The Weird Sisters

 

I believe strongly in the importance of names. 

My name, Rhea, is a family name, passed down through my mother's family. 

I love the uniqueness of it... 

and the family legacy. 

The name Rhea also appears in mythological stories, 

from the Greek mother of Zeus 

to the Roman mother of Romulus and Remus. 

So, perhaps that's why I loved the opening of Eleanor Brown's novel, The Weird Sisters, 

where we learn that their professor father, 

who speaks almost primarily in Shakespearean verse, 

named them after the Bard's heroines:

Rose is named for Rosalind, 

the romantic heroine in Shakespeare's As You Like It. 

Bean is short for Bianca, 

the desirable and attractive sister in The Taming of the Shrew.

Cordy is the nickname for Cordelia, 

the youngest and favorite daughter in King Lear. 

Even the novel's title, The Weird Sisters, refers to characters in MacBeth, 

the three witches with dark and contradictory natures. 

Their "filthy" trappings and activities set an ominous tone for the play...and the book.

 And boy do their stir up some toil and trouble.

In the novel, the sisters are not close and have been reunited in their hometown 

to confront their mother's struggling with breast cancer.

The sisters must confront their inner-selves and their family relationships.

It's not a light read, but it's definitely intriguing.

 Join our discussion of The Weird Sisters on BlogHer!

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.