The Sullivan Sisters

March 1, 2020
The Sullivan sisters grapple with learning the truth about their parents--and themselves. Eileen, Claire, and Murphy were once close, despite the death of their father and the struggles of their single mom, as demonstrated in the sweet opening chapter, set 7 years earlier, in which they build a huge blanket fort. Now, in a small town in current-day Oregon, the girls are growing apart and their mother is checked out. Eighteen-year-old Eileen struggles with alcohol, 17-year-old Claire is devastated by a college rejection, and 14-year-old Murphy just wants to regain the magic of her childhood--and bury the family turtle that died from her neglect. When Eileen receives word that they have inherited a house from their father's brother, a man she never knew existed, she heads out of town to investigate. Despite Eileen's wishes, Claire and Murphy join in the adventure. Soon, the girls learn that the castlelike house holds the key to disturbing family secrets. Despite this jarring plot twist, this outstanding story features three memorable characters, the right amount of suspense, and a vivid rendering of the complexities of sisterly love. Claire is gay, an element of her identity that is woven naturally into the story; she connects with a Vietnamese American lesbian who provides her with a valuable role model and who is pivotal in the denouement. The girls are white and Irish American. Absorbing and satisfying. (Fiction. 12-17)

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April 1, 2020

Gr 9 Up-Once, the Sullivan sisters believed they would forever be united. After all, with the death of their father and with their mother frequently absent, they only had each other. Then life changes, and so do the sisters. Eileen, 18, has uncovered a secret that drives her to drink. Claire, 17, wants to escape to an Ivy League school that seems to promise love and acceptance. Murphy, 14, wishes to be perceived as more than just a whiny child. When their mother leaves on a cruise and Eileen receives a letter saying the sisters have inherited a house from a previously unknown uncle, they decide to investigate their family's secrets. In their investigation, they discover a past crime and the truth about one another. This stylish family drama has elements of a true crime mystery. Ormsbee uses multiple narrative perspectives and flashbacks to develop strong characters and create intriguing plot revelations. While the secret they discover borders on the surreal, the themes of family abuse, mental health, alcoholism, and LGBTQIA+ experiences are realistically and sensitively explored. Fans of Ormsbee's Tash Hearts Tolstoy will find this title radically different in plot and humor, but with a similar writing style. VERDICT An engaging, rewarding, and realistic family drama for readers who enjoy juicy family secrets and murder mysteries.-Kaetlyn Phillips, Yorkton, Sask.

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