The Sisters Brothers

A Novel

By: Patrick deWitt

Narrated by: John Pruden

Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Hermann Kermit Warm is going to die. The enigmatic and powerful man known only as the Commodore has ordered it, and his henchmen, Eli and Charlie Sisters, will make sure of it. Though Eli doesn't share his brother's appetite for whiskey and killing, he's never known anything else. But their prey isn't an easy mark, and on the road from Oregon City to Warm's gold-mining claim outside Sacramento, Eli begins to question what he does for a living - and whom he does it for.

With The Sisters Brothers, Patrick deWitt pays homage to the classic Western, transforming it into an unforgettable comic tour de force. Filled with a remarkable cast of characters - losers, cheaters, and ne'er-do-wells from all stripes of life - and told by a complex and compelling narrator, it is a violent, lustful odyssey through the underworld of the 1850s frontier that beautifully captures the humor, melancholy, and grit of the Old West and two brothers bound by blood, violence, and love.

©2011 Patrick deWitt (P)2011 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

“…gritty, as well as deadpan and often very comic…DeWitt has chosen a narrative voice so sharp and distinctive…it’s very narrowing of possibilities opens new doors in the imagination.” ( New York Times Book Review)

“Weirdly funny, startlingly violent and steeped in sadness… It’s all rendered irresistible by Eli Sisters, who narrates with a mixture of melancholy and thoughtfulness.” ( Washington Post)

“[T]here’s something cinematic about Mr. deWitt’s unadorned prose style, which at first made this reader do a double-take—can this be serious?—only to continue flicking the pages with pleasure.” ( Wall Street Journal)

Excellent Book

Such a fine book, containing such horrors and humor. I am occasionally amazed that a book could contain such nutritional goodness.

superb

3rd time listening and still as incredible as the 1st. The readers performance is so good that I don't think I could just read a physical copy of this book.

A story of lost humanity, loneliness, brotherhood, tragedy, depravity and redemption (of sorts.) All this sprinkled with dark humor. This story has it all and I can't recommend it enough.

Good sorry. Great performance.

The story was a well developed one for as short as it was. The characters were interesting and the ending relatively satisfying.

The narration was excellent. Volume levels and clarity were some of the best I have heard on Audible. The characters were distinct and there personalities realized by the narrator.

A peculiarity

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, it's a great story.

What did you like best about this story?

The writing style and vernacular of the day was most intriguing to me. John Pruden was excellent as well.

Have you listened to any of John Pruden’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Nice Quick listen

Well read, interesting characters and story. Just the right touch of comedy. Breezed right through it.

Uniquely entertaining

The review titled "Oddly Compelling" is what my first reaction was, but that title being taken, I had to improvise.
At once elegiac of a bygone time, while pointedly critical of the romanticism of the age. And reflectively existential throughout.

I made the mistake of watching the film made from this book first, and listening to this audio version later. To be honest, the film was less than stellar, and made me a bit wary of checking out the book. But I'm glad I did, as the book is a much more cohesive story. The film ponderously, and unnecessarily in my opinion, adds or enhances elements to create an entirely different atmosphere.

Great

No, really. It’s great. Funny, absurd, meandering. If you like those words, you’ll like this book.

A stylish and heartfelt Western.

Patrick deWitt's 'The Sisters Brothers' is a story full of grit and pain, but also sweetness. 'Brothers' is told by Eli Sisters, the less-dominant of the two killers. Eli (and also Charlie's) search for redemption among a life of death is captivating and easy to identify with.

The highly-stylized dialogue may be off-putting to some readers, and one or two themes are resolved too neatly or not at all, but these small quibbles aside, 'The Sisters Brothers' is a great read.

Great story I hope there's a follow up

What did you love best about The Sisters Brothers?

The narrator did a great job capturing the different styles of each brother. And I loved the noir style the author used in this cowboyesque book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Eli Sisters was my favorite. He was the more quiet, kind hearted one that was looking out for his brother more than his brother even knew.

Have you listened to any of John Pruden’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is my first, but definitely not my last.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes in fact it only took me two days to listen too because I couldn't turn it off.

Wonderfull character study. Loved the language...

Where does The Sisters Brothers rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Near the top. I love old western fiction and this is one of the best.

What other book might you compare The Sisters Brothers to and why?

It's really different than most western books I've read. It's dry humor is appealing and the situations are believable and compelling. The narator is top notch.

Have you listened to any of John Pruden’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. But now I'll look for others.