From good little girls to sworn enemies, Blanche Leridon delves into the story of sisterhood, studying its representation in both classic and pop cultures.

In patrilineal societies, all-female sibling groups have long been considered a form of failure, an anomaly. Yet examples, heroic or ordinary, abound: the ancient Pleiades, Venus and Serena Williams, not to mention Kate and Pippa Middleton… This literary and sociological investigation into the origins of sisterhood immerses us in this both familiar and mysterious world, laden with tenacious old representations.