Exploring sisterhood through books

A review of 'Blue Sisters' and 'My Sister: The Serial Killer'

(Warning: There may be some spoilers and mentions of abuse in this article.)

As the oldest daughter and a sister to two boys, I have always found myself to be the delicate bridge balancing two generations of a household. I never realized how universal this feeling was until I saw it being covertly addressed in not one but two of my book club picks this month. Despite the circumstances in these books being vastly different from my real life, it was wonderful to see the uniqueness of ‘eldersisterness’ (elderhood?) being represented to its extremes.

In Coco Mellors' recently published novel Blue Sisters, we encounter three sisters grieving in the aftermath of their sibling’s untimely demise. In Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister, the Serial Killer, we are served not a murder mystery like the title insinuates, but the testimony of a sister who is tired of cleaning up her younger sister’s messes and helping her get away with murder—literally. While the plots of these books and their settings (U.S.A. vs. Nigeria) are very different, I found the essence of both books tied to a larger commentary on sisterhood.

My copy of ‘Blue Sisters’ by Coco Mellors.

Avery, the oldest Blue child, has always been a “proxy” mother to her sisters from a very young age, helping them walk home from school, teaching them how to swim and distracting them when their home became too abusive.

Similarly, Korede, since the birth of her sister Ayoola, has been conferred the responsibility of being her protector. Korede sees herself and Ayoola as a unit against their parents, holding her back when a malicious chief eyes her uncomfortably, protecting her when they witness their father hurting their mother in front of his mistress, and helping Ayoola clear dead bodies and clean up crime scenes, irrespective of how flimsy her reasons for murder seem.

The cover of ‘My Sister: The Serial Killer’, as seen through the Libby app.

Both Avery and Korede seem to take their very random positions in the birth order as not mere responsibilities, but higher callings. There is a need for perfectionism that drives them through life, which does not seem to plague their other siblings as much. Avery, in spite of her inner trials and personal struggles with drug addiction, motivates herself to clean her act up, leaves home only after her sisters are settled in their lives, stays on constant call for her family, and seeks work in a respectable and high-earning profession like law. This leaves her sisters to be more experimental with their careers and and life choices, with Bonnie becoming a wrestler and Lucky becoming a model, then a musician. Korede works as a nurse at a hospital, a relatively stable job where she aims to climb up the hospital hierarchy. Even when it comes to domestic expectations, it is Korede who ensures the smooth functioning of the home and the preparation of wholesome meals, an undertaking that Ayoola is less than interested in. She does not at all relate to her younger sister’s career as an influencer (despite how successful she is) and disregards her advice on ‘personal brand management’.

Since both novels also deal with the impacts of an abusive father on a household, I was very surprised to see the difference in how both families viewed their mothers. The Blue sisters resent their mother and blame her for being cold, distant, and not protective enough of them growing up. It seems that their resentment worsens with time because she never left their father and continues to take care of him. However, while Korede and Ayoola’s mom never left their dad either, their dad’s passing—ten years before the start of the novel—allows them to solidify the label of ‘victim’ against their mother instead of co-conspirator.

It is very clear in both books that the expectation to constantly provide a positive example and support system to their younger sisters weighs on them immensely, to the point of losing control of their identities and their lives. Avery is immensely rich, has a high-paying job, and owns a stunning house but still finds herself stealing just for the thrill of it—a kleptomaniac urge often found in people under constant duress. Meanwhile, Korede is obsessive about her cleaning habits. Since she is a nurse, nobody notices how much brain space cleaning, order, and discipline take up in Korede’s mind. It is clear to us readers that she is seeking to control the parts of her life she cannot.

As evident in both books, this shouldering of immense responsibility breeds resentment. Avery is very open about her disdain for her sisters’ lifestyle choices and careers. Korede hates the fact that Ayoola has personal freedoms and choices that she never gives herself and that her wants are never prioritized over her younger sister’s.

However, the endings of both books differ greatly. In the case of the Blue sisters, Avery’s confronting her mother leads to healing, and several honest and open conversations allow the sisters to understand each other and rewire their relationships. Avery is finally given an opportunity to unload the invisible weight on her shoulders. However, despite loving her mother and sister, Korede finds nobody to confide in other than a comatose patient at the hospital. Despite her inner turmoil and hesitation, the pull to be her sister’s protector outweighs her need for freedom. She stands by her sister’s side, enabling her to attack more men, and never learns to recalibrate the relationship she has with her family. The insidious cycle of harm and resentment continues.

On a personal level, I did relate to Avery’s and Korede’s fierce protectiveness and maternal instincts. However while I also witness how my brothers get away with more stuff than I could ever dream of, I never found myself resenting my brothers at any stage of my life. The credit for this goes to my parents, who always ensured I was recognized for myself. I wonder how differently the lives of the sisters in these books would have turned out if they had loving and supportive families.

In terms of reading enjoyment, both books are not my usual cup of tea as they are more character-driven than plot-heavy. But I’m glad my book club selected these books as I’ve finally gotten an opportunity to venture outside my comfort zone in terms of book choices.

Before ending this review, I’ll leave you with this stunning quote from ‘Blue Sisters’ that I feel summarizes the overall message of both these books in a beautiful way.

“True sisterhood, the kind where you grew fingernails in the same womb, were pushed screaming through identical birth canals, is not the same as friendship. You don’t choose each other, and there’s no furtive period of getting to know the other. You’re part of each other, right from the start. Look at an umbilical cord- tough, sinuous, unlovely, yet essential- and compare it to a friendship bracelet of brightly woven thread. That is the difference between a sister and friend.”