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Using fiction to smash stereotypes 21/03/25
Siren
Publisher: Faber
The first in Rayburn's trilogy about modern sirens: like those of mythology they inhabit earth and water, luring men to their death.
Seventeen year-old Vanessa unravels the mystery of her sister's death, and that of the men who drown in Winter Harbor. Doing so, she discovers the truth not only about some of the women there, but begins to accept her own background.
Instead of vampires this novel introduces sirens to display teenage relationships, first love and life in Maine, combined with a fantasy thriller to offer potential for a gripping novel, and a fast paced adventure. However, the first half is disappointingly slow, and the characterisation rather two-dimensional and formulaic. The conclusion leaves much unresolved, anticipating a second volume.