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There are currently 35 member reviews
for The Sisterhood
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Jane H. (Prospect, KY)
THE SISTERHOOD by Helen Bryan
Although the content was interesting, I'm afraid I found the writing to tie it all together was just average, resulting in a less than exciting novel. I normally read 3 books a week and this one really slowed me down as I just wasn't motivated to get to the end and find out what happened. I'd give it a weak 3.
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Viqui G. (State College, PA)
The Sisterhood
"The Sisterhood" follows the trail of a medallion and of the Chronicle of the Convent of the Golondrinas. This trail crosses more than 5 centuries and 3 continents. The reader is introduced to many characters: nuns, orphans, parents, boyfriends, husbands etc.
With all of the time, place and character changes, I found myself just trying to follow the plot line or story arc. However, there were so many off-shoots of the story arc ( the Inquisition, religious intolerance, Inca culture, Spanish imperialism, feminism, art appreciation) that the novel becomes muddled and even simplistic.
In fairness, Helen Bryan's writing is very readable. The premise of the novel is intriguing, but I think she tried to fit too many themes, characters and sub-plots to make an effective novel.
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Georgette I. (Oxford, GA)
The Sisterhood
The Sisterhood by Helen Bryan is a good effort but doesn't quite make the grade. The characters are shallow and the story meanders. I found the attempt at interweaving past and present to be tedious and often confusing. While I am compuslive about completing a book, I was sorely tempted to put this one down. I gave it a 3 only because the historical research regarding the Inquisition is noteworthy.
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Bink W. (Sopchoppy, FL)
Nothing new
The author is a good story teller, but the theme, prose, ideas have all been done to death. Got about half way through, then went on to better novels that are available.
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Love reading in TN
Difficult for me to read
I hate to rate any novel as average. I cannot imagine how difficult it is to be an author. I I just couldn't latch on the story. I was very interested in subject but I got lost in the multiple characters. In the end I just didn't care. I just wanted the novel to end.
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Mary M. (Dallas, TX)
The Sisterhood
I really wanted to love this book because the portal through which we glimpse the lives of 16th upper class Spanish women whose lives are intertwined with the convent "Las Golondrinas" is fascinating. However the author flips clumsily between the present and the past while weaving a predictable plot so while the book is interesting it is not one that I can recommend without reservations.
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Mary S. (Hilton Head Island, SC)
Too Much, Too Little
As I read this book, I found myself wondering why so many present day authors feel that they have to cover a multitude of "issues" to tell an otherwise good story. In "The Sisterhood" by Helen Bryan, feminism, theology, politics, mythology and numerous other topics are discussed by way of the overriding story. None of the topics reflect good research. The women's issues reek of 1970 and early 1980s thinking. As a woman with a degree in Theology, I found both the historic and present day research flawed and poorly presented. What would have been a good, simple story is ruined by poor, unfocused writing. The worst book I have read in a long time.
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