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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
    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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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Hated It !

Whiny grown children moving home. Blah, blah... The only reason I finished it was because I unfortunately bought it.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A really awesome read

This is one of the most enjoyable books I have read in a long time. It was very entertaining and left me wanting more.:)

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Boring and Preachy

I can usually find something good thing to say about a book ... not this time.

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3 people found this helpful

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

awesome!

What did you love best about The Weird Sisters?

the craftsmanship of this novel is amazing. the first person plural narration is so perfect for this story/these sisters. The story was well paced and very well balanced between the sisters' sub plots.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Weird Sisters?

Those few moments when the three weird sisters are actually on the same wavelength really do invoke a kind of magic! especially when brown throws in textual mirrors to amplify the effect.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no. i needed a little time to settle in to this one. . . especially the narration.

Any additional comments?

give it a shot!

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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

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

so true

started slow but blossomed into a good read. ending a little tidy. so typical of the manic comparisons between sisters.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Just ok, nothing special

It was a decent book, not much depth really. I would not really recommend it.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Fun characters

Although this was enjoyable to listen to, the outcomes were predictable and the plot weak.

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