Summary
Patrick deWitt's The Sisters Brothers is a darkly comedic Western novel that took the literary world by storm upon its release in 2011. Set against the backdrop of the 1850s California Gold Rush, this unconventional tale follows two hitmen brothers on a violent and introspective journey. The book garnered numerous accolades, including the Governor General's Literary Award and the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize.
DeWitt's unique narrative style breathes fresh life into the classic Western genre. Through the eyes of Eli Sisters, the more contemplative of the two protagonists, readers are treated to a story that balances humor, melancholy, and grit. The novel's cast of colorful characters and its exploration of morality in a lawless frontier have earned it critical acclaim and a dedicated readership.
In 2018, The Sisters Brothers was adapted into a film of the same name, directed by Jacques Audiard and starring John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix as the titular brothers. The movie, like the book, received praise for its unique take on the Western genre, further cementing the story's place in contemporary culture.
Plot
In 1851, brothers Eli and Charlie Sisters are hired by a wealthy businessman known as the Commodore to assassinate Hermann Kermit Warm, a prospector accused of theft. The brothers, who are professional killers, embark on a journey from Oregon City to California to carry out their mission. Eli, the younger and more contemplative of the two, begins to question their line of work as they travel.
Along the way, Eli and Charlie encounter various misadventures and colorful characters. They face challenges such as animal attacks, injuries, and confrontations with other dangerous individuals. The brothers also hear rumors about a red-furred bear with a bounty on its head, which they eventually hunt down and kill for a reward from a man named Mayfield.
Upon reaching San Francisco, the Sisters brothers discover that their target, Warm, has developed a chemical formula that makes gold glow, revealing its location in riverbeds. They learn that the Commodore's true motive was to steal this valuable invention. Eli and Charlie track down Warm and his partner Morris, initially planning to complete their mission. However, they ultimately decide to join forces with the prospectors to use the formula and extract gold from a river.
The partnership ends in tragedy when the caustic formula severely burns Morris and Warm, leading to their deaths. The brothers' newfound fortune is then stolen by a group of Native Americans. On their journey back to Oregon, they face further setbacks, including the loss of Charlie's hand due to chemical burns. The experience profoundly changes both men, leading Eli to confront and kill the Commodore, freeing them from their life of crime. The novel concludes with the brothers returning to their mother's home, seeking a fresh start.
Themes
Morality and ethics in a lawless frontier
Brotherhood and familial bonds
Quest for identity and purpose
Greed and the corrupting influence of wealth
Violence and its consequences
The clash between civilization and wilderness
Redemption and personal transformation
Setting
Set in the tumultuous era of the 1850s California Gold Rush, The Sisters Brothers unfolds against the backdrop of a rapidly changing American West. This period was marked by the mass migration of fortune seekers, the displacement of Native American populations, and the lawless nature of frontier settlements.
The novel's geographical scope spans from Oregon City to Sacramento, California, tracing the protagonists' journey through the rugged terrain of the Pacific Northwest and into the heart of gold country. Along the way, the brothers encounter a diverse cast of characters in various frontier towns, each stop revealing a new facet of the Old West's complex social tapestry.
Key locations in the story include San Francisco, a burgeoning metropolis transformed by the gold rush, and the fictional town of Mayfield, which serves as a microcosm of the era's volatile boom-and-bust cycle. The climactic scenes unfold along a remote river, dubbed the “River of Light,” where the characters' fates intersect amidst the harsh realities of prospecting and the unforgiving natural environment.
Characters
Eli Sisters: The narrator and protagonist of the novel. Eli is the younger, more thoughtful and sensitive of the Sisters brothers. He questions their violent lifestyle and longs for a simpler, more peaceful existence. Eli's introspective nature and moral conflicts drive much of the story's narrative.
Charlie Sisters: Eli's older brother and partner in their assassin work. Charlie is more ruthless, impulsive, and fond of drink than Eli. He embraces their violent profession without remorse, though his confidence is shaken after a serious injury. Charlie's brash nature often clashes with Eli's more measured approach.
Hermann Kermit Warm: A prospector and chemist who invents a formula to easily find gold. Warm becomes the brothers' target but later befriends them. His idealism and ingenuity contrast with the Sisters' brutal profession.
The Commodore: The wealthy and mysterious man who hires the Sisters brothers. He remains an enigmatic figure, representing the corrupt power that exploits others during the Gold Rush.
Morris: An intermediary working for the Commodore who befriends Warm. Morris partners with Warm to use his gold-finding formula before meeting a tragic end.
Mayfield: A hotel owner the brothers encounter on their journey. He offers a reward for a red bear and later becomes entangled in the brothers' misadventures.
Quick facts
The novel was inspired by a Time-Life book on the California Gold Rush that deWitt found at a yard sale.
It won the 2011 Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction.
The Sisters Brothers was shortlisted for the prestigious Man Booker Prize in 2011.
The book was adapted into a 2018 film starring Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly as the Sisters brothers.
It won the 2012 Stephen Leacock Medal for humor writing.
The novel was the top-selling fiction book in Canada for the week ending December 11, 2011.
DeWitt's darkly comic Western pays homage to the classic genre while transforming it.
The story is set in Oregon and California during the 1851 Gold Rush.
The book's chapters have been described as “slightly sketched-in, dangerously close to a film treatment."
It won the $25,000 Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize awarded by the Writers' Trust of Canada.
About the Author
Patrick deWitt, born in 1975 in Sidney, British Columbia, is a Canadian novelist and screenwriter who has made significant waves in the literary world. Despite dropping out of high school, deWitt pursued his passion for writing, eventually moving to Los Angeles where he worked as a bartender while honing his craft. His journey as an author truly began when he sold his first book, Ablutions, in 2009, allowing him to fully commit to his writing career.
DeWitt's breakthrough came with his second novel, The Sisters Brothers, published in 2011. This Western-noir tale garnered widespread acclaim, earning nominations for prestigious literary awards including the Man Booker Prize, the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and the Governor General's Award for English-language fiction. The novel's success culminated in multiple wins, including the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize and the Stephen Leacock Award. Its popularity also led to a film adaptation in 2018, directed by Jacques Audiard.
Following the success of The Sisters Brothers, deWitt continued to produce critically acclaimed works. His subsequent novels, Undermajordomo Minor (2015) and French Exit (2018), further solidified his reputation as a versatile and engaging author. French Exit, which became a national bestseller, was also adapted into a film, with deWitt penning the screenplay himself. His most recent work, The Librarianist, released in 2023, showcases his ongoing evolution as a writer.
Now residing in Portland, Oregon, deWitt has become a dual citizen of Canada and the United States. His unique narrative style, often blending dark humor with poignant observations, has earned him a devoted readership and critical acclaim. Despite his success, deWitt remains committed to his craft, continually exploring new literary territories and pushing the boundaries of contemporary fiction.
