Music is a big part of my life and I was a teenager in the early 00s where this fictional duo became famous. I watched a lot of music videos, TRL, and read magazines. So when I read the synopsis for The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits, I knew I needed to read this one. Today I want to tell you about this book and what I thought. Keep on reading to find out more!

A big thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for providing me with an eARC to read and review. This doesn’t affect my opinion in any way.

Sisters Cassie and Zoe Grossberg were born just a year apart but could not have been more different. Zoe, blessed with charm and beauty, yearned for fame from the moment she could sing into a hairbrush. Cassie was a musical prodigy who never felt at home in her own skin and preferred the safety of the shadows.

On the brink of adulthood in the early 2000s, destiny intervened, catapulting the sisters into the spotlight as the pop sensation the Griffin Sisters, hitting all the touchstones of early aughts fame—SNL, MTV, Rolling Stone magazine—along the way.

But after a whirlwind year in the public eye, the band abruptly broke up.

Two decades later, Zoe’s a housewife; Cassie’s off the grid. The sisters aren’t speaking, and the real reason for the Griffin Sisters’ breakup is still a mystery. Zoe’s teenage daughter, Cherry, who’s determined to be a star in spite of Zoe’s warnings, is on a quest to learn the truth about what happened to the band all those years ago.

As secrets emerge, all three women must face the consequences of their choices: the ones they made and the ones the music industry made for them. Can they forgive each other—and themselves? And will the Griffin Sisters ever make music again?

Review

Music has always been something I loved, but the whole idea of being famous is something I can never wrap my head around. I feel that The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits gives us a little behind the scenes of this world and the toll fame takes on your mental health, family, and other relationships. This story is told through a dual timeline and through multiple POVs which really gave us a full picture. It also was a great way to slowly reveal everything that happened.

Cassie is a musical prodigy and Zoe dreams of a life in the spotlight. She basically talks her sister into going on this journey with her. I do feel like the book constantly emphasized that Cassie wasn’t as worthy as a star and it was a shame that Zoe didn’t have that voice as the “pretty” one. While I understand that’s how the music industry works, it felt a bit much for this story. I did appreciate that both characters were flawed, and if I’m honest, I didn’t really like Zoe at all.

Cherry was an interesting character. Music was her dream and after her mother’s experience, she didn’t want her daughter anywhere near that. Cherry taking the step to follow that dream really opened Zoe’s eyes about her relationship with Cherry and things she should’ve done differently. These three women coming together changed a lot of dynamics and started the process of a lot of healing. The only thing I would’ve loved is if the ending was a little stretched out. Them coming together again and getting along again happened really quickly. I would’ve loved to have seen more of that part of the journey.

All in all, I thought The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits was an interesting story about fame, music, family, and what that can cost you as a person. I’ll definitely be reading more by this author.

The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits was my first book by Jennifer Weiner, but it won’t be my last. Thankfully she has quite the backlist. If you’ve read any of Jennifer’s books, where should I go next? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!