REVIEW: THE SISTER, BY LOUISE JENSEN

 

 

A story about secrets, lies, and a friendship bond that lasts through tough times, but then is broken by death, The Sister was a page turner that kept me guessing.

Grace and Charlie met when they were very young, and after Charlie has stood up for Grace when a boy (Dan) pokes fun at her. Later, Grace, Charlie, and Dan will all become friends, and the group includes a few others. Some who stay friends, while others do not.

Set in a village in the UK, I enjoyed the back and forth sweep through time, as more and more was unveiled with each thrust backward.

What did Charlie mean when she said she had “done a bad thing”? What secrets had Lexie, her mother, kept that would impact all of their lives? What has Dan done that will ultimately derail their relationship? How has the mysterious Anna brought about the unraveling of their lives?

Grace’s narration carried us through the story, and I felt sympathy for her troubles, but I was also frustrated by her tendency to trust too easily. In the end, she flips 180 degrees to total suspicion, seeing danger behind every corner. Was she correct in her assessment of the situation?

Twists and turns kept me wondering, but the ultimate secret would endanger them all. The characters were all pretty unlikeable, beginning with Lexie, who was a mean drunk. Then there was Anna, whom I saw through right from the beginning, although I didn’t know the half of what she was hiding. Would I ever trust Dan again, after his betrayal is revealed? Probably not. But I couldn’t wait to find out what would eventually happen to them all. 4.5 stars.