The Weirdies

The Weirdies #1

by Michael Buckley, Kate Winslet (Narrator)

This is a very, very sad story. The characters suffer terrible tragedies. People die in unspeakable ways. Only a truly horrible person would be amused by their misfortune.

Nevertheless, it is kind of funny.

My advice is that you listen to this all by yourself. People can be judgy.

If you’re a fan of A Series of Unfortunate Events, Edward Scissorhands, or the darkest bits of Roald Dahl, the Weirdie triplets - Barnacle, Garlic, and Melancholy - will feel like old friends. After being left behind when the entire estate of Deadeye Manor is packed up for a doomed vacation cruise, the triplets have to learn how to fend for themselves. (When a staff of 200 servants has taken care of your every need, even brushing your own teeth is a mountainous task.) From their time at the Our Lady of the Perpetual Side-Eye Orphanage to their adoptive home on picture-perfect Sunshine Circle, the Weirdies have a lot to learn about the world...but, at least, they have each other.

©2020 Michael Buckley (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC.

Genres: Audiobook, Fiction, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Humor, Childrens, Young Adult

2 pages, Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

New York Times bestselling author Michael Buckley was born in Akron, Ohio. He tried his hand as a stand-up comic and lead singer for a punk rock back before attending Ohio University. After graduating with honors he moved to New York City to be an intern on the Late Show with David Letterman which led to stints developing programming for Discovery Networks, MTV, MTV Animation and Klasky Csupo (producers of Nickelodeon’s Rugrats). Today he lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife, Alison, and their son Finn.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Anna]

This was so good. I didn't expect to enjoy it so much but it was quirky and sarcastic and odd. It gives off series of unfortunate events/Mrs perigrines peculiar children vibes and I'm here for it. I don't think it was too similar to either and the people complaining about it are just bitter.

Listen and delve into the world of the Weirdies and their wonderfully original and odd behaviors.

[✦BookishlyRichie✦]

3.5 STARS!!

Kate Winslet did a phenomenal job narrating this. I hope she narrates more middle grade books in the future. The story was quirky, odd, and fun and did remind me a lot of ASOUE, which is what I think it was going for so that was cool. :)

[Mariah Roze]

If you are looking for a short, creative, silly book to read this is perfect! I really enjoyed listening to The Weirdies.


"If you’re a fan of A Series of Unfortunate Events, Edward Scissorhands, or the darkest bits of Roald Dahl, the Weirdie triplets - Barnacle, Garlic, and Melancholy - will feel like old friends. After being left behind when the entire estate of Deadeye Manor is packed up for a doomed vacation cruise, the triplets have to learn how to fend for themselves. (When a staff of 200 servants has taken care of your every need, even brushing your own teeth is a mountainous task.) From their time at the Our Lady of the Perpetual Side-Eye Orphanage to their adoptive home on picture-perfect Sunshine Circle, the Weirdies have a lot to learn about the world...but, at least, they have each other."

[Janssen]

Several of my kids love this series so we listened to it together in the car. Dang it is WEIRD.

[Erin Entrada Kelly]

I loved this. The story was similar to Unfortunate Events in its narration and morbid humor, but it also had a flavor all its own. It made me laugh. Winslet’s narration is beautifully done. A great way to pass the time.

[Snooty1]

***Family Read***
I refuse to stop having family reading time, and getting to read stories together as they get older just means that I get to enjoy the story just as much as they do!

This reminded me quite a bit of the movie "The Willoughbys" (sp?) which we all loved as well.
Basically there are three triplets that are greatly neglected by their parents. In pure Home Alone status they are left home from a yacht vacation; which ends up being lucky for them, as the boat sinks. Leaving the triplets orphans.
Once orphaned they are adopted by the sweetest, wholesome woman possible; the complete antithesis of these "weirdies"

Fun, short and witty. Parents and children will like.

[Rebecca Crunden]

❧ audiobook review

When the main location in the book is Our Lady of the Perpetual Side-eye, you know the book is going to be good.

AND WHAT A GREAT READ À LA A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS. A bit like The Gashlycrumb Tinies and Addams Family, too. Kate Winslet's narration just made it *chef's kiss*

Barnacle, Garlic and Melancholy are just delightful. And Ms Emily is the best! The descriptions and one-liners had me giggling and shaking my head the whole time. Some of them were incredibly profound, too.

Being very strange kept people away. And if people stayed away, you could never disappoint them.

This is dark, funny, a bit gothic, wicked and just wonderful.

I want you to be weird! As gloriously, outrageously weird as you can be! I like it - no, I love it!

[Rashie]

A lot of people appear to have really enjoyed this book. I guess I am just not one of them. It was written in a style so similar to the Lemony Snicket series that it teeters dangerously on the edge of plagiarism. I imagine I would have enjoyed this book much more if I had not read the series from which this one *borrows* so generously, first.

I saw a review by a girl who claims that anyone who considers this book too similar to others like it, is just *bitter*. She doesn’t clarify what we’re bitter about so bless her heart, I guess.

[lydia]

honestly a lot of fun!!

[Tatevik (on hiatus)]

Very entertaining story that looks like Unfortunate Events meets Adams family and read by Kate Winslet! I enjoyed it very much! Just what doctor prescribed for summer fun. 4,5 stars for the story and 5 stars for performance!

[Sarah]

Weird, quirky, dark yet funny. And can I just request Kate Winslet to narrate EVERYTHING in my life from now on?? I could listen to her forever and ever

[Rin ⭐️]

3.5

1 h 44 mins audiobook

this was good. tbh i wasn't expecting to enjoy it because it was really short!

the story is about the weirdie triplets, barnacle, garlic and melancholy. the story was funny, weird, quirky and dark!

the narrator was EVERYTHING! kate winslet did a really great job and made this audiobook so enjoyable.

i highly recommend to people who love a series of unfortunate events and roald dahl books. they give me the same vibes.🤍

[Marilisa]

This was so delightfully odd and funny

[Caitlyn G]

a series of unfortunate events meets the addams family

[Tereza]

Great story, Kate Winslet as a perfect narrator. I enjoyed every moment!

[Mike the Magnificient]

A charming little story about three ghoulish children charmingly read by Kate Winslet.

[Alli Fraser]

is it possible to like a book too much? this was everything it promised it would be and then some. A story that includes laugh out loud humor, adoption, parental loss, finding ones true self. I cannot wait to devour the next one!

[Kulveen Virdee]

This book is one of my fave audiobooks for the kids on long road trips. They never get sick of it, and neither do I! It’s so cliche, campy and spooky and brings back my childhood nostalgia of aah, real monsters!, the adams family and hocus pocus. I think we have listened to it at least 12 times and I’m ok with that!

[debbicat *made of stardust*]

twisted and fun

just the kind of escape I needed to take a walk on a Sunday afternoon in the cemetery.

Check out this audible original read by Kate Winslet. She made it of course. Narration perfection!

[Kerrin]

My 6 year old daughter would like it noted that she nearly peed her pants when the zombie chickens were created.

[Rodica]

We listened to this audiobook at bedtime on two nights, the kids loved it and I enjoyed it as much as them. I saw some reviews comparing it to Lemony Snicket. I didn’t read that series, so I may not be the best judge. It has dark humor, wittiness and Kate Winslet is an amazing narrator, we had a great time listening to it.

[Becky Wright]

This was a lot of fun. Although I listened with my 8-year-old son, I actually enjoyed this too. Quirky, funny, and slightly creepy enough to keep me amused.

[Kristy]

So cute! My boys (almost 8 and 6.5) really enjoyed it.

[Linda]

This was a short odd and yet enjoyable story. It was about a very weird set of triplets and their antics. Their parents are just as strange. If you need something interesting, funny, strange and enjoyable to listen to, this will do nicely. Very original.

[Shannon]

Audible Review

Overall 5 out of 5 stars
Performance 5 out of 5 stars
Story 5 out of 5 stars

So odd, but so delightful.
The Weirdies was wild, wacky, and delightfully deranged. I enjoyed it so much! I had no expectations going in, I had just been looking for some books in the Plus catalogue and came across this one and it sounded entertaining so I gave it a shot. And I'm so glad I did!
Kate Winslet did a fantastic job performing this story, she definitely made it fun! I'm moving right on to book 2- I can't wait to see what's to come, considering how this story ended!

[rachel]

Super cute middle grade thanks to audible plus catalog.

Quick listen (under an hour at 1.7x speed)

[Aria]

Short, sarcastic, and deviously fun.

[Andrea Frazee]

Audiobook

[MikeLikesBooks]

This is a delightful middle grade fantasy that will make your child giggle. These triplets are not like other children and seem to find trouble wherever they go. I loved the character development.

[Carla Grossi]

I loved this so much, just like reading Lemony Snicket, and that’s a really good compliment.