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Sisters

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

The electrifying new novel from the Booker shortlisted author of Everything Under.

‘A short sharp explosion of a gothic thriller whose tension ratchets up and up to an ending of extraordinary lyricism and virtuosity’ Observer, Fiction to Watch Out For in 2020

Something unspeakable has happened to sisters July and September.

Desperate for a fresh start, their mother Sheela moves them across the country to an old family house that has a troubled life of its own. Noises come from behind the walls. Lights flicker of their own accord. Sleep feels impossible, dreams are endless.

In their new, unsettling surroundings, July finds that the fierce bond she’s always had with September – forged with a blood promise when they were children – is beginning to change in ways she cannot understand.

Taut, transfixing and profoundly moving, Sisters explodes with the fury and joy of adolescence. It is a story of sibling love and sibling envy to rival Shirley Jackson and Stephen King. With Sisters, Daisy Johnson confirms her standing among the most inventive and exciting young writers at work today.

** A NEW STATESMAN BOOK TO READ IN 2020**

©Daisy Johnson 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

 Genre Fiction Gothic Horror Literary Fiction Supernatural Suspense Thriller & Suspense Scary Fiction

Critic reviews

A short, sharp explosion of a gothic thriller whose tension ratchets up and up to an ending of extraordinary lyricism and virtuosity.
A haunting, emotionally acute novel with a terrific twist. (Claire Allfree)
[A] gothic masterpiece... You can't stop reading... This taut, lyrical firecracker of a book crescendos into an emotional ambush of a climax, which...confirms Johnson as a profoundly inventive and masterful storyteller. (Gwendolyn Smith)
A tour-de-force... Johnson's prose seduces us with the promise of comfort and then yanks that comfort away. (Erica Wagner)
Exhilarating... A masterful follow up to her debut, Johnson's novel is quietly terrifying and certainly an apt read for 2020.
Daisy Johnson is the demon offspring of Shirley Jackson and Stephen King... Readers will find many pieces of treasure buried here... Terrifically well-crafted, psychologically complex and chillingly twisted. (Alex Preston)
A second novel that should see [Johnson] consolidate her grip on power... A book less likely to chew you up than screw you up.
A short, sharp shock of a book... Johnson's lyrical prose and knack for conjuring unsettling moments makes for an impressive read. Sisters will, I suspect, be a big hit.
The creeping, physical menace that made Johnson's debut so memorable commands this book, too... It makes an immediate impression -- there's a weight to it which doesn't shift when you put it down. (Francesca Carington)
A dark, slippery, psychological, gothic horror tale...with a rhythmic, visceral energy.
All stars
Most relevant
This is a very well written and read book. The story and the narrator keeps you hooked.

chilling, quick-paced and intriguing

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Perhaps I was hoping for too much after Fen and Everything Inside, but I found this latest take to be a big disappointment. There is none of the incredible atmosphere and evocation of place that those other books contained, and little of the creativity and weirdness (though there is some). The plot twist is a well worn path. It felt robotic. Perhaps writing has just become a job to Daisy?

Disappointing

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I really enjoyed this story. it's the first Daisy Johnson story I've read through audible, and the narrators have done it incredible justice. the bluntness and style of Daisy Johnson's story has shone through and I'm incredibly blessed to have discovered this book. Highly recommended read.

breathtaking . gripping

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Not really my cup of tea and I lost concentration at times, but nothing more to say really.

Sisters

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Quick and chilling listen although definitely felt like it was missing more depth - of plot, of character?

Chilling

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