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May is the month of my big sister’s birthday. Kylie is my only sibling and one of those people who has a “birthday month”. Couldn’t be me!
Last year I watched some of her recommendations: Can My Sister Recommend Me Films Better than Myself? 🎬 and this year I thought I would use this opportunity to get some of my TBR read, by focusing on books with a heavy sister element.
I got my sister involved by asking her incredibly normal questions related to the plots of the books I was reading, and seeing what my sister would do.
Cloistered: My Years as a Nun; Catherine Coldstream
rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“After the shock of her father’s death, and with her family scattered, twenty-four-year old Catherine was left grieving and alone. A search for meaning led her to Roman Catholicism and the nuns of Akenside Priory…
…A love song to a lost community and an honest account of her twelve years in the Order, Cloistered explores what is most nourishing, and yet most potentially destructive, when human beings, even with the best intentions, cut themselves off from the wider world.”
While none of these women are blood related, they’re all ‘sisters’ and I really wanted to read this book, so I’m counting it.
I studied religion at University and I do wish I read more books about this topic. Especially the niche and odd elements to religion. Catherine Coldstream takes us on a journey through her embrace of Catholicism and how it led her to becoming a member of a Carmelite monastery; a female-only silent order who live an ascetic lifestyle away from the rest of society.
Coldstream’s writing style feels like a blend of memoir and fiction, which is heightened when you get to the heart of the awful experiences she had at Akenside. Instead of being able to form enriching sisterly bonds with the other women, Coldstream is at the mercy of her superiors who are all vying for power.
I would highly recommend giving this a read, however, please be conscious that this book deals with parental death, parental neglect, bullying, undiagnosed mental health, physical and mental abuse.
The River Has Roots; Amal El-Mohtar
rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, dwells the mysterious Hawthorn family.
There, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None more devotedly than the family’s latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees.
But when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favor of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters’ bond but also their lives will be at risk…”
The opening to The River Has Roots made me feel a bit dumb, not going to lie. I re-read the first few pages several times. The writing is beautiful, but wordy and has a slow start, but the second half is much more engaging. This could have been longer for more character depth, but the writing style wouldn’t have been able to sustain a longer length. The actual novella is only 99 pages long and at times it felt tough to get through.
I enjoyed the relationship between Esther and Ysabel, and as a younger sister, I could definitely understand Ysabel’s fears. The world-building was minimal, but the prose was atmospheric and the book contains such lovely lithographic illustrations that adds to the fairy tale vibe.
The romance between Esther and Rin was sweet, but the sisterly relationship is this books strength, as intended by El-Mohtar.
Personally, I would have rated The River Has Roots lower than 4⭐, however, I really enjoyed the short story included at the end – John Hollowback and the Witch – which makes me excited for El-Mohtar’s short story collection coming out next year! As well, as El-Mohtar’s Acknowledgements ❤️
The London Séance Society; Sarah Penner
rating: ⭐⭐⭐
“Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy.
But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves…”
The London Séance Society takes place in 1873 and on my birthday, which makes me feel better as the younger sister is dead.
Another short book – 274 pages – that felt longer to get through. Lenna just isn’t that interesting and while her relationship with Vaudeline has it’s moments, it just feels very surface level. This book being LGBTQ+ was a nice surprise, especially as this post is in ‘honour’ of my sister. She loves older women as well!
The actual mystery was slow going. We flip between perspectives – that of Lenna and Mr. Morley – the latter being a member of the London Séance Society who enlists Vaudeline’s help. His chapters were somewhat interesting, but meant that certain ‘twists’ felt obvious and underwhelming when we have his insights to everything.
Not be biased, but more of Evie was needed or Penner needed to give Lenna an actual personality.
Thanks for reading!
I hope you’re having a lovely day and staying safe ❤️
DramaRambles 🌸 