Book review: The Sirens – Emilia Hart

Fans of Emilia Hart’s Weyward will be overjoyed at the release of her latest novel, The Sirens, published February 13, 2025.

The narrative is delivered through a dual timeline, shifting between 1800 and 2019; in 1800, two Irish sisters are forced onto a convict ship bound for Australia; in 2019, an aspiring journalist runs away from her problems to seek the comfort of her sister, only to use her investigative talents to discover unexpected revelations.

I cannot stress enough how readers need to have enjoyed Weyward to like this. It’s basically the same recipe: a dual narrative across history, fantasy undertones, and tells of women overcoming oppressive men who assault them in various ways (I do recommend that some readers may need to check trigger warnings before reading). The main difference between the two books is that Weyward focuses on witches whilst The Sirens focused on, well… Sirens, obviously. If you loved Weyward, I think you’ll love this. Since so many readers enjoyed her debut novel, I presume there will be a large collective who will take to this like a Siren to the sea. If you didn’t like Weyward, you probably won’t like this. If you’re expecting anything new or different from Hart, you’ll be disappointed.

To be blatantly honest and upfront, I didn’t enjoy Weyward as much as I had hoped and I had a similar experience reading The Sirens. That said, I can commend Hart for the pacing in The Sirens. She knows how to immediately grasp the attention of her readers, beginning in media res with a birth scene in a cave, suffused with nautical imagery which sets the tone for the novel. Hart doesn’t let up, with a violent scene coming straight afterwards to open the following chapter. She keeps this up throughout. The fast pace is consistent and it is easy to get caught in the current.

This pace is really the driving force behind the narrative. Without this, I don’t think I could forgive the predictability of the story. Hart doesn’t just foreshadow significant events but clearly signposts every “twist” so that it can be seen from a mile away. That won’t necessarily be a bad thing for every reader though; Hart writes clearly and accessibly so that you won’t feel lost or left behind – you can just enjoy the ride.

I will also say that her historical note at the start of her novel, paying tribute to First Nations people’s, was a well considered, thoughtful touch.

Like with Weyward, I personally felt short-changed on the fantastical elements. I was hoping Hart would dive deeper into the ocean of folklore but was disappointed that she didn’t go further with this part of the concept. Instead, Hart prioritises the more grounded, “human” components of her stories. For many, this will be appealing and, if you go in expecting this, you will likely get much more out of the book.

For fans of Weyward, you can’t really go wrong with The Sirens and I would certainly recommend those readers to pick up a copy from a bookshop, like our local independent October Books, or to borrow the ebook from the Hampshire Digital Library.