Sign up for our newsletters to receive our Most Anticipated Books of 2025!

What do readers think of The Sisterhood by Helen Bryan? Write your own review.

Summary | Reviews | More Information | More Books

The Sisterhood by Helen Bryan

The Sisterhood

by Helen Bryan

  • Readers' Rating (35):
  • Published:
  • Apr 2013, 420 pages
  • Rate this book

About this book

Reviews

Page 1 of 5
There are currently 35 reader reviews for The Sisterhood
Order Reviews by:

Write your own review!

Annie P. (Murrells Inlet, SC)

The Sisterhood by Helen Bryan
is no easy book to read. It's long, it's slow in places, and there are so many facts and references there is no way to keep track of them all. Besides, there are a host of characters who must all be acknowledged and remembered that it is a challenge to get through this story. But, the great thing is, it is worth it! I was afraid at times that I was reading heresy and nearly put the book down, but I'm glad I didn't; the story is compelling. I carried my book everywhere I went, a few minutes here, half an hour there, until I finally came to the end, only to decide I need to read it again just because it is such a terrific story. Menina is a perfect protagonist, a regular person who was given a gift of such magnitude, the ability to search out the meaning of her work, and be able to develop it so fully.

Thank you, Ms. Bryan, for this gift.
Edie M. (Kennett Square, PA)

The Sisterhood
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I thought the characters were compelling and extremely interesting. They kept calling me back.

I would not recommend this book for the younger audience.

Also, if you are interested in religion, you will enjoy this read.
Mary D. (Claremont, CA)

The Sisterhood
Unlike the last book I reviewed, this one definitely lived up to my expectations ... some good art history and some wonderful history into the time of the Inquisition in Spain and in the New World, all told from the perspective of nuns and common women. There is a "mystery" which starts the story, tracing back to the Inquisition. Even though the book "jumps" from 1550-1560's to modern day, it was easy to follow. The characters are exceptionally well-defined, their quiet strength and sense of right-and-wrong are evident and, in an odd sense, comforting in this day of mixed messages and misdirected morals. Helen Bryan's writing style is clear and concise but very descriptive. The ship voyages were wonderfully described, with all their drawbacks and limitations, and the convents were places of peace and quiet, even while the inhabitants were very colorful personalities. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, had trouble putting it down in fact; I read the first two-thirds of the book in one day!!
Kathleen S. (Oshkosh, WI)

The Sisterhood
"The Sisterhood" tells the tale of an isolated order of nuns in Spain and how it may be connected to an orphan found in the aftermath of a hurricane on the Pacific Coast of South America. The story jumps back and forth between the 1500's and the present day, drawing you into the lives of both the medieval nuns and the orphan, and making you anxious to discover the secrets they are keeping.

The book concentrates much more on the story of the nuns during the time of the Inquisition than on the present day, and that was fine with me. I really enjoyed the history and thought the author did an excellent job creating believable characters that I wanted to learn more about. The way the author ties the intertwining stories together is a bit over-the-top toward the very end of the book, but I still enjoyed it immensely. I'm planning to visit Spain next year and now I'm even more excited for my trip - I'd like to visit some of the areas described in the story.
Judy G. (Carmel, IN)

The Sisterhood Captured Me
I became thoroughly engrossed in the book despite some imperfections already mentioned by other readers who gave it a 3 or 4 rating. The challenge of portraying the history in an engaging manner out ranks some of the inevitable "side effects" of that accomplishing that feat. Yes, following all the characters through the ages was challenging for the reader--yet doable even for an intuitive reader like me. I felt that having to do so made the book a richer reading experience than I might have otherwise had. Normally, I would have put a book aside with too many characters and facts; but to do so in this case would have been my loss.

The shift from the Spanish Inquisition to a modern day female character made Menina stand out as a little unreal compared to other women in the story; however, I believe the character was well developed and Menina's personality description is what causes some of that perception of shallowness in her character that other readers comment on. This was one of the best books I've read this year.
Beth C. (Sioux Falls, SD)

The Sisterhood
I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though I usually shy away from novels that delve into the Spanish Inquisition. However, this novel deftly weaves the story of a South American adoptee who grew up completely unaware of her real background and the story of a Spanish convent in the 15th century. Menina Walker has studied art history in college and decides to go to Spain to research her thesis on a lesser known Spanish painter. Not surprisingly, she finds herself at an ancient Spanish convent that was named for the swallows that come there every year. Menina has an old medal that came with her at her adoption that also has swallows on it. While there she begins to uncover some very old paintings which add a bit of mystery to the story. The way Helen Bryan weaves the old convent story with the new art historian plot is intriguing and well done.
I would recommend the book.
Power Reviewer
Mary Lou F. (Naples, FL)

Exchange of historical events
Excellent back and forth details of Spanish Inquisition and modern day times. Historical religious beliefs interwoven with modern times make for a wonderful piece of work.
Linda M. (Windsor, CA)

Review of The Sisterhood
The author of The Sisterhood does a very good job at blending two stories set almost 500 years apart in two different countries on two continents. She brings everything together in a very believable way. Her characters are beautifully crafted as are the settings in the book. She uses art very skillfully to interpret Bible stories which do present interpretations not accepted by the Catholic faith, but seems to do so in a non-challenging way with an historical basis for those interpretations. The historic and current stories unfold slowly so that the culmination is well-explained. I thought this was an enjoyable read and well-researched.

More Information

Read-Alikes

BookBrowse Book Club

  • Book Jacket
    Let's Call Her Barbie
    by Renée Rosen
    She was only eleven-and-a-half inches tall, but she would change the world. Barbie is born in this bold new novel by USA Today bestselling author Renée Rosen.
  • Book Jacket
    The Wager
    by David Grann
    From the bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon, a gripping story of shipwreck, survival, and savagery, culminating in a court martial that reveals a shocking truth.
Book Club Giveaway!
Win Help Wanted

Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman

From the best-selling author of The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. comes a funny, eye-opening tale of work in contemporary America.

Enter

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    Beast of the North Woods
    by Annelise Ryan

    When a local fisherman is mauled to death, it seems like the only possible cause is a mythical creature.

  • Book Jacket

    Harlem Rhapsody
    by Victoria Christopher Murray

    The extraordinary story of the woman who ignited the Harlem Renaissance.

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

T the L

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.