The Sisters

It’s 1927. Times are tough in rural Kentucky. With their mother dead and their stepfather looming as an ever-present threat, sisters Bertie and Mabel Fischer have no one to lean on but each other. Then a choice made in desperation sets off a chain of misunderstandings that will divide the sisters and resonate through three generations of women.

As the years pass and great events stalk the century, Bertie and Mabel forge identities shaped by what lies unspoken between them. And as the sisters go on to have daughters and granddaughters of their own, they discover that both love and betrayal are even more complicated than they seem.

Gorgeously written, filled with extraordinary insight and emotional truth, Nancy Jensen’s searing debut novel illuminates the power of family—and of family secrets.

Praise for The Sisters:

‘First-time novelist Jensen … tracing the lives of two sisters separated in their youth by a tragic misunderstanding … [has] an observant eye, adept characterisation, and a keen grasp of social issues.’

Publishers Weekly

‘A single tragic event shapes four generations of American women in this accomplished and poignant debut…Encompassing the lives of women in the twentieth century, this sprawling saga is tender and satisfying, with a heartbreaking end.’

Kirkus Review

‘It is a beautiful story of love and betrayal, and the secrets that can shape families for generations…Jensen’s debut novel deserves to set her on the road to big time.’

Sunday Star Times

‘An engaging exploration of the ways character and disposition can be formed by events as well as genetics.’

Sydney Morning Herald

‘Inspired.’

Vogue

‘The cleverness is in the way Jensen tells this story, always giving the reader the insights they need to understand the characters even if most of the time the characters never gain that insight themselves. She treads lightly across decades, avoiding this book being labelled a saga, by the deft shifts of point of view. This books shows how we miss so many opportunities when we fail to communicate and that often acting with good intentions is not good enough.’

thehoopla.com.au

‘Intense and well written…This is a real tear-jerker which shows how destructive family secrets can be.’

NZ Herald