The Pearl Sister by Lucinda Reilly

By Kristy

The Pearl Sister is number four out of seven in the seven sisters series by Lucinda Reilly. The Pearl Sister, like the three before it, start with six sisters gathering after the death of their Adoptive father Pa Salt. All six of the girls ( Maia, Alcyone, Asterope, Celaeno, Taygeta, and Electra) are named after the Seven Sisters star cluster, also known as the Pleiades.

All six of the girls are left with questions about their heritage, why they were picked by Pa Salt, and why did he never bring home the seventh sister  (Merope) from the cluster. On returning back to the family home, all six of the girls, are given a letter from Pa Salt speaking to them from the heart, along with the coordinates to find out the truth about their heritage should they wish to do so, and so each book commences.

“So many humans wandered round in circles, wishing for a future they were too fearful to seize.”

This book focuses on the story of Celaeno (Cece) whose coordinates take her on a journey across the world to Australia. Her history takes her from modern-day Australia to the Australia of the early 1900’s with a complex and twisty tale of Australian history and coming to accept and love who you are.

Thoughts

I have loved all of The Seven Sister’s novels so far, but this was definitely one of my favorites. Right from the start I was gripped and could not wait to find out Cece’s background. From an inner turmoil feeling like she never fits in and drifting apart from her sister Asterope (Star) to a journey spanning from London, Thailand, and Australia. It is a perfect mix of great storytelling, intrigue and heartwarming moments.

There are little faults to be found with this book from the story itself to the language and descriptions. Nothing drags on, which I find can often be unusual with a series of seven books. I haven’t been this invested in a series of books since Harry Potter, and now like then I am never disappointed. Each sister comes from a different background so even though it is essentially the same story, it never feels like that as the reader can immerse themselves into a different time period, country and circumstance with each book.

Book lovers that are not a fan of historical fiction should not be put off as Lucinda Reilly does not fill the book with lots of historical facts and descriptions. It is always about the story rather than the history, and therefore very easy to forget that in this case you are reading about a period in the early 1900’s.

I would definitely recommend this book and indeed the entire series so far. Whether you like sagas, drama, historical fiction, “chick lit” or mystery, these books are the perfect fit for anyone. Extremely readable and enjoyable with a story that you can put down and pick up and read anywhere at any time. It is a book that I will keep on my bookshelf and read over and over again and I feel that it will be the same for many readers. The Pearl Sister is without a doubt a 5 out of 5 on the scale. I would urge anyone who hasn’t discovered The Seven Sisters Series or indeed any of Lucinda Reilly’s books to seek her out right away.

Thank you Kristy for your wonderful review! If you have a book that you’d like to submit a review for, please review the submission guidelines. We’d love to hear from you!