Who Would Like This Book:
This novel is a wild, sparkling ride through a century of British showbiz, narrated by the unfiltered and hilarious Dora Chance. Expect bawdy humor, theatrical chaos, cleverly tangled family trees, and more twins than you can keep track of. If you're a fan of Shakespeare, love eccentric characters, or appreciate stories that blur the line between high art and low comedy, this is your jam. Readers who like novels bursting with life, clever wit, and unapologetic eccentricity will be in their element here.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Those who dislike dense prose, irreverent humor, or stories that frequently dip into the absurd may struggle with this book. Some found the endless parade of twins, convoluted family relationships, and soap-opera-worthy plot twists exhausting. The unapologetic bawdiness, liberal doses of innuendo, and moments of magical realism put off more traditional or squeamish readers, and the story's chaotic structure can feel overwhelming if you prefer straightforward, linear narratives.
About:
"Wise Children" by Angela Carter is a tale of showbiz, ambiguous paternity, and colorful family dynamics, centered around the lives of Dora and Nora, illegitimate daughters of a theatrical family. The narrative, told by an elderly Dora, unfolds with a mix of humor, nostalgia, and magical realism, delving into the intricacies of the Hazard family's theatrical world and the complexities of their relationships. Through a series of improbable events and plot twists, the novel explores themes of identity, family bonds, and the blurred lines between reality and performance, all with a touch of Shakespearean influences and Carter's signature bawdy style.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The novel contains high levels of content warnings for themes including incest, explicit sexual content, and complex family dynamics.
Has Romance?
There are several romantic entanglements in the story, but they are secondary to the familial relationships and personal growth themes.
From The Publisher:
In their heyday on the vaudeville stages of the early twentieth century, Dora Chance and her twin sister, Nora-unacknowledged daughters of Sir Melchior Hazard, the greatest Shakespearean actor of his day-were known as the Lucky Chances, with private lives as colorful and erratic as their careers. But now, at age 75, Dora is typing up their life story, and it is a tale indeed that Angela Carter tells. A writer known for the richness of her imagination and wit as well as her feminist insights into matters large and small, she created in Wise Children an effervescent family saga that manages to celebrate the lore and magic of show business while also exploring the connections between parent and child, the transitory and the immortal, authenticity and falsehood.
Ratings (3)
Loved It (1) | |
Liked It (1) | |
It Was OK (1) |
Reader Stats (11):
Read It (3) | |
Want To Read (7) | |
Not Interested (1) |
1 comment(s)
All right, so the ending is a bit far fetched and the writing meanders, but the latter is due to unreliable narrator. I enjoyed this book, as Dora is quite an entertaining narrator for all her faults, and part of the appeal is that she holds nothing back. She tells everything as she sees it, though perhaps embellishing a bit, and we can see, especially at the end, the family as it truly is.
Maybe it was just me, but despite the fact the book had a happy (and incredulous) ending, I found myself depressed. Weird.
What can you read after
Wise Children?
About the Author:
Angela Carter (1940-1992) was the author of many novels (including Nights at the Circus)¸ collections of short stories, plays, and books for children.
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