Friday, October 24, 2008

And you thought your sister was bad...

If you enjoyed Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale, Poppy Adams' The Sister is quite similar. The story has that dark, creepy, gothic feel that deserves to be read in front of a fire on a dreary, rainy day.

Ginny is awaiting the arrival of her sister Vivi, who is returning to their family home in Dorset for the first time in 50 years. Ginny, an eccentric recluse, has been living alone in the family home for years, continuing her family's study of moths. Vivi's return dredges up Ginny's memories of the past, and we learn about Ginny and Vivi's relationship and the circumstances surrounding Vivi's absence. When Vivi's version of past events conflict with Ginny's, Ginny is unable to reconcile herself with this new reality, which has terrible consequences for the two sisters.

The ominous tone and the crumbling mansion make for a great setting, but the story is quite intriguing as well. As Ginny narrates the story, you get the feeling that something is just not right, but you can't put your finger on it. Even at the end, you will still be trying to make sense of everything and there are some questions that are left up to the reader to answer. The story raises a lot of interesting questions, that I think would make for a good book discussion, as well.

P.S. The audiobook is narrated by Juliet Mills, who, I think, has the perfect voice for Ginny.

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