Book Review: The Heiresses

The Heiresses

By: Allison Rushby

Published By: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: May 7, 2013

Page Count: 352

Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound

Source: ARC Kindly Provided by Publisher via NetGalley

Audience: Young Adult - Historical Fiction

I have been wanting to read this one for quite some time. The Roaring Twenties is a time period I have always found fascinating. I love watching women shake off the archaic notions and begin to assert themselves. The time period is laced with frivolity and freedom. I also find this time period so intriguing because it is sandwiched between two world wars and a depression. It's a small pocket of prosperity amid a world in chaos. While I have studied a great deal about this decade in the United States, I haven't learned much about how this decade played out in other parts of the world. I loved that this book was set in London and gave me a glimpse into a familiar time period through the lens of something new.

The Heiresses is the story of three girls who have grown up in very different homes. Thalia, is a tempestuous, beautiful girl, who was largely neglected by her adopted family; she never truly felt like she belonged and couldn't wait to break free. Erato (Ro) was raised on logic and academics; she craves siblings and dreams of becoming a doctor. Clio was brought up in a small country village by a vicar and his wife. Each girl is so vastly different, but one thing ties them together - they are sisters. None of the girls knows of the others' existence until the day a mysterious aunt requests their attendance at a lunch in London. Their lives will be forever changed by this one meal. For it is then that they learn that they are not only triplets, but also heiresses.

There is a slight problem that hinders the girls from being able to immediately claim their inheritance - Charles. He is the half brother that stands between them and their mother's legacy. The girls, along with the help of Aunt Hestia and others, must figure out the secrets behind their mother's death and their adoptions. Why would their father claim they did along with the mother? Why would their half brother demand they leave London forever?

I honestly wasn't expecting this novel to have so many dark secrets. I expected it to be a light and fun read, but there is a lot of depth. For one thing, I found that all three of the sisters became a stronger woman throughout the course of the story. Each of them brings their own baggage to the situation, but by the end I found that I admired them all. I was frustrated that Ro made so many bad decisions; I couldn't believe that someone so level headed would be swayed by emotions, but in the end she redeemed herself. I also found it interesting that the one sister I didn't enjoy in the beginning, Clio, had become my favorite by the end.

This entire novel focuses on perceptions and how they often can drive our decisions. Nothing was as it seemed to be and every time things would start to feel predictable, Rushby would throw a twist into the mix. I was completely wrapped up in the triplets and their London adventure. I was shocked by their actions, moved by their emotions, and on the edge of my seat trying to piece together the mysteries surrounding their birth.

All in all, The Heiresses is a fun historical fiction read. It doesn't shy away from the negative trends of the Roaring Twenties, but rather illustrates the time period in an authentic way. Each sister brings a certain personality to the story and I enjoyed watching them navigate the changing currents of their world as the story progressed.

One Last Gripe: Ro's romance irked me. Her actions didn't seem true to her logic driven self. I also was just disappointed with her decisions where the guy was concerned. She deserved better.

My Favorite Thing About The Book: I really enjoyed the growth of Clio and the elements that surrounded her story thread.

First Sentence: The doorbell at the Craven-Towneley home emitted a sharp buzz under Hestia Craven's finger.

Favorite Character: It started out as Ro, but ended up being Clio

Least Favorite Character: Thalia - although she does redeem herself by the end

Summary:

In Allison Rushby's Heiresses, three triplets--estranged since birth--are thrust together in glittering 1926 London to fight for their inheritance, only to learn they can’t trust anyone--least of all each other.

When three teenage girls, Thalia, Erato and Clio, are summoned to the excitement of fast-paced London--a frivolous, heady city full of bright young things--by Hestia, an aunt they never knew they had, they are shocked to learn they are triplets and the rightful heiresses to their deceased mother's fortune. All they need to do is find a way to claim the fortune from their greedy half-brother, Charles. But with the odds stacked against them, coming together as sisters may be harder than they think.