elliemcc11's review against another edition
3.0
Having read, and liked, other books by the author I decided to give this a go despite my reservations. I don't read books about psychics and paranormal worlds because they usually hold no interest, and nor do I think them to be particularly believable (although I appreciate many enjoy the escapism).
This is the story of 2 sisters with psychic abilities and when one sister predicts an earthquake will occur, the ground and the environment surrounding both sisters certainly does change.
The story is a touch predictable in parts but we'll written. Have to say I didn't warm to any of the characters, but something still kept me engaged.
3.5 star read for me.
This is the story of 2 sisters with psychic abilities and when one sister predicts an earthquake will occur, the ground and the environment surrounding both sisters certainly does change.
The story is a touch predictable in parts but we'll written. Have to say I didn't warm to any of the characters, but something still kept me engaged.
3.5 star read for me.
tishreads's review against another edition
3.0
3 is generous. Story went in a weird direction that made no sense.
bunnieslikediamonds's review against another edition
3.0
A non-creepy story about psychic twins seems like such a waste. What's the point of ESP if not used as a believable, scientific base for twin horror fiction? Of course Sittenfeld would never go there. Her thing is neurotic, self-doubting characters, family dynamics and the picking apart of close relationships. Not that you couldn't combine that with some good old fashioned horror (imagine Lee Fiora with a pick-axe), but sadly for me, that's not what happens.
The twins' ESP is described as a somewhat unusual, but hardly spectacular, component in their otherwise dull lives. They briefly become an involuntary freak show during high-school, adopting different coping mechanisms. Bohemian Violet grows up to become a professional psychic, while highly-strung Kate formerly known as Daisy desperately wants to remove herself from any freakishness and so becomes a respectable, suburban stay-at-home-mom. When Violet publicly predicts an earthquake, the media attention causes Kate to lose her shit (in a controlled, respectable way).
In a rare burst of insight, Kate concludes that "we find it impossible to believe that others want what we don't or don't want what we do". That pretty much sums up the book. Kate can't imagine why Violet would want to draw attention to herself by becoming The Psychic of St Louis - and worse, drawing attention to Kate. I totally get that. Good lord, if my sister went nationwide spouting paranormal nonsense, I would be mortified. I admit it: I care about what people think, and I identify with the stuck-up, snobbish character rather than the free-spirited, wacky one. To a certain point, that is.
See, Kate also cannot imagine how anyone could not want the husband, the kids and the suburban home she has, which is funny, considering that her days are made up of snot, poop and vomit (Sittenfeld spends an awful lot of time describing the logistics of raising small children, which is odd, because a) it's not interesting when done this way, and b) everybody - parent or not - already knows about the sleep deprivation, the snot, the poop and the vomit). Super Mom is insufferably smug and judgemental. Seeing a former classmate without - gasp - a ring on her finger, she gloats and congratulates herself on landing a husband. Oh, and she's also kinda racist and homophobic, and not that smart. Sittenfeld wisely lets Violet call bullshit, while infusing Kate with enough sympathetic qualities to keep her from being completely despicable.
Some tension is created by the potential earthquake, as well as the the strained relationship between the sisters, but the story is bogged down by too many irrelevant details. Also, some things just came off as plain weird, like the awful sex scenes. I get that Kate and her husband are supposed to be vanilla, but this was just ridiculous (along the lines of "he caressed my nipple, and after three minutes we finished at the same time"). The unimaginative Kate cannot believe anyone would like to have sex for longer than three minutes and is baffled and annoyed when a lover just keeps going past the time limit.
Sisterland is certainly readable, if you enjoy reading about extremely conventional, self-absorbed middle-class people with conventional middle-class problems (I know I do). Sittenfeld is a good observer and a good writer, but this one was way too vanilla for me.
The twins' ESP is described as a somewhat unusual, but hardly spectacular, component in their otherwise dull lives. They briefly become an involuntary freak show during high-school, adopting different coping mechanisms. Bohemian Violet grows up to become a professional psychic, while highly-strung Kate formerly known as Daisy desperately wants to remove herself from any freakishness and so becomes a respectable, suburban stay-at-home-mom. When Violet publicly predicts an earthquake, the media attention causes Kate to lose her shit (in a controlled, respectable way).
In a rare burst of insight, Kate concludes that "we find it impossible to believe that others want what we don't or don't want what we do". That pretty much sums up the book. Kate can't imagine why Violet would want to draw attention to herself by becoming The Psychic of St Louis - and worse, drawing attention to Kate. I totally get that. Good lord, if my sister went nationwide spouting paranormal nonsense, I would be mortified. I admit it: I care about what people think, and I identify with the stuck-up, snobbish character rather than the free-spirited, wacky one. To a certain point, that is.
See, Kate also cannot imagine how anyone could not want the husband, the kids and the suburban home she has, which is funny, considering that her days are made up of snot, poop and vomit (Sittenfeld spends an awful lot of time describing the logistics of raising small children, which is odd, because a) it's not interesting when done this way, and b) everybody - parent or not - already knows about the sleep deprivation, the snot, the poop and the vomit). Super Mom is insufferably smug and judgemental. Seeing a former classmate without - gasp - a ring on her finger, she gloats and congratulates herself on landing a husband. Oh, and she's also kinda racist and homophobic, and not that smart. Sittenfeld wisely lets Violet call bullshit, while infusing Kate with enough sympathetic qualities to keep her from being completely despicable.
Some tension is created by the potential earthquake, as well as the the strained relationship between the sisters, but the story is bogged down by too many irrelevant details. Also, some things just came off as plain weird, like the awful sex scenes. I get that Kate and her husband are supposed to be vanilla, but this was just ridiculous (along the lines of "he caressed my nipple, and after three minutes we finished at the same time"). The unimaginative Kate cannot believe anyone would like to have sex for longer than three minutes and is baffled and annoyed when a lover just keeps going past the time limit.
Sisterland is certainly readable, if you enjoy reading about extremely conventional, self-absorbed middle-class people with conventional middle-class problems (I know I do). Sittenfeld is a good observer and a good writer, but this one was way too vanilla for me.
mdalonzo's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
susanw's review against another edition
4.0
The story of twins, Violet and Daisy, who both have 'senses', feelings and dreams, predicting the future. One sister embraces and exploits her powers, the other, embarrassed and ashamed tries to hide hers.
The story moves through their lives showing how feelings can shape our lives and all actions have consequences.
Sisterland covers the love, hate, worry and feelings of protection sisters have for each other. Anyone with a sibling and especially a sister will recognize this relationship between Daisy and her sister as true.
Curtis Sittenfeld tells us a fictional story that rings very true. This could be any of our lives, which makes it easy to read. But it isn't our life which makes it fascinating to read.
The story moves through their lives showing how feelings can shape our lives and all actions have consequences.
Sisterland covers the love, hate, worry and feelings of protection sisters have for each other. Anyone with a sibling and especially a sister will recognize this relationship between Daisy and her sister as true.
Curtis Sittenfeld tells us a fictional story that rings very true. This could be any of our lives, which makes it easy to read. But it isn't our life which makes it fascinating to read.
rebeccajmoran's review against another edition
5.0
A wonderfully enthralling and emotional tale. Complex characters and twists and turns kept me eager throughout. Having read and thoroughly enjoyed both Prep and American Wife as well, Curtis Sittenfeld can do no wrong in my eyes - She's a wonderful writer and teller of stories.
ames2read's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
lunaschu's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
offbalance80's review against another edition
1.0
There are few authors who can write characters that spur me into fits of murderous rage quite like Curtis Sittenfeld can. Curtis, are any of your narrators NOT passive aggressive, mumbling doormats that would die before being noticed and resent those who don't mind attention? JJ Abrahams has lense flare, Wes Anderson has quirky set pieces and you have that, I guess.
As Sisterland unfolds, we learn the story of twins Daisy and Violet, both gifted with psychic abilities they call "senses." Daisy, in true Sittenfeldian fashion, abhors this amazing ability and does just about everything she can to suppress it, because OMG PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO ME AND I CAN'T DEAL WHY CAN'T I BE BOOORRRING. She freaks out at being anything other than the blandest of the boringest of the boring, and even changes her name to Kate at first opportunity, because OMG I CAN'T BE WEIRD. I CAN'T. I'M JUST GOING TO BE MOUSY AND NORMAL BECAUSE I CAN'T HANDLE IT.
It's unfortunate that we only get glimpses of Daisy/Kate's kickass twin sister Vi via her sister's judgmental boringness. Vi is a much more fun character - she's funny, independent, unapologetically quirky and fully embracing of her gifts. I would hang out with Vi in a hot second. I resented every tedious minute with Kate/Daisy. And there were many.
The book bangs on for several hundred pages of suburban intrigues that are the opposite of intriguing, while Daisy/Kate regales us about OMG HER BLACK FRIEND who happens to be a fellow stay-at-home parent and whines at her husband about first how embarrassed she is that her sister predicted an earthquake and then how worried she is that there might be an earthquake. Interspersed with this are hundreds of pages of backstory that proves what an absolute wet rag Kate/Daisy is and always has been, through great effort. The book ends with an absolutely ridiculous chain of events that would have made me throw this book aside with great force were it not contained on my expensive tablet.
This particular character was understandable in Prep, and even to some degree The Man of My Dreams. But after American Wife and now this, I have to plead with the author to find another color. Sisterland would have been much more fun from the point of view of Vi, mocking her dishrag of a sister, who has become the sterotypical Curtis Sittenfeld character.
As Sisterland unfolds, we learn the story of twins Daisy and Violet, both gifted with psychic abilities they call "senses." Daisy, in true Sittenfeldian fashion, abhors this amazing ability and does just about everything she can to suppress it, because OMG PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO ME AND I CAN'T DEAL WHY CAN'T I BE BOOORRRING. She freaks out at being anything other than the blandest of the boringest of the boring, and even changes her name to Kate at first opportunity, because OMG I CAN'T BE WEIRD. I CAN'T. I'M JUST GOING TO BE MOUSY AND NORMAL BECAUSE I CAN'T HANDLE IT.
It's unfortunate that we only get glimpses of Daisy/Kate's kickass twin sister Vi via her sister's judgmental boringness. Vi is a much more fun character - she's funny, independent, unapologetically quirky and fully embracing of her gifts. I would hang out with Vi in a hot second. I resented every tedious minute with Kate/Daisy. And there were many.
The book bangs on for several hundred pages of suburban intrigues that are the opposite of intriguing, while Daisy/Kate regales us about OMG HER BLACK FRIEND who happens to be a fellow stay-at-home parent and whines at her husband about first how embarrassed she is that her sister predicted an earthquake and then how worried she is that there might be an earthquake. Interspersed with this are hundreds of pages of backstory that proves what an absolute wet rag Kate/Daisy is and always has been, through great effort. The book ends with an absolutely ridiculous chain of events that would have made me throw this book aside with great force were it not contained on my expensive tablet.
This particular character was understandable in Prep, and even to some degree The Man of My Dreams. But after American Wife and now this, I have to plead with the author to find another color. Sisterland would have been much more fun from the point of view of Vi, mocking her dishrag of a sister, who has become the sterotypical Curtis Sittenfeld character.
kittykornerlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
I will happily read anything that Curtis Sittenfeld writes. This is no exception. I enjoyed the voice of the narrator as she told her story of being a twin, both growing up and as an adult. The story takes place in St. Louis, Missouri and it's a great story of families and how complicated they can be. The additional complication here, though, is both sisters having "senses," i.e. they are psychic. One twin embraces this, the other attempts to reject it. This is about sisterhood and also about having special gifts. I enjoyed it a lot.