Emila Hart’s The Sirens is the latest selection for the Good Morning America book club.
Hart’s novel, published Tuesday by St. Martin’s, tells the story of two pairs of sisters in Australia, separated by centuries. It is Hart’s second novel; her first, Weyward, was published in 2023. A critic for Kirkus called it “thoughtful and at times harrowing…a successful blend of historical fiction and modern feminism.”
Rebecca Jarvis announced the novel’s selection on the morning show and introduced a prerecorded interview she conducted with Hart.
Asked what genre she would classify her novel as, Hart replied, “I would say historical fiction with a sprinkling of magic. Maybe not a recognized genre, but one I’m trying to invent.”
Hart said she wrote her novel as a tribute to her own sister.
“When I was in my mid-20s, I unfortunately suffered from a stroke, which was really life-changing,” she said. “My sister, she was just such a huge support to me, and she encouraged me to go swimming one day, and it really helped me reconnect with my sense of self, restore some confidence in my body. She helped me find myself again.”
Hart’s sister, she said, was pleased by the book.
“She told me that she loved it, which really meant so much to me,” Hart said. “I think she knew that it was like my love letter to her.”
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
