“In the end I decided to hold onto the book, my thought being that his story was a unique one, and so best to keep his words aboveground where they might be shared and admired.”
Patrick DeWitt, The Sisters Brothers
My grandpa read westerns. Westerns, both old and modern, lined the shelves. I proudly wear all the traits my papa passed down to me. From my love of popcorn to being an advent reader. However, when he passed down his love for reading, he skipped over the western genre. Western books never sparked my interest. Perhaps my worry is they will remind me of the endless western movies playing on his tv, I’m not too sure. With this in mind, imagine my shock when I finished my first western, albeit, less gun shooting and more relational, and actually enjoyed it. I’m beginning to think maybe he did pass down his love for westerns, I just need to clear off the cobwebs.
Synopsis
The Sisters Brothers, by Patrick DeWitt has sat on my bookshelf for years. This book lived through four different moves. So, this year I told myself I would read books off my bookshelf I admittedly picked this one with the intention of getting the bad ones out of the way quicker. I was wrong. DeWitt writes a western that includes more than just gunslinging cowboys and shootouts in the middle of town. In fact, the majority of the book takes a more human approach, focusing on the relationship and lives of the two brothers the story follows.
Right off the bat, the reader learns of the Sisters brothers predicament. These two brothers have made a name for themselves, but there is clearly a leader out of the two of them. Eli, our narrator, is quick to point out his brothers biggest flaws. Charlie, the leader, is hot headed, money driven, and not slow to point his gun. Eli, on the other hand, is more tender hearted, empathetic, and willing to listen to the other guys story before firing his shot.
These two brothers are about to set out on a new task. There boss has assigned the brothers to go to Sacramento City. The gold rush is hitting hard in the city and there is a man who owes the boss something unnamed. Charlie is eager to get on his way and finish the job, Eli is stuck asking questions about what this man owes and the importance it has to the boss. However, Charlie pays no mind to his brothers anxieties and the head off on their job.
Throughout their travels they encounter countless obstacles. From illness, witches, love interests, gold miners, and other threats the brothers maneuver through. Throughout the journey, the reader can pick up on the potential outcome. As they get closer and closer to their destination, it is clear this may be the last trip for at least one of the brothers.
Review
Outside of the storyline, there was a lot to learn from this book. For example Eli, the younger brother, takes the time to observe and acknowledge how the same path can create two drastically different people. His brother grew up to be a man with a hard exterior whose main concern is always money. Eli is more concerned with living life, settling down, and growing old.
“Our blood is the same, we just use it differently.”
Patrick DeWitt, The Sisters Brothers
What stood out the most to me was the dedication the Sisters brothers have to one another. Despite there opposite motives, neither choose to neglect the other. While they appear to be harsh and cruel to one another, Charlie is quick to ensure Eli gets medical attention when he falls ill, he looks for his brother when a fight breaks out, and he looks for his brothers approval despite being the leader. Eli, on the other hand, takes keen notice to the little details of Charlie’s life. He notices when Charlie is nearing a dangerous life path and does not hold back to pull him closer. He understands the drastic change (spoiler alert) that occurs when Charlies shooting hand is amputated. And he stops at nothing to ensure Charlie’s new life will be safe as he switches into the leader role.
This book pushes the reader to acknowledge the importance of those around us. Even the small characters in the book add to the story by demonstrating how a small interaction can influence big situations. The people in the book all have their own stories to tell, even if only a paragraph long. I found myself falling in love with this little western as I continued reading these little stories.
DeWitt likes his chapters short and his story long. This is something I quickly jumped on board with. The short chapters make for an easy read. While not an incredibly long book, the story never dulls. Each chapter leads to another adventure, while always concluding the previous. DeWitt also does a fantastic job at tying off stories. Each person they encounter on their way to the gold mining city gets wrapped up in some way or another.
My one complaint comes in the ending of the book. Don’t get me wrong, I loved how the story ends. However, the ending felt slightly rushed. I would have liked to see more detail and outcomes following the final conclusions. Perhaps DeWitt was leaving the future of the Sisters brothers to that of the reader. Still, I was left with some unanswered questions.
Recommendation
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who doubts the likability of westerns. I know I was in that group. I also recommend this book for anyone who likes action packed, but story driven novels. DeWitt does a great job at balancing between the standoffs and the overall story. There is some more adult content in a handful of chapters and for that reason I recommend this book for individuals 13 and older. Obvious trigger warnings include the use of guns and overall violence. However, don’t let that stop you from enjoying this incredible story.
Exceptional read 8/10
Fun fact, this book is also a movie. I have not watched the movie myself, but I do plan to. If you’d like a comparison let me know in the comments!
As always, happy reading!