Synopsis
When 14-year-old Sigrid’s family puts their house up for sale following her older sister Joanna’s breakdown, something in the home begins to subtly shift. At night, there is a dripping sound in the basement. Voices whisper through the walls. Photo albums move on their own. At the same time, the sensation grows that no one is telling the truth about the prom where Joanna changed.
As the summer heat settles heavily over the neighborhood, Sigrid tries to make sense of what is happening around her.
Sister, Sister is a visceral and unsettling psychological horror story about trauma, shame, sisterhood, silence, and the things families do to keep the darkness at bay.
Reviews
"A well-written and intense young adult novel about the supernatural, sibling bonds, and the shadows of the past. A powerful and unsettling psychological horror story dealing with trauma and the darkness lurking beneath the surface. Michaela Elk masterfully evokes - through vivid, sensory imagery - the unspoken and painful dynamics between people." – (Library review (Lektørudtalelse)
Personal note from the author
Q&A with Michela Elk:
What kind of novel is Sister Sister?
Sister Sister is a coming-of-age horror story about family secrets and sisterly love. It’s about growing up and seeing one’s parents in a new light - and about what happens when we try to silence the past.
How does it differ from your other young adult novels?
Several of my other novels revolve around youth and finding one’s place in a community outside the home. Sister Sister places the family at the center. The book deals with how we are shaped by the stories and patterns we grow up with, and how silence can be passed down through generations if no one breaks it.
What kind of family do Sigrid and Joanna grow up in?
It is a family that struggles to talk about uncomfortable things. The parents generally avoid difficult topics, and this rubs off on their daughters. It is also a family that wants the best for one another but has become accustomed to handling crises in a way that creates an ever-widening gap between them.
Is there a particular message you want to convey to the reader through this story?
I wanted to write a story about the profound influence family and upbringing have on our approach to the world - for better or worse! Regardless, I think it is important to be aware of what we carry with us from home and to actively decide whether we want those things to follow us through the rest of our lives.
You deal with ghosts in both your Between Life and Death series and in Sister Sister. Where does your interest in the supernatural come from? Or what is it that a ghost can do for a story?
Ghosts are interesting because they often represent something unresolved - such as a major secret or an injustice. In Sister Sister, it is Sigrid’s sensation that something is haunting the house that sends her in search of the truth - a search that ultimately turns her entire worldview upside down.
