboard a convict ship headed for Australia, The Sirens is full of mystery, suspense and heart stopping moments as the sisters stories unfold and weave around each other seamlessly.

I adored the mythology and folklore running throughout and was compelled to keep turning the pages as quickly as I could. Emilia's writing is beautiful and evocative, and really absorbed me. I could almost taste the salt on my lips.

I absolutely loved Emilias debut novel Weyward and although The Sirens does feel quite different, the themes of justice, feminism, sisterhood, and the resilience of women complimented with magical realism are similar.

A beautiful, powerful read with a strong plot - I was hooked from the opening pages right until the end.

As a fan of Weyward I was excited to read this and it did not disappointing! I enjoyed the two timeliness that were easy to follow and multiple poverty and the twists and turns in the 2nd half, omg. I would recommend