By Melissa Khan
Content Warnings: Sexual assault, Murder, Abortion
When Marie Antoine and Sadie Arnett first meet as young girls, they are instantly drawn into and repelled by each other. Marie is a privileged heiress, beautiful and fair-haired, comforted by the knowledge that she will one day inherit her family’s sugar factory. Sadie, by contrast, is dark-haired and striking, neglected by her family who are masquerading as one of the wealthy families in the Golden Mile neighbourhood. Both are wicked and aloof and find the other impossible to resist.
When an accidental murder takes place, Sadie is sent away and the friendship between the two girls is irrevocably changed. For years the two girls are separated until they are reunited as young women. Now, Marie must rise to the challenge of running her family’s sugar empire, and Sadie must learn to survive as an artist amongst the working class of Montreal.
From the start, Marie and Sadie’s relationship is intoxicating and draws the reader in completely. They are so similar in their cold demeanours, both judging those around them and relishing their influence. It was so refreshing to see young women allowed to be ugly. Sadie’s violent tendency towards animals, for example, was alarming and brilliantly depicted her abusive family life. I wish we’d gotten to explore how this behaviour manifested in her as an adult. We see a little of how Sadie interacts with her parents after her return home, but nothing after she finds success.
I never knew what to expect next, which had me turning pages frantically to find out. The time while Sadie and Marie were apart felt drawn out, but it was important for developing their characters separately. Marie’s callousness towards the women in her factory is a complete reversal of the idealistic child who wanted to treat her workers with sweetness. Sadie’s liberation from her family allowed her to finally explore her sexuality and lean into her chosen form of artistic expression.
Towards the end of the novel, the story begins to take twists and turns that, looking back, were set up in the most subtle of ways. There is also an interesting writing style that I would consider more tell than show. We are told information about the characters plainly, which emphasizes the bluntness found within Marie and Sadie, who are not very likeable. I found it hard to connect with either character or feel much sympathy for their hardships as their stories progressed.
This novel sends a strong message about femininity and the power of women, regardless of how they choose to use it. One of the best parts of this novel is how unapologetically female-driven it is. There is so much to unpack and sparks an excellent discussion about gender, sexuality, classism, and friendship. It encourages readers to think outside the box of the traditional “strong female character” and provides space for women to exist as people first.
Thank you, Harper Collins Canada, for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.