National Sisters Day is here! To celebrate, here is a list of books worth reading to really appreciate the gift that is sisterhood.
Sisters are the best thing a girl can have (followed closely by female friendships that are almost as good). And so this list shows a variety of sisterly dynamics.
The good, the bad, and the ugly, of course…
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
This beautiful book tackles the question, ‘If you could go back in time, who would you meet?’
It has such an interesting premise that I’d suggest reading for that alone!
One of the stories in this book is about a girl going back in time to speak with her sister, who died tragically in a car accident. It’s a bittersweet tale that explores the pressure of responsibility, seeking forgiveness, and a chance to say the things left unsaid.
I can’t promise you’ll have dry eyes after reading it, but I can promise you’ll appreciate your sister(s) a whole lot more.
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
When thinking of Classics with themes of sisters and girlhood, the obvious choice is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Bear with me.
It’s the perfect example to show the dynamics between sisters and the complexities of growing up as a girl — but so is Sense and Sensibility!
After the death of their father, the Dashwoods (Elinor, Marianne, their now-widowed mother, and their younger sister Margaret) are turned out of their house, with little money to sustain them. The story follows the two sisters as they navigate this new way of living with new friends, in a society neither of them feel comfortable in.
Jane Austen’s writing submerges you fully into the gossip and intrigue of the lives of two sisters desperate to find peace and happiness. It’s brilliant.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Nora, a cut-throat literary agent, is whisked away by her younger sister for a month-long holiday away from life. But rather than meeting “sexy lumberjacks, handsome doctors, or cute bartenders,” she is met with her work nemesis, Charlie, who’s there for reasons of his own…
It’s a BookTok fave, but don’t let that dissuade you — that’s a whole other story. Objectively, I think it’s one of the best-written contemporary romances out there. Emily Henry just gets it. The way she writes about the sisters in scratches an itch that the following Goodreads review sums up perfectly:
“We had some serious themes without being too heavy, which gave the book depth and purpose. The themes blended perfectly with the storyline and the characters. Sister relationships, parentification, loss, grief, ambition with broken and strained relationship at the heart of the story.”
Margaret M
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
In all truth, I had no idea this book was about sisters when I started reading it. Had I looked at the reviews on the inside cover, I would have realised this a whole lot sooner.
Ariadne is the lyrical and feminist literary retelling of the ancient Greek myth. Ariadne and Phaedra, Princesses of Crete, are the sisters of The Minotaur. Every year, Athens sends 14 youths as sacrifice to the beast to keep the two countries from war. When Theseus, Prince of Athens volunteers as a sacrifice, Ariadne quickly falls in love with him. Betraying her father and her country, she aids him in his mission to kill her brother and end the suffering of their peoples. With too many tales of women being punished for the acts of men, Ariadne is determined to set her own fate.
This book is not for everyone — it’s incredibly slow-paced, much like Madeline Miller’s beloved books The Song of Achilles and Circe. But it’s so rich in color and emotion. You may think it’s boring, but Ariadne and Phaedra’s stories are certainly worth telling.
“I would be Medusa, if it came to it, I resolved. If the gods held me accountable one day for the sins of someone else, if they came for me to punish a man’s actions, I would not hide away like Pasiphae. I would wear that coronet of snakes, and the world would shrink from me instead.”
Jennifer Saint
Their personalities are so different; Phaedra is such a headstrong and passionate character, and Ariadne, oh Ariadne…finally the heroine of her own story. The world needs a softer spot for strong, brave female characters that are also delicate and sometimes driven, unhelpfully, by feelings.
This book has a permanent place in my heart.
Campari for Breakfast by Sara Crowe
Campari for Breakfast tells the story of Sue Bowl, a 17 year-old aspiring writer who moves into her Aunt Coral’s crumbling manor for the summer. The book includes Sue’s diary entries of her time with Aunt Coral, as well as entries from Aunt Coral’s Commonplace book.
The reason I included Campari for Breakfast on this list is because I think it perfectly encapsulates girlhood. It’s the pinnacle of the ‘Coming of Age’ novel. It also happens to emphasize the relationship between two sisters, Aunt Coral and her younger sister Cameo, an absolute icon!
“Cameo had cut the arms off my ball gown while I was asleep, so we went out to Crimson and Hopper this afternoon to buy me another. Cameo said she did it because she was feeling unhinged, and was eaten up with worry over a rare infection believed to be spread by paperclips.”
Sara Crowe
Campari for Breakfast is such a fun read! I hope the realness of Sue’s character helps you to be kinder to your younger self.
Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid
Anyone who has read Juniper & Thorn is probably very confused as to why it’s on this list. It’s an incredibly dark fantasy with some very…disturbing…interesting themes, and two very unlikeable sisters (think any depiction of the ugly stepsisters but make them beautiful and 100x more despicable).
Let me explain:
Juniper & Thorn follows Marlinchen, the youngest daughter of a wizard long known to be a xenophobic terror in his community. Marlinchen has grown up serving her father: seeing clients as a witch gifted in a kind of flesh augury and barred from ever leaving the house on her own and going into the city. The story has three centres: Marlinchen’s illegal journeys with her older sisters into the city, her budding attraction to the dancer they see at the ballet theatre, and the mysterious deaths happening in the city around them. (Synopsis by Lexi (aka newlynova) on Goodreads)
I’m not recommending this because it’s a great depiction of sisterhood. It’s not. It’s disgusting, actually. I am recommending it because the relationship between the three sisters is so interesting and unlike anything I’ve read before.
*Please check all content and trigger warnings before reading this book.
The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley
I wouldn’t actually recommend this to anyone who has sisters. The way that the sisters in these books interract with each other is stunted and unnatural. Without googling to confirm, I’m willing to bet Lucinda Riley didn’t have a sister.
That being said, the books are amazing, and I had to put the series on this list somehow.
The Seven Sisters is the first book in an eight-part series, with each book centering a different sister. When their adoptive father dies, each of the six sisters is left a clue that links them to their past. The clue takes them each to different corners of the world to discover themselves and the lives of their ancestors. But who was their elusive father, really? And where is their missing seventh sister?
It’s such a beautifully written series! I’d strongly suggest taking your time with each book — they’re chunky. Every story is so rich in history and adventure; you won’t want any of them to end.
The Final Word
I’m still patiently waiting for a book to be written about sisters with exactly the same dynamic as my own. But I can always find something relatable in the stories listed.
If you’re not fortunate enough to have sisters, I hope you can find a sense of sisterhood in your female friendships. Nothing can compare to having a sister; but nothing can compare to the friendships we have with other women, either.
