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Original poster

Question about the Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley

29 replies

Rae36 · 10/07/2023 16:44

I'm listening to the audiobook version of this.

I am finding the guy, Fioriano, I have no idea how to spell his name, that Maia meets in Rio, to be really quite creepy, quite predatory. But I can't decide if it's just the way the narrator is voicing his words, or if you read the book is he also creepy? Particularly the way the narrator makes it sound when he says her name, it's really bugging me.

He comes across as much older, the way he has got himself so involved in her story when he barely knows her, the way he seems to put himself across as so much more experienced and worldly wise and she's just a younger, naive woman who needs him to take care of her, it's all weird.

But maybe if I'd read the book for myself I'd get a different opinion of him?

I haven't got to the end yet so don't tell me if he does turn out to be a good guy or a bad guy at the end, but half way through the book what was your opinion of him?

OP posts:
Canyoucheckonme · 10/07/2023 18:10

I've just done a search on this book title as finished it an hour ago, and found your thread!

I don't listen to audio books so read a paperback from the library. I didn't find Floriano creepy at all... But I can see why you have come to that conclusion when you put it like that! They'd already been emailing and working together on the translation of his book, so figured they had that in common / had a bit of background.

Enjoy the last half of the book - I did!

Winniewonka · 15/07/2023 13:30

@Rae36 - I've recently read Seven Sisters and I didn't get that impression of him at all. Maia is 35 so I wouldn't think of her as a very young woman. I got the impression that Floriano is perhaps in his early 40s as he has a young daughter.
I think must be the way the narrator is portraying the character. I don't normally read romantic fiction as I find it can be twee or irritating but the book is very well researched incorporating real people alongside fictional ones.
Once you have finished the book, you might be interested in Lucinda Riley's website which gives a lot of background to the series. Sadly she passed away recently.
Also if you read the book in print form, you can have fun working out the anagrams of names of characters in the book with those in Greek mythology.

Not a spoiler as I am only just starting on the second book but there's a very minor character in the first whom I think could turn out to be very significant😀

Canyoucheckonme · 15/07/2023 14:17

I don't normally read romance or historical fiction either, and this book was so so cheesy in parts, but overall I really enjoyed it! I agree weaving real people and events through it makes it more interesting.

I accidentally read The Pearl Sister last year, which I didn't realise then is book four - whoops. I'm now going to read The Storm Sister next (well, having a break and reading something else first!) as like the idea of different characters developing and having bigger roles as the stories progress (I'm guessing you mean the solicitor?! Or Ma perhaps?).

Lucinda Riley passed away two years ago, too young 😢

EmpressaurusOfCats · 15/07/2023 14:21

No, I didn’t see Floriano as creepy.

You need to read the lot though, ending with the recently published Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt.

Winniewonka · 15/07/2023 15:09

@Canyoucheckonme - No, it isn't Ma or the Solicitor. I am waiting to see if they appear in another guise in the second book😀

Original poster
Rae36 · 15/07/2023 17:53

I definitely think it was the narrator. I'm listening to the second book now and it's narrates by someone different.
I listen to a lot of audio books and sometimes the way a narrator voices a character just doesn't sit right with me.

I did enjoy the story, easy to read, slightly cheesy but not awfully so, and the real life characters are so interesting.

OP posts:
Canyoucheckonme · 16/07/2023 16:29

@Winniewonka when are you planning on reading The Storm Sister? Maybe we could check back on here and give our reviews and thoughts.

Original poster
Rae36 · 16/07/2023 16:36

I've started the second one now too. It's funny hearing the same story from a different perspective. Such an interesting idea for a series of books.

OP posts:
Winniewonka · 16/07/2023 19:05

@Canyoucheckonme - Good idea!, I recently borrowed it from the library but it was in my To Be Read pile and unfortunately it's been reserved so I can't renew it.
I shall reserve it again tomorrow and hopefully be able to get another copy fairly soon. Will let you know when I receive it😀

Winniewonka · 25/07/2023 12:59

@Canyoucheckonme and @Rae36

I have a copy of The Storm Sister now. What are your thoughts?

The writing seems a more simplistic this time but it's still interesting. Am about a third of the way through. Anna's life in the mountains reminds me of Heidi!

Canyoucheckonme · 25/07/2023 16:41

Oh I've not started it yet! I need to order it from the library. Just started a Fredrick Backman book (Britt-Marie was here).

Will order it now!

Original poster
Rae36 · 26/07/2023 14:18

I did at first think it was going to be a bit of a formula- woman expected to marry for duty, falls in live with the wrong man, gets pregnant, pays the price. I did wonder if all the books were going to be the same. But I kept reading and I'm enjoying it more now.

OP posts:
Original poster
Rae36 · 26/07/2023 14:18

Hope that's not a spoiler for anyone, it struck me early on that that was how the story was going to go. I haven't got to the end yet

OP posts:
shakeitoffshakeacocktail · 26/07/2023 14:25

I've read all the 7 sisters except Pa Salt, I am saving it for my holiday.

I have listened to the first two audio books and am halfway through the third audio book 😄

I hope you are enjoying them, it infuriates me that none of them know their fathers name!! Completely ridiculous that 5 adult women NEVER asked any questions

But it's all part of a fictional universe for the good of the plot and I enjoy the escapism of a good generational drama soooo I let MANY things slide! 😂

Floriano was ok he was just a different personality ie, excitable and intrigued to the point of pushing Maia's boundaries. But he kept it just the right side of creepy!

Original poster
Rae36 · 26/07/2023 14:25

I mean, that's not a spoiler, I don't know what happens. But I've moved on from my original notion that it was going to be the same story every time.

I'll stop typing now, I'm not making any sense. It's been a long week (and it's only Wednesday)

OP posts:
outnumbered77 · 26/07/2023 14:29

I've recently finished the series but only had the last one on audible. Loved it! But now I want to re-read the whole series again as each one plays a part in the final one.

CluelessMama · 27/07/2023 10:03

Just jumping in to say I had The Seven Sisters as both a paper copy and listened on audio, and yes I found Floriano creepy too! I agree that it was largely the narration, but it made a big impression on me. I also felt a bit like Riley wanted her leading man to take control of things for Maia which felt a bit uncomfortable to me. I think my early impression was exactly the same as yours OP.
Having said all of that, I enjoyed it enough to read The Storm Sister this month and I'm totally on board with reading the whole series now, albeit with a wee break between each one I think. The author has totally reeled me in!

Canyoucheckonme · 13/08/2023 22:43

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Hello!

So, I've started The Storm Sister book now, albeit only a few pages in.

So my question about The Seven Sisters book is this... How did the maid's daughter (Loen?) get the tile for the statue to Beatriz and then how did it end up in Pa Salt's hand so he could pass it on to Maia?

I've read a couple of books since so my memory is sketchy. I know who Maia's mother is and the circumstances, but can't think how the inscribed tile got passed down really? (I think the necklace makes more sense).

Also, I have searched reviews and a couple mention the fact that Asperger's is painted in a bad light. Sorry, wine has been imbibed this evening so not typing well... But just wondered what other people's thoughts were on this?

EmpressaurusOfCats · 14/08/2023 06:27

You’re going to end up with a lot of questions like that & they’ll (mostly) be answered in the final book, Atlas: the story of Pa Salt.

HumanBurrito · 14/08/2023 09:56

I read this a couple of weeks ago! Agree, not creepy in the book. But yes, the autism bit (like, 2 pages or so[ at the end is cringe.

Lucinda Riley is pretty much the only author my DH reads. He's not a huge fiction reader, but he adored Atlas, read it in, like, a day.

Canyoucheckonme · 14/08/2023 15:36

EmpressaurusOfCats · 14/08/2023 06:27

You’re going to end up with a lot of questions like that & they’ll (mostly) be answered in the final book, Atlas: the story of Pa Salt.

Ah thank you! That's reassuring 😊

Winniewonka · 15/08/2023 13:59

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT!!!
I've read the second book and the minor character that I mentioned and wondered about in the first novel doesn't appear in the second one.
I think that the young urchin boy in 1920s Paris is going to be Pa Salt.

HumanBurrito · 15/08/2023 14:04

DEFINITE SPOILER ALERT

He is!

Canyoucheckonme · 18/08/2023 16:40

Ahhh I saw the spoiler comments in the preview bit of "threads I'm on!". I did wonder about that little urchin boy in the hedge in France!

EmpressaurusOfCats · 18/08/2023 16:42

To all the people who are just starting, I wouldn't worry about the spoiler! It's going to make very little difference, if any, to how much you enjoy the books.