Book Review: The Heiresses by Allison Rushby

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. 
  

      

  Best Bits: I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The setup is great, three girls are brought to London to be reunited with their Aunt who is going to help them regain their rightful fortune. Each girl has a unique personality, and wildly different values. That meant that we got to see some interesting moral dilemmas, and made the plotting and planning rather fun. This book doesn't shy away from the tough subjects. You don't really expect to read about topics like eugenics in a book like this. Rushby did a great job of fitting it in. It's hard now to remember that there was a time that this subject wasn't looked at as unethical, cruel, and illegal. Similar the other book that I reviewed this week, I think that there is some crossover potential for older teens who enjoy historical reads.

Nit Picks: This one had it's ups and downs for me. I think that Rushby could have cut out a chunk of the book just to keep the pace going. I really enjoyed the beginning of the book, but about halfway through things began to drag a bit. We got deeper into each character, but it meant we spent an extended amount of time with each girl without much forward movement of the plot. I also thought that the conflict within the sisters (Thalia) didn't hit the right chord for me. In attempting to keep this spoiler free, I think that the revelation that the readers gets at the end of the book came too late. There were a couple of hints at the beginning of the story that something is wrong, but I don't think it's enough to allow the reader to trust her. Her redemption in the story felt like the sisterhood version of insta-love.

The Heiresses
By Allison Rushby
Published by St. Martin's Griffin
352 Pages
Received for Review
Rating: C