Book Reviews

Review: The Sisters Grimm by Menna van Praag

A story about sisters who have to break what is expected of them? That will always intrigue me. So when I dove into The Sisters Grimm I wasn’t sure what to expect. Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.

Summary

As children, Goldie, Liyana, Scarlet, and Bea dreamed of a strange otherworld: a nightscape of mists and fog, perpetually falling leaves and hungry ivy, lit by an unwavering moon. Here, in this shadowland of Everwhere, the four girls, half-sisters connected by blood and magic, began to nurture their elemental powers together. But at thirteen, the sisters were ripped from Everwhere and separated. Now, five years later, they search for one another and yearn to rediscover their unique and supernatural strengths. Goldie (earth) manipulates plants and gives life. Liyana (water) controls rivers and rain. Scarlet (fire) has electricity at her fingertips. Bea (air) can fly.

To realize their full potential, the blood sisters must return to the land of their childhood dreams. But Everwhere can only be accessed through certain gates at 3:33 A.M. on the night of a new moon. As Goldie, Liyana, Scarlet, and Bea are beset with the challenges of their earthly lives, they must prepare for a battle that lies ahead. On their eighteenth birthday, they will be subjected to a gladiatorial fight with their father’s soldiers. If they survive, they will face their father who will let them live only if they turn dark. Which would be fair, if only the sisters knew what was coming.

So, they have thirty-three days to discover who they truly are and what they can truly do, before they must fight to save themselves and those they love.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

TW: sexual assault, mentions of past rape and pedophilia, self-harm

Let me first start this by saying, if you liked the cosmic and whimsical vibes of Good Omens, but want to combine it with sisters – then you have to read The Sisters Grimm. With a framework of being children of Wilhelm Grimm, these sisters not only have to figure out their own origins, but each other. This multiple POV story delivers an atmosphere of whimsical magic. Magic that infuses the fabric of our reality, but sometimes we can’t put a finger on what or how. The Sisters Grimm walks this line of being founded in magic and, at times, being quite subtle about it.

There’s plenty of mystery on all levels – personal, familial, and world building. It’s incredibly fast paced not only being multiple POV, but also chronicling their lives and days until their 18th birthday. So it’s easy to get lost in the characters, to want to keep reading. My favorite part of The Sisters Grimm is, unsurprisingly, the characters. While there were some moments that dragged a bit, largely it’s a book about them discovering their potential and family.

On the cusp of large scale change, it centers on their individual lives. Sure there’s this conflict and war that they’ve been embroiled, created, and inherited. But it also manages to focus on their individual lives, joys, fears, and discoveries. I had some favorite POVs, but overall there were none I hated. And it’s one of those first series books where by the end, I was so excited to see where the next would go. It’s like something clicked and I thought, “okay now that I know you, where we are driving”? Overall, if you’re a fan of Good Omens and also sisters, this is an easy choice. Find The Sisters Grimm on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.

Discussion

What is your favorite book with multiple POV sister story?


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