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simonlorden's review against another edition
3.5
Dora and Nora Chance are the illegitimate twin daughters of famed Shakesperian actor, Melchior Hazard, who has been married three times but never to their mother. In fact, they are legally claimed by Melchior's brother, Peregrine, which is only one way this family is a mess of relations. This book is a comedic retelling of the life of the twins from when they are 75, full of family and celebrity drama, scandal, adultery, illegitimate children, and occasional incest.
I gotta say, I read this based on a specific recommendation (uncle/niece relationship), and I was disappointed by how little that was part of the story. But I liked Peregrine a lot, even if he's as messy as everyone else in this damn book.
I gotta say, I read this based on a specific recommendation (uncle/niece relationship), and I was disappointed by how little that was part of the story. But I liked Peregrine a lot, even if he's as messy as everyone else in this damn book.
louisabooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ishbelalice's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
tmmarkos's review against another edition
2.0
I love Angela Carter dearly, but the meandering narrative of this novel was a bit much even for me.
lindzlovesreading's review against another edition
5.0
Wise Children is so brilliant it made me giddy. I could easily go all fan girl, the writing, oh divine, the Shakespeare references, the theatrics - Carter knew how to build a scene till it reaches a divine surreal hysteria, the characters a 75 year old woman who still wears high heals and a low cut light leopard print top has my respect.
But what this book reminded me of is a elderly woman who I use to take, I think it was Classical Lit with in uni. She had to be in her 70's a typical kiwi granny. Then on a Classics night out, she started talking. First of all she could't see why her children should inherit all her money, so she went back to uni, then telling these amazing stories of when she was young traveling around the Mediterranean with a Homosexual, which is what they called them in those days, instead of Fred, or James or Sebastian like today, you know their name. Stowing away on ferries drinking absinthe with sailors, constantly falling in and out of love with men called Spiros or Miguel. She managed to drink us all under the table one night, but to be fair she had had more practise. I wish I could remember her name, but she had lived a life frivolous and important. From little I can remember of that night I remember being completely entranced. Like I was with this book.
Wise Children is a book that could drink you under the table.
But what this book reminded me of is a elderly woman who I use to take, I think it was Classical Lit with in uni. She had to be in her 70's a typical kiwi granny. Then on a Classics night out, she started talking. First of all she could't see why her children should inherit all her money, so she went back to uni, then telling these amazing stories of when she was young traveling around the Mediterranean with a Homosexual, which is what they called them in those days, instead of Fred, or James or Sebastian like today, you know their name. Stowing away on ferries drinking absinthe with sailors, constantly falling in and out of love with men called Spiros or Miguel. She managed to drink us all under the table one night, but to be fair she had had more practise. I wish I could remember her name, but she had lived a life frivolous and important. From little I can remember of that night I remember being completely entranced. Like I was with this book.
Wise Children is a book that could drink you under the table.
jonkmcconk's review against another edition
4.0
I've been a fan of Angela Carter and her ribald, lively writing since sixth form, when I saw a stage production of Wise Children by the touring company of the same name (which also happens to be one of my favourite stage shows of all time). I was glad to see that none of the carnivalesque onstage magic was exaggerated in the adaptation process. The novel is sharp, canny, riddled with so many tiny jokes that a passing eye could easily miss them, and - as is Carter's speciality - the glittering romance of the bildungsroman never fully obscures the dark heart at its core. Sexual dysfunction pervades in a vast and confusing web of pairings, incestuous or otherwise. The glitz of Hollywood is no salve for the violence and perversion that greases its wheels. Yet it's all recounted by its aged narrator as if in a cosy pub from within a haze of tobacco smoke: rough and nostalgic and wickedly funny. If I've one complaint it's that the messy quality (and abundance of nicknames!) can be a little confusing at times, but that's the kind of thing that softens out on a second read.
fan_girl's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to give a 4 stars but I removed a star because of the incest in this book, it disturbed me, and the only reason I continued it after coming across the incest was that I'm reading this book for my university novel course assignment
coco_lolo's review against another edition
5.0
I'm hoping to read most, if not all, of Carter's novels this year, and Wise Children won't be easy to beat. The drama, the humor, the dark realities hidden beneath grease paint and glitter, these all made for a tale I didn't expect to be so thoroughly charmed by. The characters were by far the best of Carter's I've encountered so far, and the writing was typical for her but also much more digestible than what I encountered in Love or some of her short fiction. This book gave me so many questions to ponder—What makes us legit versus not? How do we let ourselves be shaped by history, and how do we force out histories into a different shape? What elements of the story changes depending on the teller? All around, excellent.
esnupi's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book in a confused sort of way. Immediately noticeable is the way that the narrative weaves around and doubles back and is frequently interrupted by asides and wry comments from Dora. It requires concentration, yes, and is a little confusing, but it didn't dissuade me massively, as the way in which Carter writes (and Dora narrates) allowed me to retain enough curiosity in where the story was going and how everyone fit together.
This is the first thing that I've read from Carter, and I was so impressed by this in particular; the thing that managed to sell this book to me is the utter conviction with which every single character has been created.
Many of the characters are irreverent and cynical and uncontrollable, some likeable despite flaws and some just absolutely loathsome in every way, Carter achieves the holy grail of character writing-- every character feels real. Puck to Georgeous George to Daisy Duck and even her cat feel like people; the scene with Perry, Saskia and the caterpillars genuinely upset me despite everything.
For me, this book ends perfectly. It could be considered a little cliché, a giant party in which everyone reconciles and learns the truth, but the consistent importance of Shakespeare throughout Wise Children makes this feel like a nod to the end of any play of his; the resolving of mistaken identity at the end of Twelfth Night, or the explanation of the tragedy delivered at the end of Romeo and Juliet, or Othello. The consistent motif of twins, of mistaken identities, of found family, were a good anchor to the rest of the story.
This is the first thing that I've read from Carter, and I was so impressed by this in particular; the thing that managed to sell this book to me is the utter conviction with which every single character has been created.
Many of the characters are irreverent and cynical and uncontrollable, some likeable despite flaws and some just absolutely loathsome in every way, Carter achieves the holy grail of character writing-- every character feels real. Puck to Georgeous George to Daisy Duck and even her cat feel like people; the scene with Perry, Saskia and the caterpillars genuinely upset me despite everything.
For me, this book ends perfectly. It could be considered a little cliché, a giant party in which everyone reconciles and learns the truth, but the consistent importance of Shakespeare throughout Wise Children makes this feel like a nod to the end of any play of his; the resolving of mistaken identity at the end of Twelfth Night, or the explanation of the tragedy delivered at the end of Romeo and Juliet, or Othello. The consistent motif of twins, of mistaken identities, of found family, were a good anchor to the rest of the story.