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Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite
Sirens Over the Hudson by MJ Neary is a Novel of Great Recession, set in Westchester County, NY in 2008, the start of the financial meltdown. The financial district is panicking, but for the privileged residents of Sleepy Hollow and Tarry Town, it’s all just a storm in a teacup – for now. The kids of the financial district have nothing more to worry about than getting to the rock concert. Gregory can’t be bothered with the last bit of the school year; he skips school, plays his guitar and delves into Islam. But he has a problem – Greg is a kleptomaniac, he likes to take things that don’t belong to him. He gets away with it for a while until Cyntie van Vossen arrives on the scene. Obsessed with her, he begins an affair with her behind her boyfriend’s back, not realising what he is about to trigger. Violence and secrets begin to break open the bars of the gilded cages the privileged kids live in. How is Greg going to pay for all the mistakes he made when the trust fund runs dry?
Sirens Over the Hudson by MJ Neary is a story that is full of tension, but remains relatively light at the same time. I must admit to finding it slow going to begin with, but the story soon picked up pace and quickly covered the 8-year time span. It isn’t a light and fluffy fairy tale kind of story; it’s a 'bare all and uncover the sins of the father' kind of story, one that shows the reality of life and not the gilded cage version. It is very well written and the plot is strong, full of colorful characters that you may or may not like, but who play an integral part in the story as it unfolds. There are real undercurrents here, stories of real life suffering by the many at the hands of the few, and it should bring it home to many readers that life isn’t always rose-tinted glasses for everyone. Despite the slow start, I did enjoy the story and found it a very thought-provoking as well as an interesting read. Don’t expect an easy read though; this isn’t for those who want a light beach read.
