Review of THE MOON SISTER by Lucinda Riley

 2.5 Stars

This is the fifth book in The Seven Sisters series to which I am listening on my morning walks.

Six girls were adopted by Pa Salt, an ultra-wealthy man.  After he dies, each daughter is given a letter and a clue to her true heritage.   Each daughter’s journey is the subject of a novel.  The Moon Sister is the story of the fifth daughter, Tiggy.

Tiggy gets a job as a wildlife consultant in the Scottish Highlands.  There she meets Chilly, a Spanish gypsy who tells her he was expecting her; he tells her that her roots lie within the Roma community of Sacromonte near Granada, Spain.  Of course, she travels there and learns more about her family, especially Lucía Amaya-Albaycin, a great flamenco dancer.  As expected, Tiggy, who has always been described as intuitive, is identified as a bruja, a healer who can connect with the supernatural world.  Angelina, a relative, teaches her all about herbs and how to use her intuition. 

The structure is that of previous books in the series.  There are two narratives, the present involving Tiggy and the past describing the life of an ancestor who is exceptional in some way.  Again, there is more focus on distant relatives, a grandmother and great-grandmother, rather than on Tiggy’s mother whose story is almost an afterthought.

Tiggy is a likeable character, though her meekness and unwillingness to speak up and thereby avoid misunderstandings become annoying.  Why not tell Charlie the real reason for her leaving his employ?  Why not be more direct with Zed?  She repeatedly mentions her veganism but eats food made with dairy products?  Her grandmother Lucía, however, is not sympathetic in the least.  She is totally self-absorbed, uninterested in anything except her dancing career.  By choice, she remains illiterate.  She is never satisfied and always wants more.  And she abandons her own child, even after her own childhood?!  I’ve enjoyed the historical information provided in the other books, but this one has much less, although there is a definite attempt to portray Roma culture in a positive light. 

The love-at-first-sight trope is used again and is unconvincing.  The relationship between Charlie and Tiggy just doesn’t ring true.  Coincidence is certainly overused in this novel so that it is difficult to suspend disbelief.  Chilly waited in Scotland for Tiggy’s arrival so he could send her to Spain – even though Pa Salt left her a letter telling her where to go and even the colour of a door?  Zed shows up on the remote Scottish estate where Tiggy works? 

This book has more hints about Pa Salt.  Tiggy visits her childhood home, known as Atlantis, and discovers a previously unknown basement in the house.  Of course the mystery of that man will not be solved until the eighth book.  In the meantime, I’ll continue to book six.  Though I’m becoming disenchanted with the repetitive structure and weaknesses in the books, they are perfect companions for my easily distracted mind while I’m on my morning walks.  I recommend the series only to those who want pure escapism and are willing to overlook the flaws.