1. Shipwrecked Sisters' Song

In 1800, Mary and her blind sister Eliza are sentenced to transportation from Ireland to Australia for a crime of self-defense. Their journey on the prison ship Naiad is brutal, filled with hunger, violence, and the threat of men. The sisters, along with other women, form bonds of survival, sharing stories and songs in the darkness of the ship's hold. As the voyage continues, Mary and Eliza's bodies begin to change in mysterious ways—skin thickening, webbing between fingers, and strange marks on their necks. The legend of the merrow, a sea-woman, haunts them, and the sisters' connection deepens as they sense a transformation tied to the sea's call. When the Naiad wrecks off the coast of Australia, Mary and Eliza, now more than human, lead a handful of survivors to safety, their song echoing across the waves—a promise of protection and vengeance for women wronged.

2. Lucy's Flight and Shame

In 2019, Lucy Martin, a journalism student in rural Australia, wakes from a nightmare to find she has attacked her ex-lover Ben in his sleep. The trauma is compounded by the recent leak of an intimate photo, shared without her consent, which has made her a pariah on campus. Overwhelmed by shame, fear of expulsion, and the sense that her body is acting beyond her control, Lucy flees university, seeking refuge with her estranged older sister Jess in the coastal town of Comber Bay. Haunted by dreams of drowning and a shipwreck, Lucy's journey is both a physical escape and a desperate search for understanding and safety.

3. The Ghosts of Comber Bay

Arriving in Comber Bay, Lucy is drawn into the town's dark history. The area is infamous for the disappearance of eight men over several decades, a mystery that has spawned rumors of supernatural forces and a "Bermuda Triangle" of Australia. Lucy listens to true crime podcasts and explores local legends, learning of the shipwrecked Naiad and the "Baby Hope" found in a sea cave in 1982. The town's atmosphere is thick with secrets, and Lucy's own dreams begin to merge with the stories of the past, as if the ghosts of Comber Bay are calling to her.

4. Jess's Hidden Wounds

Jess, Lucy's older sister, is an artist living in isolation at Cliff House, perched above the sea. Her home is chaotic, filled with haunting paintings of women and the sea, especially two figures—sisters—approaching a stormy ocean. Jess is missing when Lucy arrives, and her absence is a mystery. Through Jess's diary, Lucy uncovers her sister's lifelong struggle with a rare skin condition, her feelings of alienation, and her history of sleepwalking and disturbing dreams. Jess's art is both a cry for help and a coded confession, hinting at traumas and secrets she cannot speak aloud.

5. The Naiad's Curse

The legend of the Naiad, the prison ship that wrecked off Comber Bay, becomes central. Lucy's research reveals that the ship carried Irish women convicts, and that after the wreck, some survivors were rumored to have transformed—becoming something other, something of the sea. The town's missing men, the recurring dreams, and the strange changes in Lucy's own body all seem linked to this ancient curse. The siren myth is reimagined: not as monsters luring men to their deaths, but as women transformed by trauma, singing for justice and survival.

6. The Diary's Secret

Lucy discovers Jess's childhood diary, which details her struggles with her body, her sense of not belonging, and her suspicions about her parentage. The diary reveals that Jess, too, suffered from the same skin condition as Lucy, and that both sisters have been haunted by the same dreams of shipwreck and transformation since childhood. Jess's diary also hints at a forbidden relationship with her art teacher, Cameron Hennessey, and a pregnancy that was kept secret. The diary becomes a key to understanding the family's hidden history and the generational trauma that binds them.

7. The Teacher's Betrayal

Jess's teenage years were marked by a predatory relationship with her art teacher, Hennessey, who exploited her vulnerability after she discovered she was adopted. Their affair resulted in a pregnancy—Lucy. Jess, overwhelmed and unsupported, gave birth alone in a sea cave at Comber Bay, guided by the song of the sirens in her dreams. The trauma of abandonment, both her own and that of her child, shapes Jess's adulthood. Years later, Hennessey resurfaces, now accused of abusing other students, and seeks refuge with Jess, leading to a final confrontation in the same cave.

8. Sirens in the Blood

Lucy and Jess's shared condition—skin that reacts violently to water, dreams of the sea, and sleepwalking—are revealed to be more than medical anomalies. They are the legacy of Mary and Eliza, the shipwrecked sisters who became sirens. The transformation is both physical and psychological: a response to trauma, a defense against male violence, and a connection to a lineage of women who survived by becoming something new. The siren song is not a curse, but a call to sisterhood, protection, and vengeance.

9. The Truth About Family

Lucy learns that she is not Jess's biological sister, but her daughter, adopted by Jess's parents after a traumatic birth and a forced separation by social services. The Martins, who raised both girls, are revealed to be the Wilsons, who once lived at Cliff House and adopted "Baby Hope"—Lucy—after she was found in the cave. The family's history is a tapestry of love, loss, and reinvention, shaped by the need to protect and the fear of the past. The revelation forces Lucy and Jess to redefine their relationship and confront the pain of abandonment and belonging.

10. The Grotta's Reckoning

When Hennessey arrives in Comber Bay, Jess lures him to the sea cave under the pretense of helping him escape. There, the past and present collide: the cave becomes a site of reckoning, where Jess confronts her abuser and the legacy of violence against women. In a struggle, Hennessey is killed—whether by accident or design is left ambiguous—and his body is claimed by the sea. The cave, once a place of birth and trauma, becomes a place of transformation and justice.

11. The Daughters of the Sea

The narrative returns to Mary and Eliza, who, after the shipwreck, choose to remain in the sea, transformed into sirens. They become guardians of the coast, avenging women wronged by men and protecting the vulnerable. Their story, once lost, is carried forward in the blood and dreams of their descendants. The siren myth is reclaimed as a story of survival, resistance, and the enduring power of sisterhood.

12. The Choice and the Change

In the aftermath, Lucy and Jess reunite in the sea cave, where Jess reveals the truth of Lucy's birth and their shared inheritance. Faced with the choice to remain on land or embrace their siren nature, mother and daughter choose each other and the sea. Their transformation is both literal and symbolic: they become part of the lineage of women who have survived, adapted, and protected one another. The sea, once a source of fear and pain, becomes a place of belonging and power.

13. The New Tide

Months later, Lucy, Jess, and their family begin to heal. The truth is out, but the bonds of love and chosen family endure. Lucy finds purpose in telling the stories of the forgotten women of the Naiad, reclaiming their place in history. The siren song continues, not as a curse, but as a promise: that women will protect each other, that trauma can be transformed, and that the sea will always remember its daughters.

Characters

Mary Kissane

Mary is a young Irish woman exiled for defending herself and her sister. On the Naiad, she is both caretaker and dreamer, fiercely protective of Eliza. Her transformation into a siren is both a literal and metaphorical response to trauma—her body changes as she claims agency and power denied to her on land. Mary's journey is one of survival, guilt, and ultimately, acceptance of her new identity. She becomes a mythic figure, a guardian of women, and the origin of the siren legacy that haunts her descendants.

Eliza Kissane

Eliza, Mary's blind sister, is attuned to the world in ways others are not. Her disability is a source of both vulnerability and strength; she "sees" through song, touch, and intuition. Eliza's belief in the merrow myth and her insistence on remembering their mother's stories are crucial to their survival and transformation. She is both anchor and guide for Mary, and her acceptance of their new nature allows both sisters to embrace their fate as sirens.

Lucy Martin

Lucy is a young woman grappling with trauma, shame, and a sense of not belonging. Her journey is one of self-discovery, as she flees violence and betrayal and seeks answers in Comber Bay. Lucy's connection to the past—through dreams, her body's changes, and her relationship with Jess—drives the narrative. She is both investigator and inheritor, piecing together the truth of her family and her own identity. Lucy's arc is one of transformation: from victim to survivor, from daughter to siren.

Jess Martin

Jess is Lucy's older sister and, as revealed, her biological mother. Marked by a rare skin condition, sleepwalking, and haunting dreams, Jess is both creator and keeper of secrets. Her art is a means of processing trauma and reaching out for connection. Jess's history of abuse, abandonment, and loss shapes her, but she ultimately finds strength in reclaiming her story and her bond with Lucy. Her transformation is both a healing and an acceptance of her true self.

Cameron Hennessey

Hennessey is Jess's former art teacher and abuser, whose relationship with her as a teenager results in Lucy's birth. Charismatic and manipulative, he exploits Jess's vulnerability and later becomes the focus of abuse allegations at his school. His arrival in Comber Bay and subsequent death in the sea cave serve as the narrative's reckoning with male violence and the cycle of trauma.

Maggie Martin / Judith Wilson

Maggie, formerly Judith Wilson, is Jess's adoptive mother and Lucy's legal mother. She is a figure of strength and compassion, but her decision to keep the truth from Lucy and Jess is both protective and damaging. Her own history of loss and reinvention shapes the family's dynamics, and her love is ultimately a source of healing, even as it is complicated by secrets.

Michael Martin / Robert Wilson

Michael, formerly Robert Wilson, is Jess's adoptive father and Lucy's legal father. He is haunted by his own encounters with the supernatural and his role in rescuing "Baby Hope." His love for his family is deep, but his inability to confront the past contributes to the family's pain. His near-death experience and subsequent healing mark a turning point in the family's journey toward acceptance.

Melody

Melody is Jess's neighbor in Comber Bay and becomes a confidante to both sisters. She has her own history of trauma, having survived an attempted assault in the same sea cave years earlier. Melody's story parallels and intersects with those of Jess and Lucy, and her presence is a reminder of the enduring bonds of female friendship and solidarity.

Ben

Ben is the catalyst for Lucy's flight, having betrayed her trust by sharing an intimate photo. His actions and the university's failure to support Lucy highlight the ongoing dangers women face and the inadequacy of institutional responses to trauma.

Max

Max is Jess's childhood friend and the only other possible candidate for Lucy's biological father. His relationship with Jess is marked by tenderness, misunderstanding, and loss. Max's reappearance at the end signals the possibility of reconciliation and new beginnings.

Plot Devices

Dual Timeline Structure

The novel alternates between the 1800s story of Mary and Eliza and the contemporary narrative of Lucy and Jess. This structure allows the reader to see the echoes of trauma, transformation, and survival across generations. The gradual revelation of the sisters' connection to the shipwrecked women builds suspense and deepens the thematic resonance of the story.

Epistolary Elements and Found Documents

Jess's diary, Lucy's research, and historical documents serve as key plot devices, allowing characters (and readers) to piece together the truth. These elements create a sense of discovery and underscore the importance of storytelling, memory, and the written word in reclaiming lost histories.

The Siren Myth Reimagined

The novel reinterprets the siren myth, presenting the transformation of women into sea-creatures as both a literal and symbolic response to violence and oppression. The siren song becomes a call for justice, protection, and sisterhood, rather than a tool of seduction or destruction.

Foreshadowing and Dream Sequences

Recurring dreams and sleepwalking episodes blur the boundaries between past and present, reality and myth. These sequences foreshadow revelations, connect characters across time, and serve as metaphors for the unconscious transmission of trauma and resilience.

The Grotta as Liminal Space

The cave beneath Cliff House is a central symbol—a place of danger, refuge, and metamorphosis. It is where Lucy is born, where Jess confronts her abuser, and where mother and daughter embrace their true selves. The cave embodies the novel's themes of liminality, rebirth, and the power of the feminine.

Analysis

Emilia Hart's The Sirens is a powerful reimagining of the siren myth, rooted in the historical trauma of women exiled, abused, and silenced. By weaving together the stories of shipwrecked Irish sisters and contemporary women grappling with violence, shame, and the search for belonging, Hart explores how trauma is inherited, how secrets shape identity, and how women can reclaim agency through solidarity and transformation. The novel interrogates the failures of institutions—legal, educational, familial—to protect women, and instead offers the possibility of healing through truth-telling, art, and chosen family. The siren song, once a symbol of danger, becomes a promise: that women will protect each other, that the sea remembers its daughters, and that survival is itself a form of resistance. In a world where the past is never truly past, The Sirens invites us to listen to the voices beneath the waves—and to find power in our own.

Last updated: April 28, 2025