Overview

In The Sisters Mao, we move between 1968 London and revolutionary China. In London, sisters Iris and Eva are pulled into a radical theatre collective inspired by Maoist ideas, hoping art and politics can offer meaning and direction. Running alongside this story is a portrait of Jiang Qing, Mao Zedong’s wife, as she oversees a ballet production during the Cultural Revolution. The novel brings these threads together to explore belief, ambition and the personal cost of ideology.

Writing & Voice

The writing is measured and thoughtful, with careful attention to historical detail. We found the shifts between London and China clear and purposeful, even when the story slows to examine ideas rather than action. McCrea gives space to reflection and atmosphere, which suits the political and cultural questions at the heart of the book.

Characters

Iris and Eva are driven by restlessness and a desire to belong to something larger than themselves. Their relationship feels strained and real, shaped by rivalry, loyalty and disappointment. Jiang Qing is presented as distant and controlled, offering a sharp contrast to the sisters’ uncertainty. While the cast is large, the emotional weight stays centred on the tension between belief and personal feeling.

Themes

This novel looks closely at how politics can become performance, and how revolutionary ideals affect private lives. It explores art as both expression and control, and the complicated ties between mothers and daughters. We also see how certainty can be comforting, even when it leads to harm or emptiness.

What Worked

• Ambitious scope: the dual settings give the novel depth and perspective.
• Strong atmosphere: both London and China feel carefully realised.
• Thoughtful ideas: the book takes its political and emotional questions seriously.

Minor Quibbles

• The large cast and wide focus can make the pace feel slow at times.
• Some readers may struggle to connect emotionally with the sisters.

Final Thoughts

We found The Sisters Mao to be a challenging and rewarding novel that asks difficult questions about belief, art and family without offering easy answers.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.0 / 5)