The Sisterhood by Emily Barr

Published: 2008
Pages: 439
Genre: Fiction

Helen has always felt incomplete. While searching through her mother's possessions one day, she discovers the picture of her sister, Liz, that she never knew she had. This leads her to go on a search to find her sibling and bring her distant family together once again. But Liz has been looking at Helen strangely, asking awkward questions. Does she suspect something?

Chilling, sinister, creepy, thrilling, and unpredictable - I'm not simply rhyming off a random list of adjectives! Those are all words that I'd use to describe The Sisterhood. I wasn't expecting this type of book at all.

Truth be told, before I started this book I had no idea what it was about. There's a modest little blurb on the back cover, but it doesn't really explain what the plot consists of. That's what initially drew me to this book; it seemed mysterious. This feeling continued throughout the book, and it's what fuelled me to keep reading. I wanted to discover the secrets. I wanted to be the insider. I wanted more.

I didn't find The Sisterhood to be particularly suspenseful. Rather, it was intriguing and it sucked you in completely. The whole atmosphere was dark and dreary, leading you to feel that there will be a huge twist in the plot coming up soon. I was waiting for that moment the whole time, and was finally satisfied at the end. It was unpredictable yet very believable, and totally makes sense!

The characters are authentic and interesting. I love how the book alternates between three people: two in the present and one in the past. The two in the present are obviously Liz and Helen, and I enjoyed their point-of-views the most. Helen is a total stalker; she watches Liz from afar and is obsessed with her to the point where I was starting to feel nervous myself! The Sisterhood is very well structured and the characters (especially Helen) were extremely eerie.

Overall, this is a relatively slow-moving book but, ironically, there's always something important going on. It's definitely a psychological thriller that will force you to skim the book again once you've reached the end. The Sisterhood is a haunting book jam-packed with originality!

Recommendation: You don't have to love thrillers to enjoy this book. There's no action or car chases - The Sisterhood toys with your mind. I recommend this to anyone who's looking to read a unique and engrossing book.