The Seven Sisters

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death and gender discrimination.

The Seven Sisters presents a nuanced perspective on the complexities of family. It suggests that familial connections can provide a sense of identity and a deeper understanding of one’s place in the world, but it also acknowledges the limitations of familial expectations and the suppression of individual desires that they entail. Through the dual narratives of Maia and Bel, Riley invites readers to contemplate the often-contradictory ways in which family can shape lives, both empowering and constraining individuals’ journeys of self-discovery.

Maia has two families—her adoptive family and her birth family. As the novel opens, Maia is grappling with the recent death of Pa Salt. Though she had a good childhood and loves Pa Salt deeply, his death leads her to reflect on the many secrets that he kept from her and her sisters. Ma confirms Pa’s habitual secrecy and need for control when she notes to Maia, “Chérie, you and I have lived in this house the longest and we both know that where your father was concerned, ours was never to question why” (14). Now that he is dead, Pa’s secrecy makes Maia feel doubtful and even angry.