Introduction

The first book in a major new series from the #1 internationally bestselling author Lucinda Riley.

Maia D’Apliese and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home, “Atlantis”—a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva—having been told that their beloved father, who adopted them all as babies, has died. Each of them is handed a tantalizing clue to her true heritage—a clue which takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Once there, she begins to put together the pieces of her story and its beginnings.

Eighty years earlier in Rio’s Belle Epoque of the 1920s, Izabela Bonifacio’s father has aspirations for his daughter to marry into the aristocracy. Meanwhile, architect Heitor da Silva Costa is devising plans for an enormous statue, to be called Christ the Redeemer, and will soon travel to Paris to find the right sculptor to complete his vision. Izabela—passionate and longing to see the world—convinces her father to allow her to accompany him and his family to Europe before she is married. There, at Paul Landowski’s studio and in the heady, vibrant cafes of Montparnasse, she meets ambitious young sculptor Laurent Brouilly, and knows at once that her life will never be the same again.

In this sweeping, epic tale of love and loss—the first in a unique, spellbinding series of seven novels—Lucinda Riley showcases her storytelling talent like never before.

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Excerpt

1

I will always remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard that my father had died.

I was sitting in the pretty garden of my old school friend’s townhouse in London, a copy of The Penelopiad open but unread in my lap, enjoying the June sun while Jenny collected her little boy from kindergarten. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1) ‘The Seven Sisters’ is allegorically based on the myths and legends of the Pleiades star constellation. Were you able to recognise parts or all of the mythology within the story? Do you think it adds another dimension?

2) One of the themes of ‘The Seven Sisters’ is celebrating humanity’s great cultural achievements. In this instance, Heitor da Silva Costa with the design and construction of Christ the Redeemer. Do you think mixing historical fact with fictional characters brings these events to life?

3) When we are first introduced to Gustavo, we are led to believe he is a shy, sensitive man who is dominated by his mother. Once married, he shows a far more selfish and sometimes aggressive side to him. Does this make you dislike him? Or are you able to sympathise with him?

4) Bel’s father is socially ambitious to an extreme. How much of a driver do you believe this is in human nature in general?

5) Why do you think Paris in the 1920’s became the hub of art and literature, and the bohemian population flocked there from around the world?

6) Maia, like all her sisters, is adopted. Discuss the nature versus nurture aspect of the book, eg; are our personalities formed from birth, and if so, how much does our childhood environment impact on us?

7) Maia eventually discovers the truth about her own past. Do you think in doing so she has achieved closure and is able to move on more effectively? In general, do you believe it is a healthy thing to know the truth of your birth? Or can it be damaging?

8) Do you think it was morally correct for a single man to adopt six daughters from different parts of the world? In your opinion, are men as capable as women when it comes to nurturing and taking care of young children, especially females?

9) How much do you think the exotic setting of Brazil adds to the story?

10) Has learning about the construction of Christ the Redeemer, and the hidden stories behind it, inspired you to learn more? Did you find history an interesting subject at school? Do you believe the way it is taught is effective?

Suggested by Members

by Bearsmom (see profile) 08/27/15

Weblinks

»	Author's web site
»	Official web site for Seven Sisters series

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