kjelu1022's review against another edition
4.0
The Wilding Sisters is set in the English countryside at a residence called Applecote Manor. The story alternates between 1959 and the present focusing on the residents of Applecote Manor. In 1959, four nieces of the Applecote Manor's owners, the Wildes, come to stay for the summer due to their mother's new job abroad. There visit is tainted by the disappearance of their cousin Audrey that happened 5 years ago. In the present, Jessie and Will have decided to purchase Applecote Manor to escape the city life of London. Jessie is adjusting to life as the "second wife" of Will that includes her stepdaughter, Bella, and her own daughter with Will.
I really enjoyed that the book went back and forth between the time periods and discovering the connections between them. The four Wilding Sisters are young, hopeful, and struggling with going from children to young women. Bella is a teenager who is struggling with the grief of her mother's death and dealing with her feelings concerning Jessie, her half-sister, and her new relationship with her father, Will.
The book was well written and kept me guessing till the end. I think this would be an excellent book for people of all ages.
Thank you for Netgalley, the publisher, and Eve Chase for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I really enjoyed that the book went back and forth between the time periods and discovering the connections between them. The four Wilding Sisters are young, hopeful, and struggling with going from children to young women. Bella is a teenager who is struggling with the grief of her mother's death and dealing with her feelings concerning Jessie, her half-sister, and her new relationship with her father, Will.
The book was well written and kept me guessing till the end. I think this would be an excellent book for people of all ages.
Thank you for Netgalley, the publisher, and Eve Chase for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
jackierobinson's review against another edition
4.0
I really really really love books that switch between two timelines - I ESPECIALLY love books that flick between timelines, feature old houses hiding secrets, and unsolved mysteries!
I really enjoyed this - two timelines: present day - Jessie is feeling like Applecote Manor is the perfect countryside reset for her husband Will, her young daughter Romy and her reclusive step-daughter Bella. But Applecote Manor is hiding dangerous secrets.
1959 - four sisters, Flora, Margot, Pam and Dot - go to stay with their aunt Sybil and uncle Perry for the summer at Applecote Manor. But they are still mourning the disappearance of their daughter, Audrey, five years earlier. By the end of summer these four sisters will be changed forever.
I really enjoyed this! I liked both storylines but really enjoyed Margot’s story. It was engaging, descriptive and really quite lovely. I definitely got Kate Morton vibes so if you’re a fan of hers, I’d suggest giving this a go! I look forward to reading more by Eve Chase in the future.
4.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this - two timelines: present day - Jessie is feeling like Applecote Manor is the perfect countryside reset for her husband Will, her young daughter Romy and her reclusive step-daughter Bella. But Applecote Manor is hiding dangerous secrets.
1959 - four sisters, Flora, Margot, Pam and Dot - go to stay with their aunt Sybil and uncle Perry for the summer at Applecote Manor. But they are still mourning the disappearance of their daughter, Audrey, five years earlier. By the end of summer these four sisters will be changed forever.
I really enjoyed this! I liked both storylines but really enjoyed Margot’s story. It was engaging, descriptive and really quite lovely. I definitely got Kate Morton vibes so if you’re a fan of hers, I’d suggest giving this a go! I look forward to reading more by Eve Chase in the future.
4.5 stars.
emiandem's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
readingwithhippos's review against another edition
4.0
Frankly, I’m surprised I had the patience for this book, because I am not lately a reader who appreciates slow-moving, thoughtful, atmospheric writing. Yet I was propelled toward the ending somehow, almost against my will. And when the quiet, reflective resolution came, I was strangely satisfied, even though part of me was hoping for a thunderclap of a finish. What sorcery is this?
The Wildling Sisters is a story of a summer heat wave that brought with it something weird and sinister, and how the twisted and tragic events of that summer reverberate into the future. It’s about two families living in the same estate in the English countryside half a century apart. It’s not, as I initially thought, a ghost story. There’s a creepy house, but it’s not haunted except by sad memories. And it’s only barely-kinda-maybe a murder mystery. Mostly, it’s about sisters and the bonds between them, which proves to be something that hasn’t changed much through the years.
So I guess you could say I grudgingly recommend this one. It won me over despite my typical preferences and expectations. Maybe the arrival of fall is making me contemplative. Maybe the book is just that good. The more I ponder it, the more I’m leaning towards the latter.
I should note that a sizeable portion of my enjoyment came from the quality of the audio version, fantastically read by two very distinct but equally talented narrators. It’s no trouble to keep track of alternating timelines when the narrators trade off; the voices signal to you which year you’re in. And of course, it goes without saying that British accents are dreamy AF.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
The Wildling Sisters is a story of a summer heat wave that brought with it something weird and sinister, and how the twisted and tragic events of that summer reverberate into the future. It’s about two families living in the same estate in the English countryside half a century apart. It’s not, as I initially thought, a ghost story. There’s a creepy house, but it’s not haunted except by sad memories. And it’s only barely-kinda-maybe a murder mystery. Mostly, it’s about sisters and the bonds between them, which proves to be something that hasn’t changed much through the years.
So I guess you could say I grudgingly recommend this one. It won me over despite my typical preferences and expectations. Maybe the arrival of fall is making me contemplative. Maybe the book is just that good. The more I ponder it, the more I’m leaning towards the latter.
I should note that a sizeable portion of my enjoyment came from the quality of the audio version, fantastically read by two very distinct but equally talented narrators. It’s no trouble to keep track of alternating timelines when the narrators trade off; the voices signal to you which year you’re in. And of course, it goes without saying that British accents are dreamy AF.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
chelsea_hunt's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
A beautiful story that I know will stay with me. Well developed, evolving characters and relationships. Spooky, gothic setting. Mystery in both timelines that keeps you wondering and hoping.
mcczaw's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
reyes_sf's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book
This is my second book by Eve Chase (the first one was Black Rabbit Hall, which I loved) and I'm glad to say that I enjoyed this a lot. I found that the split present/past narrative disrupted the pace a lot in the first half of the book, but in the second half things picked up and I finished it in one go. I loved the exploration of female relationships here - mother/daughter, stepmother/stepdaughter, sisters, cousins/friends... all of them different and all of them rich and deep. My biggest "but" here is that the ending was too perfect for my liking, after a whole book of complex relationships and seemingly unsolvable obstacles everything was tied up too nicely to be believable. Still a very recommendable book - fans of Kate Morton, Eve Chase is one author to keep your eye on!
This is my second book by Eve Chase (the first one was Black Rabbit Hall, which I loved) and I'm glad to say that I enjoyed this a lot. I found that the split present/past narrative disrupted the pace a lot in the first half of the book, but in the second half things picked up and I finished it in one go. I loved the exploration of female relationships here - mother/daughter, stepmother/stepdaughter, sisters, cousins/friends... all of them different and all of them rich and deep. My biggest "but" here is that the ending was too perfect for my liking, after a whole book of complex relationships and seemingly unsolvable obstacles everything was tied up too nicely to be believable. Still a very recommendable book - fans of Kate Morton, Eve Chase is one author to keep your eye on!
savagemommy's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
frenchiebookworm's review against another edition
I dnf'ed this book after 100 pages. I just can't get into the story. It's just slow and uninteresting for me.
sonham's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0