As we began to move on from the humid turbulence of Aug., I thought it would be fitting to pick up a contemporary fiction novel instead of my typical dark fantasy. It may not have been what I expected, but “Blue Sisters” by Coco Mellors was exactly what I needed. An all-encompassing portrait of grief, addiction and sisterhood, “Blue Sisters” is the perfect step into the chilly season.
The extraordinarily individualistic Blue sisters find themselves in different places yet connected by a shared travesty: the recent death of their sister, Nicky. We first catch a glimpse of the youngest sister, Lucky, the rebel-turned-model who tries to escape her grief through an addiction that clings to her like tree sap. Five years her elder, Bonnie is the former world-renowned female boxer living in Los Angeles as a bar bouncer. Though trapped with longing for the return of her career, the death of their pain-ridden sister renders Bonnie unable to return to who she was. Avery is the oldest of the three who, despite being a recovered addict and successful corporate lawyer, can’t find reprieve from the burden of knowing she was once the oldest of four.
On the anniversary of Nicky’s death, the impending sale of their childhood home comes barreling into their lives and stirs the coals of their grief. Each bearing untold scars and weaving through the different threads sewn for them, the Blue sisters find themselves returning to New York to revisit the memories of when they were a complete unit. But reckoning with the past while having a shaky future is no easy task. As they each reflect on the darker themes of their childhood and mourn for the only person who could hold them together at their weakest times, the Blue sisters uncover hidden truths and find healing in each other.
“Blue Sisters” will remain as one of my top 10 reads simply for its ability to both inspire change and evoke deep emotion. The portrayal of the devastating, messy, yet beautiful and raw nature of sisterhood is achingly accurate and sure to give anyone a dose of childhood nostalgia. With a beautiful prose that paints the pages with captivating character development and descriptive storytelling, “Blue Sisters” is an experience worth committing to.
• Avis Downs is a bookseller at Inklings Bookshop. She and other Inklings staffers review books in this space every week.