I would not really categorize The Half Sister as a thriller— maybe more of a family drama— and perhaps that was my first issue with this novel. I went into it with hopes for a suspenseful and gripping read, but that’s not really what it was. If readers adjust their expectations, I think they may have a different experience. For the most part, I thought it fast paced and I was eager to get to end to discover how it would all come together. However, I was left with a feeling of disappointment once I got there because I found the ending to be somewhat predictable and I wanted more.
The main characters, Kate and Lauren, were polar opposites, but I found each annoying in their own way. Kate, very career-oriented and happily married, spent the past few years struggling to get pregnant. Because of her struggle to have children, her relationship with Lauren was strained, I felt mostly due to jealous feelings. Lauren on the other hand was unhappily married to Simon, who was condescending and abusive. They had three young children together, although Lauren was actually still very much in love with an ex-boyfriend. I found I related more to Lauren, being a stay-at-home mother to three young children myself. I also found her storyline much more interesting and looked forward to the chapters being told in her perspective.
The plot was intriguing at first, but probably just a bit unbelievable. I was somewhat confused as to Lauren’s motivation for signing up for the genealogy site, which triggered the avalanche of events that transpired as a result. I found myself questioning many of the actions and past events that were uncovered along the way because some of them left me feeling perplexed and wondering how they fit into the story. Even now that I’m finished reading, I’m still left with quite a few questions.
Overall, The Half Sister was an entertaining read. I would recommend it for anybody who was a fan of Sandie Jones’s other novels.
The main characters, Kate and Lauren, were polar opposites, but I found each annoying in their own way. Kate, very career-oriented and happily married, spent the past few years struggling to get pregnant. Because of her struggle to have children, her relationship with Lauren was strained, I felt mostly due to jealous feelings. Lauren on the other hand was unhappily married to Simon, who was condescending and abusive. They had three young children together, although Lauren was actually still very much in love with an ex-boyfriend. I found I related more to Lauren, being a stay-at-home mother to three young children myself. I also found her storyline much more interesting and looked forward to the chapters being told in her perspective.
The plot was intriguing at first, but probably just a bit unbelievable. I was somewhat confused as to Lauren’s motivation for signing up for the genealogy site, which triggered the avalanche of events that transpired as a result. I found myself questioning many of the actions and past events that were uncovered along the way because some of them left me feeling perplexed and wondering how they fit into the story. Even now that I’m finished reading, I’m still left with quite a few questions.
Overall, The Half Sister was an entertaining read. I would recommend it for anybody who was a fan of Sandie Jones’s other novels.