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Wise Children by Angela Carter
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Wise Children (original 1991; edition 1991)

by Angela Carter

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
1,912408,634 (3.98)156
A comic tale of the tangled fortunes of two theatrical families, the Hazards and the Chances. It contains as many sets of twins and mistaken identities as any Shakespeare comedy, and celebrates the magic of over a century of show business.
Member:ellymillar
Title:Wise Children
Authors:Angela Carter
Info:Quality Paperback Direct (1991), Paperback
Collections:Your library
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Work Information

Wise Children by Angela Carter (1991)

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    Non vi lascerò orfani by Daria Bignardi (Pax_Biblio)
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    The Invisible Woman: The Story of Nelly Ternan and Charles Dickens by Claire Tomalin (Sarahursula)
    Sarahursula: Legitimate and illegitimate partners, wives and families. Hidden lives, secrets and a very famous Victorian.
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» See also 156 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 40 (next | show all)
It's no wonder why this book is on so many "Must Read Lists." This book is that good. The premise of the story is of an older woman writing of her family's past and present, but of a family from which she and her twin sister are excluded. Their father doesn't acknowledge them, but fortunately, an uncle does. The story is written in conversational English and is hilarious. There are so many metaphors and cliches appropriately sprinkled throughout this story that it just flows. It flows so well that I finished it in two sittings because I couldn't put it down. I give it five stars and I've added this to my favorites list. ( )
  Kimberlyhi | Apr 15, 2023 |
A bizarre carnival of characters dancing and singing through an improbable plot. It's easy to suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride marveling at the imagination of the author. ( )
  snash | Feb 17, 2023 |
aging twins remember family and life on stage
  ritaer | Jun 6, 2021 |
I like Angela Carter's style and her use of language is expressive. Her imagination is also something to admire and because of those things I wish I would have liked this book more. The story is told by an old lady looking back at her extraordinary life. It is filled with twins and quirky personalities and characters. The story itself consists of various, often somehow odd and failing, relationships and as such it resembles too much of a soap opera, where the only aim of the characters is either to win or destroy a relationship. Otherwise the characters have no motivation to act or to live and this makes both the story and the characters very flat. It was very difficult for me to care for either one. ( )
  Lady_Lazarus | Jun 3, 2021 |
This is a completely over the top, coincidences and bullshit galore story, and I loved it. Probably helped that the intro gave me a strong sense of what to expect from the story, as it is outside the genres I normally read in, and I wold have missed a lot without that. The narrative voice of Dora Chance is so matter of fact and practical and I adored her. ( )
  fred_mouse | Jan 24, 2021 |
Showing 1-5 of 40 (next | show all)
Wise Children inhabits its own manic universe and would probably translate into a spirited, bawdy musical comedy-farce of the kind in which the Chance sisters themselves performed, long ago.
added by arcaedia | editThe New York Times Book Review, Joyce Carol Oates
 

» Add other authors (24 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Angela Carterprimary authorall editionscalculated
Bikadoroff, RoxannaCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Blumenfeld, ErwinPhotographersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Smith, AliIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Epigraph
Brush up your Shakespeare. -- Cole Porter

It's a wise child that knows its own father. -- Old saw

How many times Shakespeare draws fathers and daughters, never mothers and daughters. -- Ellen Terry
Dedication
First words
Q. Why is London like Budapest?

A. Because it is two cities divided by a river.
Quotations
There was a house we all had in common and it was called, the past, even though we'd lived in different rooms.
I tried to laugh but it was wry. I was sad. Sad. Nothing more than sad. Let's not call it a tragedy; a broken heart is never a tragedy. Only untimely death is a tragedy.
It's the American tragedy in a nutshell. They look around the world and think: "There must be something better!" But there isn't. Sorry, chum. This is it. What you see is what you get. Only the here and now.
When I was young, I'd wanted to be ephemeral, I'd wanted the moment, to live in just the glorious moment, the rush of blood, the applause. Pluck the day. Eat the peach. Tomorrow never comes. But, oh yes, tomorrow does come all right, and when it comes it lasts a bloody long time, I can tell you. But if you've put your past on celluloid, it keeps. You've stored it away, like jam, for winter.
“Yes, indeed; I have my memories but I prefer to keep them to myself, thank you very much. Though there are some things I never can forget. The cock that used to crow, early in the morning, in Bond Street. And I saw a zebra once, he was galloping down Camden High street, his stripes fluoresced. I was in some garret with a free Norwegian. And the purple flowers that would pop up on the bomb-sites almost before the ruins stopped smoking, as if to say, life goes on, even if you don’t.”
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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A comic tale of the tangled fortunes of two theatrical families, the Hazards and the Chances. It contains as many sets of twins and mistaken identities as any Shakespeare comedy, and celebrates the magic of over a century of show business.

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