I will admit, I wasn't 100% sure what I would be getting into when I picked this book up - but now, I honestly can't recommend it enough. It is gorgeous, it is tragic, and it does linger with you after you've put it down much like the book's ghosts.
The premise immediately reminded me of Practical Magic - sort of a reverse Practical Magic in some ways. The Chapel sisters are cursed by tragedy when they get married. Although the book is less rooted in fantasy than Practical Magic, I think it will appeal to lovers of fantasy as well as general fiction who maybe aren't ready to take the plunge into full fledged fantasy.
The writing is gorgeous, and it is used so beautifully to craft this story. The author has a gift with - as I said - writing scenes that will simply linger with you long after you are finished with the book. She manages to perfectly encapsulate both the extreme complexities and - paradoxically - the simplicities of relationships between mothers and daughters and especially sisters.
I definitely recommend this book - I would probably caution readers with a trigger warning that complications with birth/delivery are discussed as well as some mental illness issues that readers may want to be aware of before picking this one up.
The premise immediately reminded me of Practical Magic - sort of a reverse Practical Magic in some ways. The Chapel sisters are cursed by tragedy when they get married. Although the book is less rooted in fantasy than Practical Magic, I think it will appeal to lovers of fantasy as well as general fiction who maybe aren't ready to take the plunge into full fledged fantasy.
The writing is gorgeous, and it is used so beautifully to craft this story. The author has a gift with - as I said - writing scenes that will simply linger with you long after you are finished with the book. She manages to perfectly encapsulate both the extreme complexities and - paradoxically - the simplicities of relationships between mothers and daughters and especially sisters.
I definitely recommend this book - I would probably caution readers with a trigger warning that complications with birth/delivery are discussed as well as some mental illness issues that readers may want to be aware of before picking this one up.