The seven sisters -or The Seven Sisters, its original English title—is a literary heptalogy of historical and contemporary fiction written by the late Irish author Lucinda Riley. The first book in the series was published in Spanish by the publisher Plaza & Janés in 2016, and is named The Seven Sisters: Maia's Story.
The following volumes comprising the collection are: Sister Storm: Ally's Story (2016); The Shadow Sister: Star's Story (2017); Sister Pearl: Cece's Story (2017); Sister Moon: Tiggy's Story (2018); the lost sister (2021), and, finally, the posthumous title Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt (2023)
Synopsis of the first book of the heptalogy, The Seven Sisters: Maia's Story
The death of the patriarch and his inheritance
The D'Apliese sisters return to Geneva. They return to Atlantis, the beautiful mansion where they were raised and educated, the space in which their respective childhoods lived. The reason for your return is because Pa Salt —who adopted them when they were just babies— passed away. The man asked that his remains be thrown into the sea of Greece, so the girls were unable to hold a proper funeral.
Among the reactions typical of loss, there is the family lawyer and tells them to the sisters that their father left a present for each of them. Then she hands them six envelopes: one for Maia, the eldest, and others for Ally, Star, Cece, Tiggy, and Electra. Likewise, she shows them a globe whose rings have a quote dedicated to each of her daughters.
Sorrowful, Maia opens her folder, and discovers that it encourages her to visit an old house in Rio de Janeiro.
Far from home and close to herself
Maia she was the first daughter to be adopted, so she created a very special bond with Pa Salt. However, Despite his deep sorrow, he cannot express his feelings. The young woman was always characterized by showing a serene character. Also, she was in the habit of putting the needs of others above her own. Nevertheless, Rio de Janeiro will bring you closer to itself and its true nature.
The other common thread
On his journey, Maia knows many people who accompany her and teach her. One of those characters is Izabela Bonifacio. In the olden days of Rio de Janeiro—eighty years ago—Izabela was a young woman barely coming of age. Her father had the idea that Izabela would marry a man from the bourgeoisie of the Belle Époque of Rio; however, she wanted to see the world before getting married.
Determined to know more than her own country, Izabela begs her father to let her accompany Heitor da Silva Costa to Paris, the architect in charge of conceiving what is today one of the wonders of the world: Christ the Redeemer. In turn, this man looks for the right sculptor to carry out said work.
That is how they arrive to the artistic neighborhoods of the city of lights. Over there, In a cafe in Montparnasse, Izabela meets Laurent Brouilly, who will change your feelings forever.
Main characters
Pa Salt
Thanks to it, the known environment is recreated, Well, he was the one who adopted the six girls around the seven seas. After dying, the enigmatic character left his protégés the clues that would lead them to their place of origin.
Maia D'Apliese
Maia is a woman in her thirties. She is very beautiful and kind-hearted. The intense bond she shared with her adoptive father, Marina, the woman who raised her, and her home, prevented her from making a life away from home.
However, her late father's final instructions lead her to seek something more than her familiar surroundings, to live adventures and meet other people. In this process, Maia evolves and sheds the person that she was.
Isabella Bonifacio
Jezebel is an ancestor of the protagonist of this story. In the work, she is described as a very attractive woman who constantly seeks her freedom, because in Brazil she feels imprisoned in a golden cage. izabela does not intend to comply with the designs of his father, which involve marrying an aristocrat to raise their status.
Floriano Quintelas
Maia works as a translator, and she met Floriano while translating one of this man's books into French. When Quintelas finds out that Maia was looking for her roots, he doesn't hesitate to accompany her and help her in any way possible. His career as a historian allows him to support the protagonist and put together a puzzle buried by the years that have passed.
About the author, Lucinda Kate Edmonds
Lucinda riley
Lucinda-Kate Edmonds was born in 1965, in Lisburn, United Kingdom. She was a British writer and actress educated in the Italy Conti Academy of Theater Arts. Riley studied acting and ballet. Also, pparticipated in various works and television productions that include a series adapted from The Story of the Treasure Seekers, produced and broadcast by the BBC. Later, he had a role in the film Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.
After suffering a lengthy bout of infectious mononucleosis, Lucinda Riley concentrated on writing. The interpreter stood out in this activity after publishing her debut film: Lovers and Players—Amantes and players (1992)—. Through the years Lucinda carved out a prominent career in letters; Unfortunately, the author herself passed away in 2021 from cancer.
Other books by Lucinda Riley
Writings under the name of Lucinda Riley
- The secret of the orchid — The Orchid House (2010);
- The young man on the cliff — The Girl on the Cliff (2011);
- The light behind the window — The Light Behind the Window (2012);
- The midnight rose — The Midnight Rose (2013);
- The roots of the angel — Angel Tree (2014);
- The girl from Italy — The Italian Girl (2014);
- The olive — The Olive Tree (2016);
- The love Letter — The Love Letter (2018);
- The butterfly room — The Butterfly Room (2019);
- The Fleat House Murders — The Murders at Fleat House (2022)
Writing under the name of Lucinda Edmonds
- Hidden beauty — HiddenBeauty (1993);
- Charmed — Enchanted (1994);
- not an angel — Not Quite an Angel (1995);
- Aria (1996);
- Losing you — losing you (1997);
- Playing with fire — Playing With Fire (1998);
- seeing double — Seeing Double (2000)