“Raina can’t wait to be a big sister. But once Amara is born, things aren’t quite how she expected them to be. Amara is cute, but she’s also a cranky, grouchy baby, and mostly prefers to play by herself. Their relationship doesn’t improve much over the years. But when a baby brother enters the picture, and later, when something doesn’t seem right between their parents, they realise they must figure out how to get along. They are sisters after all.”
What is the book about?
Before Amara was born, Riana had felt lonely and bored as she had no one to play with but herself. So one day she has a marvellous idea and asks her parents for a sister to play with. But when the day finally comes and her parents bring her newborn sister home, Riana isn't sure if the idea was as amazing as she had first thought. Ever since that first day, Amara and Raina's relationship hasn't been very good, as all Amara wanted to do was play alone and all Raina wanted was someone to be with. But when they get a new little brother and things with their parents aren't going very well, Amara and Raina have to fix their relationship and learn to get along. It couldn't possibly be that hard. They are sisters after all.
What were your initial thoughts on the book?
As soon as I finished reading the first book (Smile), I asked my sister if she had any other graphic novels, specifically ones by the same author. When she finally came back to me with Sisters, I knew I was going to love it more than Smile because of how much I thought it would relate to my own life and my own relationship with my sister. Smile was interesting and a bit relatable itself, but I had a feeling Sisters would take my newfound enjoyment for reading to a whole new level. After reading the blurb and then the first page, I was so confident that my prediction was correct and soon I was reaching the end of the second book in the Smile series.
Who was your favourite character and why?
My favourite character (and I know that this may seem a bit strange for those who have read the book) was Amara. The main reason for which I really liked Amara was because of how much I could relate to her. I also find that I need to be alone sometimes and want to be alone, while my sisters don't seem to understand that and are constantly annoying me. I sometimes reach the maximum social interaction I can and then just can’t deal with anymore stupid, annoying people and need to be alone in my room. I especially liked how Amara didn't hide anything from her sister when she felt like she wanted to say something, even if it was something slightly rude. I'm always honest with my sisters when they're asking my opinion on something or when I'm in a bad mood, but they never seem to understand that I'm just trying to tell them the truth and not hold anything back. I know I can seem harsh sometimes and Amara was portrayed as a very rude and don't care kind of character, but I like that about her because she kind of reminds me of myself. However, I also liked how, when the time came for Amara to set aside her differences with her sister, she was able to do that and it really shows me that I can set aside my differences with my own sister and be kind and caring for once.
What was your favourite part of the book and why?
My favourite part of the book was definitely when Amara and Riana’s relationship was restored and that they were finally able to communicate with each other in a more civilised way. This made me look back on the moments when me and my sister, Jimena, are able to bond and be kind to each other. To most people it seems like we are always at odds, but there are many occasions when we are the best of friends and I wish that would happen more often. This part of the book showed me that it doesn't matter what your personality is like or how much your sister’s personality clashes with your own, you are still sisters and you will always love each other, no matter what. I'm always fighting with my sister but I hope that she knows that deep down I will always love her and I hope that she feels the same. This part is definitely a moment to make you think of your own relationship with your siblings and to make you realise that deep down, no matter what they do and no matter how they act, you always care for them – even if you despise them in that moment.
What was your overall impression of the book?
Overall, Sisters was an absolutely outstanding graphic novel and I think this might be one of my favourite series so far (not that I've read very many). One reason why I absolutely loved it was how it was basically made for me and my sister. Our relationship is almost exactly identical to Amara and Riana's relationship portrayed in the novel. It was creepy how much I was able to relate to many things that happened. Another thing that I really enjoyed was the flashbacks to when the girls were much younger. I think these might have been the parts that I enjoyed the most and I was always looking forward to the slightly more yellowish pages showing that I would be able to read another one of Riana's memories. I particularly enjoyed them because they made me look back on my own life and the memories I have with my own family. This helped me realise that I do have quite a lot of good memories of my sister and that she isn't all bad. One last thing that I really enjoyed about the book was, once again, all the amazing illustrations that make this book a graphic novel. I've never been able to finish a book before and now I can show people that I have finished 2. I know that doesn’t count as a proper book in their minds, but for me they are, because they are the sort of books that were made for me. I suppose my sister was right when she said that I just had to read the right books to be able to enjoy reading.
Which book did you like better, the first or the second?
Although this may seem completely surprising, I think I loved Sisters more than I did Smile, mainly because of how relatable it was to my own life. Sisters just fit so perfectly into my own life and my relationship with my sister was definitely reflected in the novel. I feel like Amara and Riana were literally reflections of me and Jimena and there were many moments where I felt like it couldn't be more accurate. One particular moment was when Riana got her own room and Amara was so annoyed, which happened in my own house when Jimena got her own room and I was left sharing with a younger sister. Another reason why I enjoyed this book more was because it wasn't just following Riana and her story, it was also following her sister story and her whole family story, so it felt a lot wider and easier to understand and enjoy. One last reason why I definitely enjoyed Sisters more was the incredible flashbacks that I absolutely loved. It was so funny and cute to go back to when Amara and Riana were younger and that made me look a back on my own life and to all the memories I have my own sister. Both books have been absolutely incredible, but Sisters was by far the best. I just can't wait to read the third and final book in the Smile series.
Would you recommend this book?
I would 100% recommend this graphic novel, particularly to anyone over 9 who is struggling to find the right book to read. I suggest reading Smile before Sisters, but it is not necessary because there is not much of a link between them.
Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)
A well-written, relatable graphic novel that I know anyone with siblings will adore.
Reviewed by Aldara Gutierrez Reviriego
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