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The Sisters of Straygarden Place
A riveting middle-grade fantasy about sibling bonds, enchanted houses, and encroaching wildness, lyrically told in eerily beautiful prose
The grass grew taller than the house itself, surrounding it on all sides. It stuffed the keyholes and scraped against the roof. It shook the walls and made paintings shiver.
Seven years ago, the Ballastian sisters' parents left them in the magical Straygarden Place, a house surrounded by tall silver grass and floating trees. They left behind a warning saying never to leave the house or go into the grass. "Wait for us," the note read. "Sleep darkly." Ever since then, the house itself has taken care of Winnow, Mayhap, and Pavonine--feeding them, clothing them, even keeping them company--while the girls have waited and grown up and played a guessing game: Think of an animal, think of a place. Think of a person, think of a face. Until one day, when the eldest, fourteen-year-old Winnow, does the unthinkable and goes outside into the grass, and everything twelve-year-old Mayhap thought she knew about her home, her family, and even herself starts to unravel. With luscious, vivid prose, poet and author Hayley Chewins transports readers to a house where beloved little dogs crawl into their owners' minds to sleep, sick girls turn silver, and anything can be stolen--even laughter and silence.
The grass grew taller than the house itself, surrounding it on all sides. It stuffed the keyholes and scraped against the roof. It shook the walls and made paintings shiver.
Seven years ago, the Ballastian sisters' parents left them in the magical Straygarden Place, a house surrounded by tall silver grass and floating trees. They left behind a warning saying never to leave the house or go into the grass. "Wait for us," the note read. "Sleep darkly." Ever since then, the house itself has taken care of Winnow, Mayhap, and Pavonine--feeding them, clothing them, even keeping them company--while the girls have waited and grown up and played a guessing game: Think of an animal, think of a place. Think of a person, think of a face. Until one day, when the eldest, fourteen-year-old Winnow, does the unthinkable and goes outside into the grass, and everything twelve-year-old Mayhap thought she knew about her home, her family, and even herself starts to unravel. With luscious, vivid prose, poet and author Hayley Chewins transports readers to a house where beloved little dogs crawl into their owners' minds to sleep, sick girls turn silver, and anything can be stolen--even laughter and silence.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2020
22 people are currently reading
3613 people want to read
About the author
Hayley Chewins
5 books156 followersHayley Chewins is an award-winning author of middle grade fantasy and a published poet. Her debut novel, THE TURNAWAY GIRLS (Candlewick, 2018), received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly, and was named a Kirkus Best Book of 2018 as well as a 2019 Amelia Bloomer List pick. Her second novel, THE SISTERS OF STRAYGARDEN PLACE (Candlewick, 2020), also received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus, and was chosen as the 2020 Foreword Indies Gold Winner for Juvenile Fiction and an Amazon Best Book of the Month. Hayley is also the author of LOKI: SEASON ONE NOVEL (Marvel Press, 2023), a middle grade novelization of Marvel's LOKI television show, starring Tom Hiddleston. Her YA debut, I AM THE SWARM, is forthcoming from Viking Children's in 2025. Hayley lives with her family in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is the co-host, with Lindsay Eager, of the Story of the Book podcast, where she interviews authors about their publishing journeys. When she isn't writing books, Hayley sings and writes music for her alt-pop band with Alejandro Zarazua, EIGHT THOUSAND BIRDS.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
April 29, 2020
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS BOOK!
Addictive, lush, and brimming with imagination. Chewins delivers a haunting tale of secrets, family, and love, where nothing is as it seems and an old and unsettling magic rules the world. Perfect for fans of Frances Hardinge, The Sisters of Straygarden Place is sure to keep young readers riveted long past their bedtimes.
Addictive, lush, and brimming with imagination. Chewins delivers a haunting tale of secrets, family, and love, where nothing is as it seems and an old and unsettling magic rules the world. Perfect for fans of Frances Hardinge, The Sisters of Straygarden Place is sure to keep young readers riveted long past their bedtimes.
December 28, 2021
Unfortunately, this book was a bit of a let down for me. At times, it was beautifully atmospheric and moody, drawing me into the story. It is vivid and descriptive, with poetic imagery that is haunting. None moreso than of the description of Straygarden Place and how the grass outside grew taller than the house itself. Deadly grass that has trapped the girls inside. It was sad and melancholic, but I felt this even when it tried to be hopeful. Three young girls trapped for years inside a house with no escape. And even when there is a way out of the house and the story has its happy ending (this is middle grade genre, after all) I still felt sadness that it occurred at all.
One of my main issues is that I didn't understand how this world came to be. Or perhaps it wasn't one I could make sense of. A puzzle where the pieces don't fit. And why weren't the adults trying harder? They were completely invisible until the end. When reading middle grade, it is expected for readers to push logical type of questions aside, but I felt as if I was being asked to go farther than I was comfortable with.
Another issue I faced early on is that I wasn't sure who the audience for it was. The book is written at a middle grade level, but I found myself wondering at multiple times if that age group would truly be able to grasp the depth of the story being presented or be interested in its unique storytelling format. It is slower paced with less action/adventure than your typical middle grade book.
And while the story is about sisters, I never felt connected to them, nor did I feel any real connection between the sisters either. But maybe that last one was the point - I don't know. I felt confusion on multiple aspects of the book, so it's probably just me.
Rating: 2.5
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the reader's copy.
One of my main issues is that I didn't understand how this world came to be. Or perhaps it wasn't one I could make sense of. A puzzle where the pieces don't fit. And why weren't the adults trying harder? They were completely invisible until the end. When reading middle grade, it is expected for readers to push logical type of questions aside, but I felt as if I was being asked to go farther than I was comfortable with.
Another issue I faced early on is that I wasn't sure who the audience for it was. The book is written at a middle grade level, but I found myself wondering at multiple times if that age group would truly be able to grasp the depth of the story being presented or be interested in its unique storytelling format. It is slower paced with less action/adventure than your typical middle grade book.
And while the story is about sisters, I never felt connected to them, nor did I feel any real connection between the sisters either. But maybe that last one was the point - I don't know. I felt confusion on multiple aspects of the book, so it's probably just me.
Rating: 2.5
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the reader's copy.
January 24, 2021
I cannot believe that this is only Hayley Chewins’ second novel. Forgive me for the cliché, but The Sisters of Straygarden Place is a book like no other, equal parts fantasy and exploration of family.
Fourteen-year-old Willow and her younger sisters Mayhap and Pavonne have been living in a magical mansion that provides their every need — except one: escape. Outside, long, silvery grass threatens them. Their parents warned them before they left to never go outside. But one day, 12-year-old Mayhap spots Willow out in that very grass. Soon thereafter, Willow becomes increasingly silvery and ill, and Mayhap sets out to save them all.
There are many twists and turns, suspense and surprises, but to give anything else away would ruin this wonderful (and slightly spooky) middle-grade book. If anything, adults will love this book even more than the tweens who are its intended audience.
Fourteen-year-old Willow and her younger sisters Mayhap and Pavonne have been living in a magical mansion that provides their every need — except one: escape. Outside, long, silvery grass threatens them. Their parents warned them before they left to never go outside. But one day, 12-year-old Mayhap spots Willow out in that very grass. Soon thereafter, Willow becomes increasingly silvery and ill, and Mayhap sets out to save them all.
There are many twists and turns, suspense and surprises, but to give anything else away would ruin this wonderful (and slightly spooky) middle-grade book. If anything, adults will love this book even more than the tweens who are its intended audience.
December 23, 2021
The Sister of Straygarden Place was such an amazing and magical story to read. It was about three sisters living in a palace where everything was done for them by the house itself – magically. From cooking delightful dishes for the girls to dressing them up in the most stunning dresses, the house did it all, plus it cleaned the house and did the dishes for them too. It would’ve been the perfect house to get into during this quarantine, am I right?
However, there’s a twist. You must give something up in order to live in this house, something that you always needed. The house will steal something vital from you in exchange of its services, and it’s their choice of what they get to keep. They can take away your sleep, your scene of taste, your peace, your sunlight, your ANYTHING, and you can’t get out of the house. So the story revolves on solving the missing parents of the sisters and how things take a tough turn when the oldest sister Winnow grows mysteriously ill.
This book was fun to read, and as it’s a middle grade book, I never expected to go through such an emotional roller coaster while reading it. The book, in a way, taught us that patience and courage can overcome all hardships if we gave it a shot.
I was hoping for a deeper connection and trustworthiness between the three sisters though, which I couldn’t find until later. But that matter did not bother me once the story began turning mysterious and I got introduced to many interesting characters on the way – like Tutto, a hippopotamus who TALKS and lives in a library and reads out stories to you, and Droomhunds who are cute little doggies who help the sleep deprived sisters sleep at night and stay with them all the time, entertaining them and loving them unconditionally.
A very peculiar and imaginative story that I’m sure middle graders would love. 3/5 stars.
“People are like stories if you give them enough time to reveal themselves.”
However, there’s a twist. You must give something up in order to live in this house, something that you always needed. The house will steal something vital from you in exchange of its services, and it’s their choice of what they get to keep. They can take away your sleep, your scene of taste, your peace, your sunlight, your ANYTHING, and you can’t get out of the house. So the story revolves on solving the missing parents of the sisters and how things take a tough turn when the oldest sister Winnow grows mysteriously ill.
This book was fun to read, and as it’s a middle grade book, I never expected to go through such an emotional roller coaster while reading it. The book, in a way, taught us that patience and courage can overcome all hardships if we gave it a shot.
I was hoping for a deeper connection and trustworthiness between the three sisters though, which I couldn’t find until later. But that matter did not bother me once the story began turning mysterious and I got introduced to many interesting characters on the way – like Tutto, a hippopotamus who TALKS and lives in a library and reads out stories to you, and Droomhunds who are cute little doggies who help the sleep deprived sisters sleep at night and stay with them all the time, entertaining them and loving them unconditionally.
A very peculiar and imaginative story that I’m sure middle graders would love. 3/5 stars.
“People are like stories if you give them enough time to reveal themselves.”
October 19, 2020
4.5 stars
Welcome to the peculiar place where the grass grew taller than the house itself.
Three sisters lives inside this enchanted and lone house. Being warned to not go into the grass or leave the house, the sisters obeyed until one day, one of the sisters ignore the warning.
This book is a peculiar one. Starting this book, i was unsure whether I would like it or not. But TSOSP really took me by surprise. Spellbound, I forgot that it was pass midnight & kept reading, wanting more.
I love how the story unfolds & the fact that it’s nothing like I’ve read before. Also, the imagination & the beautiful details in the story, you guys!! 😍
I don’t want to give away too much, as I think the journey of reading this book is much better when you know a little about it. The younger reader would enjoy this one as there are so much that you can discuss with them. Many good messages left in here :)
Welcome to the peculiar place where the grass grew taller than the house itself.
Three sisters lives inside this enchanted and lone house. Being warned to not go into the grass or leave the house, the sisters obeyed until one day, one of the sisters ignore the warning.
This book is a peculiar one. Starting this book, i was unsure whether I would like it or not. But TSOSP really took me by surprise. Spellbound, I forgot that it was pass midnight & kept reading, wanting more.
I love how the story unfolds & the fact that it’s nothing like I’ve read before. Also, the imagination & the beautiful details in the story, you guys!! 😍
I don’t want to give away too much, as I think the journey of reading this book is much better when you know a little about it. The younger reader would enjoy this one as there are so much that you can discuss with them. Many good messages left in here :)
April 5, 2021
DNF at 25%!
The pace of this book is extremely slow, as of now nothing has really been explained at all and the relationship / Bond between the 3 Sisters are not believable. I also did not care at all about any of the characters at this point, which is not promising since I LOVE middle grade and especially fantasy horror!
The pace of this book is extremely slow, as of now nothing has really been explained at all and the relationship / Bond between the 3 Sisters are not believable. I also did not care at all about any of the characters at this point, which is not promising since I LOVE middle grade and especially fantasy horror!
July 31, 2020
A simple middle-grade fantasy about sisters and magic and secrets.
The novel opens up with a "magical" house surrounded by tall, silvery grass and the 3 sisters trapped inside that house, and we start to know more about them, their parents, that house itself and the mysterious grass that surrounds it, and the history of the residents of that house.
The writing style was simple enough to be middle-grade level and yet was poetic a lot of the time, I just had a problem with some of the pacing and they way a plot twist would be introduced and resolved. The ending was a bit childish, but then again, it's a middle-grade novel.
I was actually interested in the magic system, and I think that if it were used in a YA or an adult fantasy novel, I would've loved it a lot more!
I thank Netgalley and Candlewick Press for the digital ARC.
The novel opens up with a "magical" house surrounded by tall, silvery grass and the 3 sisters trapped inside that house, and we start to know more about them, their parents, that house itself and the mysterious grass that surrounds it, and the history of the residents of that house.
The writing style was simple enough to be middle-grade level and yet was poetic a lot of the time, I just had a problem with some of the pacing and they way a plot twist would be introduced and resolved. The ending was a bit childish, but then again, it's a middle-grade novel.
I was actually interested in the magic system, and I think that if it were used in a YA or an adult fantasy novel, I would've loved it a lot more!
I thank Netgalley and Candlewick Press for the digital ARC.
July 3, 2021
I'm not sure how something can be at once trying too hard and also...not trying at all? First it's like oooooooo mysterious house with evil grass outside you can Never Go Out and also here's all this weird just-to-the-left-of-normal turns of phrase but then underneath all of that it's like. There's Nothing there. Like imagine, if you're a person who dreams, that you had a crazy dream that wasn't Bad exactly it was just vaguely unsettling and then you woke up and were like oh man you know what I bet this would make a GREAT book! So you wrote it but you kept all the most nonsensical elements and made no attempt to justify or explain them so it's just like, a collection of images strung together by some semblance of your waking mind's idea of plot. Like just make a vague tumblr post about it like the rest of us and move on.
May 8, 2020
This book is about sisterhood and belonging, secrets and magic, whimsy and wonder. It will make you ache, as all wonderful books do, and then it will make you whole again. Lovely, eerie, lyrical.
May 10, 2020
I love great opening sentences to a book. One of my favorites is Gabriel Garcia Marquez's for Love in the Time of Cholera. "It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love." This sentence drew me in immediately and made me want to find out why the scent of bitter almonds reminded a character of unrequited love. It was a first sentence that was intriguing and enticing to me, as a reader. When reading Hayley Chewins' latest novel The Sisters of Straygarden Place, I was hooked as soon as I read her first sentence:
"The house dressed Mayhap Ballastain in blue on the day her sister disappeared."
Immediately, I wanted to know why the house was dressing a character, why blue, and what happened to the sister. From the start, I found myself drawn in by questions I had and wanted to know more about the world that Hayley Chewins created. As someone who loved her debut novel, The Turnaway Girls, I knew that she was an author who was great at creating original characters and worlds that were lyrical and magical. The Sisters of Straygarden Place are even more so. With her second novel, Chewins shows herself as a writer who weaves not only enchanted tales but is in command of breathtakingly gorgeous language. The imagery and descriptions are vivid and the words live and breathe in a way that not only captures the imagination but allows the reader to more fully live within the world she has created.
When her parents leave, Mayhap is only five, and she discovers a letter that instructs the sisters:
Do not leave the house.
Do not go into the grass.
Wait for us.
Sleep darkly.
Mysterious instructions indeed.
And what happens when one of the sisters breaks those instructions?
The Sisters of Straygarden Place is a riveting story that transports the reader into a unique and eery world populated with enchanted houses, encroaching wildness like no other (silver grass that can speak, floating trees), little black dogs that can crawl into and curl up inside the minds of their owners to help them sleep at night and unraveling secrets.
The Turnaway Girls was one of my favorite books the year it was published. I remember finishing that book and excitedly wondering what the author would write next. As if I wasn't already impressed with her original & magical storytelling before, I am absolutely amazed & in awe of her talents even more with The Sisters of Straygarden Place. It is a marvel of a book that's filled with magic and secrets and the bonds and love of sisterhood. What continues to impress me about Hayley Chewins' writing is her ability to be lyrical without that lyricism overwhelming the story and the characters. She deftly balances her lush language, with strong and richly developed characters that the reader cares about, all the while writing a riveting plot that keeps the reader turning the page to find out what happens next.
When I finished The Sisters of Straygarden Place, I once more found myself wondering what the author was going to write next. I was so blown away by how much she had developed as an author between the two books. I also knew that I would eagerly await anything this masterful storyteller imagined because I know that it will be incredible and unlike anything I had ever read before.
"The house dressed Mayhap Ballastain in blue on the day her sister disappeared."
Immediately, I wanted to know why the house was dressing a character, why blue, and what happened to the sister. From the start, I found myself drawn in by questions I had and wanted to know more about the world that Hayley Chewins created. As someone who loved her debut novel, The Turnaway Girls, I knew that she was an author who was great at creating original characters and worlds that were lyrical and magical. The Sisters of Straygarden Place are even more so. With her second novel, Chewins shows herself as a writer who weaves not only enchanted tales but is in command of breathtakingly gorgeous language. The imagery and descriptions are vivid and the words live and breathe in a way that not only captures the imagination but allows the reader to more fully live within the world she has created.
When her parents leave, Mayhap is only five, and she discovers a letter that instructs the sisters:
Do not leave the house.
Do not go into the grass.
Wait for us.
Sleep darkly.
Mysterious instructions indeed.
And what happens when one of the sisters breaks those instructions?
The Sisters of Straygarden Place is a riveting story that transports the reader into a unique and eery world populated with enchanted houses, encroaching wildness like no other (silver grass that can speak, floating trees), little black dogs that can crawl into and curl up inside the minds of their owners to help them sleep at night and unraveling secrets.
The Turnaway Girls was one of my favorite books the year it was published. I remember finishing that book and excitedly wondering what the author would write next. As if I wasn't already impressed with her original & magical storytelling before, I am absolutely amazed & in awe of her talents even more with The Sisters of Straygarden Place. It is a marvel of a book that's filled with magic and secrets and the bonds and love of sisterhood. What continues to impress me about Hayley Chewins' writing is her ability to be lyrical without that lyricism overwhelming the story and the characters. She deftly balances her lush language, with strong and richly developed characters that the reader cares about, all the while writing a riveting plot that keeps the reader turning the page to find out what happens next.
When I finished The Sisters of Straygarden Place, I once more found myself wondering what the author was going to write next. I was so blown away by how much she had developed as an author between the two books. I also knew that I would eagerly await anything this masterful storyteller imagined because I know that it will be incredible and unlike anything I had ever read before.
August 23, 2024
☆ 1
I picked up this book because the summary on the inside of the dust jacket promised me sinister plant life and a strangely powerful house, in which three sisters live who have been warned never to leave.
While I enjoyed the eerie, magical atmosphere of this book, and the genre-blend of fantasy and mystery (with a touch of horror) I felt empty after finishing the last page.
There were terribly interesting ideas, concepts that came up that I would have loved to dive into the depths of, because there *were* deep ideas underneath the surface, that could have been thought-provoking and so meaningful, if only we had been allowed to explore them.
I wish there had been more development of the characters, who only seemed concerned with finding things out about their lives and world when the plot needed to continue.
I wanted to like the sisters, but not a lot was given in the way of a snapshot of their everyday relationships with each other so I had to be told that things were different between them. There would have been no way for me to figure that out on my own.
Winnow... existed.
Mayhap's motivations and attributes, though she is our protagonist, are impossible to dissect because so much about her remains undefined.
I felt like Pavonine's reactions to the happenings around her were the most realistic out of everyone; she felt the most human to me (and was my favorite of the characters), but even she acted in ways, near that end, that reminded me I was reading a story.
I found the reveals interesting, but even at the end I wasn't satisfied; I found myself asking questions about the origins of things and the actions / decisons certain characters took and made regarding them, especially in the last few chapters that came to a forced-feeling stop.
There was a mountain of things that needed to be brought up and settled first, particularly between characters. I couldn't shake that thought.
Overall, I am glad I experienced this story.
(You have no idea how happy I was reading about grass that just wanted to get *in*)
This rating is not low out of anger at or hatred of the book, but out of a sad sort of longing at seeing all of the potential this story held and was not nurtured to meet.
I picked up this book because the summary on the inside of the dust jacket promised me sinister plant life and a strangely powerful house, in which three sisters live who have been warned never to leave.
While I enjoyed the eerie, magical atmosphere of this book, and the genre-blend of fantasy and mystery (with a touch of horror) I felt empty after finishing the last page.
There were terribly interesting ideas, concepts that came up that I would have loved to dive into the depths of, because there *were* deep ideas underneath the surface, that could have been thought-provoking and so meaningful, if only we had been allowed to explore them.
I wish there had been more development of the characters, who only seemed concerned with finding things out about their lives and world when the plot needed to continue.
I wanted to like the sisters, but not a lot was given in the way of a snapshot of their everyday relationships with each other so I had to be told that things were different between them. There would have been no way for me to figure that out on my own.
Winnow... existed.
Mayhap's motivations and attributes, though she is our protagonist, are impossible to dissect because so much about her remains undefined.
I felt like Pavonine's reactions to the happenings around her were the most realistic out of everyone; she felt the most human to me (and was my favorite of the characters), but even she acted in ways, near that end, that reminded me I was reading a story.
I found the reveals interesting, but even at the end I wasn't satisfied; I found myself asking questions about the origins of things and the actions / decisons certain characters took and made regarding them, especially in the last few chapters that came to a forced-feeling stop.
There was a mountain of things that needed to be brought up and settled first, particularly between characters. I couldn't shake that thought.
Overall, I am glad I experienced this story.
(You have no idea how happy I was reading about grass that just wanted to get *in*)
This rating is not low out of anger at or hatred of the book, but out of a sad sort of longing at seeing all of the potential this story held and was not nurtured to meet.
February 10, 2021
You can read my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, here.
Many thanks to Candlewick Press and JeanBookNerd for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Not gonna lie, I had almost no idea what I was getting into with this book. The cover was gorgeous, and the summary caught my attention, so I just dove in. I was expecting maybe more of an adventure, but that’s not the case. The beauty of this book is in its subtleties, in its quiet creepiness. Even though I expected none of it, I was pleasantly surprised!
The Sisters of Straygarden Place is a heartwarming tale filled with sisterly bonds, a magical house, a descriptive atmosphere, an age-old mystery, and lots of sacrifice.
I will say that this book feels light on plot. It took a little while for things to really get moving, and even then, the plot itself was slow. It feels more like a character study, which when you combine that with the gorgeous descriptions, made for an enjoyable, light read.
Also, not that it matters, but the cover of this may not look like much when you just see a picture on the computer, but in person? It’s stunning. The green and silver together are gorgeous, and the silver is all shiny and fits with the content of the book perfectly. It feels really nice to hold in your hand and look at.
My Thoughts:
- What struck me early on about this book, which carried through to the end, is just how beautifully it’s written. There are passages that just really gave me pause because of how beautiful they are, and I had to read them twice. It’d be easy, in a case like this, I think, to fall into purple prose, but that isn’t the case here. The writing still has the ease and feel of a middle grade book, but with enough descriptions that it evokes maybe a light Gothic feel, where there’s subtle creepiness and horror baked into it.
- At its core, this is a book about sisters—what brings them together and what pulls them apart. Being a sister is hard. True story. Being a good sister is even harder. Especially when secrets are being kept between them. The three sisters are literally all each other have, since their parents are gone. Well, that and their magic house, of course. It’s been that way since the youngest two can remember, basically, although the older sister, Winnow, remembers a before. She remembers their parents. There’s not really much I can say without wandering into spoiler territory except that seeing the three together was sweet, but there was also a sort of beauty in how they fall apart and have to learn how to be sisters again, too.
- The whole book takes place in a house (namely, Straygarden Place), but this isn’t just any house. It’s a magic house, which makes it infinitely better than every other house. That’s not just it, though, either, because while the magic, on its surface, seems splendid and everything one might want, it’s also a dangerous sort of magic. One that takes in order to give. It’s an almost selfish magic, in a way. Since the whole book takes place in one location, it can be a bit slow in some places, but at the same time, it really lets us explore the magic surrounding the house, and it allows us to really focus on the three main characters, which I enjoyed! The house has a certain history, as one might expect, and I wanted to get to the bottom of it!
- This book is so hard to review, because I feel like there wasn’t a lot of action plot-wise, but that a lot happened with the characters. So I’d recommend this more for people who are okay with less action, who enjoy sitting in a world and really getting comfortable with it. If you’re going into this book hoping for a rushing plot or something to suck you write in, that’s probably not going to happen. Instead, what really pulled me in was Chewins’ writing, with the vivid details but easy way of reading. The setting is absolutely charming, and while there is a little mystery, the focus is more on how the main character, Mayhap, reacts to everything than the mystery itself. It makes me think, in a lot of ways, of a younger, milder version of The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, where sometimes slightly creepy, slightly paranormal things happen but the focus is on the character’s reaction more than what’s happening. There were definitely moments that were a bit creepy or ominous, and Chewins does a fabulous job of creating an atmosphere. I think that’s why I enjoyed my stay at Straygarden Place so much, because I could feel the place like I was there. It was like I was being invited in to participate in unraveling the mystery.
Many thanks to Candlewick Press and JeanBookNerd for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Not gonna lie, I had almost no idea what I was getting into with this book. The cover was gorgeous, and the summary caught my attention, so I just dove in. I was expecting maybe more of an adventure, but that’s not the case. The beauty of this book is in its subtleties, in its quiet creepiness. Even though I expected none of it, I was pleasantly surprised!
The Sisters of Straygarden Place is a heartwarming tale filled with sisterly bonds, a magical house, a descriptive atmosphere, an age-old mystery, and lots of sacrifice.
I will say that this book feels light on plot. It took a little while for things to really get moving, and even then, the plot itself was slow. It feels more like a character study, which when you combine that with the gorgeous descriptions, made for an enjoyable, light read.
Also, not that it matters, but the cover of this may not look like much when you just see a picture on the computer, but in person? It’s stunning. The green and silver together are gorgeous, and the silver is all shiny and fits with the content of the book perfectly. It feels really nice to hold in your hand and look at.
My Thoughts:
- What struck me early on about this book, which carried through to the end, is just how beautifully it’s written. There are passages that just really gave me pause because of how beautiful they are, and I had to read them twice. It’d be easy, in a case like this, I think, to fall into purple prose, but that isn’t the case here. The writing still has the ease and feel of a middle grade book, but with enough descriptions that it evokes maybe a light Gothic feel, where there’s subtle creepiness and horror baked into it.
- At its core, this is a book about sisters—what brings them together and what pulls them apart. Being a sister is hard. True story. Being a good sister is even harder. Especially when secrets are being kept between them. The three sisters are literally all each other have, since their parents are gone. Well, that and their magic house, of course. It’s been that way since the youngest two can remember, basically, although the older sister, Winnow, remembers a before. She remembers their parents. There’s not really much I can say without wandering into spoiler territory except that seeing the three together was sweet, but there was also a sort of beauty in how they fall apart and have to learn how to be sisters again, too.
- The whole book takes place in a house (namely, Straygarden Place), but this isn’t just any house. It’s a magic house, which makes it infinitely better than every other house. That’s not just it, though, either, because while the magic, on its surface, seems splendid and everything one might want, it’s also a dangerous sort of magic. One that takes in order to give. It’s an almost selfish magic, in a way. Since the whole book takes place in one location, it can be a bit slow in some places, but at the same time, it really lets us explore the magic surrounding the house, and it allows us to really focus on the three main characters, which I enjoyed! The house has a certain history, as one might expect, and I wanted to get to the bottom of it!
- This book is so hard to review, because I feel like there wasn’t a lot of action plot-wise, but that a lot happened with the characters. So I’d recommend this more for people who are okay with less action, who enjoy sitting in a world and really getting comfortable with it. If you’re going into this book hoping for a rushing plot or something to suck you write in, that’s probably not going to happen. Instead, what really pulled me in was Chewins’ writing, with the vivid details but easy way of reading. The setting is absolutely charming, and while there is a little mystery, the focus is more on how the main character, Mayhap, reacts to everything than the mystery itself. It makes me think, in a lot of ways, of a younger, milder version of The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, where sometimes slightly creepy, slightly paranormal things happen but the focus is on the character’s reaction more than what’s happening. There were definitely moments that were a bit creepy or ominous, and Chewins does a fabulous job of creating an atmosphere. I think that’s why I enjoyed my stay at Straygarden Place so much, because I could feel the place like I was there. It was like I was being invited in to participate in unraveling the mystery.
May 1, 2021
A whimsical book about love and family. Lush and brimming with wonder.
I wish that it was a bit longer, so I had more time to connect with the characters.
3.5 stars
I wish that it was a bit longer, so I had more time to connect with the characters.
3.5 stars
June 7, 2021
It always seems that for every one good book I read, it’s followed by two or three that I just cannot get through.
I was excited to read about a fun, magical house that does all the things but instead it’s just about three sisters and their creepy dogs who follow a bunch of weird routines for reasons unexplained.
The beginning of this book is so jarring. The story takes off right at the start with no world-building or explanation, and so many character names come up in just the first few pages that it’s really hard to keep track of them all. Who the heck is Tutto? This name keeps being thrown at us like we’re supposed to know who it is.
There’s lots of weird details thrown in seemingly at random and with no purpose, it starts to feel a bit silly. I did not feel engaged at all with this story and even though it seemed like a short and easy read, I DNF’d it at 25% when I decided that I was sick of Winnow’s shit - disappearing and reappearing on every other page. “OMG where’s Winnow”?! I just don’t care.
I was excited to read about a fun, magical house that does all the things but instead it’s just about three sisters and their creepy dogs who follow a bunch of weird routines for reasons unexplained.
The beginning of this book is so jarring. The story takes off right at the start with no world-building or explanation, and so many character names come up in just the first few pages that it’s really hard to keep track of them all. Who the heck is Tutto? This name keeps being thrown at us like we’re supposed to know who it is.
There’s lots of weird details thrown in seemingly at random and with no purpose, it starts to feel a bit silly. I did not feel engaged at all with this story and even though it seemed like a short and easy read, I DNF’d it at 25% when I decided that I was sick of Winnow’s shit - disappearing and reappearing on every other page. “OMG where’s Winnow”?! I just don’t care.
June 1, 2020
This is... an interesting book. The Sisters of Straygarden Place is a mystery that revolves around lost parents, a sick sister, and a magical house surrounded by sinister grass. This is absolutely written for for middle grade readers and anyone beyond that may find themselves a little bored. Regardless, it was still a fun and interesting read.
January 9, 2021
I read somewhere that this book would be perfect for fans of Coraline and The Nest - which are two of my favorite books. But it wasn’t the same... it was really weird and I don’t know.... I didn’t hate it but didn’t love it. Parts felt like a direct copy of aspects of Coraline. It was a really quick read. I have mixed feelings.
February 21, 2024
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
This book is utterly and wonderfully strange. Like, Twilight Zone strange. It is chock full of inexplicable mysteries and enigmas. The story takes place in a strange house that cares for the children living there. Their parents have left (for seven years) and warned them to never go outside into the tall silver grass that surrounds the house. When Winnow disobeys that order one day, Mayhap feels she needs to save her—and the story just gets stranger and stranger from there. Mayhap discovers a slew of secrets about her home, about her parents, about her sisters, about her pets, and about herself. I’ll confess that it took me a little while to get into this book, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down because I just had to unravel all the mysteries. There were more than a few surprises!!
This book is utterly and wonderfully strange. Like, Twilight Zone strange. It is chock full of inexplicable mysteries and enigmas. The story takes place in a strange house that cares for the children living there. Their parents have left (for seven years) and warned them to never go outside into the tall silver grass that surrounds the house. When Winnow disobeys that order one day, Mayhap feels she needs to save her—and the story just gets stranger and stranger from there. Mayhap discovers a slew of secrets about her home, about her parents, about her sisters, about her pets, and about herself. I’ll confess that it took me a little while to get into this book, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down because I just had to unravel all the mysteries. There were more than a few surprises!!
June 29, 2020
trigger warning
Do not leave the house.
Do not go into the grass.
Sleep darkly.
Wait for us.
Three sisters have been left alone in a magical house, waiting for their parents return, when one of them falls ill.
This one does not have a lot of plot, it is more about the atmosphere - and I liked that, was in the mood for it. It's one of those books that are best enjoyed in as few sittings as possible.
You discover first the magic of the house and the relationship between the three sisters, then the nature of the house, which will lead you to what is truly happening.
It didn't felt like I was reading for long, I was intrigued.
I am curious about other works by the same author, and would recommend this book not only to middlegrade readers but also older folk who want a magical journey.
I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
Do not leave the house.
Do not go into the grass.
Sleep darkly.
Wait for us.
Three sisters have been left alone in a magical house, waiting for their parents return, when one of them falls ill.
This one does not have a lot of plot, it is more about the atmosphere - and I liked that, was in the mood for it. It's one of those books that are best enjoyed in as few sittings as possible.
You discover first the magic of the house and the relationship between the three sisters, then the nature of the house, which will lead you to what is truly happening.
It didn't felt like I was reading for long, I was intrigued.
I am curious about other works by the same author, and would recommend this book not only to middlegrade readers but also older folk who want a magical journey.
I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
November 6, 2020
The Sisters of Straygarden Place is a gorgeous, magical story of sisterhood and finding your place in the world. I was immediately drawn into this world and the strangeness of Straygarden Place (athe silver grass! The droomhounds! The magic of the house!), and loved the relationship between Mayhap and her sisters. With a hint of eeriness and full of hope, this book kept me hooked the whole way through.
May 3, 2020
Lyrical and imaginative, rich and riveting. This is Hayley Chewins at her best, writing about magical girls with secrets, and sisters who rise above the odds. An absolute must-read!
January 7, 2021
A riveting middle-grade fantasy about sibling bonds, enchanted houses, and encroaching wildness, lyrically told in eerily beautiful prose
The grass grew taller than the house itself, surrounding it on all sides. It stuffed the keyholes and scraped against the roof. It shook the walls and made paintings shiver.
Seven years ago, the Ballastian sisters’ parents left them in the magical Straygarden Place, a house surrounded by tall silver grass and floating trees. They left behind a warning saying never to leave the house or go into the grass. “Wait for us,” the note read. “Sleep darkly.” Ever since then, the house itself has taken care of Winnow, Mayhap, and Pavonine–feeding them, clothing them, even keeping them company–while the girls have waited and grown up and played a guessing game: Think of an animal, think of a place. Think of a person, think of a face. Until one day, when the eldest, fourteen-year-old Winnow, does the unthinkable and goes outside into the grass, and everything twelve-year-old Mayhap thought she knew about her home, her family, and even herself starts to unravel. With luscious, vivid prose, poet and author Hayley Chewins transports readers to a house where beloved little dogs crawl into their owners’ minds to sleep, sick girls turn silver, and anything can be stolen–even laughter and silence.
Out September 2020
208 Pages
MY THOUGHTS:
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
This is a fun middle-grade fantasy book. What a concept! I loved this book, the sisters and this incredible house. About sibling bonds, enchanted houses and encroaching wildness, you will find yourself lost in the throws of a beautiful, imaginative tale written with a lyrical, magical voice.
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This book will greatly appeal to middle-grader, ages 10-14.
Plot flows smoothly, captivating readers and spinning a wonderous web toward a brilliant ending. There’s enough twists and turns to keep the reader engaged and curious about the ending. The characters are all different and develop nicely. They are fleshed out and creative in personality and goals. Other characters are fun and interesting and the author’s imagination and creativity seems to have no bounds. I love this book and recommend it to school libraries, middle-grade book lovers and of course middle-graders.
I gave this book:
Five golden rating star.
The grass grew taller than the house itself, surrounding it on all sides. It stuffed the keyholes and scraped against the roof. It shook the walls and made paintings shiver.
Seven years ago, the Ballastian sisters’ parents left them in the magical Straygarden Place, a house surrounded by tall silver grass and floating trees. They left behind a warning saying never to leave the house or go into the grass. “Wait for us,” the note read. “Sleep darkly.” Ever since then, the house itself has taken care of Winnow, Mayhap, and Pavonine–feeding them, clothing them, even keeping them company–while the girls have waited and grown up and played a guessing game: Think of an animal, think of a place. Think of a person, think of a face. Until one day, when the eldest, fourteen-year-old Winnow, does the unthinkable and goes outside into the grass, and everything twelve-year-old Mayhap thought she knew about her home, her family, and even herself starts to unravel. With luscious, vivid prose, poet and author Hayley Chewins transports readers to a house where beloved little dogs crawl into their owners’ minds to sleep, sick girls turn silver, and anything can be stolen–even laughter and silence.
Out September 2020
208 Pages
MY THOUGHTS:
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
This is a fun middle-grade fantasy book. What a concept! I loved this book, the sisters and this incredible house. About sibling bonds, enchanted houses and encroaching wildness, you will find yourself lost in the throws of a beautiful, imaginative tale written with a lyrical, magical voice.
ADVERTISEMENT
REPORT THIS AD
This book will greatly appeal to middle-grader, ages 10-14.
Plot flows smoothly, captivating readers and spinning a wonderous web toward a brilliant ending. There’s enough twists and turns to keep the reader engaged and curious about the ending. The characters are all different and develop nicely. They are fleshed out and creative in personality and goals. Other characters are fun and interesting and the author’s imagination and creativity seems to have no bounds. I love this book and recommend it to school libraries, middle-grade book lovers and of course middle-graders.
I gave this book:
Five golden rating star.
July 12, 2020
Mystery and magic meet the dark and strange in this grabbing read, which searches for the true meaning of sisterly love.
Three sisters were left in a magical house with orders from their parents never to open the front door until they returned. Seven years have gone by and the oldest sister—now fourteen—goes against the rules but won't say why when she returns. When she falls very ill, Mayhap, the middle sister, is determined to find a way to heal her and discover the truth behind her actions. Her search leads her, however, to dark secrets not only about the house but about her own past.
From the very beginning, this book dives into a strange world. The house is alive. The grass a being which thinks and acts in and of its own accord. And the author automatically hits this world without any gentle slide into it. In other words, readers need to know that it's imaginative and fantastical right away. With that mindset, this tale grabs from the start, keeps tension high the entire way through, and ends on a delightful note.
The strangeness of this tale notches right in with the characters' names: Winnow, Mayhap, and Pavonine. Each one has their own droomhund—a small dog, which slides into the girls' heads to help them sleep—, the house creates everything out of thin air, and there's a talking card file in the library. That the girls never explored some corners of the house surprised me, since they'd been living there so long, and at times, they seemed a little less familiar with each other than I'd expect, considering they grew up together alone...stuck in the same rooms. But all of that aside, the story flows wonderfully well and makes it impossible not to want to see what happens next. Because there is a great evil lurking in the house, too.
The sisterly bond shines bright in these pages. Of course, nothing runs smoothly even in the closest relationships, and it's the exploration of this love which makes these pages shine. Mayhap is the main character and what a wonderful girl she is! Her heart is in the right place. She's logical, extremely caring, takes risks but only when necessary, and is simply fun to root for and fever for the entire way through. There are heartbreaking moments as well as touching ones. But it's the light of hope and love which still shines through the darkness and fear, which really makes this a lovely read.
In other words, I highly recommend this one to fans of magic, imagination, secrets, and moments which reach into the darker shadows, where many might fear to go themselves.
I received an ARC and found this to be an interesting and grabbing read.
Three sisters were left in a magical house with orders from their parents never to open the front door until they returned. Seven years have gone by and the oldest sister—now fourteen—goes against the rules but won't say why when she returns. When she falls very ill, Mayhap, the middle sister, is determined to find a way to heal her and discover the truth behind her actions. Her search leads her, however, to dark secrets not only about the house but about her own past.
From the very beginning, this book dives into a strange world. The house is alive. The grass a being which thinks and acts in and of its own accord. And the author automatically hits this world without any gentle slide into it. In other words, readers need to know that it's imaginative and fantastical right away. With that mindset, this tale grabs from the start, keeps tension high the entire way through, and ends on a delightful note.
The strangeness of this tale notches right in with the characters' names: Winnow, Mayhap, and Pavonine. Each one has their own droomhund—a small dog, which slides into the girls' heads to help them sleep—, the house creates everything out of thin air, and there's a talking card file in the library. That the girls never explored some corners of the house surprised me, since they'd been living there so long, and at times, they seemed a little less familiar with each other than I'd expect, considering they grew up together alone...stuck in the same rooms. But all of that aside, the story flows wonderfully well and makes it impossible not to want to see what happens next. Because there is a great evil lurking in the house, too.
The sisterly bond shines bright in these pages. Of course, nothing runs smoothly even in the closest relationships, and it's the exploration of this love which makes these pages shine. Mayhap is the main character and what a wonderful girl she is! Her heart is in the right place. She's logical, extremely caring, takes risks but only when necessary, and is simply fun to root for and fever for the entire way through. There are heartbreaking moments as well as touching ones. But it's the light of hope and love which still shines through the darkness and fear, which really makes this a lovely read.
In other words, I highly recommend this one to fans of magic, imagination, secrets, and moments which reach into the darker shadows, where many might fear to go themselves.
I received an ARC and found this to be an interesting and grabbing read.
October 28, 2020
Hayley Chewins slim book is a dark gothic fantasy for fans who like their magic with a creepy twist. Recommended!
Read more at Bookish Adventures.
Read more at Bookish Adventures.
February 25, 2021
This was VERY odd and SO creatively done. Gothic strangeness for the middle reader with some great messages woven in. If you are looking for something truly different this one is for you. I am definitely going to follow this author.
December 24, 2020
Maybe 3.5 stars but rounding up. Beautiful, lyrical, and unlike anything I’ve read. It has dark fairytale elements to it! I will have to check out this authors other book.
February 3, 2021
This story is strange and wonderful and weird and dark and you've been warned.
September 23, 2020
This was a magical read. To start, I loved the house... a house that responds to your every wish and need... how cool is that? And yet, something feels sinister from the first chapter. Three sisters, trapped in a house, and told by their parents before they left to never leave the house. I loved the relationships between the sisters, and I adored the droomhounds. The writing was gorgeous, and I was captivated from the first page to the last. I definitely got a Coraline vibe from this book, and yet, Sisters of Straygarden Place is also completely unique. I highly recommend!
June 21, 2020
Sinister sentient slithering silver grass of a monstrous size holds a house and its child residents hostage. No one is mowing this threatening menace of a yard. No one leaves the house. All doors and windows are kept locked against this insidious peril that encircles their home for as far as the eye can see. Constantly, day and night, it slyly and stealthily seeks a way to break in. But the house holds firm … barely.
The three young sisters have raised themselves these past seven years in a magic house that provides for their every need. They want for nothing. Except their missing parents. And their freedom. And the ability to sleep without their beloved pet dream dogs.
The mystery is how did this strange state of affairs come to pass.
The eldest girl goes missing, spent the day away… outside… and returns… changed. Mayhap, the middle child, is left to figure out what happened. How to help her eldest sister and protect her youngest at the same time.
In fear and desperation, Mayhap opened the door to the forbidden outside. The silver grass made ligatures of itself to capture and hold her while it spoke seductive offers and cryptic comments.
Later, a benevolent (or is that malevolent?) house spirit reveals itself to Mayhap. Surely this spirit will aid her and her sisters. Mysteries upon mysteries.
The author came up with some fresh and interesting twists and turns for this horror story that were alternately frightening and heart-rending. I give her full credit for providing an upbeat and satisfactory ending that remained consistent with the world she created yet also recognized the complexity of the human condition. She did not compromise or pander but managed to end the story on a kind and loving note. So I recommend this book for tweens who are of a stalwart constitution and adults who enjoy a mild but well-written horror story with which to pass an afternoon. Sensitive tweens may find it a tad too creepy but may be okay with it if they can persevere to the end.
A surreal, eerie, contemporary fairytale that ultimately speaks to family, love, loss, identity, appearances, longing, fear, hope, and acceptance.
Tags: SFF, FP, FairyTale, Horror, Mystery, Siblings, Sisters, Enchanted House, Magic, Eerie, Creepy, Suspense, Thriller, JF, Tween, 2020, South African Lit, ARC, Advanced Reading Copy
The three young sisters have raised themselves these past seven years in a magic house that provides for their every need. They want for nothing. Except their missing parents. And their freedom. And the ability to sleep without their beloved pet dream dogs.
The mystery is how did this strange state of affairs come to pass.
The eldest girl goes missing, spent the day away… outside… and returns… changed. Mayhap, the middle child, is left to figure out what happened. How to help her eldest sister and protect her youngest at the same time.
In fear and desperation, Mayhap opened the door to the forbidden outside. The silver grass made ligatures of itself to capture and hold her while it spoke seductive offers and cryptic comments.
Later, a benevolent (or is that malevolent?) house spirit reveals itself to Mayhap. Surely this spirit will aid her and her sisters. Mysteries upon mysteries.
The author came up with some fresh and interesting twists and turns for this horror story that were alternately frightening and heart-rending. I give her full credit for providing an upbeat and satisfactory ending that remained consistent with the world she created yet also recognized the complexity of the human condition. She did not compromise or pander but managed to end the story on a kind and loving note. So I recommend this book for tweens who are of a stalwart constitution and adults who enjoy a mild but well-written horror story with which to pass an afternoon. Sensitive tweens may find it a tad too creepy but may be okay with it if they can persevere to the end.
A surreal, eerie, contemporary fairytale that ultimately speaks to family, love, loss, identity, appearances, longing, fear, hope, and acceptance.
Tags: SFF, FP, FairyTale, Horror, Mystery, Siblings, Sisters, Enchanted House, Magic, Eerie, Creepy, Suspense, Thriller, JF, Tween, 2020, South African Lit, ARC, Advanced Reading Copy
October 9, 2020
Review originally published 9 Oct. 2020 at Falling Letters. I received a free copy from the publisher via Netgalley.
- Did not work for me at all 😑
- Haphazard worldbuilding that has no purpose or backstory or context (probably my main gripe, as someone who loves fantasy)
- Felt like there was no point to the story: no point ‘in’ for the reader, nothing to connect with or relate to
- One dimensional characters whose sisterly love is supposed to define them, I guess, but I didn’t feel it
- Sounds more suspenseful than it actually is
- The ending definitely threw me for a loop – is it setting up a sequel?
- Well, maybe I completely missed the mark. Let me know if you read this so we can compare notes…
- Did not work for me at all 😑
- Haphazard worldbuilding that has no purpose or backstory or context (probably my main gripe, as someone who loves fantasy)
- Felt like there was no point to the story: no point ‘in’ for the reader, nothing to connect with or relate to
- One dimensional characters whose sisterly love is supposed to define them, I guess, but I didn’t feel it
- Sounds more suspenseful than it actually is
- The ending definitely threw me for a loop – is it setting up a sequel?
- Well, maybe I completely missed the mark. Let me know if you read this so we can compare notes…
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