The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley

I had picked up and put down a book by Lucinda Riley before, I’m not sure why. Maybe I wasn’t in the mood.

However, I received a copy of Storm Sister to review, and, given the personality I have, I decided to read this one, the first in the series, first.

I am so glad I did.

From the blurb: 

“Maia D’Apliese and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home, “Atlantis”—a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva—having been told that their beloved father, who adopted them all as babies, has died. Each of them is handed a tantalizing clue to her true heritage—a clue which takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Once there, she begins to put together the pieces of her story and its beginnings…

In this sweeping, epic tale of love and loss—the first in a unique, spellbinding series of seven novels—Lucinda Riley showcases her storytelling talent like never before.”

I am a big fan of the historical fiction genre. The history covered is set in Brazil and France from 1927, and fascinating detail covering the construction of the Cristo statue is expounded effortlessly, so much part of the story that it is difficult to separate the facts from the fiction. Izabela Rosa Bonifacio is 18, her father is a coffee baron, and she is launched on Brazilian society, marries and falls in love while the statue’s construction is completed.

The current day setting is so many beautiful places – Geneva, France and Brazil – in 2007. The gist of this story is set out in the blurb, and Maia is the first of the six (or maybe seven) sisters to follow the crumbs of clues that Pa Salt has left for her to trace her fascinating history.

Please do NOT be put off by this book’s length. There are some long books which turn into weeks of reading, and others that are so filled with pleasure, that you are glad for the length. This falls squarely into the latter category.

ISBN: 9781476759906

The Audible version is gorgeous. It is narrated by Emily Lucienne. I loved her accents and her voice. But it went too slowly for me, so I checked on Kindle and this book was a fabulous $5.69 at time of writing. I downloaded it and finished it that night.

More reviews.

You may also like The Lake House by Kate Morton.