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The Sisters
"I told you people only run away from bad relationships and debts and Lucinda’s running away from both." Richard always knew that there was something special about his four daughters, Lucinda, Jessica, Beatrice and Emma. He knew that his instincts had been right when Lucinda, Jessica and Beatrice LeSoeur formed the group ‘Euterpe’ and became one of the most successful British R’n’B girl groups of the 1990s. Whilst Euterpe are riding the waves of success Lucinda controversially and surprisingly leaves and moves to New York to seek her own fame and fortune. Now, nearly 20 years later, Lucinda is back for a not so happy family reunion. Career failure, divorce and financial ruin sends Lucinda and her two children packing and on the first plane back to London. Jessica couldn’t quite leave the showbiz life behind and now runs a successful PR agency. When her second husband surprises her with divorce papers and she finds herself fighting public humiliation for the second time in her life, what she doesn’t need is the arrival of her older sister who she hasn’t spoken to after an explosive argument five years ago. Beatrice ran away as far she could from the music business, fully embracing her new roles as mother, wife and career woman. Always the mediator and the sister who wants to please, she’s excited about the return of Lucinda but is also anxious about the drama that she knows Lucinda will inevitably bring. Emma was too young to be part of the group but she has always been part of her sister’s lives. Strong willed but with her own insecurities, her instincts tell her that there is more to Lucinda’s return and she is determined to find out the truth.
- GenresFiction
437 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 21, 2015
19 people are currently reading
1046 people want to read
About the author
Nadine Matheson
15 books1,146 followersNadine Matheson lives in London. She began her working life at the BBC and now practices as a criminal defence lawyer. In 2016, she won the City University Crime Writing Competition and has a MA in Creative Writing.
Her crime fiction novel, The Jigsaw Man, was published by HQ in 2021. The Jigsaw Man has been sold in 15 territories to date and will be translated into 15 languages.
Praise For The Jigsaw Man
"Matheson has a keen instinct for keeping the pages turning." New York Times
"This modern and multilayered take on the high-octane thriller keeps the pages turning" Oprah Daily
‘The Jigsaw Man ranks amongst the very best debut thrillers – we’re talking top-ten territory here – I’ve read this past decade… It evokes, vibrantly and indelibly, a world I’ve never even glimpsed, much less entered – neither in literature nor in life… Matheson’s voice is exciting, urgent… and, now more than ever, vital’ A.J. Finn
*Shortlisted for the 2022 Diverse Book Award*
*Shortlisted for the Dead Good Reads Award- 'Cold as Ice Award for most Chilling Read
*A Crime Reads Most Anticipated Book of 2021*
*The Best Crime Novels To Read in 2022 - The Evening Standard
Nadine Matheson is also the host of 'The Conversation Podcast with Nadine Matheson'. Her third novel in the Detective Inspector Henley series, The Kill List, will be released in May 2024.
Nadine Matheson is represented by Oli Munson of A.M. Heath Literary Agents.
www.nadinematheson.com
Her crime fiction novel, The Jigsaw Man, was published by HQ in 2021. The Jigsaw Man has been sold in 15 territories to date and will be translated into 15 languages.
Praise For The Jigsaw Man
"Matheson has a keen instinct for keeping the pages turning." New York Times
"This modern and multilayered take on the high-octane thriller keeps the pages turning" Oprah Daily
‘The Jigsaw Man ranks amongst the very best debut thrillers – we’re talking top-ten territory here – I’ve read this past decade… It evokes, vibrantly and indelibly, a world I’ve never even glimpsed, much less entered – neither in literature nor in life… Matheson’s voice is exciting, urgent… and, now more than ever, vital’ A.J. Finn
*Shortlisted for the 2022 Diverse Book Award*
*Shortlisted for the Dead Good Reads Award- 'Cold as Ice Award for most Chilling Read
*A Crime Reads Most Anticipated Book of 2021*
*The Best Crime Novels To Read in 2022 - The Evening Standard
Nadine Matheson is also the host of 'The Conversation Podcast with Nadine Matheson'. Her third novel in the Detective Inspector Henley series, The Kill List, will be released in May 2024.
Nadine Matheson is represented by Oli Munson of A.M. Heath Literary Agents.
www.nadinematheson.com
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 3, 2015
As soon as I started reading Nadine Matheson's debut novel I was gripped! I absolutely love novels about sibling rivalry, and The Sisters is that, with bells on. From the first chapter, I was captivated by the story of the LeSoeur sisters; how they had gone from global fame with the band Euterpe to being at war was fascinating. I was so curious as to what Lucinda had done that was so bad, Jessica refused to speak to her or even entertain the notion they were sisters.
What was most interesting, though, was to see the sisters come together once again. This wasn't just a novel about Jessica and Lucinda's rivalry, it was about Beatrice and Emma, too. About how sometimes the worst things you can imagine are the things that can bring a family together. I admired Richard, the family patriarch, for refusing to allow his girls to keep fighting themselves whilst he battled cancer. Sometimes life's too short to keep a feud going.
I really loved The Sisters, from start to finish. Nadine Matheson has a fantastic voice, and tells a story in such a fantastic way. I loved that we got a panoramic 360-degree view of all of the characters, and it really helped see things from all perspectives. This is a girl who knows how to write a damn good story, and I am so pleased I got the opportunity to read this wonderful book. It's one that should be on your to-read list for sure, because it's a delightful tale, that proves it doesn't just have to be about the romance, which, for once, I didn't miss; in this case it was all about the family love there is and how no matter how much you try, those bonds are always there, waiting to come to the surface.
What was most interesting, though, was to see the sisters come together once again. This wasn't just a novel about Jessica and Lucinda's rivalry, it was about Beatrice and Emma, too. About how sometimes the worst things you can imagine are the things that can bring a family together. I admired Richard, the family patriarch, for refusing to allow his girls to keep fighting themselves whilst he battled cancer. Sometimes life's too short to keep a feud going.
I really loved The Sisters, from start to finish. Nadine Matheson has a fantastic voice, and tells a story in such a fantastic way. I loved that we got a panoramic 360-degree view of all of the characters, and it really helped see things from all perspectives. This is a girl who knows how to write a damn good story, and I am so pleased I got the opportunity to read this wonderful book. It's one that should be on your to-read list for sure, because it's a delightful tale, that proves it doesn't just have to be about the romance, which, for once, I didn't miss; in this case it was all about the family love there is and how no matter how much you try, those bonds are always there, waiting to come to the surface.
May 5, 2015
A quite enjoyable book, with some great moments, and a few not so great ones (but just a few!).
The good : it's well written, you get quickly into the story and the characters and you want to know what happens to them. It's some kind of family saga, though only during a short time (twenty years, nothing compared to Mazo de la Roche or Belva Plain), about 4 sisters. The three older ones created a music group twenty years ago, Euterpe, which got famous for the three or four years it lasted. In the nineties, that was the time of the Spice Girls and Destiny Child and Euterpe was just a bit less known in the U.K. The oldest sister, Lucinda, decided to leave the band and England to try to make it solo in the U.S. It did not work, but she stayed in the States with her husband until now. When the book begins, she has not been back to the U.K. in five years, her connection with her family has turned loose and she decides to head back home because she is broke. At the same time, her father learns he has pancreatic cancer and one of her sister will have to face a horrible divorce. You have all the elements for a great story about love, friendship and the complexity of siblings'relationships. During the 400 pages of the book, you won' be bored, you will feel like cheering with the girls, crying on their side, or laughing at the absurdity of life. Good, likable and believable characters, with strong points for each of them, and flaws like in real life. And it is not the first part of a tri- or tetrastory, it's a book with an end, no part II, III or XXV on the horizon! Yes, it still exists, books written in one tome and they are getting rare, meaning they should be protected. Another plus, there are no hot sex scenes. Some characters fall in love, but thank God, no description of what happens behind closed doors.
The bad : the editing should really be better. On the first page, you may read three times about the father's prostrate problems. No, he is not depressed, or holding his back in a bad position, he just has had a bout with prostate cancer five years ago and hopes to hear he is now fine. Later, a couple of "your" instead of "you're" bothered me, and a lot more typos not worth quoting. Just a pity, they shouldn't be found in such a nice book. A couple of things might be clearer too. 's obvious the family's mother is black, coming from the Grenadines, but I'm still not sure about the father, therefore about the color of the children, they could go from black coffee to tea with some milk, clearer than milk-coffee (among the most beautiful women, for me, some have this amazing golden color. I'll never know if it was their case...). Where did she get the meaning she gives for Euterpe's name? No, the question is poorly asked, I know where, on internet, Greek Mythology... but Euterpe means, the one knowing how to please. The usual "EU" find in evangelist, eulogy, etc, meaning good and terpo to please. She was named by poets the giver of delights, bu it is not the meaning of her name.
The ugly : I ended up being jealous of them, of their closeness, of their luck,of the way the worst events of their lives end up much better than it could have been expected. The father seems to have good chances to beat his cancer, the sister who thought she was broke discover she owns more than 2,000,000 pounds of royalties accumulated over the years, he kids thought to be difficult just needed some more attention and dialogue to change into delightful teenagers (is that an oxymoron?), the ex-husband wanting to get money from his wife will have his claim denied, two of the sisters will find love -maybe the third (and last single) one too as a glimpse between her and a long tome admirer could lead to bigger things... The weirdest thing is that, though you cannot believe so many good things would happen together, it does not really upset you, as it came through work, saying the true, trying to do their best, and not only like divine favors, thrown haphazardly on earth by a blind goddess of Fortune.
One thing is sure, and to be taken seriously : for those of you who have been blessed with parents and siblings able to see you grow up and take part to the major events of their lives, never give up on them. hey are the only ones who have seen you change, grow from the phases of life, from a baby to a pony-tailed girl, to a young woman, with or without kids to a riper age... Those times are almost wiped away if you don't have witnesses of them. Life is short and the people who go through it on your side matter. If you have your parents or siblings close to you as an adult, you are very lucky indeed. Bless the Gods wh enabled you to experience this feeling.
The good : it's well written, you get quickly into the story and the characters and you want to know what happens to them. It's some kind of family saga, though only during a short time (twenty years, nothing compared to Mazo de la Roche or Belva Plain), about 4 sisters. The three older ones created a music group twenty years ago, Euterpe, which got famous for the three or four years it lasted. In the nineties, that was the time of the Spice Girls and Destiny Child and Euterpe was just a bit less known in the U.K. The oldest sister, Lucinda, decided to leave the band and England to try to make it solo in the U.S. It did not work, but she stayed in the States with her husband until now. When the book begins, she has not been back to the U.K. in five years, her connection with her family has turned loose and she decides to head back home because she is broke. At the same time, her father learns he has pancreatic cancer and one of her sister will have to face a horrible divorce. You have all the elements for a great story about love, friendship and the complexity of siblings'relationships. During the 400 pages of the book, you won' be bored, you will feel like cheering with the girls, crying on their side, or laughing at the absurdity of life. Good, likable and believable characters, with strong points for each of them, and flaws like in real life. And it is not the first part of a tri- or tetrastory, it's a book with an end, no part II, III or XXV on the horizon! Yes, it still exists, books written in one tome and they are getting rare, meaning they should be protected. Another plus, there are no hot sex scenes. Some characters fall in love, but thank God, no description of what happens behind closed doors.
The bad : the editing should really be better. On the first page, you may read three times about the father's prostrate problems. No, he is not depressed, or holding his back in a bad position, he just has had a bout with prostate cancer five years ago and hopes to hear he is now fine. Later, a couple of "your" instead of "you're" bothered me, and a lot more typos not worth quoting. Just a pity, they shouldn't be found in such a nice book. A couple of things might be clearer too. 's obvious the family's mother is black, coming from the Grenadines, but I'm still not sure about the father, therefore about the color of the children, they could go from black coffee to tea with some milk, clearer than milk-coffee (among the most beautiful women, for me, some have this amazing golden color. I'll never know if it was their case...). Where did she get the meaning she gives for Euterpe's name? No, the question is poorly asked, I know where, on internet, Greek Mythology... but Euterpe means, the one knowing how to please. The usual "EU" find in evangelist, eulogy, etc, meaning good and terpo to please. She was named by poets the giver of delights, bu it is not the meaning of her name.
The ugly : I ended up being jealous of them, of their closeness, of their luck,of the way the worst events of their lives end up much better than it could have been expected. The father seems to have good chances to beat his cancer, the sister who thought she was broke discover she owns more than 2,000,000 pounds of royalties accumulated over the years, he kids thought to be difficult just needed some more attention and dialogue to change into delightful teenagers (is that an oxymoron?), the ex-husband wanting to get money from his wife will have his claim denied, two of the sisters will find love -maybe the third (and last single) one too as a glimpse between her and a long tome admirer could lead to bigger things... The weirdest thing is that, though you cannot believe so many good things would happen together, it does not really upset you, as it came through work, saying the true, trying to do their best, and not only like divine favors, thrown haphazardly on earth by a blind goddess of Fortune.
One thing is sure, and to be taken seriously : for those of you who have been blessed with parents and siblings able to see you grow up and take part to the major events of their lives, never give up on them. hey are the only ones who have seen you change, grow from the phases of life, from a baby to a pony-tailed girl, to a young woman, with or without kids to a riper age... Those times are almost wiped away if you don't have witnesses of them. Life is short and the people who go through it on your side matter. If you have your parents or siblings close to you as an adult, you are very lucky indeed. Bless the Gods wh enabled you to experience this feeling.
March 1, 2015
Review of The Sisters by Nadine Matheson.
This book was one of the most delightful I have been asked to review.
The narrative gripped me from the first page, jumping directly into one of the central plots of the novel.
It is a story, as the title suggests, about four sisters. However, it is also about families. The family of origin,where the sisters' parents play a large part, plus the satellite families which each sister has made for themselves.
The story flowed at an excellent pace, introducing new characters at salient points, and integrating them seamlessly into the plot.
The writing was generally very good, interesting and explanatory. This was only marred by typos; particularly extra words, missing words or wrong words. This, at first, made me consider giving the book a four star rating. However, the plot is so good, I have decided to give five stars, and ignore these errors. Perhaps one further proof reading would have ironed this out?
These word errors did not, however, distract me from the excellence of the story, and the largely satisfying ending.
The one exceptional characterisation which I would like to mention, was that of Lucinda, the oldest sister, who at the beginning of the book appeared to be living the life of a Hollywood divorcee whose ex-husband was a multi millionaire.
I disliked her. She appeared to be a spoilt, shallow woman who had no concept of 'real' life. She had let down two of her other sisters, by leaving a successful three girl singing group, and embarking on a solo career, some years earlier.
However, as the book unfolded, and Lucinda returned to the U.K. My opinion totally changed. I ended up rooting for her, admiring the qualities she truly possessed. This was due to Nadine Matheson's excellent portrayal of the character.
I do not want to give any spoilers, so will say no more. Only to emphasise that this is a wonderful book about family relationships, the importance of communication, misunderstandings, forgiveness and love.
Highly recommended. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author, and have placed her on my list of favourite writers.
This book was one of the most delightful I have been asked to review.
The narrative gripped me from the first page, jumping directly into one of the central plots of the novel.
It is a story, as the title suggests, about four sisters. However, it is also about families. The family of origin,where the sisters' parents play a large part, plus the satellite families which each sister has made for themselves.
The story flowed at an excellent pace, introducing new characters at salient points, and integrating them seamlessly into the plot.
The writing was generally very good, interesting and explanatory. This was only marred by typos; particularly extra words, missing words or wrong words. This, at first, made me consider giving the book a four star rating. However, the plot is so good, I have decided to give five stars, and ignore these errors. Perhaps one further proof reading would have ironed this out?
These word errors did not, however, distract me from the excellence of the story, and the largely satisfying ending.
The one exceptional characterisation which I would like to mention, was that of Lucinda, the oldest sister, who at the beginning of the book appeared to be living the life of a Hollywood divorcee whose ex-husband was a multi millionaire.
I disliked her. She appeared to be a spoilt, shallow woman who had no concept of 'real' life. She had let down two of her other sisters, by leaving a successful three girl singing group, and embarking on a solo career, some years earlier.
However, as the book unfolded, and Lucinda returned to the U.K. My opinion totally changed. I ended up rooting for her, admiring the qualities she truly possessed. This was due to Nadine Matheson's excellent portrayal of the character.
I do not want to give any spoilers, so will say no more. Only to emphasise that this is a wonderful book about family relationships, the importance of communication, misunderstandings, forgiveness and love.
Highly recommended. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author, and have placed her on my list of favourite writers.
April 19, 2015
I'm always interested in reading stories about families and having four sisters of my own this book really got my attention. So when I won The Sisters by Nadine Matheson from Goodreads I couldnt wait to start reading.
The sisters all are at different stages in their lives, one is single, one a second time new mother, one going thru a divorce and the oldest finds out her ex has filed for bankruptcy. Lucinda returns to London from New York with her two teens and has to start supporting herself. She along with Jessica and Beatrice were once a famous R&B group until she went solo. There are hard feeling because of this even though Lucinda didn't persue that career. The other three including Emma all have great careers and wonder why Lucinda is returning home.
Their father is going through a second bout of cancer and only wants his daughters to fix what is wrong with their relationship.
Secrets are revealed about the mothers feelings about having her first child. The real reason Lucinda went off on her own. Jessica's husband who is trying to take the business that she has built . Beatrice's feeling about how she is always being taken advantage of and Emma's relationship with a former boy friend. All interesting stories but they could have been more dramatic.
The novel ends with openings for further stories with the same characters. If there is a follow up I would diffently read it but would hope there would be a little more drama.
The sisters all are at different stages in their lives, one is single, one a second time new mother, one going thru a divorce and the oldest finds out her ex has filed for bankruptcy. Lucinda returns to London from New York with her two teens and has to start supporting herself. She along with Jessica and Beatrice were once a famous R&B group until she went solo. There are hard feeling because of this even though Lucinda didn't persue that career. The other three including Emma all have great careers and wonder why Lucinda is returning home.
Their father is going through a second bout of cancer and only wants his daughters to fix what is wrong with their relationship.
Secrets are revealed about the mothers feelings about having her first child. The real reason Lucinda went off on her own. Jessica's husband who is trying to take the business that she has built . Beatrice's feeling about how she is always being taken advantage of and Emma's relationship with a former boy friend. All interesting stories but they could have been more dramatic.
The novel ends with openings for further stories with the same characters. If there is a follow up I would diffently read it but would hope there would be a little more drama.
April 3, 2015
I received this in the post at 3 in the afternoon, started to read it whilst waiting for my daughter to finish her violin lesson at 4pm and then continued to read it until I finished at about 10.30pm. It was really enjoyable with well-drawn characters. It's always great to read a book where all is not what it seems and the characters are not quite as straight forward as they first appear. A few small grammatical/spelling errors ("he smiled embarrassingly" rather than "he smiled in embarrassment") but few would notice. Thanks Goodreads for the gift. What a great start to my Easter holidays!
January 10, 2016
Thoroughly enjoyed 'The Sisters'. It was an impressive, well written debut. I loved all of the characters especially Lucinda who I though was just going to be an annoying, spoilt character but there was a lot more to her then that. What I found impressive was how Nadine Matheson was able to gradually peel away the layers of the sisters characters. I also think that she shows great skill with the dialogue, at times it felt as though you were sitting in the room with the characters. I look forward to reading more from this exciting new writer.
July 24, 2022
This book could have done with an edit as it was a bit slow at the start. I also would have loved a bit more detail about how each of the characters looked, so I could visualise them better but this is the authors first book so maybe I am being picky.
That being said this book made me smile and what more can you ask for during a global pandemic. I really enjoyed reading about these sisters and their lives, plus the lovely food and music. It was also nice to read a book about black British women of a similar age to me. Will look out for more books by this author.
That being said this book made me smile and what more can you ask for during a global pandemic. I really enjoyed reading about these sisters and their lives, plus the lovely food and music. It was also nice to read a book about black British women of a similar age to me. Will look out for more books by this author.
March 10, 2015
Loved it! The relationship between the women is complex and believable. The 3 generations of characters relate to one another through the trials and troubles of their situations. I even found a couple of valuable life lessons from the author's legal background. Couldn't put it down and had a few happy tears at the end. Great read!
May 27, 2025
“The Sisters” is the debut novel of British author Nadine Matheson.
The book focuses on the LeSoeur sisters Lucinda, Jessica, Beatrice, and Emma. Once part of a successful singing trio Lucinda breaks away for a solo career in the US fracturing relationships with her two siblings Jessica and Beatrice. As time passes the divide between the two eldest (Lucinda and Jessica) widens to an almost irreconcilable gap. When Lucinda faces financial ruin she returns to London where the only thing more painful than family breakdowns are the self reflections that must be made to make amends.
This is story that explores family relationships and how miscommunication and secrets can lead to potentially life long estrangement.
Matheson has put together an entirely engaging and readable tale of four sisters of strong character, and at times even stronger will (read stubborn), whose vulnerabilities are all to real and only just below the surface. The cast of supporting characters fulfil their roles perfectly as comic relief, villain, supporting ex, new love interest, and music and PR industry veterans (though Lucinda’s kids are a little too perfect).
For this familiar with Matheson’s Inspector Anjelic Henley series The Sisters is as far as you can get from a crime thriller. That said it is wonderful debut, easy to digest, and would make a fantastic summer read.
The Sisters gets 4 severe cases of sibling rivalry out of 5.
The book focuses on the LeSoeur sisters Lucinda, Jessica, Beatrice, and Emma. Once part of a successful singing trio Lucinda breaks away for a solo career in the US fracturing relationships with her two siblings Jessica and Beatrice. As time passes the divide between the two eldest (Lucinda and Jessica) widens to an almost irreconcilable gap. When Lucinda faces financial ruin she returns to London where the only thing more painful than family breakdowns are the self reflections that must be made to make amends.
This is story that explores family relationships and how miscommunication and secrets can lead to potentially life long estrangement.
Matheson has put together an entirely engaging and readable tale of four sisters of strong character, and at times even stronger will (read stubborn), whose vulnerabilities are all to real and only just below the surface. The cast of supporting characters fulfil their roles perfectly as comic relief, villain, supporting ex, new love interest, and music and PR industry veterans (though Lucinda’s kids are a little too perfect).
For this familiar with Matheson’s Inspector Anjelic Henley series The Sisters is as far as you can get from a crime thriller. That said it is wonderful debut, easy to digest, and would make a fantastic summer read.
The Sisters gets 4 severe cases of sibling rivalry out of 5.
July 5, 2024
The Sisters by Nadine Matheson tells the story of the relationship between four sisters and their parents. Three of the sisters formed a highly successful band but when one of them leaves and heads off to New York, it causes a rift in the family. Now, twenty years later, she returns but is it too late to heal the wounds?
I enjoyed this story, the more I read the more I was drawn into the family drama. There are some typo and grammatical errors and the book would benefit from some better editing, but on the whole it didn't detract from the story.
I enjoyed this story, the more I read the more I was drawn into the family drama. There are some typo and grammatical errors and the book would benefit from some better editing, but on the whole it didn't detract from the story.
February 20, 2022
Interesting twists and surprises, funny, shocking, a lite read, enjoyed this tale, I wasn’t disappointed - I very much enjoyed The Jigsaw Man - good going Nadine, keep it up
January 21, 2025
Didn't really do a lot for me, was a nice enough story, and the sisters and the family were nice, but it just didn't hold any excitement.
July 21, 2025
This is quite a change from Nadine's Henley series but a very enjoyable book all the same.
It's a family saga with lots of sibling drama. I really liked the sisters, it was a very well written story with plenty of intrigue.
It's a family saga with lots of sibling drama. I really liked the sisters, it was a very well written story with plenty of intrigue.
March 24, 2015
In the 1990s, Euterpe were one of the most successful female R&B groups in the world. Made up of sisters Lucinda, Jessica and Beatrice LeSoeur, they were living the dream. However when Lucinda decided to pursue a solo career in the USA, forcing the band to split, she left a legacy of bitterness between herself and her family which proved very hard to heal.
Fast forward to the present day, and the sisters lead very different lives. Beatrice has a young family, and is juggling motherhood with a job as a leading divorce lawyer, Jessica runs a very successful PR agency with her ex-husband and the youngest LeSoeur sister, Emma and Lucinda finds herself having to relocate back to London with financial problems.
Although her parents welcome her back with open arms, Lucinda finds her sisters slightly more cynical as to her sudden return. Jessica in particular has a number of issues with her older sister, blaming her for causing the band to split so Lucinda finds she has a lot to prove before she can once again be an integral part of her family.
What a fantastic debut novel! The characters are all so well developed with each sister having her own very unique identity, traits and flaws. What makes the book so clever is rather than focusing on their time in the spotlight, the plot is about their lives post-fame, and how their success has actually coloured and hindered their subsequent lives. I found myself utterly absorbed in the LeSoeur family’s life, willing each family member to resolve the different conflicts that they found themselves in. Highly recommended.
Fast forward to the present day, and the sisters lead very different lives. Beatrice has a young family, and is juggling motherhood with a job as a leading divorce lawyer, Jessica runs a very successful PR agency with her ex-husband and the youngest LeSoeur sister, Emma and Lucinda finds herself having to relocate back to London with financial problems.
Although her parents welcome her back with open arms, Lucinda finds her sisters slightly more cynical as to her sudden return. Jessica in particular has a number of issues with her older sister, blaming her for causing the band to split so Lucinda finds she has a lot to prove before she can once again be an integral part of her family.
What a fantastic debut novel! The characters are all so well developed with each sister having her own very unique identity, traits and flaws. What makes the book so clever is rather than focusing on their time in the spotlight, the plot is about their lives post-fame, and how their success has actually coloured and hindered their subsequent lives. I found myself utterly absorbed in the LeSoeur family’s life, willing each family member to resolve the different conflicts that they found themselves in. Highly recommended.
March 16, 2015
I really enjoyed this debut novel from Nadine Mathieson. It tells the story of sibling rivalry and conflict and takes us on a journey from the 1990s to the present day, from London to the USA and Grenada. The storytelling is poignant and the characters multi-dimensional. You begin by disliking one sister only to end up admiring her by the end. The family background is well portrayed and little by little we learn what motivates each sister, their strengths and their weaknesses. It is their father’s greatest wish that the sisters patch up their differences. After what has happened in the past though, it seems unlikely that this will happen. I found myself absorbed by each sister’s story and loved the ending. A great debut!
February 19, 2016
I liked the premise of the book, the cast of characters, and the conflicts. HOWEVER, I was so put off by the POV and the jumping around in the characters' heads, I had to stop reading. This book also didn't have proper scene breaks. And the use of "whilst" over and over was very stilted and distracting.
It needs serious editing. I'm a pokey reader without a lot of leisure time so can't spend time on a book that doesn't pay attention to details. And it was very tough to keep track of the characters; they were lost on the page for me most of the time. And even the writer seemed to mix them up.
The writing had some merit and strengths, but the structure and style kept me from sticking with it.
It needs serious editing. I'm a pokey reader without a lot of leisure time so can't spend time on a book that doesn't pay attention to details. And it was very tough to keep track of the characters; they were lost on the page for me most of the time. And even the writer seemed to mix them up.
The writing had some merit and strengths, but the structure and style kept me from sticking with it.
September 4, 2016
I thought that this was going to be another standard chick-lit book but it wasn't. I read this is in one weekend. I loved it. This really is a tale of family drama that covers subjects such as family secrets, the poor decisions that we can make, misunderstandings and betrayals. Even when Nadine Matheson touches on the subjects of sexual assault and cancer it is told with honesty and sensitivity but even with these serious subjects there are some light moments in The Sisters. I loved the backstory of the Lucinda, Jessica and Beatrice, three black women in a successful girlband and the question of what happens once the spotlight fades.
February 25, 2016
I enjoyed this book from start to finish and thought that it was a really impressive debut. It kept me turning the pages way into the night to find out the plight of each character and even though I'd never been a successful girl band there were important themes and scenarios that everyone could relate to. The Sisters is well written and each character has a clear and distinctive voice. I hope that Nadine Matheson continues to tell the story of the Sisters.
May 22, 2015
A compelling story, reminiscent in style of Penny Vincenzi, but in trendy London (so no Agas.) It has a cosy feel, great characters, and I loved the Grenadian theme running throughout with the language, and the descriptions of the food (which made me very hungry.) With four sisters featured and various children, this family could be the basis of a great saga too.
July 31, 2015
Great story but the grammatical errors really spoiled it for me... :-/
April 29, 2015
Wow this one blew me away.
Having 2 sisters myself probably helped me, however the book stands on its own.
Recommended
Having 2 sisters myself probably helped me, however the book stands on its own.
Recommended
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