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Sirens
Not yet published
Expected 23 Sep 26100 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 23, 2026
About the author
Joseph Kertes
11 books62 followersJoseph Kertes was born in Hungary (1951) but escaped with his family to Canada after the revolution of 1956.
He studied English at York University and the University of Toronto, where he was encouraged in his writing by Irving Layton and Marshall McLuhan.
Kertes founded Humber College's distinguished creative writing and comedy programs. He is currently Humber's Dean of Creative and Performing Arts and is a recipient of numerous awards for teaching and innovation.
His first novel, Winter Tulips, won the Stephen Leacock Award for Humour. Boardwalk, his second novel, and two children's books, The Gift and The Red Corduroy Shirt, met with critical acclaim.
His novel, Gratitude, won a Canadian National Jewish Book Award and the U.S. National Jewish Book Award for Fiction. Kertes has also been a finalist for a National Magazine Award and the CBC Literary Award.
His latest novel, The Afterlife of Stars, has been described by Anne Michaels as “unforgettable and deeply moving,” and by Richard Bausch as “brilliant, radiant.”
He studied English at York University and the University of Toronto, where he was encouraged in his writing by Irving Layton and Marshall McLuhan.
Kertes founded Humber College's distinguished creative writing and comedy programs. He is currently Humber's Dean of Creative and Performing Arts and is a recipient of numerous awards for teaching and innovation.
His first novel, Winter Tulips, won the Stephen Leacock Award for Humour. Boardwalk, his second novel, and two children's books, The Gift and The Red Corduroy Shirt, met with critical acclaim.
His novel, Gratitude, won a Canadian National Jewish Book Award and the U.S. National Jewish Book Award for Fiction. Kertes has also been a finalist for a National Magazine Award and the CBC Literary Award.
His latest novel, The Afterlife of Stars, has been described by Anne Michaels as “unforgettable and deeply moving,” and by Richard Bausch as “brilliant, radiant.”
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I enjoyed this one overall, but it was definitely more of a slow, reflective historical fiction read than I expected going in.
Sirens follows Gabriel, a young Roma boy hiding during WWII in Greece, and Phoebe, the girl risking everything to help him survive. I’ve always been drawn to love stories set during wartime, especially ones that feel a little different from the usual WWII fiction, and I really liked the Greece setting here. It gave the story a different atmosphere than a lot of historical fiction I normally pick up.
The relationship between Gabriel and Phoebe was probably my favorite part of the book. There’s this quiet tenderness between them that felt believable considering the circumstances, and I found myself rooting for them the entire time. I also appreciated that the story focused on a perspective I don’t see often with the Roma representation.
That said, this book moved slower than I personally prefer at times. The diary-style writing worked in some places for me, but in others it made me feel a little emotionally removed when I wanted more depth or urgency. I kept wanting just a little more from certain moments emotionally.
Still, I’m glad I read it. I had a good time with it, enjoyed the writing style, and I’d definitely try another book by Joseph Kertes in the future.
Sirens follows Gabriel, a young Roma boy hiding during WWII in Greece, and Phoebe, the girl risking everything to help him survive. I’ve always been drawn to love stories set during wartime, especially ones that feel a little different from the usual WWII fiction, and I really liked the Greece setting here. It gave the story a different atmosphere than a lot of historical fiction I normally pick up.
The relationship between Gabriel and Phoebe was probably my favorite part of the book. There’s this quiet tenderness between them that felt believable considering the circumstances, and I found myself rooting for them the entire time. I also appreciated that the story focused on a perspective I don’t see often with the Roma representation.
That said, this book moved slower than I personally prefer at times. The diary-style writing worked in some places for me, but in others it made me feel a little emotionally removed when I wanted more depth or urgency. I kept wanting just a little more from certain moments emotionally.
Still, I’m glad I read it. I had a good time with it, enjoyed the writing style, and I’d definitely try another book by Joseph Kertes in the future.
Displaying 1 of 1 review