Review- 2/5
The Siren is the book that Kiera Cass published before the days of The Selection. I decided to pick it up I had enjoyed Selection series, but unfortunately I was disappointed by her original book.. The Siren’s plot was not very interesting, the world building was off, and the characters lacked life. Overall, The Siren by Kiera Cass was a disappointing read.
My biggest problem with this book was the world building. Or lack of. I had many questions about the world of the Sirens that were never answered. How many Sirens are there at a time? How do Sirens kill people? Are their voices poisonous, or do their voices lure people to the water?(I had thought the latter, but the end suggested otherwise) Why does the Ocean let the Sirens be on land since the results can be disastrous? These are all aspects that were not fully explained in The Siren.
The characters in The Siren lacked the charisma that Kiera Cass characters usually have. Kahlen was not a fun character to read about. She was always sad and self-pitying. She also did not have much of a personality, and I found her to be very bland. Akinli was a very classic boyfriend character. I did not dislike him, because there was nothing to dislike. There was also nothing that set him apart from other male love interests. I liked the sisters, but they all seemed the same. I could not tell the difference between them sometimes. The characters did not have the charm that I expect from Kiera Cass’s books.
For some reason, I have always loved Kiera Cass’s writing. Something about it feels relatable.(Not to mention Hamilton references). I also think she interprets love very well in her writing. I can feel the love her characters had for each other. This is very important, because a major theme in The Siren is love and how important it is to love and be loved. All the characters needed others love in some form, including the Ocean.
The plot of The Siren really didn’t work for me. It could have been interesting, but it definitely didn’t reach its full potential. I found the events to be repetitive. Kahlen is sulky and depressed. Kahlen randomly meets Akinli. Kahlen is happy. Kahlen realizes she cannot be with Akinli and runs away. Then it starts over. I also felt that the end was not well thought out, executed, or set up. The solution to the whole story was very disappointing because Kahlen did not play any role in solving her own problem. I think that the plot was not well executed, and would be better as a short story.
Overall I cannot say that I enjoyed The Siren by Kiera Cass. I don’t recommend it, but I do think you should read The Selection, if you want some light reading. If you do decide to read it or you have read it, I would love to know your thoughts.
Lucy’s Literature 