Fraidy-cat Vanessa's gregarious older sister Justine goes cliff-diving after a family argument. When her body washes ashore, everyone thinks it was an accident, but Vanessa thinks there's more to the story, especially when she discovers things that Justine had been hiding from them all, and when Justine's sort-of boyfriend, their family friend Caleb, goes missing.
But soon other worrying things begin to happen in Winter Harbor, Maine. Bodies of grinning men begin washing ashore at an alarming rate, and Vanessa's new friend's family seems to be keeping secrets. Together with Simon, Caleb's meteorologist older brother, Vanessa is determined to seek out the truth. But what she discovers may be bigger and more dangerous than she can handle...
SIREN was a surprisingly heartfelt supernatural YA debut. It elegantly combines ocean myth with relatable human troubles for an interesting and absorbing read.
Despite her self-acknowledged fears, Vanessa's attachments to the people she loves drives her to stretch her boundaries and take risks for their sake. I found her believable and likable; in real life she'd be that reserved classmate who's hard to get to know but worth the effort to befriend.
Ironically enough, SIREN's strength lies in its humanity. Even though it's Vanessas story, Caleb and Simon don't exist merely as errand-boys for her mission: they have personalities and passions of their own, too. Additionally, Vanessa's relationship with her parents, while not the central focus of the book, is a lovely touch, from her easygoing banter with her father to tensions with her austere mother.
Sadly, the best part about this book's supernatural element may be its novelty. There's tremendous buildup for the supernatural aspect, and I found its history within the novel's world to be well done. However, in the ending, everything--and I do mean EVERYTHING, pretty much all the subplots--comes together so handily, so effortlessly, that I found my eyes bugging out, unable to believe that it had ended like that. The ending requires a whole heap of suspension of disbelief, and I really struggled with it.
Overall, however, SIREN was an entertaining read that took me away entirely for a few hours. The ending leaves open the possibility for a sequel, and I definitely would not mind seeing what else Tricia Rayburn has for us regarding Vanessa.
But soon other worrying things begin to happen in Winter Harbor, Maine. Bodies of grinning men begin washing ashore at an alarming rate, and Vanessa's new friend's family seems to be keeping secrets. Together with Simon, Caleb's meteorologist older brother, Vanessa is determined to seek out the truth. But what she discovers may be bigger and more dangerous than she can handle...
SIREN was a surprisingly heartfelt supernatural YA debut. It elegantly combines ocean myth with relatable human troubles for an interesting and absorbing read.
Despite her self-acknowledged fears, Vanessa's attachments to the people she loves drives her to stretch her boundaries and take risks for their sake. I found her believable and likable; in real life she'd be that reserved classmate who's hard to get to know but worth the effort to befriend.
Ironically enough, SIREN's strength lies in its humanity. Even though it's Vanessas story, Caleb and Simon don't exist merely as errand-boys for her mission: they have personalities and passions of their own, too. Additionally, Vanessa's relationship with her parents, while not the central focus of the book, is a lovely touch, from her easygoing banter with her father to tensions with her austere mother.
Sadly, the best part about this book's supernatural element may be its novelty. There's tremendous buildup for the supernatural aspect, and I found its history within the novel's world to be well done. However, in the ending, everything--and I do mean EVERYTHING, pretty much all the subplots--comes together so handily, so effortlessly, that I found my eyes bugging out, unable to believe that it had ended like that. The ending requires a whole heap of suspension of disbelief, and I really struggled with it.
Overall, however, SIREN was an entertaining read that took me away entirely for a few hours. The ending leaves open the possibility for a sequel, and I definitely would not mind seeing what else Tricia Rayburn has for us regarding Vanessa.
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