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The Sisters Mortland
'If I didn't spy, I'd be in the dark eternally. I live in a maze of unknowing - Maisie's maze - and I hate it. I need to be informed ...' The summer of 1967, at a decaying house in the heart of Suffolk: an artist is painting a portrait of thirteen-year-old Maisie and her elder sisters, beautiful Julia and bookish Finn. Maisie embarks on a portrait of her own: she begins an account of her family and of her village friend Daniel Nunn, a young man she idolises, whom she watches over the chasm of a class divide. But is Maisie's description of a summer idyll all it seems? This is the summer when the three sisters' lives will irrevocably, and terribly, change. features in a major retrospective. Daniel Nunn, haunted by the vanished England of his childhood, obsessed by the three sisters and newly determined to understand what happened that last summer, pursues the ghosts of his past.
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
49 people are currently reading
1769 people want to read
About the author
Sally Beauman
42 books167 followersaka Vanessa James
Sally Kinsey-Miles graduated from Girton College, Cambridge (MA in English Literature) She married Christopher Beauman an economist. After graduating, she moved with her husband to the USA, where she lived for three years, first in Washington DC, then New York, and travelled extensively. She began her career as a journalist in America, joining the staff of the newly launched New York magazine, of which she became associate editor, and continued to write for it after her return to England. Interviewed Alan Howard for the Telegraph Magazine in 1970 in an article called 'A Fellow of Most Excellent Fancy'. (Daily Telegraph Supplement, May 29th.) Apparently a very long interview. The following year they met again, and the rest is history. After a long partnership Sally and Alan married in 2004. She has one son, James, and one grandchild.
Sally had a distinguished career as a journalist and critic, winning the Catherine Pakenham Award for her writing, and becoming the youngest-ever editor of Queen magazine (now Harper’s & Queen). She has contributed to many leading newspapers and magazines in both the UK and the USA, including the Daily Telegraph ( from 1970-73 and 1976-8 she was Arts Editor of the Sunday Telegraph Magazine), the Sunday Times, Observer, Vogue, the New York Times and the New Yorker. She also wrote nine Mills & Boon romances under the pseudonym Vanessa James, before publishing her block-buster novel Destiny in 1987 under her real name. It was her article about Daphne du Maurier, commissioned by Tina Brown, and published in The New Yorker in November 1993, which first gave her the idea for writing Rebecca de Winter’s version of events at Manderley – an idea that subsequently became the novel, Rebecca’s Tale. In 2000 she was one of the Whitbread Prize judges for the best novel category.
Sally Kinsey-Miles graduated from Girton College, Cambridge (MA in English Literature) She married Christopher Beauman an economist. After graduating, she moved with her husband to the USA, where she lived for three years, first in Washington DC, then New York, and travelled extensively. She began her career as a journalist in America, joining the staff of the newly launched New York magazine, of which she became associate editor, and continued to write for it after her return to England. Interviewed Alan Howard for the Telegraph Magazine in 1970 in an article called 'A Fellow of Most Excellent Fancy'. (Daily Telegraph Supplement, May 29th.) Apparently a very long interview. The following year they met again, and the rest is history. After a long partnership Sally and Alan married in 2004. She has one son, James, and one grandchild.
Sally had a distinguished career as a journalist and critic, winning the Catherine Pakenham Award for her writing, and becoming the youngest-ever editor of Queen magazine (now Harper’s & Queen). She has contributed to many leading newspapers and magazines in both the UK and the USA, including the Daily Telegraph ( from 1970-73 and 1976-8 she was Arts Editor of the Sunday Telegraph Magazine), the Sunday Times, Observer, Vogue, the New York Times and the New Yorker. She also wrote nine Mills & Boon romances under the pseudonym Vanessa James, before publishing her block-buster novel Destiny in 1987 under her real name. It was her article about Daphne du Maurier, commissioned by Tina Brown, and published in The New Yorker in November 1993, which first gave her the idea for writing Rebecca de Winter’s version of events at Manderley – an idea that subsequently became the novel, Rebecca’s Tale. In 2000 she was one of the Whitbread Prize judges for the best novel category.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
February 9, 2018
I was caught between 4 stars and 5 stars and I went with 5 stars because I love this author and her style of writing. She died in 2016 and that makes me terribly sad, but fortunately she left many books behind - and this is one of them.
I’ve read the reviews on this book. Many are complaining about the slow start to this book. Look again - it is a slow and quiet build - she is a British author and one to write and explore subtle action and words and silence. She is one to write about lives lived and their meaning, their quiet disappointment, their secret longings. She shows you appearances and then goes under the skin. I love her writing.
And this book. The setting in the English countryside in an old abbey and now the dwelling place of the poorer relations of an old family. The abbey was once a convent - but the reformation swept through. The nuns are still there if you are the youngest Mortland sister who has relationships with the dead. She is a bit “touched” villagers say.
All of a sudden you’re looking in the rear view mirror. The players are haunted by their own love and guilt and secrets - the “love and guilt entwined”. Remember that part you rushed through? That summer in 1967? Everyone rushed through it but it truly would be the best of summers ... and then ....
It’s about living with questions that burn within you.
I’ve read the reviews on this book. Many are complaining about the slow start to this book. Look again - it is a slow and quiet build - she is a British author and one to write and explore subtle action and words and silence. She is one to write about lives lived and their meaning, their quiet disappointment, their secret longings. She shows you appearances and then goes under the skin. I love her writing.
And this book. The setting in the English countryside in an old abbey and now the dwelling place of the poorer relations of an old family. The abbey was once a convent - but the reformation swept through. The nuns are still there if you are the youngest Mortland sister who has relationships with the dead. She is a bit “touched” villagers say.
All of a sudden you’re looking in the rear view mirror. The players are haunted by their own love and guilt and secrets - the “love and guilt entwined”. Remember that part you rushed through? That summer in 1967? Everyone rushed through it but it truly would be the best of summers ... and then ....
It’s about living with questions that burn within you.
August 6, 2016
This was quite a haunting book; one of the few adult novels I've forayed into. The characters and relationships were very well done and well narrated though, and the story stayed with me a long time.
The Sisters Mortland is the story of, what else, three sisters, living in an abandoned English abbey. There is Julia, the gorgeous, sexy eldest daughter with a wild streak; Finn, the bookish middle sister with the most level personality and mind; and Maisie, the youngest, who is quiet, has a mild mental disorder from a childhood accident, and can see the ghosts of the nuns who still haunt the abbey.
The story builds slowly, twining from one perspective to another as months and years pass. Along the way, the three sisters have a constantly shifting relationship, and they interact with each other in amazingly subtle, complex, and real ways. And then there are the men of their lives, growing with them from teens to adulthood; Lucas, the handsome and experienced artist; Daniel, the soft-spoken son of gypsies who has known each sister since childhood; and Daniel's friend Nick, a studying medical student. All of them, along with many others, are connected by strings both thin and thick, bonds of friendship, family, betrayal, love, and heritage. The story spans years, and it's amazing to watch each character grow and change so fully over that time.
The relationships are probably the best part, although by no means are they warm and fuzzy. That's just it; they're painfully, beautifully real. My perception of almost all the characters changed; it's unlikely that the characters you choose as favorites at the beginning will still be favorites at the end, and vice versa (except Daniel, that's all I'm saying.) All in all, it was a powerful novel, definitely not for those who want things light. But it was well worth reading in the end.
The Sisters Mortland is the story of, what else, three sisters, living in an abandoned English abbey. There is Julia, the gorgeous, sexy eldest daughter with a wild streak; Finn, the bookish middle sister with the most level personality and mind; and Maisie, the youngest, who is quiet, has a mild mental disorder from a childhood accident, and can see the ghosts of the nuns who still haunt the abbey.
The story builds slowly, twining from one perspective to another as months and years pass. Along the way, the three sisters have a constantly shifting relationship, and they interact with each other in amazingly subtle, complex, and real ways. And then there are the men of their lives, growing with them from teens to adulthood; Lucas, the handsome and experienced artist; Daniel, the soft-spoken son of gypsies who has known each sister since childhood; and Daniel's friend Nick, a studying medical student. All of them, along with many others, are connected by strings both thin and thick, bonds of friendship, family, betrayal, love, and heritage. The story spans years, and it's amazing to watch each character grow and change so fully over that time.
The relationships are probably the best part, although by no means are they warm and fuzzy. That's just it; they're painfully, beautifully real. My perception of almost all the characters changed; it's unlikely that the characters you choose as favorites at the beginning will still be favorites at the end, and vice versa (except Daniel, that's all I'm saying.) All in all, it was a powerful novel, definitely not for those who want things light. But it was well worth reading in the end.
October 27, 2014
Where do I join the Sally Beauman fanclub? I didn't know her 2 months ago and now this is the second book by her I've read (first was 'The Visitors') and both get 5 stars from me. How do I love Sally? Let me count the ways:
1. She can write like nobody's business (ahem-to coin a phrase)
2. She plots her stories well with complex characters and intricate detail
3. You can take the story at face value, but her themes revolve around the bigger picture of humanities brilliance, flaws and emotions
4. Twice now, I have found her stories to be unpredictable; in other words, I could NOT foresee what was going to happen or how a situation would resolve itself
5. She takes the time to build up the momentum by conscientiously and lavishly describing the characters and setting; I feel like I am part of the story by the time it starts "cooking"
This story of 3 sisters and 3 men is very English but not conventional. A few of the characters take a turn as narrator and I found it uniquely moving. I think this is Ms. Beauman's true talent...she creates characters that I, for one, feel strong emotions. I would also characterize her writing as especially enjoyable for those of us who enjoy the journey and aren't intently focused on the destination. I can hardly wait to read another one of her books.
1. She can write like nobody's business (ahem-to coin a phrase)
2. She plots her stories well with complex characters and intricate detail
3. You can take the story at face value, but her themes revolve around the bigger picture of humanities brilliance, flaws and emotions
4. Twice now, I have found her stories to be unpredictable; in other words, I could NOT foresee what was going to happen or how a situation would resolve itself
5. She takes the time to build up the momentum by conscientiously and lavishly describing the characters and setting; I feel like I am part of the story by the time it starts "cooking"
This story of 3 sisters and 3 men is very English but not conventional. A few of the characters take a turn as narrator and I found it uniquely moving. I think this is Ms. Beauman's true talent...she creates characters that I, for one, feel strong emotions. I would also characterize her writing as especially enjoyable for those of us who enjoy the journey and aren't intently focused on the destination. I can hardly wait to read another one of her books.
February 11, 2010
At first reminiscent of Atonement, the book evolves into something different, and to me, as interesting, as McEwan's book, but without the self-consciousness 'writerliness' that distracts me in McEwan's work. A working class gypsy boy grows up to become a successful but destructively driven advertising guy. As a child he lives in a cottage on the threadbare estate of a family that exists on the sufferage of wealthy relatives. The family has three daughters, and each of them plays an important role in his life. The book flips from the 1970s to the early 1990s, and tracks his emotional and psychological path, as he's impacted by these three girls, the legacy of his Romany background and the relationships he's forged with two other young men who also were touched by the sisters. I found the book to be moving and convincing, and the writing to be rich in atmosphere.
January 21, 2009
I loved this book. Excellently written. Each character has a unique voice. It's narrative by three different characters, but instead of switching back and forth, each character tells a part of the story. Story line was unpredictable. It was a sad story, but by the end you felt ok with how things worked out. Very vivid descriptions of the various settings.
January 29, 2023
Prvih stotinak strana koje predstavljaju dnevnik trinaestogodišnje devojčice Mejsi po meni su najvredniji i najjeziviji delovi ovog romana, koji su mi jedini i ostali u maglovitom sećanju, ali ipak su bili dovoljno upečatljivi da me progone godinama i održe želju da ponovo pročitam ovu knjigu.
Englesko selo, stara opatija, Mejsi koja je neverovatno inteligentna, ali primetno drugačija i zaostala u razvoju i koja tvrdi da vidi mrtve opatice i razgovara sa njima... Gotička atmosfera, porodične tajne i užasna tragedija koja dalje upravlja likovima i pričom...
Neizmerno mi je žao što ne možemo kasnije da čujemo Mejsin glas iako je ona sveprisutna. Potpuno sam zaboravila da je najveći deo knjige zapravo napisan iz perspektive muškarca, Dena, koji je odrastao sa sestrama Mortland i imao poseban odnos sa svakom, što mi je bilo malo naporno, koliko god on bio dragocen i zanimljiv lik. Manje Dena, a više Džulije i bila bi petica.
Ali opet ću reći: Mejsi.💙
Englesko selo, stara opatija, Mejsi koja je neverovatno inteligentna, ali primetno drugačija i zaostala u razvoju i koja tvrdi da vidi mrtve opatice i razgovara sa njima... Gotička atmosfera, porodične tajne i užasna tragedija koja dalje upravlja likovima i pričom...
Neizmerno mi je žao što ne možemo kasnije da čujemo Mejsin glas iako je ona sveprisutna. Potpuno sam zaboravila da je najveći deo knjige zapravo napisan iz perspektive muškarca, Dena, koji je odrastao sa sestrama Mortland i imao poseban odnos sa svakom, što mi je bilo malo naporno, koliko god on bio dragocen i zanimljiv lik. Manje Dena, a više Džulije i bila bi petica.
Ali opet ću reći: Mejsi.💙
May 16, 2020
This was better than I thought it might be, as the title sounded distinctly unpromising. It turns out the title comes from a poem by Rilke, which fits the story quite well. Beauman writes well enough, though her assorted themes have been done by others so well, that she pales by comparison with the likes of L P Hartley in particular.
Okay if you want something escapist. 2.5 stars rounded up because I was happy to keep reading it, even though it had no surprises for me.
Okay if you want something escapist. 2.5 stars rounded up because I was happy to keep reading it, even though it had no surprises for me.
August 20, 2008
I wanted to really love this book. The book summary set the stage for a novel I would really enjoy, alluding to a dark family tragedy that compounds already complicated relationships. I expected a careful interweaving of events and people - a book that was haunting in its complexity, a bit like Ethan Frome. Instead, I felt that it read more like a sensational tabloid that undermined its own main characters (how could we like them when they treated each other - and themselves - so horribly?) and provided no real insight as to why the characters acted the way they did. Instead of closely examining the tragedy and carefully unfolding its resulting effects on the Mortland family and friends, the reader experiences the tragedy and then is thrown decades into the future. From this future space, we are expected to understand why all of the characters (most of which were hard to like in the first place) have turned into monsters, with only vague allusions to the accident and why it occurred. The reader never fully understands (as the characters don't) why the accident happened - but that wouldn't be important if we came to an ultimate understanding of the characters and their motivations. For such a vague, sad book, the characters are given only brief (and unrealistic) redemption in the end - but for me it couldn't save the story.
June 7, 2010
Alright, y'all. You're going to have to read this book because I need to talk with someone about it. I tore through it in no time and then had to start it over the day after I finished it - just because I still had questions. (I still have those questions by the way, this is why I want you to read it.) I've decided to put this book in my new favorite genre of novel that I just made up - I'm calling it neo-Bronte. (My other favorite neo-Bronte book is The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.) I think neo-Bronte-ism features old school mystery and romance and horror and intrigue and beauty but in a contemporary setting. It refers and reverts to its past but is clearly grounded in the present.
My only complaint about The Sisters Mortland is that the narrative voice of the first section, of the child, is just rather unbelievably mature and self-aware for the character we later find her to be. Before I understood who she was I thought the voice belonged to a twenty or thirty something writer, not a kid. I want Sally Beauman to read the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime and then rewrite the first bit.
My only complaint about The Sisters Mortland is that the narrative voice of the first section, of the child, is just rather unbelievably mature and self-aware for the character we later find her to be. Before I understood who she was I thought the voice belonged to a twenty or thirty something writer, not a kid. I want Sally Beauman to read the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime and then rewrite the first bit.
March 31, 2021
This is an unusual book and I realize that it would not be everyone's cup of tea. It is somewhat depressing and atmospheric and the end leaves you with more questions than answers. Yet the writing completely immersed me into the setting and lives of the characters, allowing me to experience the tragedy that occurred one fateful summer and all the torment and brokenness that it brought with it. I listened to the audio version and LOVED every minute of the narration as performed by Robert Glenister and Sophie Ward. Their performance elevated the experience for me and had me mesmerized every step of the way. Definitely a 5 star experience.
September 18, 2010
Every character in this book is keeping secrets. Twenty years after tragedy hits the Mortland family, the truth about the accident, and all the family secrets, start to unravel, almost to the point that the reader feels out of control. When I started this book i felt I had stepped into a Jane Austen novel. It was interesting enough, but then this pleasant story slowly started taking some dark turns, and didn't stop until the whole thing was over. I believe my mouth was a gap when I finished. While others may disagree, I thought Beauman was brilliant
June 7, 2019
This book is probably the most honest, the most unflinching, examination of love -- the lies we tell ourselves and those we love, the illusions we stubbornly take for reality, the betrayals, the guilt, the self-deceptions -- that I have ever read. It is filled with irony and revelations that I, at least, never saw coming. There are several stunning twists in the second half of the book that came as complete surprises to me. Up to the very last page, Sally Beauman just never allows readers the easy way out.
November 10, 2007
Crappy book! When I first started reading this book, I thought I hit the jackpot. The first quarter of the book is written from the perspective of a little girl and I really enjoyed it. Then it switches gears and is writted from the perspective of one of the male figures in the beginning of the book. That's where the book goes from great to crappy! The character is impossible to like and I couldn't wait for the stupid story to end!
January 12, 2009
This book reminded me a bit of Atonement, different narrators telling the story and who knows where the truth really lies. Sally Beuman is an excellent story-teller and her use of the tarot to flesh this novel out was intriguing. Her descriptions of the abbey and Suffolk, England are very precise. A bit long, a bit confusing but all in all a good read. I definetly will go back and read another of Ms. Beuman's books.
August 16, 2021
Sisters Mortland is about a family living in an old Abbey in Suffolk. The youngest is pretty abnormal and talking with the dead nuns is a normal occurrence. One summer, everything changes and it takes revisiting the past to try and piece together what happened.
What a terrible book. I’m wishing I’d DNF’d this.
It just felt very much like “what’s the point?” The characters were interesting but at some point they felt overdone. Boring storyline.
What a terrible book. I’m wishing I’d DNF’d this.
It just felt very much like “what’s the point?” The characters were interesting but at some point they felt overdone. Boring storyline.
Want to read
September 10, 2021**********************
*The Landscape of Love
*Rebecca's Tale
*The Landscape of Love
*Rebecca's Tale
July 14, 2010
I'd give it two & a half stars. A decent way to waste some time & a good airplane read, which is exactly where I read the first half of it. It starts out really well. The first part is narrated by Maisie, who at first glance seems to be an overly precocious 13 year old girl - but you later find she's mildly autistic. I found her narration intriguing - I liked the setting in the old Suffolk abbey - the 3 sisters - the gypsies - the Wild Boy in the Window - so much more could have been done with this!
This is where a better writer would have created more interesting and less stereotypical characters, and would have kept the story moving a bit more quickly - I got bored during the middle part of the book. It was predictable to me that the oldest sister grows up to be a cold yet successful Martha Stewart type. And of course the middle sister goes through hard times & becomes a Mercy Corps type. And of course the Wild Boy turns to alcohol & drugs after his initial success & yet winds up a hero of sorts.
The plot is more "soap opera" than mystery. There's a few surprises & an ambiguous ending - which is a good thing - but overall, this was slightly unsatisfying.
This is where a better writer would have created more interesting and less stereotypical characters, and would have kept the story moving a bit more quickly - I got bored during the middle part of the book. It was predictable to me that the oldest sister grows up to be a cold yet successful Martha Stewart type. And of course the middle sister goes through hard times & becomes a Mercy Corps type. And of course the Wild Boy turns to alcohol & drugs after his initial success & yet winds up a hero of sorts.
The plot is more "soap opera" than mystery. There's a few surprises & an ambiguous ending - which is a good thing - but overall, this was slightly unsatisfying.
August 31, 2008
At a certain point in this book I had to accept that I wasn't going to receive the answers I was hoping for. I found that frustrating but strangely cathartic. This book is life (although, I will agree with another reviewer who stated that an event in the last 100 pages was a bit too extraordinary) and in life events happen to which we never discover the 'why'.
Sally Beauman is a beautiful writer. The way she uses language is stunning. I loved immersing myself in the world she created and now that I've finished the book I wish I could truly go there. I'll definitely be reading some of her other novels.
Sally Beauman is a beautiful writer. The way she uses language is stunning. I loved immersing myself in the world she created and now that I've finished the book I wish I could truly go there. I'll definitely be reading some of her other novels.
September 30, 2009
The three Mortland sisters are the focus for all the other characters. The twenty years covered in the novel uncover each character's misunderstanding of what actually occurred with the resultant reparations.
p.302: That was what I saw, what I finally understood, when I stood looking at the painting in the gallery yesterday: the three sisters, and all those dead, all those generations of the dead, who were both with them, and inside them; who are beside, and inside, all of us. Who are in and with me, and whose ancestral vices now speak with eloquence and understanding and warning inside my genes, blood, heart, and head."
p.302: That was what I saw, what I finally understood, when I stood looking at the painting in the gallery yesterday: the three sisters, and all those dead, all those generations of the dead, who were both with them, and inside them; who are beside, and inside, all of us. Who are in and with me, and whose ancestral vices now speak with eloquence and understanding and warning inside my genes, blood, heart, and head."
October 16, 2010
One of the best choices I have ever made in the "bought it randomly because it was a bargain book and looked intriguing" category. The first portion is set in 1967 narrated by a 13 year old girl, while the rest of the book is set 20+ years later as the characters grapple with unravelling the events of that ultimately tragic summer. Interesting character studies and suspenseful though not quite a mystery. Also randomly this is about the 5th book I have read this year set in part in the decaying estate of a once wealthy British family, although this one was perhaps a little less gothic than the rest.
November 3, 2011
I actually have no idea what happened at the end of this book because my copy got as far as page 406 and then jumped back to page 342. But I'm still counting this as having read it because by that point I kind of didn't care about any of these terrible people anymore. I think I'm just burned out on stories about financially struggling British families who randomly own crumbling centuries-old ancestral castles, the rich relatives who shun them, and the people they have sex with. There are a lot of those books out there and even when I'm not looking for them and the back cover copy doesn't allude to it, somehow I wind up reading all of them.
August 27, 2013
This story started out strong when the narrative was by Maisie, the youngest of the three sisters. I was losing some interest towards the middle, when the narrative was by Dan. At times during his story, it got a little too wordy, and allowed my thoughts to wander. By the end I was expecting some answers and, although, you did get some secrets revealed, there was one event that I really wanted the answer to. I found the story interesting, however, and enjoyed the telling of the past more than I did of the present. It was a sad book overall but I just don't like to be left wondering "why".
April 28, 2017
This was just terribly sad and unsatisfying.
January 19, 2021
"Memory is random, cruel, slippery and deceitful."
November 28, 2016
I always enjoy Sally Beauman's books. Her characters are all so wonderfully flawed, and there is always some sort of scandal underlying everything.
This book begins by following 13 year old, autistic Maisie, having her portrait painted at her family home in Suffolk. Maisie gives us some insight into her family history, including a glimpse into the lives of her mother, her two sisters and the boys they get involved with, and the ghostly nuns that only she can see.
The book skips suddenly 20 years ahead, where we learn that a terrible accident occurred 20 years ago, but details are sketchy. The author kept me on the edge of my seat as I kept reading to get more and more information of what had happened in the lives of all of the characters.
The only thing I must say is that I'm getting a bit tired of books that don't end properly, that end up in the air, leaving too many loose ends. This unfortunately, was one of the flaws of this story.
Really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to lovers of modern gothic tales with lots of family drama.
This book begins by following 13 year old, autistic Maisie, having her portrait painted at her family home in Suffolk. Maisie gives us some insight into her family history, including a glimpse into the lives of her mother, her two sisters and the boys they get involved with, and the ghostly nuns that only she can see.
The book skips suddenly 20 years ahead, where we learn that a terrible accident occurred 20 years ago, but details are sketchy. The author kept me on the edge of my seat as I kept reading to get more and more information of what had happened in the lives of all of the characters.
The only thing I must say is that I'm getting a bit tired of books that don't end properly, that end up in the air, leaving too many loose ends. This unfortunately, was one of the flaws of this story.
Really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to lovers of modern gothic tales with lots of family drama.
May 12, 2020
Nearly nine months after finishing this book and I've been thinking of it off and on that whole time. I can't say it was enchanting or delightful or happy or had characters I loved. No, I didn't really like any of the characters and it was dark and sad and upsetting. But so, so evocative and immersive. I've now read this book and The Visitors by Sally Beauman, and you can count me a fan. I think she may be one of those authors where I can't judge the storyline, I just need to trust that she's going to write it in such a way that I will love the book regardless.
Side note, There's this scene that features one of my all time favorite perfumes (Guerlain's L'Heure Bleue) in a very *ahem* visceral way (it's a sex scene) and I must admit that whenever I wear that perfume now I can't not think of that scene.
Side note, There's this scene that features one of my all time favorite perfumes (Guerlain's L'Heure Bleue) in a very *ahem* visceral way (it's a sex scene) and I must admit that whenever I wear that perfume now I can't not think of that scene.
February 8, 2024
This is such a confusing book. The writing and plot possibilities definitely deserve ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Unfortunately around halfway the plot unexpectedly shifts a bit, focusing on a character I don’t care for, doing things I care even less about. It all began to feel a little bit too clever in the perspective of this character- druggy, chatty, trendy. Ugh. Yes, you are a very competent writer, but this very showy writing is unbearable and just too much. Plus the story then became too much, way more than it was at the beginning. I’m rambling…but it’s the disappointment that’s got me tounge tied and wondering how this was allowed to ruin this book.
Nevertheless a book with a lot of interesting elements, excellent writing and an unsolved mystery- which I truly don’t appreciate. Maybe not the book for someone who likes a resolved plot, such as myself.
Nevertheless a book with a lot of interesting elements, excellent writing and an unsolved mystery- which I truly don’t appreciate. Maybe not the book for someone who likes a resolved plot, such as myself.
November 23, 2021
Really 4 1/2 stars for this haunting tale of 3 sisters that begins in 1967 England.
November 26, 2018
The Sister’s Mortland
Please do take this review with a grain of salt. I’m not biased towards the author, this being the only book I’ve ever read by her, but the book that I read preceding this one was just utter garbage that a grocery list would seem like the golden idol of literature to me at this time.
The book is written in three different perspectives, by three different characters, at different phases of their life. Though each has their own telling voice, the writing styles don’t differ in the slightest and, were they not in an order, it would be difficult to find distinction in the narratives.
This is the only downside that I could figure, and it was after a lot of thinking that I was able to come up with just the one.
The story itself is absolutely rife with secrets, much like the description of the book promises us, but new ones pop up every couple of chapters and lead you into theorizing about multiple things and seeing the characters in new, sometimes skewed lights. There is one mystery that the novel is centered around, and there is no real definitive answer to it - the reader is left with their own ideas of what had happened, and I think that the character it centers around would not have liked that.
I hope to read this book again further down the line and see if my perspective of it changes as I go through my own phases in life, like Julia, Dan and Maisie.
8/10
Please do take this review with a grain of salt. I’m not biased towards the author, this being the only book I’ve ever read by her, but the book that I read preceding this one was just utter garbage that a grocery list would seem like the golden idol of literature to me at this time.
The book is written in three different perspectives, by three different characters, at different phases of their life. Though each has their own telling voice, the writing styles don’t differ in the slightest and, were they not in an order, it would be difficult to find distinction in the narratives.
This is the only downside that I could figure, and it was after a lot of thinking that I was able to come up with just the one.
The story itself is absolutely rife with secrets, much like the description of the book promises us, but new ones pop up every couple of chapters and lead you into theorizing about multiple things and seeing the characters in new, sometimes skewed lights. There is one mystery that the novel is centered around, and there is no real definitive answer to it - the reader is left with their own ideas of what had happened, and I think that the character it centers around would not have liked that.
I hope to read this book again further down the line and see if my perspective of it changes as I go through my own phases in life, like Julia, Dan and Maisie.
8/10
April 17, 2012
12/26/06 - I loved this book. It's a wonder to me why it's not more well-known. I read a review of it on Bookreporter.com (in the U.S. it's called "The Sisters Mortland") and thought it sounded interesting. It's a hard book to describe, I think, or at least to write my thoughts without spoiling anything. It drew me in almost from the beginning and throughout the whole thing, you get this undercurrent of mystery and intrigue, and you're waiting to see what will be revealed. I would also say that I enjoyed the first half more -- and I'd have to admit that I was a little disappointed with how the author wrapped it up. But overall a great read! I am curious about other titles by this author....
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