The Sisters K

by Maureen Sun

When Eugene Kim assembles his three estranged daughters at his deathbed, he means to put them to the test.  Vicious and pathetic in equal measure, he wants to see who will abject themselves for his favor—and, more importantly, his fortune.  For Minah, the eldest, the money would be recompense for their father’s cruelty. A practicing lawyer with an icy pragmatism, she sets to work on securing her inheritance, whatever the cost.  To Sarah, a gifted and introverted academic who eschews intimacy and wields her intelligence like a weapon, the money feels more like a as Eugene’s unwilling favorite, she wants nothing to do with him.  It is often left to Esther, the youngest, with her unwavering need to do what is right by everyone, even at the cost of her own wellbeing, to navigate their differences.  Each desperate to escape their circumstances, the sisters wrestle with the legacy of their abusive father, their isolation and rage, and the complicated love they nonetheless hold for each other through it all. A modern reimagining of Dostoevsky’s dark classic, The Brothers Karamazov , Maureen Sun’s debut novel is a vivid family drama about what it is we owe each other when vengeance is the only thing called for.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Retellings, Literary Fiction, Adult, Asia, Asian Literature

358 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 11, 2024

Reviews

[Anna Avian · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The Sisters K" is a challenging read, not just because of its length, but due to the emotional and thematic heaviness that permeates the narrative. Spanning over what feels like a hundred pages too many, the novel often finds itself bogged down in repetitive scenes and slow pacing.

The story centers on three estranged sisters who reunite with the shared goal of claiming their abusive father's inheritance. This premise sets the stage for a dysfunctional family drama that is relentlessly bleak. The sisters, despite their collaboration towards this mutual goal, do not experience any meaningful reconciliation or growth in their relationships. Instead, their interactions remain fraught with tension and unresolved issues, leaving the reader yearning for some form of closure that never quite materializes.

One of the most striking aspects of this novel is its lack of positive, redeeming characters. Each character is steeped in their own mire of despair, depression, and anger, making it difficult for the reader to find anyone to root for. The absence of a likable protagonist or a glimmer of hope makes the narrative feel even more oppressive. The characters seem destined to wallow in their misery, and in many ways, they appear to deserve their fates.

While some readers might appreciate the raw and unflinching portrayal of a deeply troubled family, many will find the lack of resolution and the persistent negativity overwhelming. The novel's ending, which offers no significant uplift or redemption, reinforces the sense of futility that runs throughout the book. For those hoping for a more positive conclusion or some form of cathartic release, "The Sisters K" is likely to disappoint.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 no notes absolutely love this. lit fic lovers please read this absolute gem
gifted by the publisher

A modern reimagining of THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV (Fyodor Dostoevsky), K is an extraordinarily written and gutwrenching tale of revenge and redemption. The writing is very lit fic and took me a bit to get into, but I couldn't look away once I got into the groove. I adore K's deep character study of the three sisters. While each is deeply flawed, Sun does a phenomenal job of evoking empathy by vividly portraying their hopes, dreams, and grief. K is as much a story of surviving an abusive father as it is about the life-saving power of sisterhood. For fans of WHEN WE WERE SISTERS (Fatimah Asghar) and THE STORY GAME (Shze-Hui Tjoa) or those who crave more profound character studies after reading the two, definitely make sure to catch this masterful debut that deserves all the praise.

I want to highlight this quote, which feels so suitable for the moment and brings me to tears: "I don't want to forgive, and I can't forget. But everything we are, we can redeem."

[elin | winterrainreads]

〝there was no hell. there was only a purgatory in this world for the select few who learned what they were and what they had done. that was the only kind of justice that existed. it punished only the seekers of truth: those who tried to understand themselves.〞

dnf @ 48%

thank you to unnamed press and netgalley for providing me with this arc.

after years of estrangement, minah, sarah, and esther have been forced together again. called to their father’s deathbed, the sisters must confront a man little changed by the fact of his mortality. vicious and pathetic in equal measure, eugene kim wants one thing: to see which of his children will abject themselves for his favor— and more importantly, his fortune.

from reading the blurb this sounded like the perfect book for me but it sadly just didn't work out that way. I usually love books exploring complicated family relationships and unique feelings surrounding grief and both were done really well and interestingly in this novel but the overall writing, structure and pacing just made it feel like a chore to read. the characters were flat and monotonous and even though I read almost half of the book I don't have any feelings towards any of them. the most interesting part of the whole book was the introduction. the first chapters about how the sisters grew up and the whole family history had me hooked but as soon as it switched to present day I started to fall asleep multiple times per chapter.

somewhere deep inside I want to know what happens in the rest of the book but it's just not worth it to force myself to read almost another two hundred pages of boring conversations and hollow characters. I don't even understand how this book is as long as it is. sure, I know what I've read but I truly can't fathom how the little amount of information I have took almost two hundred pages to get. it truly just made it feel like reading was a chore instead of a hobby and I just needed to stop reading it to avoid getting into a reading slump.

ig: @winterrainreads

[Afra Binte Azad · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Sisters K" is a mighty composition of human affliction. Centered around a complex familial unit, the story dissects the acute dysfunctionalities and morbid realities of human flaws, making it a psychologically fascinating read. The novel’s brilliance lies in its contagious agony, which perpetually invokes intense human compassion. The characters, depicted with brilliant precision, embody the paradoxical nature of human beings. It does not shy away from depicting the darker aspects of the human psyche with brutal honesty. The narration perfectly encapsulates the mental drainage to deal with a complete philistine. The narrative draws a poignant parallel between acts of cruelty and love. This is indeed a brilliant yet brutal constitution. The author has mastered the art of manipulation through contradictions, presenting a narrative that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally piercing. The novel’s commentary on the complexities of love, cruelty, and familial obligations makes it a solemn beauty.

Thank you, NetGalley and Unnamed Press for the ARC.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like 3 1/2⭐️ for me but leaning towards 4.

The Sisters K is a debut novel by Maureen Sun about a Korean family, mainly the relationship of the 3 sisters and their abusive father told as a reimagining of The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky.

This novel started very strong. I enjoyed the writing style and the format of the book which is separated into 6 parts, each part having 3 to 5 chapters, and then those chapters are broken up. It’s a format that made sense with the story and made it easy to read.

It is definitely a character driven book with minimal plot. The characters were all very well laid out, complicated and flawed. I was invested in the sisters and their relationship with each other and although I didn’t necessarily like each character, I was able to empathize with them. The relationships that are portrayed between the sisters and with the father and the mothers are all very genuine. Sun does an excellent job of expressing the damage that the father’s abuse has had on each sister and how it has shaped their lives and their relationship with each other. As you learn about each character, there is a plot that emerges of potential revenge, redemption and forgiveness but it definitely takes a back seat in the first half of the book.

As the book went on there were things that began to bother me. The struggle of speaking English and the struggle of speaking Korean was an important part of this families relationship but it wasn’t made very clear, especially at the beginning, when these struggles were happening. Also, there were times when it wasn’t very clear who we were following. It would be revealed several sentences in to where I would have to go back and reread. Jeonghee, also felt like she needed a little more development. I would have liked to know just a little more about how she went from what we learned in the first chapter to what we learn about her toward the end. Finally, this was too long. There was no reason for it to be as long as it was. There were several sections at the end that just felt unnecessary and parts began to feel repetitive specifically with Sarah.

With that being said, I would definitely recommend this book to those that don’t mind character studies. It is beautifully written and well worth the read. An excellent book for a debut and I look forward to more from Maureen Sun.

***Thank you NetGalley, Unnamed Press, and Maureen Sun for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.***

[Alice Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

potentially one of my favorite reads this year…it’s “lit fic” but extremely readable. i was sucked in the way books used to pull me in as a child! sun’s perfect empathy and understanding of her characters is absolutely stunning. every page moved me.

[luce (cry bebè's back from hiatus)]

review to come

[Keyreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sisters K is the most emotionally draining novel of the year and, I was here for every second of it.
An abusive father is dying from a terminal illness, and in desperation, he calls his three daughters to his side. This novel is a complicated and honest portrayal of the emotions surrounding loss and the hopeless yearning for acceptance. It is about the obligation we feel toward loved ones and the compensation we demand at the end. Beautifully written, this is family drama at its finest.

[Mohammad Anas · Rating 4 out of 5]

[NetGalley Read #7]

4.25 ⭐

Very good.

The characters are very well written. Their fears, anxiety, stress, loneliness, helplessness is conveyed beautifully by the writer.

Recommended. 👍

[Cara McDermott · Rating 3 out of 5]

With unflinching prose and psychological acuity, Maureen Sun articulates the strangled, dysfunctional intimacy of three Korean-American sisters raised by an abusive patriarch. Stunning prose, but a hundred pages too long.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaking masterpiece. Merry Christmas to me!!

More tk

[Misha · Rating 5 out of 5]

(rounded up from 4.5)

I've not read the Brothers Karamazov but this kind of family dynamic is right up my usual reading alley: abusive parent, siblings who are deeply different from each other and even estranged from each other and their father but being forced to come together to get some form of reparations for their trauma. Toss in the thread of an illegitimate brother that the father taunts them with as the heir to his fortune and you have the strained dynamics of this book.

Eugene Kim is a fascinating piece of shit. He's barely coherent in English and determinedly stays that way and weaponises it. Only one of his daughters is fluent enough in Korean to be able to communicate fully with him, the rest struggle in English. He's violent, emotionally and often physically abusive to his wives and daughters, and proudly carries the contempt of the Korean community.

Eugene's first wife had one daughter that he abhorred and packed off to Korea with her mother. Minah is neglected and rejected on a good day and finally escapes her family without a look back to dive into her law practice and the idea of her own family. His second wife had a daughter that Eugene prizes above all his children, a musical prodigy who is sharply intelligent but completely unable to make any kind of human connection. Esther is the youngest, prized by her mother and so mostly neglected by Eugene and left to her own devices or in the care of the neighbour lady. Each of the daughters grows up deeply resentful of her sisters and father and full of shame and trauma. Only Esther is still in touch with and caring for their father, who claims to not have long to live and wishes to play the daughters against each other for his amusement as he dangles his fortune in front of them. He also claims to have an illegitimate son, a doctor, who he will claim as his only child after his disappointing daughters.

The really interesting discussions in this book begin here. How do you compare and quantify trauma? Who deserves the money more: the daughter who was knocked around and ignored all her life? The one who was burdened with being "the favourite"? The one who has quietly cared for her father through his insults and abuse? Or the son who has been caring for the father in the last few months of his life? What is fair when it comes to trauma and possible reparations? Can money even provide anything but security that is due rather than any meaningful improvement or healing?

This is a fascinating portrait of people who grew up with various kinds of abuse and neglect and have deeply internalised shame. How much longer can they put up with their father's games before something snaps? Who will be the final beneficiary of this cruel game?

This is a surprisingly easy read despite the heavy subject matter. There are lots of internal mediations on faith, god, being good, filial loyalty and healing from trauma and abuse.

[Kyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sisters K is a contemporary reimagining of Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov and centers around three estranged sisters from a Korean-American family who are brought back together to deal with their ailing, emotionally abusive father. With writing sharp and insightful, Sun exposes the flaws and desires of each sister and examines the impact their traumatic childhood had on them. This is a heartrending tale of revenge, resilience and the power of sisterhood. Highly recommend for fans of character-driven family dramas.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of book that leaves you obsessing about it in between reading sessions—remembering details and insights that might help you bring the whole thing together, or wishing a sister or other would locate elusive insight. Sun spends so much time inside the heads and hearts of the sisters that the plot becomes unimportant, the other characters fade away, and what’s left is raw, poignant self reflection. The inner thoughts of the sisters are unpredictable, often unsatisfying, ugly, frustrating…but also tender, accepting, unapologetically honest. I got lost in them and loved it. This is a novel about staying the same and changing, the emotional work of moving past, and of course, love. And as a reader you are right there in the midst of the work, solving the mystery, and drawing your own parallels to each sister as she reveals her true self. I’m already looking forward to re-reading this one.

[Anna K. Amendolare · Rating 3 out of 5]

Keep a dictionary handy - you may need it. I know I did! Although, I didn't feel that the author was trying to impress me with her SAT vocabulary, just that her word choice conveyed more specific meaning. Also, I felt that the author did more telling than showing. Yes, I do want insight into the characters thoughts, but there was too much. I wanted the author to show me the characters, not tell me. Aside from my critique of her writing, the story itself was okay. Not a satisfying ending. I'm not sure if that is because she based this off of Dostoevsky’s novel, The Brothers Karamazov, and that's how that one ended (I haven't read that one) so that's how this one ended, or if she wrote a new ending - all I will say is, that sucked. If you like dark, depressive family dramas, then you might like this. Otherwise, I'd avoid this one.

[Preeti Mahatme · Rating 4 out of 5]

A creative debut novel by Maureen Sun retelling the story of Dostoevsky's classic, The Brothers Karamazov. This one is centred around a Korean- American family of three sisters: Minah, Sarah and Esther. They have endured a very difficult childhood and teenage years under a non-existent mother and a domineering and mentally abusive father, Eugene. Eugene is an uneducated Korean man who migrated to LA and has amassed a lot of wealth although he continues to be miserly and petty-minded where his family is concerned. Eugene's abusive behavior towards his family has had far-reaching consequences on the girls' personalities as also their relationships with one another as also with other people. As Eugene lays dying of cancer, the girls who have been pretty much estranged for several years are reluctantly brought together. While each sister deals with the illness, their own fraught relationships and their dying father's demands in her own way, all of them are hopeful of a sizeable inheritance. And somewhere, they are also looking for revenge and redemption as their all-powerful father is reduced to a state of relative helplessness. The book is a slow burn and is more a character study rather than a plot-based story. The author has done a great job of character development and as you read along you get to know each sister, their ambitions, their motivations, their trauma and their insecurities. Some of the philosophical discussions could have done with a bit of an edit, but I guess they are also reminiscent of the original novel on which it is based. All the characters are imperfect and have their flaws. The plot line is mostly linear with some flashbacks but again excruciatingly slow in the reveal. This is a book perfect for lovers of classic retellings, detailed character studies and complex family relationships. Perfect for book club discussions
Thank you NetGalley, Unnamed Press and The Sisters K for the ARC.

[Angie Miale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah, Minah and Esther have come together as adults to their father's last days, to comfort and be comforted, to forgive and be forgiven. They are flawed, loving, trusting, doing their best. They are a family and a "family." How can a father be angry at his adult children for having triggers and character defects that come down to his parenting, or lack therof?

This book made me think of what it means to be a father. For example; Harry Potter had several fathers. Biologically his father was James Potter, legally his father was Vernon Dursley, spiritually his father was Sirius Black, but in many ways his father was Albus Dumbledore. And so the sister Kim have fathers and mothers and sisters.

This book is a primary example of why I never put a book down as DNF. The first 40% of this book was almost painfully boring. The last 15% was so touching, so riveting, so beautifully written. The blurb tells me this is a modern retelling of The Brothers Karamazov. That is a book I would read if I were smart. I have never read it, but if you have, and you LOVE it, perhaps you will find this book extremely creative. Or maybe you will find it a dramatic detraction from the original. To be honest, I wish I didn't know that, because it always has me wondering.... "is this book good?" I feel like I can't answer it.

If you like historical fiction, sweeping family dramas, Korean-American culture, and zinger one liners, you will love this book.

Here is one of my favorites.

"What do you mean by that, anyway? Good person, bad person. You're making me tired."

[Kkraemer · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the most basic level, this is the inner stories of three siblings who had the worst father imaginable, and who have almost no basis for thinking about their current adult lives and selves. Two of the sisters diverted their pain into academic study; the third simply went a-travelin', and all three spend pages and pages of inner dialogue weighing their anger against their father against perceived slights from the other sisters. There is almost no action in this novel, though an additional == and heretofore -- unknown sibling from one of their father's affairs does appear.
On another level, though, this is the deep exploration of God, free will, and morality a la Dostoyevsky and the Brothers Karamazov. Gender is deeply considered as well, as the sisters grapple with not only their pain and anger, but with the fact that the new sibling is a son, and their father hates all women. The son, of course, stands to inherit their father's fortune (a fortune that father waves as a cudgel, in addition to his usual run of the mill sexist screeds)
This book, like that of Dostoyevsky, is borne of all-consuming hate...hate learned from the earliest awareness, hate that forms the core of the sisters' understanding of the world, leaving little room for other bases of understanding.
A tour de force.

[Jodie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will be chasing the high of The Brothers Karamazov for the rest of my human life in vain, won't I?

Generally an alright book but the attempts at capturing the lush debates of its spiritual sibling are bloated and staltifying. I've had more lively, fulfilling conversations about God in cars with friends with sub sandwiches in our laps than are had here. There's something to be commended in the portryal of misogyny within Sisters K (something Dostoevsky utterly dropped the ball on) but outside of that I felt as though the narrative would constantly come close to saying something incredibly profound and then back away at the last moment in timid fear.

It's unfair to compare Sisters K to what is maybe the best story ever put to page. But when the marketing pushed that exact comparison it's difficult to not get caught up in nitpicking the ways in which this story could have been much greater than the sum of its parts. It's a good story when standing alone but perhaps the publisher should have been a bit more tame in their hype package and the naming of the book.

1.5/5

[cowboy hannibal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I thought this was lovely. It is a cold story, the writing and characters can both be a little chilly, but there are moments of real warmth that burn through. The prose is gorgeous and flows well. It clipped along at a good pace. Surprised by the DNFs and low ratings here. Well, not really surprised, this is Goodreads after all.

I’m incredibly leery of the desire for a book to be populated with likeable characters, especially since I know very few likeable people in real life. Doesn’t ring true, you know? I also detest a chummy narrator. Sun’s novel does not contain either of those things—her narrator is detached but has still managed to climb inside her characters’ skin. There are plenty of booktok romances if you need to be spoon-fed, don’t pick up literary fiction if you haven’t reached an adult reading level yet, I guess ?

I read this book because Mary Gaitskill wrote a glowing review on her substack! Thank you Mary, my good friend Mary!

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now on his deathbed, little has fundamentally changed over the years in terms of Eugene Kim's attitude to his daughters. A misogynistic Korean traditionalist, his abuse has contributed to years of estrangement between his daughters.

Now he is determined to be the puppeteer once again by making them work hard to inherit his considerable fortune. But not all of the three Kim sisters share his - for that matter, each other's - priorities...

This is a moving story that has the ring of authenticity. Especially when it comes to certain aspects of Korean culture, which extends its influence over most Korean American families. Well worth a read, it gets 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Emily G · Rating 3 out of 5]

“There was no hell. There was only a purgatory in this world…It punished only the seekers of truth: those who tried to understand themselves.”p107

“You’re my sister, but I’m not sure I love you…But if someone hurt you I’d want to kill him. I’d want him to die in pain.”p132

“The definition of tradition might be that: sacrificing your children to your vision”p148

“Money was power and dirt. It could be alchemized into love.”p165

Eugene was a cruel, hateful, and abusive (physical and psychologically) dad to his estranged 3 daughters (who grew up miserable, hated and hateful). He games his offspring into caring for him when he becomes terminally ill. Depressing novel where the characters are each ultimately betrayed by each other and unto themselves.

[Paulette Ponte · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not an easy book to read, partly because of the content and also the writer's style of writing. There were times when I had to stop and think about who was speaking. Each of the sisters were deeply troubled due to the mysogynistic father who abused them throughout their lives. The sisters never find much solace as they grow up and once again make a try at connecting. They do not know much about each other and it's hard to make up for all their years apart. They are all aware of the abuse they have suffered, especially the two older sisters. Interesting read.

[BookBrowse · Rating 5 out of 5]

With realistic and layered characters—Sarah and Minah are especially complex and vivid, but readers who have experience with a controlling, narcissistic, dictatorial man will be disturbed by the authenticity of Eugene—and a story that quietly simmers with intrigue until it boils over spectacularly, The Sisters K is an arresting portrait of rage, resentment, trauma, and revenge.
-Lisa Butts

Read the full review at: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/review...

[Suzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Sister's K: A Novel", is a retelling of The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky, reimagined with three Korean sisters whose father is unflinchingly cruel and demanding. The emotional turmoil is gut-wrenching throughout the book. The characters are well developed and the writing is intense, the pace is sedate ---and still I could not connect with anyone, I emphasized with the sisters in regard to the parental abuse, yet I did not like any of them. The audiobook was easy to follow and I found easier to follow the story than in print.

[Laura Diamond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick, shame me now for never having read the classic that inspired this book.

A long drawn-out family drama filled with toxicity and general unpleasantness. It’s a tough read subject wise, but it’s also a little dry. I never felt fully engaged with the characters and as it dragged on, I found myself stubbornly turning the pages just to finish it. Everything felt inevitable but not really earned.

[Aydin Truong · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is so drawn out and masturbatory in how sad everything is it washes away any compassion I had and wrings it out to nothing. Two sisters I felt completely disconnected from, and the third (also the only main character in the book with like a semblance of positivity) gets like 10 pages from her perspective. This book was 200 pages too long.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given that a lot of the words Sun used went over my head, this book did an excellent job of characterizing the three sisters, the father, and Edwin. Everyone’s emotions were viscerally felt through the story. The plot was slow at times, but it really ends with a bang! Themes are love, family, greed, abuse and manipulation.

[Emma Weikum · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like it’s sort of hard to review this because it’s a retelling and I haven’t read the original work. I felt a distance from the characters, and like I couldn’t tell 100% what their motivations were as people, or what messages the author wanted to convey. Maybe it’s copying the source material, but it prevented me from thinking the book was anything more than just okay.