2023 Book Review #6:Blood Sisters

 

The art work on the cover of this novel struck me when I was browsing books at our town library a couple of weeks ago. However, the cover doesn't quite match up with what is described as the school girls wearing.  But that aside, it's a pretty good psychological thriller/mystery/family drama.  I had never heard of this author. The novel is set in England and goes between 2001 and 2016/2017-2019. 

STORY SUMMARY

Alison is the oldest daughter of Mum.  Her biological father died when she was very young according to Mum.  Mum remarried a man named David and they had a little girl named Kitty.  Kitty was best friends with a girl named Vanessa.  Kitty wanted to be just like Vanessa.  From clothes, to shoes, to make-up, to violin lessons.

Alison was best friends with a boy named Robin who later grew up to become a  lawyer (barrister). Alison went to art school and became an art instructor at various colleges....but when she and Kitty were young teenagers.....

Background story: Three young girls went off to school one early sunny morning. It was the last day of school before summer vacation. Within an hour, before they even made it to school, one of them is dead. 

Fifteen years later, Kitty cannot speak and has absolutely no memory of the accident that's to blame for her being paralyzed and brain injured. She lives in an institution and it doesn't seem likely that she will ever leave it. But....she still gets frightened when she encounters an eerily familiar face.  

Alison appears to be fine on the surface now that she is in her early 30s and it's been 15 years since the accident when she was a senior in high school. But, she  is struggling to make ends meet on her meager art teacher salary and she struggles to forget the past. One day, a teaching position opens up at a local prison.  The prison has been given a grant to have an artist-in-residence.  Alison applies for the job and is accepted! She's fearful about it but she thinks of it as her chance to make things right.  However, she soon starts to receive alarming notes and texts and then one evening her classroom erupts into violence and a horrible act is committed.   A man  claiming to be her biological father is dead! 

Meanwhile, someone is watching both Alison and Kitty. Someone who never forgot what really happened that day. Someone who wants revenge. And only another life will do.....

MY THOUGHTS

This is a gripping tale with many underlying themes and subplots.  It's very well executed though and even though it seems to have a lot of characters, the author does a good job of describing everyone and introducing them in an easy manner. It's not difficult to keep everything straight. 

There are some main themes in this book:  the sister relationship; mother-daughter relationship; stepfather relationship; sibling rivalry; obsessions; teenage rape; cutting; brain injuries; raising special needs children/young adults; unplanned pregnancy; prison violence; betrayal; family secrets; forgiveness and acceptance. 

This is a very suspenseful psychological story. We see what it is like inside a prison both as an outsider coming in and then when Alison spends some time in there for a crime. 

Parts of the book moved slowly for me though and I was starting to feel irritated with Alison when all of a sudden, the book picked up pace and the ending was excellent. 

A couple of good quotes jumped out at me:

"Love is close to hate when it comes to sisters. You're as close as two humans can be.  You came from the same womb. The same background.  Even if you're poles apart, mentally. That's why it hurts so much when your sister is unkind. It's as though part of you is turning against yourself." (pg 315, Blood Sisters by Jane Corry, c. 2017)

"The sister relationship is one of the most complex of all......you might think you dislike each other, but you are bound by such strong ties that it's almost impossible to break away." (pg 321-322).

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 17 and older (due to some mature content and language).

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this an 8. 

  PLEASE NOTE:  There are some scenes in this book that could be triggering for some people in regards to if you have struggled with cutting, unplanned pregnancy, unwed pregnancy, brain injuries and lack of verbal communication, or date rape, or major car accident).