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The Weird Sisters  By  cover art

The Weird Sisters

By: Eleanor Brown
Narrated by: Kirsten Potter
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Editorial reviews

“I have been in such a pickle since I saw you last.” (The Tempest)

One of the ‘weird sisters’ might have said this to another in Eleanor Brown’s debut novel. These three daughters of a Shakespeare scholar possessing vast repertoires of Bardian quotes might have missed this one, or shunned it out of mutual jealousy and need to keep up appearances. But coming home after years apart, they have all been in pickles.

Bookish members of a family where reading is both haven and hideout, the sisters call themselves ‘weird’ after Macbeth’s three witches, but Professor Andreas, their Will-obsessed and spouting father named them: Cordelia (King Lear), Rose (Rosalind, As You Like It), and Bean (Bianca, Taming of The Shrew).

When they receive news that their beloved, artistic mother has cancer, the sisters arrive, each variously adrift in her life, and lugging resentments and insecurities over her siblings’ perceived advantages in love, work, or parental favor. How their happily married and devoted (if thinly drawn) parents spawned these discontented 20-to-30-somethings isn’t clear. But Rose, a math professor and self-appointed (unnecessary) caretaker of her parents, bemoaning her fiancé’s temporary relocation abroad, eagerly reassumes the role of boss/protector to her sisters (also unnecessary). The chic, man-eating Manhattanite Bean fudged the books at work to binge-shop, until she was recently and humiliatingly caught. And Cordelia, the indulged youngest yet sweetest, a hand-to-mouth (and often hungry) nomad, now suddenly finds herself pregnant and unattached. Mom’s illness provides the convenient refuge they all seek.

Brown is a good storyteller. Though not exactly original, her tale is entertainingly chick-lit-ish, with romance, both seedy and princely, serendipity, and lessons learned. Listeners who like their Shakespeare a la Hallmark suitable for every occasion or thought will be especially charmed. As an audio experience, the novel’s communal first-person ‘we’ narration adds immediacy. But, intended perhaps to foreshadow or add irony, it sometimes sounds forced, given the sisters’ chronic disunity. Fortunately, actress Kirsten Potter brings it all elegantly, expertly together. She differentiates the sisters’ personalities and a host of characters from hip priest to (stereotypical) sternly kind librarian skillfully until the very “all’s well that ends well”. Elly Schull Meeks

Publisher's summary

The beloved New York Times best seller from acclaimed author Eleanor Brown about three sisters who love each other, but just don't happen to like each other very much.

Three sisters have returned to their childhood home, reuniting the eccentric Andreas family. Here, books are a passion (there is no problem a library card can't solve) and TV is something other people watch. Their father - a professor of Shakespeare who speaks almost exclusively in verse - named them after the Bard's heroines. It's a lot to live up to.

The sisters each have a hard time communicating with their parents and their lovers, but especially with one another. What can the shy homebody eldest sister, the fast-living middle child, and the bohemian youngest sibling have in common? Only that none has found life to be what was expected; and now, faced with their parents' frailty and their own personal disappointments, not even a book can solve what ails them...

©2010 Eleanor Brown (P)2011 Penguin

Featured Article: 45+ Quotes to Help You Make Peace with—and Take Charge of—Change


Reeling from change? Or ready to make some changes in your life? These wise words from authors just might give you the comfort or boost you need. Their words reflect the nature of change and the swirl of feelings surrounding it—from fear to exhilaration. In this collection, you'll find gentle reminders that change will keep happening and reassurance that you can handle it. When you face it and embrace it, change can enrich your life in unexpected ways.

What listeners say about The Weird Sisters

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Family Dynamic... Great Read

In this book, I found myself hindered at first... as if, I was going to like it. Stood on the fences ... then the story BURST! Wow, what a wonderful, breathless read. If you have siblings, the birth order dynamic in this book will astound you in how closely you will relate (especially for the women of families with three girls).

I immediately was drawn to the character of Rose... simply put, for I am Rose! You begin to find yourself in these characters. Although, "Dad" speaks as though he is a Shakespearean character, you will come to understand him and his "dad" ways!

The mother... she is the pristine example of how most mothers will always see their children!

I can revel in all this book brings about... but you need to read it to relate to it. GREAT JOB!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Lovely narration

What made the experience of listening to The Weird Sisters the most enjoyable?

I bought the book first, intending to read it. I downloaded the free first chapter, too, and after listening to Kirsten Potter's narration, I had to listen to it. I made the right choice. I really liked the story of three sisters reuniting after their mother's diagnosis of breast cancer, and Ms. Potter's performance enhanced it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

This was a great story!

I mostly loved the voice of the storyteller. It was a beautiful, rich story of life and love, and how at the end if we are paying attention, we see what really matters.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

"I am not bound to please thee with my answers."

As an English teacher and a fan of Shakespeare, I was disappointed with Brown's treatment of the Bard. I should have known better, because when I heard her interviewed on NPR, and she read an excerpt of the book that contained a Shakespearean quotation, she had no idea where it came from (Romeo and Juliet). I read it anyway... it's an interesting story with believable characters, but it didn't get a rise of emotion from me at any point. I enjoyed her portrayal of setting. I would recommend this to someone who doesn't mind Shakespeare, but isn't passionate about his work.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Much better than expected

Definitely a checkbook but if anyone has a sister they will prescient it. The reader was fantastic

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Predictable, but fun

It was a chick flick kind of book. You read it and afterwards you think, meh, same ol' same ol'. The reader is good, but her male characters have the same vocal inflection and it makes you think the girls' boyfriend's all sound like their dad. Weird, indeed.
The Shakespeare quotes were fine, but nothing earth shattering. You'd think these characters would feel more connected to what they were saying instead of just throwing in lines into their everyday chit chat.
It was bland, but entertaining in a sitcom kind of way.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable, easy read

I really liked The Weird Sisters, probably because it reminded me of myself and my two sisters and "roles" we have in our family. I identified with the relationships of all of the characters and of each character individually. It's an enjoyable, easy listen.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

So much better than most “sister stories”

I have now downloaded more than 1000 books from audible and had wearied of the theme of “sister stories” but this title promised more than a treacly tale, and it delivered. The writing was so good and the creation of the Shakespeare-quoting father made for a special character. The sisters themselves were contemporary versions of vivid Shakespearean women characters. The wonderful narration made this a winner.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Awful and boring

This book felt so forced. All of the Shakespeare references only added to the mess. I simply can't finish it and have wasted a credit. From the very beginning the book was totally predictable. I felt sorry for the narrator. It must have been teeth grindingly awful to read the thing.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Great idea- not worth it in the end

I like the idea of this book more than the book itself. The main characters weren't very likable, and in the end I didn't actually care what happened to them. Bummer.

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2 people found this helpful