marthadude's review
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Gore, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Addiction
Moderate: Child death, Vomit, Medical trauma, and Medical content
lumpycustard's review
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Death, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence
franlop97's review
It was a an engaging book, but as it was hitting the climax towards the end it completely took me out of the story. Kind of like the climax in the village, it just pushed the story into a direction that didn’t feel cohesive with what I was reading and enjoying prior.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug use, and Gun violence
anitaxlit's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
It happened 😭 I finished it! What a ride.
I'm baffled that this novel has been so often deemed a comedy (albeit a dark one) when I personally found it so terribly heartbreaking. The narration walks very intelligently along the edge between comedy and tragedy, partly because it is narrated in a very dry style. In certain passages, this creates guffaw-inducing ridiculous situations that serve to deeper accentuate the general bleakness of the reality in which they happen.
This balance also translates to the themes of the novel, mainly the contrast between cynicism and innocence—by innocence I don't mean naivety but open, genuine curiosity and joy, thoughtful sensitivity, and the ability to perceive things with the eyes of a child.
(not sure if this is a spoiler but just in case)
Between picking up and finishing this book I started and finished writing my undergraduate thesis, went on a roadtrip, read at least 5 other books, moved out and started a master's! Many joyous and significant things, and all the while The Sisters Brothers remained in the back of my mind. Just that reason would be enough to remember it fondly, but it's also a novel of particular sensitivity and rawness, and for that I'll cherish it forever.
And if you've read this, do yourself a favor and watch the movie.
I'm baffled that this novel has been so often deemed a comedy (albeit a dark one) when I personally found it so terribly heartbreaking. The narration walks very intelligently along the edge between comedy and tragedy, partly because it is narrated in a very dry style. In certain passages, this creates guffaw-inducing ridiculous situations that serve to deeper accentuate the general bleakness of the reality in which they happen.
This balance also translates to the themes of the novel, mainly the contrast between cynicism and innocence—by innocence I don't mean naivety but open, genuine curiosity and joy, thoughtful sensitivity, and the ability to perceive things with the eyes of a child.
(not sure if this is a spoiler but just in case)
Spoiler
Charlie and Eli represent each of these two attitudes, but at the same time Eli contains them both within himself. Warm transitions from one to the other. Morris is possibly the character who's closest to fully embodying innocence.Between picking up and finishing this book I started and finished writing my undergraduate thesis, went on a roadtrip, read at least 5 other books, moved out and started a master's! Many joyous and significant things, and all the while The Sisters Brothers remained in the back of my mind. Just that reason would be enough to remember it fondly, but it's also a novel of particular sensitivity and rawness, and for that I'll cherish it forever.
And if you've read this, do yourself a favor and watch the movie.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, and Medical content
Moderate: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse
hburlingame's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death, and Misogyny
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