This is the tenth book I read for the Pay It Sideways Challenge. I was hesitant to read The Weird Sisters, but this review at Reading with Tea persuaded me to give it a go.
Ever since I studied it at school, Macbeth has been the only Shakespeare play that I’ve felt I can get on with, (not that I’ve given his others much of a chance) and the three weird sisters were immediately my favourite characters. That’s why I was slightly reluctant to read this book, I didn’t want my idea of them to be turned into something sappy.
The plot of Eleanor Brown’s novel isn’t particularly original; three very different sisters at different ends of the USA come back to their family home to sort out their problems. The characters also aren’t anything special; Rosalind is the sensible/boring one, Bianca is the sexy/slutty one and Cordelia is the baby of the family. It’s obvious from the start where they are all going to end up, so this isn’t exactly a book that will keep you interested if you have better things to read.
Don’t be put off too quickly though! The Weird Sisters does have a lot going for it. To start with, the references to Shakespeare are a nice touch. The sisters are constantly quoting him – a habit they got from their dad, who is Shakespeare obsessed (in case you couldn’t tell by the names he gave his daughters). I can’t call myself a big fan of Shakespeare (even if I do like Macbeth!) and I think a book like this could be a way of introducing his work to people who are daunted by the idea of his plays.
Another unusual thing about this book, is the fact that it is written in first person plural, which I have never seen before. It’s an interesting idea!
This isn’t a book that I would recommend to everyone (a die hard Shakespeare fan would probably find it a bit ‘fluffy’) but it’s a nice, relaxing read when you don’t want to put too much effort into it!
Fancy giving it a go, click on the picture below!
Bundle of Books 
[…] show my appreciation, I will be giving one lucky reader (from anywhere in the world) a copy of The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. Please note: this book is a USED copy, and by the looks of it, had already been […]
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Glad I persuaded you to read it!
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Me too! 🙂
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I’m a diehard Shakespeare fan, but every so often I do enjoy a little fluff. Based on your thoughts, I’m ready to put this on my summer/vacation TBR list. Thanks so much for participating in the Pay It Sideways Challenge. I’m reading away on mine, but not yet ready to post my first review…
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That’s good – I’d be interested to see what you think. I think summer would be a perfect time to read it too!
I’m sorry to say that this book was from LAST year’s Pay It Sideways Challenge. I had wanted to participate this year as well, but still have two books to read from last year’s! I do think it’s a wonderful challenge(even though I failed miserably to finish on time!). I don’t usually do reading challenges because I like to read what I want, when I want. I think this challenge allows you to do that AND you get to say a thank you to all the bloggers out there that help you decided what to read next!
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I was quite taken with this. I wouldn’t call it a great book, but I would call it a very readable one.
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Yes, I would agree with that – especially if you’re in the mood for it!
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I kind of like the idea of a “fluffy” Shakespeare!
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It certainly makes him a bit less daunting!
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[…] The Weird Sisters – Eleanor Brown […]
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