Review: Sisters Red

by Jackson Pearce
publisher: Little, Brown BFYR
date published: June 7, 2010
format: paperbook
pages: 336
source: purchased
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

From Goodreads:

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

What I Thought

Sisters Red is a return to the concept of the animalistic werewolf. Based upon the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, this book hearkens back to the older stories about dangerous lycanthropes. The Fenris truly are big bad wolves, which makes for a frightening, action-packed plot. The on-going theme of sisterhood also adds to the story with its poignancy and emotion. Sisters Red will have you sitting on the edge of your seat and tearing up all at the same time.

The characters you will find within the pages of Sisters Red each have their own particular spark. The sisters, Scarlett and Rosie, may share similar features, but each girl has a distinctive personality. The book is constructed using alternating view points, providing ample opportunity for getting to know each girl. Scarlett may come across as somewhat of a superhero, but she is actually a girl with a frightening past and a heavy burden to carry. She is scarred both physically and psychologically and isn't a perfect character, which is part of her charm. She has selfish wants and needs, but it makes her come across as more human, which is definitely needed in order to off-set her crime fighter-like persona. Rosie, however, is a different matter entirely. While she has a way with a set of daggers, she isn't fully entangled in the Fenris hunting lifestyle. She is a softer character than Scarlett and has different wants. She wants to have her own life but feels as though she is indebted to Scarlett, a mindset that is probably promoted heavily by Scarlett, herself. This leaves her facing a struggle between the bonds of sisterhood and the need to find out what she wants out of her own life. The two act as foils for each other and make for a more detailed story. I loved the dual voices and the differing points of view. It added a dimension to the plot that I really enjoyed and left me unable to put the book down.

The antagonists, while numerous, are truly frightening creatures. They are disturbing predators that I found to be very creepy and vile. They are portrayed very well and you can really see why the situation surrounding them is dire. The motive that drives them during the bulk of the book is very sinister and leaves you feeling very sorry for their intended target, as well as the young women who fall victim to their rampant brutality. While there is an alpha wolf, he isn't especially prominent in the plot until later. Once he makes his appearance, however, the horrors that are the Fenris are elevated all the more. He is the ultimate thing that goes bump in the night in this story, and he delivers some serious chills.

One of the aspects of Sisters Red that I really enjoyed was the setting. It takes place in the south, specifically Georgia. Having lived in the south for all but three months of my entire life, it made the sisters' background very easy to relate to. There is also a nice juxtaposition between rural and urban settings. When the book begins, the girls live in a small town called Ellison, where they attempt to scrape by on their own and turn back the tide of Fenris who have been making their way to the countryside. However, a startling discovery causes the girls to relocate to Atlanta along with Silas, Scarlett's hunting partner and Rosie's love interest. While there, the story takes on a more gritty aspect and an entirely new atmosphere is introduced. It adds a new level of danger to the plot and I love the differences in the two settings almost as much as I love the two voices that narrate the story.

Sisters Red is a fantastic book and really helped me regain some much-needed momentum in my reading. It has a great blend of action, horror, and romance, all of which make it very easy to become fully absorbed in both the characters and the plot. Jackson Pearce has piqued my interest and has gained a new fan in me. I give Sisters Red 5 hoots.