The Cherry Robbers is a masterful, atmospheric work of historical fiction and gothic horror. The main character, Sylvia Wren, a reclusive, famous iconic American artist is writing her memoirs in 2017, recalling her early life in the 1950s. She was Iris Chapel, one of six sisters, heirs to a firearms fortune, with a controlling father and a disturbed, distant mother, living in a big mansion shaped like a wedding cake. Her two oldest sisters die within 24 hours of getting married, and one by one her other sisters meet a similar tragic fate.
Sarai creates a creeping sense of danger and suspense with her decadent, exquisite prose. The curse that afflicts the Chapel women ties in with female sexuality and the role of women in patriarchal 1950s society, their voices ignored and disregarded. The natural world (especially plants), violence against women, mental health, and the power of art are also important themes explored in this novel. The Cherry Robbers was incredibly well written and completely addictive. I loved it and was deeply affected by it.
Sarai creates a creeping sense of danger and suspense with her decadent, exquisite prose. The curse that afflicts the Chapel women ties in with female sexuality and the role of women in patriarchal 1950s society, their voices ignored and disregarded. The natural world (especially plants), violence against women, mental health, and the power of art are also important themes explored in this novel. The Cherry Robbers was incredibly well written and completely addictive. I loved it and was deeply affected by it.