Brothers and Sisters - Charlotte Wood (editor)

Brothers & Sisters
Charlotte Wood (editor)

‘Your brother or sister, it might be said, is your other self – your grander, sadder, braver, shrewder, uglier, slenderer self.’

Despite (or maybe because of) sharing the same gene pool, our relationship with our siblings is often fraught with friction. At various times, we love and hate them in equal measure. We are fiercely protective of them one moment and ferociously fighting them the next.

In this collection, Wood has compiled twelve short stories by individual Australian authors. In each (with the exception of one about an only child) the characters speak of the deep bonds – whether beautiful or broken – between themselves and their siblings. Because of the familiarity of the subject, each story has elements that we recognize in our own personal lives or the lives of those around us.

Unlike the theme of love in its infinite scope to hold one’s attention, reading repeated stories on sibling relationship was a tad tiresome. However, the artful assembly of this collection and the close proximity of its theme to our own lives makes it a worthwhile read. 3 stars