The Three Incestuous Sisters

by Audrey Niffenegger

The Three Incestuous Sisters is an evocative, illustrated book by the best-selling author of The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger. Reminiscent of the gothic style of Edward Gorey, Niffenegger's visually stunning narrative affirms her genius as a storyteller. These rich pages present the tale of three very different sisters: one who is beautiful, one who is smart, and one who is talented. A melodrama of sibling rivalry unfurls as one sister is driven mad with jealousy due to the passionate love affair of another. Escalating to a dizzying climax, the romance of the two lovers ends in sabotage, shame, and despair. Haunting illustrations and lyrical prose depict a timeless tale of love, revenge, and ultimately, transcendence.

The Three Incestuous Sisters is a unique and lavish tour de force, which showcases Audrey Niffenegger's incredible talent as an artist and a writer.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fiction, Art, Fantasy, Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Picture Books

176 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2005

About the author

Audrey Niffenegger (born June 13, 1963 in South Haven, Michigan) is a writer and artist. She is also a professor in the MFA Creative Writing Program at Columbia College Chicago.

Niffenegger's debut novel, The Time Traveler's Wife (2003), was a national bestseller. The Time Traveler's Wife is an unconventional love story that centers on a man with a strange genetic disorder that causes him to unpredictably time-travel and his wife, an artist, who has to cope with his constant absence.

Her Fearful Symmetry (2009), Niffenegger's second novel, is set in London's Highgate Cemetery where, during research for the book, Niffenegger acted as a tour guide.

Niffenegger has also published graphic and illustrated novels including: The Adventuress (2006), The Three Incestuous Sisters (2005), The Night Bookmobile (2009), and Raven Girl (2013). Raven Girl was adapted into a ballet by Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor and the Royal Opera House Ballet (London) in 2013.

A mid-career retrospective entitled "Awake in the Dream World: The Art of Audrey Niffenegger," was presented by the National Museum of Women in the Arts (Washington D.C.) in 2013. An accompanying exhibition catalogue examines several themes in Niffenegger's visual art including her explorations of life, mortality, and magic.

Reviews

[Charissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, today is my birthday and my fans, Tracy and Amy have requested that I write a review of this demented book. I find it amusing that the directions for posting a review includes the phrase "What I learned from this book" (as if we're kindergarteners just back from summer vacation)... but in this case it's actually helpful...

One year ago at Christmas time I was shopping with my latest charming, psychotic, former crack dealer boyfriend... and suddenly the cover of this book loomed up at me from the "gift book" table. I thought I must have read it wrong at first (I spend inordinate amounts of time reading/writing pornographic fan fiction, finding subtext in every show since The Honeymooners, and imagining strangers in their underwear... imagining a title like "Three Incestuous Sisters" is so not even beyond me). But no... it was as if the gods of bookstores knew my soul... I had stumbled across the wrongest book ever to be fashioned.

When I opened the cover to this atrocity, what I learned was that I am a twisted, perverse person who can be turned on even by something as insanely wrong as the idea of shagging ones own sisters.

Now... just so you understand... I am not normally attracted to my sisters. Yes, there are three of us. Yes, we each have differently colored hair. Yes, we have all slept in the same bed together. But... and I must emphasize this... we have NEVER known each other in the biblical sense. I reserve my incestuous behavior for cousins and members of my extended hippie family. I only play the banjo on the porch on alternate Thursdays. Most of us have all our teeth.

But this book... with it's delicate, elegant illustrations, as if for a children's bedtime storybook... well, it took me to secret, Freudian places that I didn't volunteer to travel to. I was dragged, kicking and screaming... in the middle of a public store in Berkeley... and when my brain did the flip into bizarroland... I started giggling maniacally. People were staring... and the book is large, okay? It's not like you can disguise the fact that you are staring at lesbian incest porn and getting off on it. Good thing it was Berkeley... they're used to this sort of thing.

My date wandered over to see what I was losing my freak over, and then backed away slowly. Even a former crack dealer thought there was something wrong with me.

So... there you have it. You are forewarned. This book, with it's evil ways, will take you down the rabbit hole of kinky wrongness. If you have sisters... just be prepared. If you don't... well... be glad. You get to be a voyeur to kinky wrongness without the guilt later while you sit around the dinner table and flashback to the dirty panels while talking to your unknowing sisters.

Someday I will get bored and buy this book for my sisters for Christmas. Then they will hate me and curse me and whisper between each other about how they worry I may crack one day. They will consult their psychics and their astrology charts to see where I went wrong. Okay... they already know where I went wrong. But I will have the last laugh... because no one can resist the power of the kink.

Curse you Audrey Niffenegger. You sick, kinky, freak of a girl. You are my people.

[Melody · Rating 1 out of 5]

Seems unduly influenced by Edward Gorey. This story is obviously a labor of love, but it didn't work for me at all. Creepy, pointless, and boring.

[jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! Reads like an eerie, warped, Shakespearean tragedy, accompanied perfectly by hauntingly stunning art. Just my cup of tea! Need all of the art by Audrey Niffenegger immediately.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was so-so for me. I liked the illustrations and I liked how it was creepy and weird but it wasn't creepy enough to be brilliant. It's obvious that Audrey Niffenegger thought about this book a lot (she even mentioned at the back that she spent years and years on it) but it didn't wow me. I think if you're going to call a book 'The Incestuous Sisters' you really have to go for it because otherwise it's kind of a letdown for the readers.

This book has very few words. Audrey Niffenegger let's the pictures speak for themselves and it's obvious that this book has another deeper layer under the exterior layer but honestly, it's not interesting enough to think about. If it really intrigued me I would be happy to read it again and think about it more but it just didn't interest me enough.

I liked how there were very few words but it wasn't creepy enough to pass as a brilliantly creepy book. There's some weird stuff in there, no doubt but I was expecting more from the story. The plot was interesting but the execution didn't fully take off. My favourite sister was Clothilde and Clothilde's descent into madness was the best bit about the book. It is a very quick read but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it.

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Three Incestuous Sisters is undoubtedly strange, but it is also wonderfully Gothic. The illustrations are dark, and hold almost a sense of enchantment. A lovely and rather surprising visual novel.

[Misty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I sort of feel bad for rating this a two, because I know it took an INSANE amount of work to create this book (14 years worth by Niffenegger's reckoning), but honestly, it really was just okay.

Told mostly through pictures (painstakingly created but still only 'ehh' most of the time), the text in this book is really just a series of captions for the pictures. The story is loosely held together through that, and even though it is there -- and a rather disturbing story it is, too -- it never feels like more than a series of vignettes.

The story; three sisters, Bettine, Ophile and Clothilde live alone and carry on their lonely lives near a lighthouse. When the lighthouse keeper dies and his son comes to stay, he shakes up things among the sisters, falling in love with one and causing another to descend into madness (the third? Already mad, I think...). What follows is a rather disturbing tale; story and art somewhat reminiscent of Edward Gorey or Tim Burton's The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories.

There are parts of the story, and panels that tell it, that are rather striking. And because it is told in pictures, it's not like it takes up a huge chunk of time. Still...

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this. I though the illustrations were beautiful. I loved the structure of the story, even though some parts were really jarring and unsettling. I'd consider buying my own copy, just to be able to reread it sometime and see what I missed before.

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Three Incestuous Sisters is the second “visual novel” by American author and artist, Audrey Niffenegger. The original books were hand printed: a limited edition of ten copies. The drawings are aquatints, featuring three sisters, Clothilde, Ophile and Bettine, who live by the sea. They all look quite similar but conveniently have different coloured hair. Two of them fall in love with the same man and jealousy leads to nasty consequences. The story is a little bizarre, but Niffenegger explains it needs to be imagined as a silent film made from Japanese prints, a melodrama of sibling rivalry. The text is certainly minimal, often as little as one or two words on the page opposite the prints.

In her afterword, Niffenegger explains the complicated process involved in the hand printing. The prints, in subdued colours (except for the sisters’ hair), are quite individual, and Niffenegger’s style is distinctive. It is easy to see from her later works (The Night Book Mobile and Raven Girl) that both the quality of the art and the storytelling have improved since the earlier books. Dedicated Niffenegger fans may wish to own a copy; borrowing from the library is recommended for those who are merely “interested”. Different.

[ke-sha · Rating 3 out of 5]

So...
This book was on something. Maybe

Or something I don't know.

Things happened in this book. Don't know really what to say. I mean it exists and I read it so...


I didn't hate the book. It had characters and a story... somewhat. It could have been clearer at times,there were just moments of

but overall I guess it was okay. I liked it well enough. I could see the potential. If only some things were more expanded on. That's really all I have to say. I'll give it a reread sometime in the future and then we'll see.

[Sally906 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I adored Niffenegger’s first book ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ and I gave it an A. I only wish I could have enjoyed this one even half as much. But I didn’t.

It was strange, creepy, weird. Three sisters live alone and two fall in love with the same man – but he only loves one of them and they conceive a child. There is tragedy and then an ending – a happy ending – well you will have to judge that for yourself. I just think it is weird – a sort of grown-up wanna be Grimm brothers sort of story without the magic. I’m not sure how the three sisters are incestuous – one of the sisters begins a mystical relationship with the fetus (her nephew) – they bond with their minds – is not a sexual thing.

I found the story to boring, pointless and strange. I can’t help but think that the enormous success of her first novel allowed Niffenegger to endulge herself by releasing this one. I mean good luck to her – but I hope she has it out of her system and goes back to writing good stories.

[Freesiab BookishReview · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an astonishing illustrated book! Everything about it is wonderfully weird! “As the curtain slowly rises, the story begins with a gathering storm” and I was a goner! Everything was magical with a side of creepy. The story had love, tragedy and joy. What else could you want for any book?

[Sam Quixote · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three sisters who live alone in an isolated house on the edge of town have their lives disrupted when a handsome young man falls in love with one of the sisters. The pair escape to town when one sister becomes jealous of the couple to the point where she plots to break up the union and take the man for herself. Things go badly, deaths occur, and out of the mess emerges a winged green boy.

The book feels like a dream or a fairy tale. There's minimal text to accompany the large and beautiful drawings, in fact the text seems to be almost titles of the pictures on the opposite page. This serves to tell the story at quite a fast pace so you're turning pages quickly and so it feels like an animated short rather than a book. But going back and looking at the pictures themselves, you can see Niffenegger has put a lot of effort into them. They feel as if they belong to a different time, perhaps early 19th century childrens' books.

I'm not sure if I can recommend buying it as it's quite expensive and it is a very quick read. The book is very well produced but, for me anyway, it's not the sort of book that I'll go back to again and again so I'm not sure I can recommend buying it. If, like me, you see it in the library though, it's worth it to pick up and have a read. It's a haunting vision of a tale that's not quite a picture book, not quite a comic book, but very much a good story.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm impressed with Niffenegger's flexibility--creating a picture book like this (what she refers to as a "visual novel") and then writing a novel like The Time Traveler's Wife. The illustrations remind me of Henry Darger's work (http://www.akimbo.biz/UserFiles/Image..., for example) with the thin, fine lines that Niffenegger uses to outline the characters' bodies. I enjoyed the detail she incorporated to reveal the texture of things--the yarn-looking fur of a black cat and the gravelly background on the first page. (Niffenegger apparently used the Aquatint process to create her illustrations--a form of etching.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquatint for more information.) Niffenegger in the afterword summary of this book: "...imagine a silent film made from Japanese prints, a melodrama of sibling rivalry, a silent opera that features women with very long hair and a flying green boy."

[Elsbeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, so good.

When you are done make sure to read the AFTERWORD because in this she explains that she created aquatints for the images. If you don't know anything about this printing process, you should know that it is incredibly involved and really interesting to watch someone create images in this way. If you have ever seen the movie "Goya's Ghosts" it shows Goya going through the process. Also you can probably youtube it.

That fact alone makes this "visual novel" that much more interesting.

[Holly Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This will be one to visit again and again!

[molly]

well if eddie marked this as read then so will i bc i was there reading it over their shoulder

[eddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

honestly no clue what was going on here but some of the illustrations and concepts were stunning

[sylvy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because I was enthralled by Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife , this book immediately caught my eye whilst browsing at Page One, this funky suite of a bookshop at Vivocity (Singapore). I am not in the habit of paying a 50 or more for illustrated books although I don't mind buying them (the pittance that I collect every month for slaving at my job affords me but one paperback every month). So I got one of the staff to rip away the plastic and I read it there and then.

Themes of loneliness, longing and loss are echoed in this dark anti-fairytale of three sisters who live by themselves in a lighthouse in some remote place. For instance, longing for love is portrayed by the lack of it; this is strongly portrayed by Ophile, the eldest sister. Loss pervades the entire story; strangely but wonderfully, loss forms the unexpected fairytale happy ending (and you'd have to read the book, and look at the illustrations to know what I mean by this statement, despite the story, as I mentioned, being of an anti-fairytale sort.

Stylistically, the text is simple. I guess the pictures are meant to speak louder than the words, it being an illustrated novel. And for quite a few days after I read it, I kept wondering why "incestuous" (ok, I admit that "incestuous sisters" was a factor for my interest in the book because I was curious at just how sick and perverted an illustrated novel sold in Singapore could get). So after some time of largely inconclusive daydreaming and wondering, I guess the incest between the sisters comes into play through the way their lives interacted and entertwined, so it was like, they were engaged in a sort of intercourse; all they had was each other; therefore all each of them had, was shared.

Somebody tell me if the sister's hair colour has any significance or not (Blonde=beauty and happiness, red=insanity, raven=isolation and jealousy)?

The illustrations must not go without a mention - they crafted the narrative beautifully. I am a new born fan of Edward Gorey, the artist behind the illustrations.

So what are you waiting for? Take my cue and go read the browsing copy in Page One, opened by yours truly.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read "Time Travelers Wife" and completely fell in love with it. It's one of my all-time favorite books. So after reading it a couple times, I thought I would look into the other works by Audrey Niffenegger. I bought "The Three Incestuous Sisters" over the internet, so I wasn't able to have a glimpse at it before purchasing it (I don't think there was even a cover picture of the book). But when I received my package and opened it up, first thing I noticed was the size and the cover art. It's a pretty large hardcover (almost standard legal sized paper) and the cover is beautifully. I really like the stringy and almost grainy art work. As I start to read it, one thing that comes to my attention is the lack of words. I was expecting more sentences on the pages, rather than an average of 1-2. I continue reading, and as I do, I find that the story gets interesting (in a weird sort of way). For example (SPOILER), one of the sisters gets pregnant and gives birth to a green, winged (without the feathers) fetus. I'm still trying to figure out the point of this green baby, but I just don't get it. Anyway, story was kind of out there, but I really enjoyed the artwork (which I think is the story's only redeeming quality), and I'm glad I didn't pay full price for it. If I did, I would probably consider returning it (full price is $40 CDN).

[Sweetp-1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never read any sort of graphic novel before and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. It was only a few weeks ago I discovered AN is an artist as well as an author and when I saw this on the library shelf today I was immediately intrigued.
The story is dark, another reviewer described it as an anti-fairytale which fits well, and wonderfully lyrical. What little words there are read like poetry: "Drowning, drowning in sadness, and the sea." The pared down prose seem the perfect accompaniment for the stark and haunting illustrations. I've read it all in one go, but I know that I will return to gaze at it many times before I reluctantly return it to the library.


Edit: Every time I reexamine the illustrations I see something new - the line of unborn babies under the bed, the way the lighthouse appears as a reoccurring theme. The last page!! Clothide's daughter. I missed her completely the first time. Who is the father? The Saint or Paris?
I'm left with more questions every time I pick it up. It's lovely.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say that I'm fascinated by the book is to put it mildly. I don't know why, since it has a very simple story line and the illustrations remind me of a first grader's doodling. I just am!
An analogy: Years ago we went to the Louvre and the Mona Lisa was on display at the time. There was a big crowd and when we were able to get close enough, there was a old gentleman in front. He stood out because he was neatly dressed in a suit and tie, while the others are typical tourists mostly in jeans and wrinkled shirt. Later, on our way out, we passed by and he was still there gazing on Mona Lisa. He probably noticed me staring at him because he turned to me said softly, "Beautiful, isn't she?" I didn't have the heart to tell him that all I can see was a picture of a simpering woman. Or that I enjoyed the Birth of Venus more.

[Ranee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice to be a first born.

Classic tale of sibling rivalry set in grotesque art. Funny at times and mundane sometimes. The story hits me since I have 2 sisters (and definitely Adler would have a field day interpreting our personalities). Though, unlike the book , I think the dynamics of our sibling relationship is way, way much better than those in the book and my sisters agree with me, after all, all of us read this.

A quick read, better admired for it's graphic art than its storyline, The Three Incestuous Sisters is not for everybody's taste. But if you do happen to have 2 other siblings, you might, just maybe want to compare the book with your story and please, please do tell me if you think the same, that it is nice to be a first born.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better story than "The Adventuress". I thought the illustrations were more interesting, as well. I really enjoyed this, actually. It was a bit morbid in parts... but props to the author for managing to make a human fetus drawing look cute rather than creepy. Also.. I appreciate that it took her 14 years to make this.. but it seems kind of weird, since it only takes like.. 10 minutes to read/look at the pictures. It seems like her style of art (aquatone or something like that) is a bit more trouble than its worth. But.. still, nice drawings, unique storyline.

[Elsa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me sabe mal darle sólo dos estrellas (2,5 estrellas) sabiendo que la autora se ha pasado 14 años creando este libro pero es que no puedo ponerle más. No es horrible pero tampoco no es para echar cohetes.
Se lee muy rápidamente ya que no tiene mucho texto y las ilustraciones no dan como para estar observándolas por mucho tipo, son bastante sencillas. Me han gustado, en especial, las ilustraciones de "The conception", "Clothilde, horrified" y "Haunted".
La historia es rara pero no lo sufiencente para ser brillante.

[Alissa Nutting · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Clothilde knows that the cause of headache is birds using pieces of her hair to build their nests. Therefore, she saves all her hair in jars hidden in her closet. Despite this, she continues to suffer."

[Mom2triplets04 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This literally took me 10 minutes to read. The entire story is mostly told by pictures with so little text. I think it would have been better if there were more words. The artwork and story was a bit disturbing. Glad I was able to read this book via the library.

[Gerry · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book came into my possession because I was fascinated by the concept of it; I wish I hadn't been for it was one of the most boring reads that I have ever undertaken. And how the title fits into the storyline of the book I am unsure; I do realise that this must be me for others will probably completely understand it all.

Even though I did not particularly enjoy the book, I did quite enjoy reading the afterword by Audrey Niffenegger who explained all about its conception and production. This was most interesting even if the end result for me was not what she would have hoped for or what I was expecting. Indeed she writes, 'I never try to explain what it means; you can find that out for yourself.' Well I am afraid I failed to do so.

The three sisters are Clthilkde, Ophile, and Bettine and while I can see what they are doing - the book is advertised as 'a Novel in Pictures' but there are words accompanying each illustrations, amongst which I should add there is some excellent artwork - as to how they relate and it all hangs together, I am unsure.

It is a pity I feel this way about it for it is a lovely piece of book production.

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diese Graphic Novel ist nicht ganz leicht zu bewerten. Das Werk kommt eher wie ein
Kunstband mit Bildunterschriften bzw. hier "Nebenschriften" daher, was aber an sich keine Kritik sein soll, man muss sich bloß darauf einlassen. Die Bilder lassen viel Raum für Deutungen und sind teils mythologisch aufgeladen.
Audrey Niffenegger verwendet für ihre Bilder das Aquatinta-Verfahren, welches (so steht es im Nachwort der Autorin/Illustratorin) recht aufwändig ist, weshalb man nur erahnen kann, welch Aufwand die Produktion dieses Werkes gewesen sein muss. Die Bilder bleiben größtenteils im Grauspektrum und werden durch einzelne Farbakzente ergänzt.
Ich fand besonders interessant, dass hier der Text das Bild ergänzt und nicht umgekehrt. Dadurch ist dieses Werk wohl aber eher etwas für Leser, die sich auch intensiver mit Kunst auseinandersetzen möchten.

[Trevor]

Read while backing up my hard drive. Made me smile

[Justice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes I hesitate to put the things I read on goodreads, because what is that title/cover, but whatever.

This took less than 15 minutes to read, and rly shows how obsessed Niffenegger is with ghosts. I wish I liked her writing better, because she's so good at creating a specific vibe in her books, and on a technical level her prose is lovely, but the stories are never quite enough for me. The art here was appropriately unsettling, but the story just didn't give me much to think about. Now let me return this to the library before my roommate sees it and thinks less of me.