CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE $5.00 LIKE NEWI wasn't sure what I wanted to read. Sick of the suddenly-standard Psychological Thriller, and with the weather getting nicer, I was in the mood for a Spring-y read to break in my outdoor reading swing. And, if nothing else, the cover of The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan simply screams Spring.
William Sweeney, a seemingly larger-than-life literary icon, known and taught the world over, dies suddenly one June morning, leaving his three daughters - Liza, Maggie, and Tricia - to not only pick up the pieces, but to find them all first: revenues that are dwindling, memoires that can't be located, and one surprising piece of the puzzle - a half Sweeney Sister - Serena - the result of his affair with the woman across the street. An interesting take on something that has become pretty commonplace these days - DNA testing - The Sweeney Sisters gracefully bypasses the salacious details of DNA revelations in favor of the hearts and souls that are really at the core of these fallouts. This book is a more intimate perspective into this premise, and a thorough exercise in empathy.
Written with a true talent for the word, Dolan expertly tackles the difficulties of writing about a fictional literary icon - writing about his supposed works without having to actually write his supposed works. But what translates is centered more around everyone's reactions, leaving the reader feeling as if they are Serena, herself - walking into the middle of a conversation; or, in this case, a lifetime - between close siblings. We are the flies on the wall as these women traverse their father's legacy - both in public and in family - and reconcile their memories of him with the things they are just learning. So, where you would think twists and turns abound, the so-called shocking revelations - including the reveal of the fourth sister - is pretty anticlimactic and tame.
The Sweeney Sisters is a gentle, feel-good, novel, but certainly not the "belly laughs" as described. It is more of a walk down memory lane driven by the sudden inclusion of an outsider, as well as a story about death and everything that comes after, though the level of empathy makes the story somewhat unrelatable. It's a compassionate look at how we idolize public figures who are dicks in private, the pedestals we place people on, and how they almost always come crashing down upon their death. It's an easy read, though not too exciting, and the drama can be a bit contrived. But the characters are likable and humble, the writing is witty and intelligent, introducing me to a plethora of new words, and the ending is warm and fuzzy. Perfect for Spring. ⭐⭐⭐/5 on my goodreads.
