Great Literary Sisters
Published on 23. April 2026
Book
Hardback
208 pages
978-1-85124-621-2 (ISBN)
Description
I found this beautifully produced book quite irresistible...An excellent reading list adds to the enjoyment of this affectionate and enlightening book.
- Joceline Bury, Jane Austen Regency World
Sisterly relationships feature prominently in some of our best-loved classic literature. From Jane and Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice to Hasina and Nazneen in Brick Lane, they have provided inspiration for novelists over the centuries.
Sisters can be best friends, mother figures, rivals, heroes, sounding boards or partners in crime, depending on literary genre, era, or the demands of plot. They can bring into focus the changing roles of women in society, especially in literature that predates the twentieth century, such as Middlemarch, The Woman in White and The Old Wives' Tale. Their bonds with younger or older siblings, like those of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy in Little Women, are often complex and nuanced, and occasionally devastating.
Covering childhood, adventure, affairs of the heart and mental health, this book explores the role of sisters in twenty individual entries, each one providing a synopsis and analysis of the work in question. Including writers as diverse as Charles Dickens, E.M. Forster, J.D. Salinger, Toni Morrison and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, it makes the perfect read for book-loving sisters whatever their connection.
- Joceline Bury, Jane Austen Regency World
Sisterly relationships feature prominently in some of our best-loved classic literature. From Jane and Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice to Hasina and Nazneen in Brick Lane, they have provided inspiration for novelists over the centuries.
Sisters can be best friends, mother figures, rivals, heroes, sounding boards or partners in crime, depending on literary genre, era, or the demands of plot. They can bring into focus the changing roles of women in society, especially in literature that predates the twentieth century, such as Middlemarch, The Woman in White and The Old Wives' Tale. Their bonds with younger or older siblings, like those of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy in Little Women, are often complex and nuanced, and occasionally devastating.
Covering childhood, adventure, affairs of the heart and mental health, this book explores the role of sisters in twenty individual entries, each one providing a synopsis and analysis of the work in question. Including writers as diverse as Charles Dickens, E.M. Forster, J.D. Salinger, Toni Morrison and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, it makes the perfect read for book-loving sisters whatever their connection.
Reviews / Votes
...what I most enjoyed about the book is that it introduced me to some sisters I knew little about - Isabel and Nina in Helen Dunmore's Talking to the Dead, Nigerian sisters Ejima and Kainene in Half of a Yellow Sun, Katniss and Primrose from The Hunger Games and Hasina and Nazneen in Monica Ali's Brick Lane. I loved meeting new fictional heroines... -- Susannah Fullerton * Sisters in Literature * This is a beautifully produced book and would make a lovely gift - for yourself, or any friend who loves to read. -- Susannah Fullerton * Sisters in Literature * I found this beautifully produced book quite irresistible...An excellent reading list adds to the enjoyment of this affectionate and enlightening book. -- Joceline Bury Great Literary Sisters reminds us to consider the special import of the sister relationship - in both our own lives and our reading lives. -- Edwina Preston Recommended for academic libraries with strong English literature collections, as students of literature may find this a helpful text. -- Amber Gray Great Literary Sisters is a small book that holds marvellous essays looking at relationships between sisters in Literature...[it] is a valuable resource for those who enjoy true depth in a story. Phillips's previous book, 'Great Literary Friendships' (2022), cast its net wide in examining friendships in literature... 'Great Literary Sisters' takes a similarly broad approach, unconstrained by literary hierarchy, genre or target audience. -- Edwina PrestonMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 202 mm
Width: 130 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
496 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-85124-621-2 (9781851246212)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
JANET PHILLIPS is the author of Great Literary Friendships (Bodleian Library Publishing, 2022).
Content
tbc