The Sisters

September 5, 2011
First-time novelist Jensen redeems her soap opera plot—tracing the lives of two sisters separated in their youth by a tragic misunderstanding—with an observant eye, adept characterization, and a keen grasp of social issues. When 19-year-old Mabel Fischer realizes that their predatory stepfather, who has repeatedly raped and humiliated her, has designs on her younger sister, Bertie, she flees smalltown Juniper, Ky. in 1927 with Bertie's boyfriend and a plan for Bertie to follow. But the plan falls apart, leaving Bertie with what seems like a double betrayal, and sundering the sisters’ lives forever. Bertie marries, but her union is marred by bitterness and the coldness she shows to her two daughters. And Mabel, who doesn’t marry, kidnaps and keeps a child who has been sexually abused. In alternating chapters, Jensen chronicles the difficult, often traumatic lives of four generations of women who descend from the Fischer sisters. There’s plenty of drama, much of it illuminating the changing roles of women in society over a span of 70 years. Jensen nicely integrates history and themes such as the enduring ravages of war on men who fight. While the legacy of Mabel’s courageous sacrifice and Bertie’s barely suppressed anger is “a map of sadness and loss,” it’s brightened by their resilience and the promise seen in the youngest members of the family.

Starred review from February 27, 2012
In Jensen’s debut novel, set during the Great Depression, two sisters, Mabel and Bertie Fisher, suffer under the tyrannical rule of their abusive stepfather. In an effort to start a new life, Mabel secretly concocts an escape plan with the help of Bertie’s boyfriend. But things go wrong and Mabel and her sister are separated. Cassandra Campbell’s narration is warm, rich, and a pleasure to listen to. She creates distinctive voices for all the characters, and her tone conveys deep empathy and compassion. Campbell is even able to make the stepfather—who is evil and wholly unsympathetic—believable and authentic, his voice tough and hard, yet laden with the frustrations and disappointments of his own life. Additionally, Campbell lends voices to the book’s numerous children and grandchildren that reflect their separate personalities and dreams. A St. Martin’s hardcover.