The Sun Sister - by Lucinda Riley: Book Review

Title: The Sun Sister. A novel
Author: Lucinda Riley
Pages: 528
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: 19th May 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Format: Kindle

The Sun Sister by Lucinda Riley is the sixth novel in the The Seven Sisters series. It focuses on the story of Electra d’Apliese, one of the six daughters adopted by Pa Salt.

At this point I’m so invested in this series, and although I can see that the writing is not perfect and there are plenty of shortcomings, the story is too captivating to stop reading. Alas, this was about 100-200 pages too long.

There was much focus on Cecily’s story, which is mostly set in Kenya, Africa, but not much is revealed about that culture, except the bare minimum necessary to help the story make sense. Of course her part is crucial, but I wish more were told about Stella or Rosa. The pattern of every book in the series is that we learn more about the great-grandparents or a great-relative, rather than the closer family members. And yet, in a novel focused on a character of African descent, a lot of time is spent talking about the world of the white people.

An aspect that was distracting was the brackets used. This could have been better handled by the editor. The information put between brackets was a natural part of the story and I don’t understand the function of these brackets. Actually, I don’t understand brackets in novels, period. The writing, as I said, is not much, the characters have little depth and the romance between Electra and her new love interest is silly, added almost as an afterthought to have that box ticked. Also, why do characters use the addressed person’s name so much in dialogues? It just makes all the dialogues even more unnatural. It’s also cute to keep hearing about how smart a character is only to see them lacking common general knowledge. Good thing they have a pretty face, huh?

There were important issues approached in this novel, two biggest being racism and drug addiction. It is a relevant topic for our time, and it fit with the main character’s lifestyle and background. I was afraid it’ll be turned into a pathetic plea against drugs, which is usually badly handled, but it was nicely addressed.

What irks me is why we’re repeatedly told that every female interest in every romantic relationship in every book in the series has to be skinny or voluptuous, and beautiful – so the focus is on the outward appearance. This is the case both in the past and the present day stories. Speaking of relationships, it’s curious that most? all? romantic relationships have an older-by-at-least-ten-years male partner and a young in-her-early-to-mid-twenties female. I’m so curious if this is a coincidence or a thing the author has, or a nod to something in her life, or a simple preference. I’ve been thinking about this since the second book! 

I was worried for a second that the series would end abruptly. I shouldn’t have feared because this novel ends with a reference to the seventh unknown sister. There are also some mysteries at Atlantis that need uncovering, I believe. I can’t wait for the seventh book in the series, but only due to the entertainment it provides, not the depth of the novels.

I received a free e-book copy of the novel from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

What I've Read Lately #11

It's been a while since I updated this here blog with my recents reads, so here goes:

Of course I read the fourth book in the series. However, I didn't like it as much as the others. There were some episodes where Cece's actions seemed contrary to her personality. At one point she gave herself a pep talk that sounded a lot like excusing herself and speaking for the rights women have, but it didn't read naturally. It was as if the author wanted to make a point about a topic, and Cece was the chosen medium to deliver the message. It was off, is what I'm saying.
Despite the romantic plot(s), I kept reading because now I'm invested in this series and I want to know everything. That said, I can't wait for book number five.

3*

I adored Ada's voice in this novel. She seems to forget about herself, she is honest and innocent, and brave despite her fear. It was fun to read a story from a different point of view, because I don't think I've read a novel where the main character was British, living in Britain during the early years of the War. I wish there were a third book in the series.

5*

I don't know. One day I thought of searching for read books on YouTube and found this. 

4*

And my YouTube book listening moment led me to this.

3*

I've been meaning to read this one for a long, long time. GoodReads shows that since August 2017.

Eleanor sure is quirky, as everyone says, and endearing, and it makes you sad to read about her, and it makes you want to give her a hug despite her obvious reservation towards such gestures.  The novel is funny and deep, and I wasn't expecting depth. Sure, it's a bit eyebrow-rising to see that in less than a year she manages to change so much about herself and a lot of things manage to change for her, but I was so glad! It was about time something good happened to and for her. 

Despite her cold demeanour, I didn't think of her as snobbish. I agreed with her on some observations, and where not I just laughed. It's easier to laugh with a character than it is to see the funny side when similar people show up in real life occurrences. 

Warm feelings, but not exaggerated, at the end of the novel when you see her letting people help and bring to the surface parts of her personality she lost touch years before.

As for her Mother, I figured it out about half way into the novel, but it was still sad.            4*

This is the first book in the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny. The whole bookstagram community is raving about this series, but I am not on board yet. 

I read this for a buddyread on Instagram, my first of that kind. It's a cozy mystery sort of book, with the main character a 70+ inspector who apparently is a good people reader. He's summoned to investigate the unexpected death of a beloved villager in the idyllic Three Pines, Jane. I wasn't very invested in the story to try to actively think of whodunnit, so I was surprised along with a large number of people who have read this book. 

Apparently the series gets better and better (there are currently 14 books in the series), so I hope I'll like the rest better, because yes, I do plan to read them all. 

I wish Yvette Nichol were a nicer character, but then again a wonderful female inspector would have been too predictable, I guess. 

I feel like I missed on something while reading it (maybe the pressure to finish the book for the aforementioned buddyread?), like all the mentions of food, people's personality glimpses from Gamache, the gorgeous nature in Three Pines. Maybe I'll do better for the next books.
                                                                        3*

This series surprised me pleasantly! I read the first two books one after the other and it was a good decision on my part. The third one has a different pace and tone, but I still liked it a lot. It's funny and I like funny. What I liked best was that Lara Jean was normal despite her cringe-y moments and downright embarrassing ones.

I most certainly did not like that Peter Kavinsky dude. Argh! He was arrogant even when he wanted to be cute and charming. I was not charmed. I wish there was more of John Ambrose McClaren because he was nice and respecful and not Peter Kavinsky. 

This series was the surprise of the year for me.

What made me read this series was the magic word: "letters" and my sudden interest in Young Adult novels. I plan to read the other series from Jenny Han, too. I watched the movie for this Lara Jean series and it was... weird. The characters acted unnatural, Peter was not so annoying, and her younger sister was meh compared to the novel version.
4*

The Shadow Sister - by Lucinda Riley: Book Review

Title: The Shadow Sister
Series: The Seven Sisters
Author: Lucinda Riley
No. Pages: 684
Publishing Date: 25.04.2017
Publisher: Atria Books

I couldn't wait for the third book in the series! It kept me as intrigues and interested as the first two books did, and it made me curious about the next sister, and the next book as well. (Although, I must confess, the sister the next book will be about is one of the most irksome, in my opinion. But I can't wait to read the book!) 

(spoilers ahead!)

Star D’Aplièse is the quietest of the six sisters Pa Salt adopted from all over the world. She has always been too close to her sister Cece, but in her desire to use the clues Pa Salt left behind after his death* to help the girls discover their origins, Star finds herself forging a new life for her. I rooted throughout the book for Star. She is at time too calm and patient, but for someone who had always been used to listen rather than speak, to follow rather than initiate, she did well for herself. I enjoyed seeing this character develop and gain substance.

Set in present day London, Star's genealogy and roots conveniently send the reader to the Edwardian England, with some Victorian influences. It is one of my dearest periods in the English history, and seeing names like Beatrix Potter's, and even the King's used in the novel was a treat. I didn't know about Alice Keppel, but it was a nice surprise. As with the first two books in the series, I am amazed how well the details and intricacies of the English families were nicely used to create the main character's story. I confess I needed a notebook to write down some details, or else I would have got lost in the maze of names and historical information.

Although I believe Star, Beatrix Potter and Alice Keppel the characters, Aurelia and Flora are strong characters, not coincidentally strong leading feminine characters, my suspicion that arose even from the previous two books that The Seven Sisters men are weaker than the women has been confirmed. Both the men from the past, those in connection with Flora and Aurelia, and the men in the present day in connection to Star's life seem weak in comparison to their female partners. Mouse, Archie, the King are not as impressive in their actions, words and decisions as their counterparts, Star, Flora/Aurelia, Alice. Most men exhibit an unfounded air of superiority, talk too much, and often act only prompted, like pawns. Maybe it's the feminism tendencies in me, but it was a thought that followed me throughout the novel, and I am curious if it will be confirmed by the next books.

A thing that seemed somewhat inauthentic were some exchanges between characters. Mouse and Star's rocky start of relationship can be excused due to their inexperience and their personalities, but still their exchanges seemed forced. However, the most out of place was the one between Star and Shanti when Shanti expresses her romantic interest. I sensed from the moment she was introduced in the novel that she was going in that direction, but I wish it had been done in a less cringy way. Curiously, the present day characters seem to have the problem of authentic talking rather than the characters in the past. Maybe this is because it's the Edwardian period and puffy language is excused.

As far as the plot goes - well done! The story-telling is so written as to keep the reader interested to the very end, even after you learn everything about Star's past. Another thing that gave the novel consistency was the way the author connected the events. In book two there is a concert Ally is in and we were told that Star attended it. In book three we learn how exactly did Star get there, and why isn't Cece with her. I like the little details that tie the novels.

My only serious problem with this series is that the books don't come out soon enough!

4.5/5

I received a free e-book copy from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

List of Characters. (spoilers ahead!) 

Star D’Aplièse (Asterope)

a Faberge panther - the clue Star has from Pa Salt

Orlando - bookshop keeper: Arthur Morston Books

Mouse - Orlando's brother

Alice - Mouse's deceased wife

Rory - 7years old. Mouse's son

Marguerite - Orlando's cousin

Flora MacNichol - keeps diaries, and that's how Star's story is told

Panther - Flora's cat

Aurelia MacNichol - Flora's sister

Esthwaite Hall - their family's manor

Rose MacNichol - their mother

Alistair - their father

Rose+the King (Bertie) = Flora

Lady Arabella Vaughan - good friend of Rose's. Archie's mother

Elizabeth Vaughan - Archie's sister

Lord Archie Vaughan - he loves Flora. marries Aurelia. then marries Flora

Louise - Archie and Aurelia's daughter. Flora will raise her, per Aurelia's request

Beatrix Potter - children's books writer

Freddie Soames - was to marry Flora, but due to her past the wedding is canceled

Countess Daphne + Count Algernon - Freddie's parents

Alice Keppel - the King's mistress. she takes Flora under her wing in London and introduces her into society

Violet & Sonia - Alice's girls

Violet + Vita Sackville-West (Mitya), a poetess

Sir Ernest Cassel - gives Flora the money the King left her

Teddy - the orphan Flora adopts

Louise + Teddy grow up as twins

Louise + Rupert Forbes=Laurence, Orlando and Mouse's father
Teddy + Tessie, the Land Girl = Patricia Smith
Teddy + Dixie/Cecilia O'Reilly, his wife = Michael, Marguerite's father
Patricia Smith + Alfred Brown = Petula (in '62)
Petula (18y/o) - Lucy Charlote (Star)
Petula = Sylvia Gray - Russia lit. professor at Yale, married with three kids
Robert Stein - Sylvia's husband

*I have my doubts about this. In book three, Star thinks she saw Pa Salt. Cece, too, thinks she saw a someone (we are not told who, but I suspect it's him) and is shocked. I book two, Ally thinks she heard Pa Salt's voice when she called Atlantis, but everything was settled when Ma said it was just the old answering machine recording. I don't remember if Maia, in book one, had a similar moment, but I wouldn't be surprised if she did. Since there are to be seven books in the series, and there are only six sisters, maybe book seven will give us more information. And I am pretty sure Pa Salt is alive.